In today's world, feeling stressed out is the rule, not the exception. For most of us, learning more about how to handle stress is a crucial step toward better physical and psychological health.
Unfortunately, a lot of what passes for common wisdom about stress turns out not to be so wise after all. Watch out for these five common myths.
Myth: Stress makes you pessimistic and cautious.
Reality: Stress is often associated with bad experiences, so you might think it would bias your thinking in a negative direction. However, a recent article in Current Directions in Psychological Science concluded that the opposite is true: When people are put under stress in studies—for example, by being asked to hold their hand in ice water or give a speech—they begin paying more attention to positive information.
According to the article’s authors at the University of Southern California, this finding has important implications for decision-making in everyday life. For example, let’s say you’re trying to lose weight and deciding whether to have chocolate cake for dessert. After a stressful day, you may be more likely to focus on how good the cake will taste and to discount the unwanted calories it contains. If you're not aware of this tendency and don't compensate for it, you might make some decisions you later regret.
Warning Signs of Depression
Myth: Chronic stress is linked to heart disease, not brain disease.
Reality: The relationship between stress and heart disease still isn’t fully understood. But it’s known that chronic stress causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure that might damage artery walls over time. The risks don’t stop there, however. Stress affects your whole body, including your brain.
One recent line of research suggests that frequent stress may even boost the risk for Alzheimer’s disease. A new study headed by scientists at the University of California at San Diego showed that repeated stress triggered brain changes in mice that were similar to the abnormal clumps of protein seen in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The changes were most pronounced in the hippocampus. In humans, this part of the brain plays a key role in memory and is hard hit by Alzheimer’s disease.
Myth: Stress management is about controlling difficult situations.
Reality: Some situations that give rise to stress are under your control, but many are not. You can’t control bad weather, traffic jams, your boss’s crankiness, a stranger’s rudeness, or an infinitely long list of other situations and events. But that’s okay, because you can manage your reaction to these things, and that’s what many stress management strategies are designed to do.
One way to stop stress is by reappraising a difficult situation as a challenge rather than a threat. For example, when you're given a tough new assignment at work, you can make a conscious choice to think about it as an opportunity to grow in your job—not a chance to fall flat on your face. A new study showed that this may come more easily if you’re naturally open to new experiences and less easily if you’re prone to anxiety. But it’s a habit of mind that anyone can cultivate with practice.
Myth: A couple of drinks will help you de-stress.
Reality: A study in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research showed why alcohol doesn’t work very well as a stress relief strategy. In the study, University of Chicago researchers first put men under stress with a public speaking task. Then they gave the men either the equivalent of two drinks of alcohol or a placebo by IV and measured the results. Although alcohol dampened the men's hormonal responses to stress, it actually prolonged their subjective feelings of tension.
To make matters worse, the same study showed that stress could reduce the pleasant effects of alcohol or increase the craving for more of it. In the real world, this might encourage drinking too much—and that can lead to a whole host of bad choices that only multiply stress.
Myth: Everyone needs to meditate (or do yoga or take long walks).
Reality: Another way to counter stress is by learning effective ways to relax your body and calm your mind. For example, you might take several deep breaths, go for a walk or bike ride, practice mindfulness or meditation, do yoga or tai chi, call a supportive friend, or spend time in nature. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. The key is finding strategies that suit your personality and lifestyle.
There are a few universal guidelines, however. For optimal stress relief, it’s essential to get regular physical activity and adequate sleep. Recent research suggests that REM sleep—the stage during which dreaming occurs—may be particularly important. In the REM state, emotional memories are reprocessed, but stress hormones are suppressed. This may take some of the edge off painful memories, making it easier to cope the next day.
Sunday 29 April 2012
MEN INSECURITIES, GIRLS WATCH OUT WHAT YOU SAY !!!!
We men don’t cop to it, but we worry about our appearance just as much as any woman thumbing through the latest fashion magazine.
Just take a look at the masses of guys crowding the weight room down at the gym, those hair-restoration ads in the sports pages, and even the growing numbers of men getting cosmetic surgery. Yes, we care about how we look; very much, actually — but in a different way than women do. Let’s take a closer look:
Insecurity #1: Hair loss
Women have bad hair days. But men have bad hair lives, especially when balding becomes obvious. “It’s back there and it’s growing. I’m tempted to wear a fedora, like in Mad Men,” says Eric, a 48-year-old lawyer in Tallahassee, FL. “But that would probably just draw attention.”
