Tag: Good

  • Small Business Owners: Accounting Is for Profit Planning, Not Just Tax Preparation

    Small Business Owners: Accounting Is for Profit Planning, Not Just Tax Preparation

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    One might be led to believe that profit is the main objective in a business but in reality it is the cash flowing in and out of a business which keeps the doors open. The concept of profit is somewhat narrow and only looks at expenses and income at a certain point in time. Cash flow, on the other hand, is more dynamic in the sense that it is concerned with the movement of money in and out of a business. It is concerned with the time at which the movement of the money takes place. Profits do not necessarily coincide with their associated cash inflows and outflows. The net result is that cash receipts often lag cash payments and while profits may be reported, the business may experience a short-term cash shortage. For this reason, it is essential to forecast cash flows as well as project likely profits. In these terms, it is important to know how to convert your accrual profit to your cash flow profit. You need to be able to maintain enough cash on hand to run the business, but not so much as to forfeit possible earnings from other uses.

    Why accounting is needed

    Help you to operate better as a business owner

    1. Make timely decisions

      • Know when to hire a team of employees
      • Know how to price your products
      • Know how to label your expense items
      • Helps you to determine whether to expand or not
      • Helps with operations projected costs
    2. Stop Fraud and Theft

      • Control the biggest problem is internal theft
      • Reconcile your books and inventory control of equipment
    3. Raising Capital (help you to explain financials to stakeholders)

      • Loans
      • Investors

    What are the Best Practices in Accounting for Small Businesses to address your common ‘pain points’?

    1. Hire or consult with CPA or accountant

      1. What is the best way and how often to contact
      2. What experience do you have in my industry?
      3. Identify what is my break-even point?
      4. Can the accountant assess the overall value of my business
      5. Can you help me grow my business with profit planning techniques
      6. How can you help me to prepare for tax season
      7. What are some special considerations for my particular industry?

    To succeed, your company must be profitable. All your business objectives boil down to this one simple fact. But turning a profit is easier said than done. In order to boost your bottom line, you need to know what’s going on financially at all times. You also need to be committed to tracking and understanding your KPIs.

    What are the common Profitability Metrics to Track in Business — key performance indicators (KPI)

    Whether you decide to hire an expert or do it yourself, there are some metrics that you should absolutely need to keep tabs on at all times:

    • Outstanding Accounts Payable: Outstanding accounts payable (A/P) shows the balance of cash you currently owe to your suppliers.
    • Average Cash Burn: Average cash burn is the rate at which your business’ cash balance is going down on average each month over a specified time period. A negative burn is a good sign because it indicates your business is generating cash and growing its cash reserves.
    • Cash Runaway: If your business is operating at a loss, cash runway helps you estimate how many months you can continue before your business exhausts its cash reserves. Similar to your cash burn, a negative runway is a good sign that your business is growing its cash reserves.
    • Gross Margin: Gross margin is a percentage that demonstrates the total revenue of your business after subtracting the costs associated with creating and selling your business’ products. It is a helpful metric to identify how your revenue compares to your costs, allowing you to make changes accordingly.
    • Customer Acquisition Cost: By knowing how much you spend on average to acquire a new customer, you can tell exactly how many customers you need to generate a profit.
    • Customer Lifetime Value: You need to know your LTV so that you can predict your future revenues and estimate the total number of customers you need to grow your profits.
    • Break-Even Point:How much do I need to generate in sales for my company to make a profit?Knowing this number will show you what you need to do to turn a profit (e.g., acquire more customers, increase prices, or lower operating expenses).
    • Net Profit: This is the single most important number you need to know for your business to be a financial success. If you aren’t making a profit, your company isn’t going to survive for long.
    • Total revenues comparison with last year/last month. By tracking and comparing your total revenues over time, you’ll be able to make sound business decisions and set better financial goals.
    • Average revenue per employee. It’s important to know this number so that you can set realistic productivity goals and recognize ways to streamline your business operations.

    The following checklist lays out a recommended timeline to take care of the accounting functions that will keep you attuned to the operations of your business and streamline your tax preparation. The accuracy and timeliness of the numbers entered will affect the key performance indicators that drive business decisions that need to be made, on a daily, monthly and annual basis towards profits.

    Daily Accounting Tasks

    1. Review your daily Cash flow position so you don’t ‘grow broke’.

    Since cash is the fuel for your business, you never want to be running near empty. Start your day by checking how much cash you have on hand.

    Weekly Accounting Tasks

    2. Record Transactions

    Record each transaction (billing customers, receiving cash from customers, paying vendors, etc.) in the proper account daily or weekly, depending on volume. Although recording transactions manually or in Excel sheets is acceptable, it is probably easier to use accounting software like QuickBooks. The benefits and control far outweigh the cost.

    3. Document and File Receipts

    Keep copies of all invoices sent, all cash receipts (cash, check and credit card deposits) and all cash payments (cash, check, credit card statements, etc.).

    Start a vendors file, sorted alphabetically, (Sears under “S”, CVS under “C,”etc.) for easy access. Create a payroll file sorted by payroll date and a bank statement file sorted by month. A common habit is to toss all paper receipts into a box and try to decipher them at tax time, but unless you have a small volume of transactions, it’s better to have separate files for assorted receipts kept organized as they come in. Many accounting software systems let you scan paper receipts and avoid physical files altogether

    4. Review Unpaid Bills from Vendors

    Every business should have an “unpaid vendors” folder. Keep a record of each of your vendors that includes billing dates, amounts due and payment due date. If vendors offer discounts for early payment, you may want to take advantage of that if you have the cash available.

    5. Pay Vendors, Sign Checks

    Track your accounts payable and have funds earmarked to pay your suppliers on time to avoid any late fees and maintain favorable relationships with them. If you are able to extend payment dates to net 60 or net 90, the better. Whether you make payments online or drop a check in the mail, keep copies of invoices sent and received using accounting software.

    6. Prepare and Send Invoices

    Be sure to include payment terms. Most invoices are due within 30 days, noted as “Net 30” at the bottom of your invoice. Without a due date, you will have more trouble forecasting revenue for the month. To make sure you get paid on time, always use an invoice form that contains the right details such as payment terms, itemized charges, and your payment address.

    7. Review Projected Cash Flow

    Managing your cash flow is critical, especially in the first year of your business. Forecasting how much cash you will need in the coming weeks/months will help you reserve enough money to pay bills, including your employees and suppliers. Plus, you can make more informed business decisions about how to spend it.

    All you need is a simple statement showing your current cash position, expected cash receipts during the next week/month and expected cash payments during the next week/month.

    8. Executive Dashboard (weekly review)

    This dashboard gives you a ‘snapshot’ of your operations on a weekly basis.

    It consist of Cash on Hand, Cash burn rate, Account Receivables, Accounts Payable, Items sold, Inventory on Hand, inventory turns, outstanding issues in the business, and gross profit margin, new sales wins, customer losses, customer service performance, on time delivery rate and product quality performance.

    Monthly Accounting Tasks

    9. Balance Your Business Checkbook

    Just as you reconcile your personal checking account, you need to know that your cash business transaction entries are accurate each month and that you are working with the correct cash position. Reconciling your cash makes it easier to discover and correct any errors or omissions-by you or by the bank-in time to correct them.