“I would take all the hair that grows out of my ears and my nose and put it back on my head,” says Max, a 28-year-old musician from Philadelphia, PA. “Hair loss is psychologically important for men,” says Stanley Teitelbaum, director of the Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Institute in New York City. “Today, men are more inclined to do something about it than they used to.” Like getting hair implants? “Hair procedures can improve your self-esteem, but you must be realistic — you are not going to be a whole new person,” explains Teitelbaum. Browse Local Singles at Match.com on Yahoo!
Insecurity #2: Physical fitness/weight management
“[Men] are not so obsessed with some of the specifics of their looks in same the way women are — but they are into being fitter and leaner,” says Daniel L. Buccino, a clinical social worker and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. The ideal physique varies with the man, says Buccino. “Some want to be bigger and more ripped [man talk for ‘big muscles’], others want to be leaner.”
Typical is the comment of Sean, a 19-year-old student in Tacoma, WA: “I like my body. I’d like it if my arms were bigger, though.” Scott, a 27-year-old musician in Baton Rouge, LA, can relate: “I wish I had broad shoulders. I do some bench presses and dumbbells, but mostly I focus on running,” he explains. “I just want to stay in good shape.”
And some body types seem to be genetic, making them impossible to change... even for individuals who are very physically fit. When we asked Tim, a Angeles politics teacher living in Los Angeles, what bothered him most about his body, he said: “My beer belly — the same one that my mom and dad both have, and I’ve had it myself since I was 18. I finished in the top three percent in the LA Marathon, but with all the training, I still couldn’t get rid of that belly. At 43, I’m in great shape!”
Insecurity #3: Aging
William Pollack, associate professor of clinical psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of Real Boys’ Voices, says that “women will talk about body issues with close friends” while men typically won’t, “but many men can still feel real shame about their bodies.” Indeed, the fitness message embodied in the “guy code” — that “men should look endlessly strong and buff and muscular” — “lends itself to concerns about the body, just as it does with women,” Pollack explains.
Pollack points to one of the fastest-growing groups of Botox users: businessmen aged 30 to 50. “Many of these men say they need to look young to get a job,” he asserts, adding: “There’s some truth in that — but they also feel like they’re losing their virility.” If a guy has ongoing issues with his attractiveness, says Buccino, “it’s time to explore his personality, sense of humor and character.”
Sick of worrying? Here are three tips to get over it:
1. Be honest with yourself. “Some men make too much of body issues and overestimate the importance potential partners put on their appearance. Others underestimate it — they are kind of in denial,” says Teitelbaum. “They expect to connect in ways that they can’t anymore.” Teitelbaum cites a divorced middle-aged man who “had gorgeous hair when he was young, but now he’s lost a lot.” But the man’s online dating profile gives pride of place to an old photo of himself with visibly luscious locks. “He goes out on lots of first dates,” says Teitelbaum, “but the woman finds a reason not to meet him again.”
2. Ease up on the negative self-talk. If you’re inclined to fret about your appearance — an affliction that especially bedevils newly divorced men, Pollack says — try to keep things in perspective. Hugh Jackman doesn’t just roll out of bed looking like Wolverine. And Superman (i.e., Henry Cavill) sure doesn’t pass his afternoons sitting around with a bag of chips and the TV remote — not if he wants to keep the kind of body one needs to fight evil and rescue damsels in distress, that is.
You could say it’s the full-time job of male celebrities to look fabulous. But you? You’ve got to study, drive that delivery truck, proofread that spreadsheet, and do your laundry. So, relax. Don’t be so hard on yourself! Keep in mind that your next date probably has just as many responsibilities as you do.
3. Realize that women may find your so-called “flaws” attractive. Men like to joke that you can never, ever criticize a woman’s appearance, especially when she asks for your honest opinion. But it’s not like we’re paragons of non-vanity ourselves (I can live for three months on a smile from a pretty clerk myself, but I can’t speak for everyone). “My wife likes me the way I am. I try to stay fit just for her,” says Scott. “My girlfriend just thinks it’s funny when I start pulling my nose and ear hair out. It doesn’t really bother her. She seems to like the things that I don’t like about my body, so I have to consider myself lucky,” says Max.