    10. Review Past-Due (“Aged”) Receivables

    Be sure to include an “aging” column to separate “open invoices” with the number of days a bill is past due. This gives you a quick view of outstanding customer payments. The beginning of the month is a good time to send out overdue reminder statements to customers, clients and anyone else who owes you money.

    At the end of your fiscal year, you will be looking at this account again to determine what receivables you will need to send to collections or write off for a deduction

    11. Analyze Inventory Status

    If you have inventory, set aside time to reorder products that sell quickly and identify others that are moving slowly and may have to be marked down or, ultimately, written off. By checking regularly (and comparing to prior months’ numbers), it’s easier to make adjustments so you are neither short nor overloaded.

    12. Process or Review Payroll and Approve Tax Payments

    While you have an established schedule to pay your employees (usually semi-monthly), you need to meet payroll tax requirements based on federal, state and local laws at different times, so be sure to withhold, report and deposit the applicable income tax, social security, Medicare and disability taxes to the appropriate agencies on the required dates.

    Review the payroll summary before payments are disbursed to avoid having to make corrections during the next payroll period. A payroll service provider can do all this to save you time and ensure accuracy at a reasonable cost.

    13. Review Actual Profit and Loss vs. Budget and vs. Prior Years

    Each month, take the time to review your budgeted expenses and compare them to what you have actually spent. Are you spending above or below budget? Discuss the variances and take action as needed

    Your profit and loss statement (also known as an income statement), both for the current month and year to date, tells you how much you earned and how much you spent. Measure it against your budget every month (or quarter). Comparing your actual numbers to your planned numbers highlights where you may be spending too much or not enough, so that you can make changes.

    If you have not prepared a budget, compare your current year-to-date P&L with the same prior-period year-to-date P&L to identify variances and make adjustments.

    14. Review Month-End Balance Sheet vs. Prior Period

    By comparing your balance sheet at one date-June 30, 2015, for example-to a balance sheet from an earlier date (December 31, 2014), you get a picture of how you are managing assets and liabilities. The key is to look for what is significantly up and/or down and understand why. For example, if your accounts receivable are up, is it due to increased recent sales or because of slower payments from customers?

    Quarterly Accounting Tasks

    15. Prepare/Review Revised Annual P&L Estimate

    It’s time to evaluate how much money you are actually making, whether your net assets are going up or down, the difference between revenues and expenses, what caused those changes, how you are spending profits, as well as identifying trouble spots, and making adjustments to improve sales and margins.

    16. Review Quarterly Payroll Reports and Make Payments

    You have been reviewing your semi-monthly payroll reports. However, the IRS and most states require quarterly payroll reports and any remaining quarterly payments. Again, it’s best if your payroll service provider completes these reports and files them. Your job is to review to make sure they appear reasonable.

    17. Review Sales Tax and Make Quarterly Payments

    If your company operates in a state that requires sales tax, make sure you comply to avoid serious penalties. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can help you determine your state tax obligations.

    18. Compute Estimated Income Tax and Make Payment

    The IRS and states that have income taxes require you to pay estimated income taxes. Review your year-to-date P&L to see if you owe any estimated taxes for that quarter. Your tax accountant can assist if necessary.

    Annual Accounting Tasks

    19. Review Past-Due Receivables

    Now it’s time to check significant past due receivables and decide whether you think customers will eventually pay, whether to send past due bills to a collection agency or whether to write them off for a deduction.

    20. Review Your Inventory

    Review your current inventory to determine the value of items not sold. Any write-down of inventory translates to a deduction on your year-end taxes. If you do not write down unsellable inventory, you are overstating your inventory balance and paying additional taxes that you don’t owe.

    21. Fill out IRS Forms W-2 and 1099-MISC

    The IRS has a January 31 deadline that requires you to report the annual earnings of your full-time employees (W-2s) and most independent contractors (1099s). This deadline includes mailing copies of the tax forms to the people who worked for you. Note: A 1099 form is not required for any contractors who earned less than $600. Consider saving time and avoiding errors with an e-filing service.

    22. Review full-year financial reports for tax reporting

    • Get organized

      • Collect and store important documents (use apps and calendars for help)

        • Create email folders to store bank statement and receipts
        • Store contracts and agreements
        • Track miles and vehicle expenses
        • Store all required documents for your business type.

      • Tax Preparation

        • Tax preparation is a historical view and not a profit planning event
        • Capture all relevant events
        • Identify all deduction categories
        • Capture all meals

          • Meetings —-whatever was discussed/calendar

            • Try not to go over industry average industry cost for meals.

    At tax time, carefully review your company’s full-year financial reports before giving them to your accountant. Before you sign your return, be sure to review it for accuracy based on your full-year financial reports. Remember if IRS audits due to underpayment, they will deal with you not your accountant for any additional taxes, penalty and interest.

    If you don’t have the bandwidth to do all this yourself, a great strategy is to partner with a monthly accounting service. Outsourcing your accounting to an expert will simplify your life and give you more time to focus on running your business operations.

    A monthly accountant will provide you with a profit and loss sheet, balance statement, and accurate account reconciliation every month, ensuring that you have the financial information you need to make the best choices for your company.

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    Source by Vinson Primas

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  • Causes of Premarital Sex

    Causes of Premarital Sex

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    There is no behavior without reason. We need to examine reasons why Christian youths do fall into the sins of fornication.

    Please note that sexual relationship is divided into three, namely:

    (a) Premarital sex (fornication)

    (b) Pure (Holy or Legal) sex

    (c) Extra – marital Sex (Adultery)

    Premarital sex is what most youths engage in before marriage while extra-marital sex is what some married people indulges in, when they are not faithful to their partner. Pure, holy or legal sex is the only legitimate sex, it occurs between married couples. It is Holy and wonderful, God loves it and it brings purity. What we will be talking about here is premarital sex which the Bible calls fornication. It is not fun, it is not love-making but fornication. It is sin, I would have agreed if it is called lust making.

    CAUSES

    (1) Pressure: Pressure from parents, friends, peer group, lecturer, boss, future partners. Some men do mount pressure physically on their partners while some ladies mount pressure on their partners by dressing carelessly exposing their nakedness to seduce men. Some male bosses in places of work do mount pressure on their female workers, they want girls that can work for them and still satisfy them sexually.

    (2) Curiosity: Many youths have engaged themselves in premarital sex as a result of curiosity. They thought they were searching for reality, but they ended up destroying themselves. They are not satisfied with what their parents, pastors and christian friends told them concerning sex, they want to experience it themselves.

    (3) Electronic media: Television, film, radio and video has contributed to the high rate of premarital sex. What youths watch on screen determine their behaviour and character. Every product advertised on T.V. is just promoting sex. In fact, to advertise food items they use sex, film, television and radio promotes premarital sex. Most home videos are sex promoters.

    (4) Books and Magazines: Some satanic authors are in town destroying the youths, they write some sexual stories, books and magazines, they bring out many pictures that stimulate the youth to think about sex always. Having read all these books, youths do become restless until they have put into practice what they learned in the books and magazines.