Just take a look at the masses of guys crowding the weight room down at the gym, those hair-restoration ads in the sports pages, and even the growing numbers of men getting cosmetic surgery. Yes, we care about how we look; very much, actually — but in a different way than women do. Let’s take a closer look:
Insecurity #1: Hair loss
Women have bad hair days. But men have bad hair lives, especially when balding becomes obvious. “It’s back there and it’s growing. I’m tempted to wear a fedora, like in Mad Men,” says Eric, a 48-year-old lawyer in Tallahassee, FL. “But that would probably just draw attention.”
“I would take all the hair that grows out of my ears and my nose and put it back on my head,” says Max, a 28-year-old musician from Philadelphia, PA. “Hair loss is psychologically important for men,” says Stanley Teitelbaum, director of the Postgraduate Psychoanalytic Institute in New York City. “Today, men are more inclined to do something about it than they used to.” Like getting hair implants? “Hair procedures can improve your self-esteem, but you must be realistic — you are not going to be a whole new person,” explains Teitelbaum. Browse Local Singles at Match.com on Yahoo!
Insecurity #2: Physical fitness/weight management
“[Men] are not so obsessed with some of the specifics of their looks in same the way women are — but they are into being fitter and leaner,” says Daniel L. Buccino, a clinical social worker and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD. The ideal physique varies with the man, says Buccino. “Some want to be bigger and more ripped [man talk for ‘big muscles’], others want to be leaner.”
Typical is the comment of Sean, a 19-year-old student in Tacoma, WA: “I like my body. I’d like it if my arms were bigger, though.” Scott, a 27-year-old musician in Baton Rouge, LA, can relate: “I wish I had broad shoulders. I do some bench presses and dumbbells, but mostly I focus on running,” he explains. “I just want to stay in good shape.”
And some body types seem to be genetic, making them impossible to change... even for individuals who are very physically fit. When we asked Tim, a Angeles politics teacher living in Los Angeles, what bothered him most about his body, he said: “My beer belly — the same one that my mom and dad both have, and I’ve had it myself since I was 18. I finished in the top three percent in the LA Marathon, but with all the training, I still couldn’t get rid of that belly. At 43, I’m in great shape!”
Insecurity #3: Aging
William Pollack, associate professor of clinical psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of Real Boys’ Voices, says that “women will talk about body issues with close friends” while men typically won’t, “but many men can still feel real shame about their bodies.” Indeed, the fitness message embodied in the “guy code” — that “men should look endlessly strong and buff and muscular” — “lends itself to concerns about the body, just as it does with women,” Pollack explains.
Pollack points to one of the fastest-growing groups of Botox users: businessmen aged 30 to 50. “Many of these men say they need to look young to get a job,” he asserts, adding: “There’s some truth in that — but they also feel like they’re losing their virility.” If a guy has ongoing issues with his attractiveness, says Buccino, “it’s time to explore his personality, sense of humor and character.”
Sick of worrying? Here are three tips to get over it:
1. Be honest with yourself. “Some men make too much of body issues and overestimate the importance potential partners put on their appearance. Others underestimate it — they are kind of in denial,” says Teitelbaum. “They expect to connect in ways that they can’t anymore.” Teitelbaum cites a divorced middle-aged man who “had gorgeous hair when he was young, but now he’s lost a lot.” But the man’s online dating profile gives pride of place to an old photo of himself with visibly luscious locks. “He goes out on lots of first dates,” says Teitelbaum, “but the woman finds a reason not to meet him again.”
2. Ease up on the negative self-talk. If you’re inclined to fret about your appearance — an affliction that especially bedevils newly divorced men, Pollack says — try to keep things in perspective. Hugh Jackman doesn’t just roll out of bed looking like Wolverine. And Superman (i.e., Henry Cavill) sure doesn’t pass his afternoons sitting around with a bag of chips and the TV remote — not if he wants to keep the kind of body one needs to fight evil and rescue damsels in distress, that is.