    (5) Environmental influence: We live in a corrupt society where people do not see anything bad in ungodliness they do not see premarital sex as sin; they see it as a normal thing. Hence, girls are encouraged to dress exposing their bodies. Premarital sex has become the norm of the society. Some Christian youths find it difficult to cope in this kind of environment; hence, they fall into this ungodly act.

    (6) Covetousness: Greed for money, wealth and position is another cause of premarital sex. Some ladies want money at all costs hence they are ready to use their bodies to get it by sleeping around with men.

    (7) Indiscipline: Lack of discipline has led many singles into the dungeon of premarital sex.

    (8) Wrong association: This has led many youth into destruction. Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.

    (9) Ignorance: Lack of good sex education has led many youth into premarital sex, some went into it not knowing what they were doing.

    (10) Wrong information: Since parents have refused to educate their children on the subject and the church is not forth coming with anything meaningful, the youth have resorted to any information they can get from anywhere either wrong or right.

    (11) Bad parenting: Children that are not well brought up are likely to fall into wrong hands.

    (12) Idleness: An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. If you are idle, you may cuddle the devil.

    (13) Loneliness: Some claim they went into fornication due to loneliness.

    (14) Broken homes: Children from broken homes can fall into wrong hands due to the situation of their homes.

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    Source by Bisi Adewale

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  • Is He Marriage Material? Four Steps for Creating Your Custom Plan & Deciding If He's Worth Your Time

    Is He Marriage Material? Four Steps for Creating Your Custom Plan & Deciding If He's Worth Your Time

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    It's important that you know yourself, your goals, your needs and wants really well before you can find a great relationship that could potentially lead to marriage.

    And the best way to determine if your current or future boyfriend is marriage material is to know yourself, create a checklist of what's right for you, and then test him to see if he fits.

    In this article, we'll break down what things you need to know about both yourself and him in order to even consider that next step!

    Step One: Know There Is a "Mr. Perfect for You" and That You Can Design Him

    Are you still waiting for HIM? You know who I mean:

    "Mr. Right". The perfect man that will satisfy all your dreams and make your life worth living?

    Yeah, that guy. Well, sorry to break it to you like this but …

    Prince Charming, riding on a white stallion, lost his way because men hate asking for directions.

    Or he found Princess Charming and got married to her on his way to your castle … or, you know, your apartment.

    And by the way, even Prince Charming wasn't flawless. I'm pretty sure he left dirty dishes in the sink and never made up the bed.

    Anyway, the point is that PERFECT isn't showing up anytime soon.

    Truth is … nobody is perfect. No man and no woman. Perfection doesn't exist in people. But don't feel bad if you have been looking for the perfect man.

    I did that for a long time, deathly afraid that if I didn't get him exactly right, I'd failed myself, my future kids, the planet, my Mama, and possibly God.

    I was wrong. Don't even look for perfect, because the concept of "perfect for YOU" exists instead. You can plan the guy that may not perfect in the world, but is perfect for and fits YOU well.

    The perfect-for-you man of your dreams is not hiding under your bed, though. That would be too easy. Can't have that.

    Nope, you are going to have to actively design and then look for him. But don't worry, the search can be fun if you want it to be, and the hardest part is done. You now know you won't find perfect, so the pressure is off!

    By the way, are you feeling the whole "not pretty enough" thing sometimes too? Wondering "why am I still single" even?

    I did too. However, I learned that although I may not completely fit my society's "standard of beauty", I did meet quite a few men's individual standard of beauty … or was at least close enough!

    And that's all you really need. So don't worry. "Mr. Close-Enough-To-Perfect-For-You" might be just around the corner … if you'll give him a chance!

    You can plan him. Don't do this by default.

    I've noticed that we sometimes find ourselves dating or even married by what I call "by default". That means we find a man, decide that he is the best we can do, and latch on without really analyzing him to determine if he's really right for us or our lives.

    Don't fall victim to default. This isn't the time for "get in where you fit in". You CAN plan him. When you do your research and work your strategy, you won't have to put up with the losers!

    You'll have a way to know whether he's marriage material … or not!

    Now that you know that there is no "Mr. Right" or perfect man, the pressure is off, and you can now have fun looking for what I call your "ideal male". You're also aware that dating by default isn't the best way to avoid the pain of being with a dud. And you understand you can take the bull by the horns and decide what you want your ideal guy to look like.

    Now it's time to dive into YOU, determine your dating deal breakers, and decide what kind of guy fits you best.

    Step Two: Get to Know YOU: Your Goals and Dreams, Needs and Wants, and Deal Breakers

    Did you see the first The Matrix ™ movie? Remember that scene where Neo goes to see the Oracle?

    He is trying to figure out if he's "the one" – a Messiah of sorts and the man Morpheus is searching for– and thinks the Oracle can help him decide what to do.

    Typical of a good mentor, the Oracle makes Neo find his own way. Before putting him out to find his own answers, she points out the plaque above her door that reads nosce te ipsum.

    Know thyself.

    You should know yourself really well before committing to someone else.

    Have you ever taken time to really think about what YOU want for your life? I don't mean what you THINK you want – which is usually what others want for you – or what society wants for you – don't get me started on that, but what YOU really, truly, want for yourself?

    Why? Well, understanding yourself is the most important thing you can do before getting deeply involved with another person.

    I'm not saying you'll do everything perfectly even if you see yourself clearly. Problems can still happen, and you will make mistakes.

    But if you pick a mate based on what you learn about yourself, you will have a much better shot at finding compatibility than if you have no idea who you are and just go into this blindly, hoping it will turn out okay.

    If you don't know yourself or your needs well, and hook up with someone before finding YOU first, you may end up realizing that the person you are with does not fit you or your life at all, or at least not enough for things to last very long. Relationship compatibility is CRUCIAL.

    Being badly matched could be disastrous, especially if you cement yourself to him by having a child or getting married.

    Know Your Goals and Dreams … and Stick With Them

    When I think about it, I'm so glad to have been born when I was. We've got so many options now that women in my mother's age range and older just didn't have. We now have the tools and the right to decide what we want in terms of a career, marriage, and family just as much as men do.

    However, despite having goals and dreams, we sometimes get so caught up in a relationship that our own lives take a backseat. We end up giving up our dreams for relationships and marriage, children and family.

    Now, if you have a family with a man that's right for you then maybe these sacrifices are worth it.

    However, they are never worth it with the wrong man, so always keep your goals in the front of your mind and don't let the wrong guy take them from you.

    So what are your goals and dreams?

    Think about the things you want to do with your life. Your goals can be in any category, including career, travel, health, spirituality … anything at all. It's up to you. But to get you started, I suggest you look at these areas.

    What do you want to be when you grow up?

    Do you have a specific career in mind? Is there any special education you want to achieve? Anywhere in particular you want to work? Maybe even start your own business?

    What about fun? Have you always wanted to travel? Where to? How long? Don't be modest; anything is possible!

    Do you have any specific body or health goals? Want to lose a bit of weight? Gain weight? Gain muscle? Run a marathon?