You could say it’s the full-time job of male celebrities to look fabulous. But you? You’ve got to study, drive that delivery truck, proofread that spreadsheet, and do your laundry. So, relax. Don’t be so hard on yourself! Keep in mind that your next date probably has just as many responsibilities as you do.
3. Realize that women may find your so-called “flaws” attractive. Men like to joke that you can never, ever criticize a woman’s appearance, especially when she asks for your honest opinion. But it’s not like we’re paragons of non-vanity ourselves (I can live for three months on a smile from a pretty clerk myself, but I can’t speak for everyone). “My wife likes me the way I am. I try to stay fit just for her,” says Scott. “My girlfriend just thinks it’s funny when I start pulling my nose and ear hair out. It doesn’t really bother her. She seems to like the things that I don’t like about my body, so I have to consider myself lucky,” says Max.
YOU NEED TO SAVE FOR RETIRENMENT
Maybe you looked in the mirror this morning and found a new crinkle on the face staring back at you. Doubtful, however, that your very next thought was: "Boy, am I way behind in retirement savings."
The reality is, like any anti-aging regimen, retirement planning takes regular maintenance. We often skip a few preventative measures on both fronts.
For some individuals, there's not all that much to maintain. They've put off investing for retirement because of financial hardship, they spend too much, or they put all their efforts into their kids' college savings.
It's never too late to get started or to find new ways to grow anemic savings. But that begs the bigger question: How aggressive should you be in your 40s and 50s as you look to ramp up your retirement plan?
Before considering how to invest, it's important to think about how you're generating that money. Are there more ways to save? Depending on your retirement goals, you might need to be saving more than 20 percent of your income in your 50s, say advisers at Wells Fargo. Before that, 10 to 15 percent is a common benchmark. Some advisors want to toss all percentage guidelines out the window. In general, the more you can save and invest, the better off you'll be.
-- One of the best ways to extend your retirement savings is to plan to work longer. Consider that the maximum Social Security benefit at age 62 is a tad over $1,800 a month. If you hold off claiming Social Security until age 70, your monthly benefit jumps about 75 percent, to almost $3,200, according to Social Security Administration data. Not only will waiting to collect that gold watch potentially allow you a heftier government payout, it means your own nest egg can continue to grow. But working indefinitely may not only cut into your grand travel plans, it may be physically impossible. More options are necessary.
-- Work aggressively toward eliminating high-interest revolving credit, like credit cards or unsecured loans. A consolidation loan may help lower interest rates and it's easier to manage.
-- Make sure you're taking full advantage of tax-beneficial 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plans and if available, any matching incentives. Receive a bonus? Earmark it for your retirement savings. If you feel your company plan isn't enough, if a plan isn't not part of your benefits package, or if you work for yourself, taking advantage of the tax benefits of an IRA is crucial. You are allowed extra "catch-up" contributions to IRAs and 401(k)s in your 50s. For traditional and Roth IRAs, the catch-up amount is $1,000 above the standard limits, which are now annually indexed for inflation. For most 401(k)s, the catch-up amount is $5,500 above the contribution limits and indexed for inflation in subsequent years.
What's the difference? For a Roth IRA, you contribute after-tax funds. The contributions are limited to $5,000 per year, but they are increased to $6,000 per year if you're over 50. Once you are 59 1/2 years of age, and the funds have been in the account for at least five years, the money can be withdrawn tax- and penalty-free. You can keep your account active indefinitely, allowing it to grow. Contributions to a traditional IRA are tax-deductible at the outset. Once you access the funds after age 59 1/2, you will need to pay taxes on the amount you withdraw. The funds must be withdrawn before you turn 70 1/2 to avoid penalties.
-- If you haven't already, consider the pros and cons of additional life insurance and long-term care insurance or annuities, which guarantee income later in life.
-- Take a look at your house with new eyes. There may be an invaluable emotional connection and you may still have minor children at home that you don't want to uproot. But at some point, if you can detach yourself from the sentiment, changing your relationship with your house now may go a long way toward financial security later. Even if your house is paid for, if it's too expensive to maintain, it may be a burden. You might consider selling your home and downsizing to a smaller, more affordable property with minimal upkeep. Pay off your mortgage early, then turn that savings into retirement funding.