    Do you feel a lack in your spiritual life? Want to attend church more? Study other religions? Memorize a holy book or two? Become a Buddhist? None of the above? Don't forget this is about YOU.

    Do you want kids? No kids, but more dogs? A cat or two? A llama? Plan your own family goals!

    The point is that these are to be YOUR ambitions and no one else's. Let your imagination have some fun.

    Now that you've considered your goals, let's look at what you want and need in a relationship.

    Decide on Your Needs / Wants

    I hear some of you asking: "wants or needs … what's the difference?"

    Well, when I say needs, it's exactly that. Those are characteristics you can't really live without. Wants are nice, but not crucial. You can go on without them if necessary.

    I have several friends who are single and looking for a good man. A couple of these ladies wanted to buck the trend of just dating whoever came along.

    Instead they really studied themselves and then decided what type of man they want. They began to examine what type of guy complemented them and quickly discovered what they would and would not tolerate in a mate. I suggested they document their needs and wants to decide if the next guy would fit them.

    For example, one friend, Josie, decided her ideal guy would know how – and be willing to – cook some of the meals. He had to be thoughtful, emotionally available and like to talk things out after an argument instead of hiding out and pouting.

    She also realized she needed him to be on the same page as her spiritually, and that he would have to be an avid church attendee. He also should love and want children like she did.

    Clearly, getting involved with a man who had none (or barely any) of these characteristics would result in serious arguments and almost guaranteed problems in Josie's future.

    So she wrote her requirements on a checklist, and if potential dates didn't meet her minimum needs, she politely said thanks, but no thanks.

    By doing her work up front, Josie was able to avoid a lot of the painful frustrations of dating the wrong guy. She hasn't found the "right one" quite yet, but she's successfully avoided several really wrong ones.

    So what are your wants and needs pertaining to him?

    Like Josie, do you want him to be spiritual or religious? Look back at your goals list. Does it have any things on it that you want to do and he should match? For example, if your goal is to become a Buddhist, should he already be one, or be open to it?

    Should he want kids? Should he want pets? Do you already have a pet and / or or kids and the "children" have to sign off on him?

    Next, you will discover that some of your wants / needs will have nothing to do with your goals. They'll be all about his personality traits, which we'll cover in a bit.

    Be Aware of Your Deal Breakers

    Speaking of wants vs. needs … deal breakers – like needs- are crucial. These are the characteristics you must have – or avoid – for a relationship to work.

    A huge deal breaker that I have encountered in my work has been the differing desire for children. If that's you, just be upfront about it.

    If he wants kids and you don't, that's okay, but you two aren't compatible. If you want them and he doesn't, then it isn't going to work. Children just aren't something you can compromise on.

    Another deal breaker I recommend you consider is ANY type of abuse. Even if it seems "mild" or that he's "just playing", mistreatment is a red flag and it's better to be single than dead. Too many women have ignored the signs and ended up paying with their lives.

    Are there other deal breakers on your mind? Then put them on your list.

    Now That You've Listed Them, Look for Your Needs, Wants, Dreams and Deal Breakers in HIM

    If you're currently dating, does your current guy fit any of the items on your checklist so far?

    Remember to be honest about this. Be aware whether you see these attributes because you want to, or if they are really there.

    Be honest with yourself, put the emotion aside, and find out who he actually is. Time out for the fantasies and soap operas. This is serious. If he really doesn't fit – even if you really want him to – strike him from consideration. Doing so doesn't mean he isn't a good guy, he's just not the right one for you.

    Step Three: Look for Generally Good Traits in Him

    Remember I said earlier that you also needed to consider his personality traits too?

    Now it's time to look into whether he has good personality traits or whether he shows some relationship red flags you need to steer clear of.

    I'll mention my top three desirable traits just to get you started. It's up to you decide whether they are also on your list, or you can do without them. I know I've said this a lot, but your checklist is always yours and should reflect you, not me or anyone else.

    Trust

    Trust. I usually trust close family and friends, but are hesitant to extend it to strangers. It takes a while to gain my trust, and I suggest you do the same when dating.

    Have you ever heard the expression "measure twice, cut once?". I think it's mostly for carpenters and woodworkers who want to be sure before making a permanent move. You can always take off a little more, but you can't always put it back.

    Keeping that phrase in mind while dating wouldn't hurt. Why?

    We have to be careful. A poor choice in a mate can have huge consequences in a woman's life, so we definitely have to measure our men multiple times before committing. One of the ways you should evaluate a man is whether you trust him, so be sure to do that carefully.

    To determine whether you can trust your partner, here are a few tips:

    * Rely on yourself first. Do you normally make good decisions? Yes? Then trust that you will make the right call.

    * Depend on your head and your heart. Look for signs. Is he checking out other women when you're together? Does he hang around with trustworthy people or does he deal with shadies?

    * Pay attention to what he is telling you AND showing you and then use that information to help you make informed decisions. Talk is cheap. Watch what he DOES.

    * Remember that if you have decided that you are going to trust him, then follow through and trust him! Don't sit and worry at night, wondering what he's doing or if he's being unfaithful.?If you feel you have to do that, then a relationship with this guy just isn't worth the stress.

    Honesty

    Trust and honesty go hand in hand, so let's talk about it a bit. Find out if your partner is honest before getting too deeply involved with him.

    How do you know if your guy is honest?

    Take the initiative.

    You must be honest if you're expecting it from your partner. Don't hide things, mislead him, or tell little "white lies" that are so easy to rationalize: it's no big deal if I just hide this small detail, etc.

    I know an otherwise really sweet couple who seemed to build their relationship on white lies. I think they were trying to "spare each other" from bad stuff, but it ended up backfiring on them. They didn't outright lie to each other (at least in their minds), but those little lies formed cracks in their relationship that eventually caused it to collapse.

    Do your homework.

    Find out all you can about your partner.

    You don't have to be obsessed, but do your research within reasonable boundaries.

    I don't think it's necessary to get the cops involved here, but say if you were introduced by a mutual friend or family member, ask that person about your partner. Are they trustworthy? What are they like in private? Find out those types of things and you'll quickly get an idea of ​​their honesty.

    You'd ask for a referral and recommendations for anything else you're considering -from a plumber to a lawyer-why not get more information on a potential mate?

    Last, make sure he knows upfront that honesty is an expectation and you won't tolerate anything less.

    Have conversations about honesty. Make it clear that you are going to be honest and ask him to do the same. It's funny how many issues in relationships can be worked out through simple communication. Just talk.

    If you start your relationship on a good, honest foundation, your chances of success increase greatly over those who choose to be dishonest or shady. And if you inform him upfront that it's expected, here's his chance to leave if he can't handle it.

    As with anything else, there is risk involved. If trust is earned and then continues, awesome! But if it gets broken, don't beat yourself up and think you failed. You did everything you could.

    We all make mistakes, you're only human. Learn from it, move on, and eventually you'll get it right!

    Respect

    I try to follow "The Golden Rule". I try to treat others as I would like to be treated. I want to be respected, so I try my hardest to respect others. It ain't easy all of the time, but it's worth at least trying!

    If you have tried giving plenty of respect to your partner, but are not getting it in return, don't forget that you have the right to fix that problem. Don't just take his lack of respect lying down!

    Whether that means talking with him about the lack of respect and asking for changes, or deciding this is not worth your time, make sure you don't allow disrespect to continue too long.

    To figure out where you stand, ask yourself these questions:

    • Does he respect you? If he demeans, objectifies, or degrades you, you're better off leaving. As the investors say on Shark Tank ™: "I'm out".

    • Notice the way he treats you when you don't agree with him. Can you appreciate each other's different views without him getting pissed off?

    • Find opportunities to be around his closest friends or family. When with familiar people, he will show his true colors eventually. Is he respectful around them?

    • How does his family treat you? If they treat you as their equal, not an inferior, that's a good sign. Hopefully, he learned good things from them.

    You also need to be honest with yourself regarding how you view your partner. Do you really value him, too? If you find you don't, you need to rethink your relationship.

    Step Four: Tidy Up Your List

    This isn't the end, it's just the beginning. Your checklist is always growing and changing along with you, so don't hesitate to add or even delete items that no longer fit you.

    The point is that your plan reflect you at all times and if used, will allow you to choose a man who is right for you.

    Good luck!

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    Source by Nichole White

    Views: 0

  • Important Details Regarding Healing Affirmations For Those Who Are In Pain

    Important Details Regarding Healing Affirmations For Those Who Are In Pain

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    Professionals in the field of medicine have been able to improve health care by coming up with new and effective drugs to curb the impact of even the most dreaded diseases. Nonetheless, pharmacists and researchers have been unable to come up with a globally recognized medical procedure to cure the mind. For one to Heal with Affirmations, it is fundamental to first ensure that the mind is free from any distress.

    When experiencing pain, recovery seems to be out of reach. This is natural. Therefore, the affirmations you make should be credible and true for the mind to harness its healing power. Nonetheless, the pain you go through may at times challenge these affirmations especially when in a bad health state. But by developing a positive attitude, one starts on the journey to full recovery.

    From the time one is born, the natural healing power of the body has at one time been put to task. For instance, in some way which you do not comprehend, bruises and painful injuries that you sustained have healed. It is an indication that the body has capabilities to heal. For this reason, convince yourself that, for sure, physical wellness is achievable through this power and this energy is working at the very moment.

    It is critical to have trust in the subconscious wisdom rather than relying on what you think. At times, you receive signs and signals from our inner selves that tend to disagree with our interests. If you decide to fight it, then the healing capabilities are greatly undermined. On the flip side, if you give credence to the information sent by the mind, this shows that you trust in this wisdom.

    Affirmations for pain are meant to build confidence in the curative abilities you have to bring the required state of health. Therefore, persuade your mind to accept that all your organs are working effectively and correctly. Within you there is a strong energy that thrives on the intelligence of the mind so as to stabilize your physical and mental health. It is energy that empowers every organ to work efficiently to restore good health.

    The human mind is linked to the natural forces of the universe. Just as the stars move in a synchronized manner in the universe, you have the mental capability to ensure each component of your frame works together. Besides, they are designed to function in the same way. They are capable to perform their duties simultaneously to regenerate the energy within you. Hence, take the body as a miniature universe capable of alleviating pain.

    Your health depends a lot on a joyous mental state and that vitality is its song. The mind does not know any stress. Rather, this warm feeling of mental peacefulness is usually disturbed by turbulence caused by consequences poor decision making, malnutrition and lack of physical fitness exercise. On the other hand, if you cater for these needs, you heal faster.

    For you to take away pain brought about by ill health take care of mind first. If you feed it with positive thoughts, the body can regain its lost fitness. Even the most qualified doctors cannot assure recovery if the body is functioning contrary to the mental instructions. The body becomes unresponsive to medical attention.

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    Source by Felicia Ransome-Stoute

    Views: 0

  • Could Your Sedentary Lifestyle Be Contributing To Your Acid Reflux?

    Could Your Sedentary Lifestyle Be Contributing To Your Acid Reflux?

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    Could a sedentary lifestyle be a contributing factor to the upsurgence of acid reflux in our society? I typed these words into Google search: statistics about sedentary lifestyles. What I found was eye-opening and pretty darn scary!!

    These were the statistics from the first article that popped up, “Sitting Disease is Taking a Toll on Your Body:”

    • 300,000 deaths occur annually due to inactivity and poor dietary habits in the United States alone.
    • 20% of all deaths of people 35 and older are attributed to a lack of physical activity.
    • 65% of Americans watch 2 or more hours of TV everyday.
    • Sedentary lifestyles are responsible for an estimated $24 billion in direct medical spending
    • Women are more likely to lead sedentary lives than men.

    Shocking! And this was just the infographic!!

    Could my being sedentary be a contributing factor to my acid reflux? At age 57, I am facing the sober fact that my sitting lifestyle has not served my aging digestive system. When I needed to change my habit, I grabbed antacids, acid-blockers, acid-reducers and proton inhibitor medications instead. It seemed to work for a while but invariably, the symptoms returned. And this time, with a vengeance!

    Fast forward to the past few days. I’ve had a resurgence of acid reflux. Like an alcoholic does when he or she has fallen off the wagon and goes back to a Twelve Step Meeting, I went back through the treatment regimen and supplementation recommendations from my naturopathic doctor to see where I’d gone wrong. Vitamins and supplements, check. Drinking water, okay, I can add a bottle or two. Greek yogurt, hate it but I’ll buy some more and put flaxseed in it. And so on and so on.

    What had not changed was the long hours sitting on my rump. From sun up to almost another sun up, for hours at a time, I am in a seated position. (Even writing this article, I’m seated on my recliner with my laptop in my lap!) My mind is constantly engaged but my body is not. So in many ways I am the poster child for the afore-mentioned article.

    According to WebMD, a 10-15 minute walk throughout the day can help your digestion. It can rid you of gas, heartburn, constipation and stomach cramps reports Ameya C, a contributing writer for StyleCraze, the world’s largest website for women. The Universe is sending me–it’s sending us–a wake up call. Today is the day to make a decision. Will it be hard? Heck yes! But as someone once said to me, “When has something being hard been a good enough reason not to do it?”

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    Source by Suzette Vearnon

    Views: 0

  • Make Time to Heal

    Make Time to Heal

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    The course of life can lead to many roads. As a child we don’t have much say about anything. As a young adult we can begin to make choices; some lead to pleasure, while others lead to pain. We may not realize that some of those choices determine the direction of much of our adult lives.

    If we grew up in a dysfunctional home we may repeat some of the same mistakes that caused us pain while growing up. When we make similar mistakes that our parents made they can lead to a cyclical pattern of emotional pain. If you were abused, neglected or abandoned you suffered some degree of emotional trauma. Recognizing emotional deficiencies is the first step.

    Not everyone processes emotional pain the same

    Getting help for emotional issues requires humility and courage. The fact that emotional pain isn’t outwardly visible; often results in denial; which leads to not pursuing any form of help. Not everyone processes emotional pain the same.