Consider that investing your $700 mortgage payment in a diverse portfolio of assets with an average 8 percent return could add more than $100,000 to your retirement savings over a decade. Of course, if you're banking on more equity growth in the home, it may make sense to stay put. With the former option, however, you're actively taking on your retirement planning and not pinning all your hopes on housing-price appreciation.
-- Most advisors agree that college savings should never come at the expense of your retirement planning. There's no scholarship, grant, or loan to finance your retirement. There are a myriad of options for supplementing the cost of higher education, however.
Now, the question: If I'm playing catch-up, should I be overly aggressive with the type of investments I pursue?
Many investors are still stinging from the stock market realities of the past few years. From October 2007 until March 2009, the worst stretch of the recession and credit crisis, the S&P 500 shed 55 percent of its worth. It has since regained about half of that drop. Nearly 1 in 4 investors age 56 to 65 had more than 90 percent of their account balances in equities going into 2008, and more than 2 in 5 had more than 70 percent in stocks, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
"Investors can't likely reach the portfolio size they want without the growth that comes from stocks," says Mike Piper, an accountant and creator of the blog Oblivious Investor. "But the crash of 2008 and 2009 provided useful information. For those who had a high stock allocation, it scared them and many moved out of stocks. It's unfortunate, perhaps, that they did. Doing so tells them something very real about their personal risk tolerance. The market has come back, but it doesn't always happen like that."
Some advisers like to think of the market in bigger snapshots, say 15 years. The stock market has never put in a 15-year negative return, according to index data. For investors in their 40s and 50s, they likely have at least 15 years until retirement. More important, say experts, is the mix of stocks within the portfolio that expose investors to both cyclical stocks (those that can grow in boom days) and steady-eddies like utilities or large conglomerates that can be solid defensive plays. Advisers collectively are worried that recent market history will unduly turn off mid-career investors from a relatively aggressive stock position they may need to finance a longer lifespan and fight inflation.
Some investors are drawn to the relative ease of target-date funds, which draw mixed reviews from financial planners after sharp losses in recent years. The funds are an increasingly popular retirement-plan default. They automatically change the fixed income-equity-cash mix depending on the retirement target date. Some plan administrators have moved to more conservative formulas in this popular product.
Stock allocation hinges in large part on how big your retirement fund is. Here's why: Retirees (and those nearing retirement age) should first figure out their necessary cash flow and work backward. If they'll be supplementing a pension and/or Social Security, they may need to draw down fewer resources from their retirement plan and can let the pot grow with help from a more aggressive allocation to equities.
The same is true if they're lucky enough to have a large retirement account and can allocate a portion to fighting inflation with an aggressive stock move, leaving the bulk in more conservative holdings. If the whole retirement plan will have to generate income, investors will need to strongly limit their stock exposure. How secure you believe your job is can determine how risky you're willing to go with stocks.
Piper sees some value in dusting off an old allocation rule-of-thumb as a starting point. It says your age represents the percentage you allocate to "safer" bonds: If you're 50 years old, for example, you allocate 50 percent to this asset class.
But Piper stresses the value in dropping any upside target and instead concentrating on a downside target. That is, what is your maximum tolerable loss? Put a number on your emotional comfort zone and multiply it by two. So a 15 percent loss, doubled, becomes a 30 percent allocation.
Your allocation should be driven by your age, not by market history or present-day news, says Jane White, president and founder of education and advocacy organization Retirement Solutions. She believes investors should stay fully invested in stocks until they hit their 50s or so. She suggests multiplying your final pay (what you expect to earn right before leaving the workforce) by 10 to determine how much you'll need for a long, comfortable retirement.
With that target in mind, next time you look in the mirror, give yourself an honest talking to about the kind of makeover you may really need--more aggressive savings and smart inflation-beating and income-generating growth in your retirement stash.
The reality is, like any anti-aging regimen, retirement planning takes regular maintenance. We often skip a few preventative measures on both fronts.
For some individuals, there's not all that much to maintain. They've put off investing for retirement because of financial hardship, they spend too much, or they put all their efforts into their kids' college savings.
It's never too late to get started or to find new ways to grow anemic savings. But that begs the bigger question: How aggressive should you be in your 40s and 50s as you look to ramp up your retirement plan?