    Imagine – two people lose their job. One person goes home and is sad, yet not over taken by emotions. The other person is also terminated; he leaves the work-site and returns in a fit of rage. Why? No one can pinpoint all of the reasons two persons experience identical circumstances yet respond differently.

    Whenever someone experiences unexpected tragedy in life: there is a process or method that intuitively begins to take place. The Kubler-Ross model states there are 5 stages to grief and loss. They are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Each person is unique therefore there is no specific order or amount of time that dictates how brief or lengthy this process takes. The Kubler-Ross model identifies the emotional occurrences that one might experience due to sudden loss or grief.

    Inner healing takes time

    Inner healing takes time. Whenever an individual is stuck and seems unable to move past any specific emotion professional help may be the best out. All too often hurting people don’t identify themselves as needing help until things have gotten way out of hand.

    Self-Love is a good starting point for healing. Love and forgiveness are equally important for emotional well-being. Struggles can build character if we process our emotions in a healthy way. Feeling alone, forgotten and misunderstood is common to man: being stuck in these emotions isn’t. It takes strength, courage, perseverance and support to overcome tragedy. Not everyone will overcome; some will remain stuck in grief. No matter what we say or do for them some will not move forward. It’s at this point that we should maintain a loving heart towards them; and set boundaries when necessary.

    God will often use people to help other people navigate through difficult times. Those that overcome obstacles in their personal lives can be strength to those who are struggling

    Your past is your reality, not your destiny

    If you have been unable to move forward from grief after an extended amount of time, don’t blame yourself. If you have unresolved emotional pain, grief, or bitterness don’t lose hope. I’d like to encourage you to make it a point to seek professional and spiritual help to heal. Don’t settle for pain being your lot in life. Instead take courage; press past your wounds until you experience wholeness. Make peace with your pain. Your past is your reality, not your destiny.

    God wants to heal you and restore peace to your life. There are many dedicated professionals such as; social workers, psychologist, psychiatrist and therapist who are available to help you.

    In addition there are qualified pastors and ministers who can help guide you to inner peace. Finding the right help might not be as hard as you imagine. Getting started is the first step. Make getting help a priority and be consistent. Recognize when it’s time to stop dealing with your troubles on your own. If your efforts have failed to yield notable results it’s time to reach out for help. If you’ve gotten results that only provide temporary relief this indicates the need for a new method. Get professional help.

    Don’t let excuses keep you from becoming emotionally sound. Be humble; bold and courageous by taking the necessary steps to acquire victory. Be willing to do the work to get results.

    There are many reasons you shouldn’t give up on being restored. Do it for yourself, and those who love you. Expect healing to take place. Expect relief to come and grief to be gone. You are worth the fight. Everything in your life won’t be summoned up in a day; reach for healing anyway. It takes time to heal; Healing is a process.

    Give your pain over to God; He is able to take on the caresof the world without being overburdened.

    Instead of suppressing old emotional wounds, confront them, make peace with them, and then let them go. Turn your pain over to God; He is able to take on the care-of the whole world without being overburdened.

    Make a decision to be the best you, that you’ve ever been; starting right now! Get a grip on yourself so you can take charge of your future. Step out of your place of barely getting by. Put away all the things you’ve used to self-medicate. Trust someone to help you move past your pain. Healing is available!

    Come out of your place of hiding; there is no healing there! There is no resolution in a private box! Mankind was not created to become an island. People were created to relate to other humans. Help is waiting, Are you ready? Your healing is waiting for you!

    Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

    1Peter 5:7 NLT

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    Source by Elaine P Jones

    Views: 0

  • Why Would A Doctor Need To Re-Break Your Bone?

    Why Would A Doctor Need To Re-Break Your Bone?

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    If you hear your doctor say that he needs to re-break your bones, what would you feel? You may feel confused and scared because in most cases, bones need to be treated and not broken by a physician. However, you did not hear the doctor incorrectly. He is in fact telling you that he needs to break your bones so that he can proceed with the treatment. If you want to know why it has to be done, then you are on the right page! This article will tell you just why this procedure is needed.

    Here’s the thing. The term used is “re-break.” This means that the doctor is going to break again a bone that has previously been broken before. In a more technical term, this is referred to as fracture reduction or resetting. It is the procedure that aims to restore and align correctly the broken bones.

    The first and main reason why re-breaking is necessary is that the bones heal incorrectly sometimes. When your bones break, they become deformed. When they heal by themselves, they are still deformed and this condition may have some problems. First, bone deformity can affect how you move. You may not be able to move as freely as before if some of your bones are not aligned correctly. Second, bone deformity is not visually pleasing. It does not look good therefore a lot of people undergo resetting of the bones.

    There are two types reduction method. The first method is the open reduction. This usually does not involve re-breaking because the fracture is still fresh. This is a condition wherein the broken bones cut the skin and are exposed. It could also mean that the surgeon exposed the bone to better dissect the tissues affected by the fracture. The second type is the closed reduction. In this procedure, the bones are not exposed in the air. The skin may be cut but the bones remain hidden beneath.

    After the re-breaking of your bone, your doctor will proceed to aligning the bones so that when they heal, they will heal in the right manner and position. Painkillers and sedatives will be given in order for you not to feel the pain so much. After the whole procedure, your doctor may either use implants or casts. For bone fractures that are quite severe, implants may be necessary to add internally to hold the bones together. However, if the bones were just slightly fractured and can heal by themselves effectively, casts and tractions are enough.

    Always listen to your doctor about what is best for your condition. They know exactly what you need. Do not be afraid to ask questions if you have worries about the procedure. For more information about healthy bones, consult your doctor, osteopath or physiotherapist.

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    Source by Karen Wentworth

    Views: 0

  • The World Needs More Love!

    The World Needs More Love!

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    When I was out the other day I saw a paper bag that said something like, ‘the world needs more love.’ This is something that is hard to deny, considering how much suffering and destruction there is.

    One only needs to watch the news or to pick up a paper to hear about something negative that is taking place. What plays a part in this, of course, is that is that these sources have the tendency to focus on the bad things that are taking place and to overlook the good things.

    More to It

    Nonetheless, although it would be easy to say that this is only something that these sources do, it is something that is part of human nature. It is normal for the mind to focus on what is going wrong and to ignore what is going right.

    In a way, it is as if the mind is designed to look for problems. Yet, even if it is designed this way, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be trained to be less one sided and thereby, more balanced.

    Back to the Main Point

    So if the world needs more love, it can seem as though the best approach would be for someone to do what they can to give more love to the world. A big part of this is going to be for them to what they can do make sure they don’t do anything that is motivated by hate.

    When it comes to giving more love to the world, there can be the small things and the big things that they can do. If one believed that it is was purely about big gestures, they could wonder if they had anything to offer.

    One Step at a Time

    The key will be for them to focus on the small things that they can do to add more love to the world. This could involve holding doors open for people, saying hello and smiling, and saying thank you after someone has assisted them.

    And if another person talks to them about something, they could take the time to listen to them and to be present. What each of these things can do is to allow another person to feel seen and even heard.

    Pushing the Boat out

    Another option would be for them to train to become a nurse or a charity worker, for instance, with this being a way for them to serve their fellow human beings. Giving money to a charity or investing in a business that wants to serve humanity can be another option, that’s if they have the means to do so.