Before considering how to invest, it's important to think about how you're generating that money. Are there more ways to save? Depending on your retirement goals, you might need to be saving more than 20 percent of your income in your 50s, say advisers at Wells Fargo. Before that, 10 to 15 percent is a common benchmark. Some advisors want to toss all percentage guidelines out the window. In general, the more you can save and invest, the better off you'll be.
-- One of the best ways to extend your retirement savings is to plan to work longer. Consider that the maximum Social Security benefit at age 62 is a tad over $1,800 a month. If you hold off claiming Social Security until age 70, your monthly benefit jumps about 75 percent, to almost $3,200, according to Social Security Administration data. Not only will waiting to collect that gold watch potentially allow you a heftier government payout, it means your own nest egg can continue to grow. But working indefinitely may not only cut into your grand travel plans, it may be physically impossible. More options are necessary.
-- Work aggressively toward eliminating high-interest revolving credit, like credit cards or unsecured loans. A consolidation loan may help lower interest rates and it's easier to manage.
-- Make sure you're taking full advantage of tax-beneficial 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plans and if available, any matching incentives. Receive a bonus? Earmark it for your retirement savings. If you feel your company plan isn't enough, if a plan isn't not part of your benefits package, or if you work for yourself, taking advantage of the tax benefits of an IRA is crucial. You are allowed extra "catch-up" contributions to IRAs and 401(k)s in your 50s. For traditional and Roth IRAs, the catch-up amount is $1,000 above the standard limits, which are now annually indexed for inflation. For most 401(k)s, the catch-up amount is $5,500 above the contribution limits and indexed for inflation in subsequent years.
What's the difference? For a Roth IRA, you contribute after-tax funds. The contributions are limited to $5,000 per year, but they are increased to $6,000 per year if you're over 50. Once you are 59 1/2 years of age, and the funds have been in the account for at least five years, the money can be withdrawn tax- and penalty-free. You can keep your account active indefinitely, allowing it to grow. Contributions to a traditional IRA are tax-deductible at the outset. Once you access the funds after age 59 1/2, you will need to pay taxes on the amount you withdraw. The funds must be withdrawn before you turn 70 1/2 to avoid penalties.
-- If you haven't already, consider the pros and cons of additional life insurance and long-term care insurance or annuities, which guarantee income later in life.
-- Take a look at your house with new eyes. There may be an invaluable emotional connection and you may still have minor children at home that you don't want to uproot. But at some point, if you can detach yourself from the sentiment, changing your relationship with your house now may go a long way toward financial security later. Even if your house is paid for, if it's too expensive to maintain, it may be a burden. You might consider selling your home and downsizing to a smaller, more affordable property with minimal upkeep. Pay off your mortgage early, then turn that savings into retirement funding.
Consider that investing your $700 mortgage payment in a diverse portfolio of assets with an average 8 percent return could add more than $100,000 to your retirement savings over a decade. Of course, if you're banking on more equity growth in the home, it may make sense to stay put. With the former option, however, you're actively taking on your retirement planning and not pinning all your hopes on housing-price appreciation.
-- Most advisors agree that college savings should never come at the expense of your retirement planning. There's no scholarship, grant, or loan to finance your retirement. There are a myriad of options for supplementing the cost of higher education, however.
Now, the question: If I'm playing catch-up, should I be overly aggressive with the type of investments I pursue?
Many investors are still stinging from the stock market realities of the past few years. From October 2007 until March 2009, the worst stretch of the recession and credit crisis, the S&P 500 shed 55 percent of its worth. It has since regained about half of that drop. Nearly 1 in 4 investors age 56 to 65 had more than 90 percent of their account balances in equities going into 2008, and more than 2 in 5 had more than 70 percent in stocks, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
"Investors can't likely reach the portfolio size they want without the growth that comes from stocks," says Mike Piper, an accountant and creator of the blog Oblivious Investor. "But the crash of 2008 and 2009 provided useful information. For those who had a high stock allocation, it scared them and many moved out of stocks. It's unfortunate, perhaps, that they did. Doing so tells them something very real about their personal risk tolerance. The market has come back, but it doesn't always happen like that."