    There is also going to be the things that they can do for their friends and family. Being present when they are around them and being supportive is going to benefit them, and this can give these people the need to spread the good vibes to others.

    Multiplied Love

    Therefore, not only will one be having a positive effect on the people who they cross paths with, their behaviour will have an effect on how these people treat others. Ultimately, it is not possible for one to know what kind of impact their behaviour will have on another person’s life.

    Still, if they do what they can be kind to another, it is far more likely to have a positive effect on this person’s life than if they were to be unkind to them. This way, one will be able to walk away from an interaction knowing that they did the right thing, even if they are unsure as to what kind of impact they had on their life.

    The Missing Ingredient

    Having said this, while it is hard to deny that the world needs more love, this doesn’t mean that someone needs to solely focus on giving more love. The reason for this is that unless one loves themselves, it is going to be a challenge to behave in a loving manner.

    Now, this is not to say that they won’t be able to play the role of being a loving person; what it means is that this will be nothing more than an act. Behaving in this way will be something that takes a lot of effort as opposed to something that happens naturally.

    The Other Way

    If, on the other hand, one did what they needed to do to connect to their own heart and to feel comfortable in their own skin, there would be no reason for them to behave in a hateful manner or to cause harm to others. They would be connected to the love that is within them and this would allow them to behave in a loving manner.

    Behaving in this way won’t take much effort, either, as it will be no different to how they treat themselves. Also, if they didn’t feel comfortable in their own skin, they could treat themselves like dirt even though they treat other people well.

    An Essential Part

    It is relatively easy for one to create a false-self that allows them to come across as a loving person; whereas doing the inner work to that will enable one to experience self-love and thus, to behave in this way naturally, can take a fair amount of time and effort. And if someone doesn’t love themselves and doesn’t play a role, it can be normal for them to behave in a hateful manner.

    Due to how much pain they are in, they will need to harm others in order to feel better about themselves. The toxicity that is within them is then going to be spread wherever they go, and this will cause them to do a lot of damage.

    Final Thoughts

    If someone wants to contribute more love to the world, becoming more loving to themselves will be a great way to do it. As the love within them builds, they will have more of it to give to the people that they come into contact with.

    For this to take place, one may need to reach out for the support of a therapist or a healer. Someone like this will allow them to work through the layers of pain that are preventing them from being able to feel comfortable in their own skin.

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    Source by Oliver JR Cooper

    Views: 0

  • DOUBLE-BLINDED MEDICINE: When Doctor and Patient Are Both in the Dark

    DOUBLE-BLINDED MEDICINE: When Doctor and Patient Are Both in the Dark

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    DOUBLE-BLINDED MEDICINE:

    When Doctor and Patient Are

    Both in the Dark

    I met a dermatologist the other day who made my skin crawl. He was in his thirties, tall, lean, and unsmiling, like many doctors these days. But what stood out most was a fresh-looking, full-color, eye-popping tattoo on his right arm that snaked its way up from his wrist, circumvented his forearm, and slipped beneath his short-sleeved shirt to unknown anatomical areas. I believe he also had a tattoo on his left arm, but I was too gobsmacked at the time to take note.

    Now, you might think, as I do, that a tattooed dermatologist is an oxymoron. It doesn’t take much imagination, or research on the Internet, to realize that tattoos are bad for the skin.

    The most obvious issue is that tattooing is done by puncturing the skin, causing skin trauma and risk of infection. Interestingly, there is research that connects the injury to the skin made by both tattooing and vaccinations as a cause of numerous skin reactions, including cancer.

    The 2014 article, “Tattoo and vaccination sites: Possible nest for opportunistic infections, tumors, and dysimmune reactions”, in the journal Clinical Dermatology, explains that, “Both dermal tattoos and vaccine injections may alter local immune responses, creating an immunocompromised district on or near the site of placement. This can lead to the development of opportunistic infections, benign and malignant tumors, and local dysimmune reactions… A variety of tumors including basal and squamous cell carcinomas, keratoacanthomas, and malignant melanoma also have been reported in association with tattoos… Vaccination sites similarly provide a setting for both benign and malignant tumors.”

    The inks used are also a problem, causing allergies and exposure to heavy metals. It is fairly common for individuals to have an allergic reaction to the dyes used in tattoos. Ink is actually filled with many chemicals and unnatural ingredients that can irritate a person’s skin.

    There is also a link to skin cancer. When it comes to cancer, black ink can be especially dangerous because it contains a very high level of benzo(a)pyrene. Benzo(a)pyrene is currently listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Black ink is the most commonly used color for tattooing.

    You might think that this doctor may have gotten his tattoos before becoming a doctor, so he didn’t know any better. But this was a new tattoo. And he was flaunting it, not hiding it.

    Tattoos are common these days, and fashionable in certain circles. Doctors want to look cool, like everyone else. They grew up like everyone else, exposed to, and brainwashed by, the same cultural messages. They just choose to go into medicine.

    I also met a cardiologist who smoked cigarettes. He was also grossly overweight, and ate a big, juicy hamburger with fries for lunch. Of course, being obese, smoking and eating fried foods can increase heart disease.

    An obese, smoking cardiologist eating fast food makes as much sense as a tattooed dermatologist.

    Maybe these doctors are attracted to their specialties because they know they will need treatment from that specialty due to their lifestyles? It’s like when mentally-disturbed, neurotic people become psychologists or psychiatrists.

    How about female doctors who constrict their breasts with tight bras for long hours daily? There are many female breast health experts, including breast surgeons, who wear breast-harming bras. Their medical training never mentioned tight clothing as a cause of circulatory impairment and lymph stasis. These doctors willingly immobilize and alter their breast shape, hide their nipples, and basically re-design their breast appearance for cultural reasons, and do this despite the documented harms caused by bras, including causing breast pain, cysts, and cancer. Wearing bras is just something every woman is culturally expected to do, even doctors.

    Is this hypocrisy? Should we expect doctors to be paragons of health and healthy lifestyles?

    More basically, when we seek help, does it matter whether the helper is in the same mess we are in? In other words, can you trust a lifeline from someone in the same boat as you?

    We seek help in many places.

    Would you go to a priest who was a known pedophile?

    Would you use a mechanic whose car is broken down?

    Would you go to a hairdresser who is having a “bad hair day”?

    Would you use a plastic surgeon who has a big nose, cock-eyed chin, and facial scars?

    How about eating in a restaurant where the cook is out because of food poisoning?

    You could also go into a health food store and buy chips, coffee, candy, wine, beer, and lots of other unhealthy stuff.

    Then there are the drug addiction recovery programs that offer coffee to everyone, one of the most addictive substances we consume.

    Clearly, there’s a problem here. We live in a culture where there are lots of products and activities that can harm us. In fact, the biggest cause of disease and death is the culture and all the bad things it teaches us to think, do and feel. We absorb these cultural messages from the uterus onward, as our nature becomes modified by our culture.

    This applies to everyone. It includes doctors, too. Just because someone studied medicine, it does not mean that they personally eliminated all harmful cultural practices in their lives. The same cultural causes of disease that fill their waiting rooms also fill their personal lives. In fact, the medical culture is even worse on doctors.

    For some reason that is not clear, the medical system exploits doctors with long work hours and sleepless day and night shifts. Doctors are rushed and pressured, grabbing unhealthy snacks on the go. They become tempted to abuse drugs to keep going, but may settle for drinking 10-20 cups of strong coffee, instead. They also become tempted to use drugs to relax, but may settle for a few alcoholic drinks. They have little recreation time, or time with their families. And depending on their specialty, they are exposed daily to infectious diseases, death, radiation, the soul-robbing sights and smells of hospitals, and the depression of treating endless lines of sick people, often using treatments that do no good, and for conditions that have no known cause.

    Clearly, being a doctor can make you sick, mentally and physically. No wonder why there are so many doctor suicides. Just practicing medicine is slow suicide.

    This also means that doctors are not the ones to tell patients to clean up their lifestyles. The doctor’s lifestyle is at least as bad, and actually worse. They participate in the same unhealthy culture as everyone else, addicted to many of the same things, and suffering from the same psychological and physical issues. But they are the ones who are meant to treat those problems.

    This is a basic reason why medicine does not emphasize lifestyle or other cultural causes of disease. How can doctors tell patients to not do things that they themselves do?

    This is also why many discoveries of the cultural causes of disease are left unnoticed by medicine. For example, when smoking was culturally accepted as safe and good for you, everyone smoked, including doctors. In the 1950’s, there were ads by tobacco companies using doctors to promote smoking. New research that showed smoking caused lung cancer was ignored, ridiculed, and opposed vehemently by many in the medical profession.

    Nobody likes to be told that what they are doing is wrong and can harm them, especially doctors who are regarded as the experts on health. Telling smoking doctors that their habit is actually bad is a challenge to their authority. And how can they tell smoking patients to stop?

    Another example can be found in today’s debate over the health hazards of bras and their link to breast cancer. I know about this issue personally, as the co-researcher, with my wife Soma Grismaijer, of the world’s first study focused on the bra-cancer link. We announced our results in the 1995 book, Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, now updated for 2018.

    There are now many studies internationally which link breast cancer with the wearing of tight bras.

    Essentially, bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men, while the tighter and longer the bra is worn the higher the risk rises, to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra user compared to a bra-free woman.

    But this information is still being resisted by a culture which has become as addicted to bras as it had been to cigarettes. Women have become conditioned into believing that they need artificially-shaped breasts to be acceptable in public. Even doctors have bought into that message. Under the spell of the lingerie industry, the thought of being bra-free in public sends a chill down the backs of women who would feel naked and ashamed without their breasts being bound by a bra.

    As a result, the bra issue is still relegated to alternative health and fringe groups, although women are now asking why they need to wear bras in the post-#MeToo world. Must women’s breasts be constantly sexualized by pushing, squeezing, prodding, pinching, compressing, constricting, cleavaging, and lifting their breasts with bras? Many women are now saying no.

    Ironically, many female doctors who use bras are insisting that under no circumstances can bras cause disease, especially cancer. The reason is that they cannot imagine themselves being bra-free at work, which is a logical conclusion of this information. If they realized that bras were causing disease, then they would have to defend their bra habit.

    This means that there is an additional problem caused by doctors being as ignorant as everyone else with regards to unhealthy lifestyles. Not only does the bad-lifestyle doctor model bad lifestyles, but that doctor may also be personally and psychologically invested in defending those bad lifestyles. They don’t want to stop doing what everyone else is also doing. They want to belong, just like everyone else, even if that requires smoking, drinking, or doing other harmful behaviors.

    But their denial carries weight with patients. Doctors model and teach implicitly by their own behaviors.

    Should doctors be required to practice the latest lifestyle trend alleged to improve health and prevent disease? Before anything like this can even be considered, the bigger obstacle for doctors is their own medical culture that abuses them and drives them to depression and suicide. So long as the institutional and corporate powers that control medicine continue to abuse doctors with a harmful medical culture, don’t expect medicine to focus on culture.

    Medical culture is a glass house that will not throw stones at pop culture.

    And since the medical industry profits from the detection and treatment of the resulting diseases, there is actually financial incentive to maintain the cultural status quo, even if that culture is also killing doctors. There are many more pre-med students waiting to take their place.

    This is double-blind medicine. Both the patient and doctor are in the dark. It’s the blind leading the blind, except that the blind leaders deny their blindness and scoff at those who see the light.

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    Source by Sydney Ross Singer

    Views: 0

  • Do Women Like Sex Toys? 7 Things Every Man Ought to Know About Your Girl (and Her Toys!)

    Do Women Like Sex Toys? 7 Things Every Man Ought to Know About Your Girl (and Her Toys!)

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    What kind of sex toys to women really like? What would a woman use a sex toy… when she can have sex with any man she wants, any TIME she wants? Do women masturbate as much as men do? If not… why not? Can a woman have an orgasm with a sex toy, faster than during sex? What type of toys are most common? Will buying a sex toy for my girlfriend, wife or partner turn her on… Or will it be wildly inappropriate?

    Any of these questions sound familiar? If you are anything like the vast majority of men who enjoy our articles on sex, lust, love and relationships, the topic of sex toys and girls has no doubt come up for you more than once, right? (no pun intended, too)! The truth is, while women love sex as much as men do, it’s much more difficult for a woman to have an orgasm from sex. Why? Because girls have a much different sexual response cycle than men do, and our most sensitive sexual spots are often buried more deeply in our bodies than men can reach on their own.

    Want some quick facts about women and sexual aids? Let’s take a look at 7 little known facts below!

    Here are some random thoughts about women, vibrators, sex toys and things that turn her on when she’s NOT with a partner. (and sometimes, when she is as well)

    1. The vast majority of women do masturbate. (not as much as guys do, it’s true)

    2. Women DON’T use vibrators to play… As much as they use nothing at all. (just her hands, guys – she’s easy!)

    3. Many women enjoy sex toys as part of an easy way to spice up a relationship and have better sex to boot!

    4. Some women don’t want to discuss what they do in private, either… As this can still be a topical taboo.

    5. Buying a sex toy may seem like a good and romantic idea, but in truth, it’s probably NOT what she really wants as a gift. Why? Because while some women might disagree with this, what she does in her alone time is probably best selected BY her, for herself. (even though many women do enjoy sharing these sorts of intimate experiences with their partners)

    6. The vast majority of women can have an orgasm from a sexual aid of any type. While it’s not nearly as “open” a conversation in public as men’s habits are, some surveys show that upwards of 90% of women can achieve orgasm from self gratification, and most can (and frequently do)! Have multiple orgasms from the same activity.

    7. Lastly, there are 2 different types of orgasms that are common while using sexual “props” or toys. The first is a sequential orgasm, which is a form of multiple orgasm where one quickly follows the other. The second type, called a “serial” orgasm, is more commonly found amongst women who enjoy longer, and deeper experiences with sexual “helpers”. A woman who has serial orgasms is a woman who can climax many times, in a single session of sex. (and some would say, is a very lucky woman indeed)!

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    Source by Amy A.

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