Some advisers like to think of the market in bigger snapshots, say 15 years. The stock market has never put in a 15-year negative return, according to index data. For investors in their 40s and 50s, they likely have at least 15 years until retirement. More important, say experts, is the mix of stocks within the portfolio that expose investors to both cyclical stocks (those that can grow in boom days) and steady-eddies like utilities or large conglomerates that can be solid defensive plays. Advisers collectively are worried that recent market history will unduly turn off mid-career investors from a relatively aggressive stock position they may need to finance a longer lifespan and fight inflation.
Some investors are drawn to the relative ease of target-date funds, which draw mixed reviews from financial planners after sharp losses in recent years. The funds are an increasingly popular retirement-plan default. They automatically change the fixed income-equity-cash mix depending on the retirement target date. Some plan administrators have moved to more conservative formulas in this popular product.
Stock allocation hinges in large part on how big your retirement fund is. Here's why: Retirees (and those nearing retirement age) should first figure out their necessary cash flow and work backward. If they'll be supplementing a pension and/or Social Security, they may need to draw down fewer resources from their retirement plan and can let the pot grow with help from a more aggressive allocation to equities.
The same is true if they're lucky enough to have a large retirement account and can allocate a portion to fighting inflation with an aggressive stock move, leaving the bulk in more conservative holdings. If the whole retirement plan will have to generate income, investors will need to strongly limit their stock exposure. How secure you believe your job is can determine how risky you're willing to go with stocks.
Piper sees some value in dusting off an old allocation rule-of-thumb as a starting point. It says your age represents the percentage you allocate to "safer" bonds: If you're 50 years old, for example, you allocate 50 percent to this asset class.
But Piper stresses the value in dropping any upside target and instead concentrating on a downside target. That is, what is your maximum tolerable loss? Put a number on your emotional comfort zone and multiply it by two. So a 15 percent loss, doubled, becomes a 30 percent allocation.
Your allocation should be driven by your age, not by market history or present-day news, says Jane White, president and founder of education and advocacy organization Retirement Solutions. She believes investors should stay fully invested in stocks until they hit their 50s or so. She suggests multiplying your final pay (what you expect to earn right before leaving the workforce) by 10 to determine how much you'll need for a long, comfortable retirement.
With that target in mind, next time you look in the mirror, give yourself an honest talking to about the kind of makeover you may really need--more aggressive savings and smart inflation-beating and income-generating growth in your retirement stash.
THE TRUTH ABOUT 7 COMMON CREDIT REPORTS
Most people have a credit report, but how many actually know what goes into them? If you listen to educators at the top three credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion -- the answer is: not many.
"People don't understand what is actually included in their credit report," says Demitra Wilson, director of media relations at Equifax. Consumers will stress over details that aren't even included and will get themselves into trouble over urban myths like the tale of the magically disappearing delinquency.
It's a problem, agree educators. Here are just seven of the most persistent myths that the top three credit bureaus say they hear all the time.
1. Myth: Your credit report includes your credit score.
The truth: "Your credit report does not contain your credit score," says Wilson.
Consumers often think that when they pull a free copy of their report at AnnualCreditReport.com , they should also get a copy of their score, she says. However, if you want a copy of your FICO credit score (which is the most widely used score by lenders), you'll usually have to pay up to $19.95 (at myFICO.com ) to get it. The exception is if you are denied a loan or given higher rates based on your credit score. In that case, a lender is required to send you a free copy of the score they used to make their decision.
You can also access a free credit score through a service such as CreditKarma.com. However, those scores aren't necessarily going to be the scores that lenders use. That's because "there are many different credit scores," says Rod Griffin, director of public education at Experian, and the score that gets used depends on the lender and the type of loan they are handing out.
The good news is that even though you can't control the formulas that lenders use to calculate your many different credit scores, you can influence the information that goes into them. "You as a consumer have the ability to control the information in your report," says Griffin.
2. Myth: Intimate details, such as race, income or medical history, are included on your credit report.
The truth: "Your credit report only includes information that's debt-related," says Griffin. It doesn't include your race or ethnicity, your income, your investments and assets or your criminal record, he adds. (It does, however, include your address, your Social Security number, your date of birth and possibly your place of employment.)
Some consumers also worry that late payments to their doctor's office will appear on their reports. However, that's false, says Griffin. "There's a law called HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It prohibits or regulates the sharing of medical information," he says. So credit reporting agencies are legally barred from including any information about your recent doctor's visits, the kind of treatment you received or the name of the health care provider that you visited.
That said, if you miss a payment on a medical bill, your health care provider may send that uncollected debt to a medical collection company and the name of that company could appear on your personal credit report, says Griffin. Your lender, however, won't see the medical company's name when they pull your report. They'll just see you have a medical collection listed.
That's the confusing part, adds Griffin. Consumers often don't realize that what they see on their personal credit report isn't necessarily what a lender sees.
The same is true for soft inquiries, he says. A soft inquiry is listed when someone such as a credit card lender who's thinking about giving you a special deal or a potential employer asks to see your report. However, unlike hard inquiries (which occur when you apply for a new loan or credit and temporarily ding your credit score), soft inquiries aren't shared with lenders -- and don't affect your credit score -- because you haven't applied for any credit. "We don't share soft inquiries with anyone but you, the consumer," says Griffin. "It's there so you know who's looked at that report."
3. Myth: Checking credit reports too often will hurt your credit score.
The truth: "Viewing your own credit report has no impact on your credit score," says Cliff O'Neal, senior director for corporate communications at TransUnion. "You could view your credit report every day and it will have no impact."
However, if you give a lender permission to pull your credit report, that will affect your score, says Equifax's Demitra Wilson. "Where people get confused is if you actually go into a creditor or merchant and you apply for a loan or apply for credit and you give them permission to access your credit report. That kind of inquiry is called a hard inquiry and that kind of inquiry can impact your credit score," says Wilson.
Luckily, credit agencies will give you a break if you're shopping around at different dealers. "If you're shopping for a loan and are concerned that will hurt a score, know that we realize that you are shopping for a car or a mortgage or something of that nature," says O'Neal. If the credit agency sees that your report has been pulled multiple times within a 30-day period, they will group those inquiries together and count them as just one hard inquiry.
4. Myth: If you pay off a delinquent debt, the missed payment will be removed from your credit report.
The truth: The only thing that clears a negative mark on your credit report is time.
"People think that if they pay off an account, it automatically falls off their credit report," says Equifax's Wilson. However, that's just magical thinking, she says.
Instead, it will take up to seven years for a missed payment to disappear from your report and up to 10 years for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to disappear.
Meanwhile, don't think that you can just pay a credit repair company to clear those negative marks. Any credit repair company that says they can scrub your credit report clean of accurate but negative information isn't telling you the truth, say experts.
They may be able to assist you with disputing negative information. However, the cost it takes to do that probably isn't worth it, says TransUnion's O'Neal. "Anything that a credit repair company promises, you can do yourself," he says. There are no quick fixes when it comes to repairing your credit. "Just as it took time to damage your credit, it's going to take time to improve your credit," he adds.
The amount of time you'll have to wait for a black mark to disappear can also be a major source of confusion, adds Experian's Rod Griffin. "Seven years is a rule of thumb that applies to late payments. The confusion comes in when that seven years actually starts," he says.
The good news is if you only missed one payment, the math should work in your favor. For example, if you miss a credit card payment, the clock will start on your credit report as soon as the payment is listed as late. Credit reporting companies call that your "original delinquency date."
If you fail to pay that debt off and the account goes into collections, the clock will keep ticking and won't reset, says Griffin. "Federal law requires that collection agencies carry over the original delinquency date from the original account and report that" to a credit reporting company.
Where it gets murky is if you make payment arrangements to clear a debt on an overdue account and then later miss another payment. Then the clock will start over from that second missed payment instead of the first one, says Griffin. "It gets a little bit confusing because an account can actually have more than one original delinquency date," says Griffin. The first missed payment will be deleted seven years from the first time you were late. The second missed payment will then be treated as separate and will be deleted seven years after that one was reported as delinquent.
5. Myth: Your credit reports merge when you get married and split when you divorce.
The truth: "Getting married does not cause your previous credit histories to be merged," says Griffin. "Everyone has their own credit report even after they are married." So if your spouse has a spotty credit history, it won't show up on your report.
That said, if you live in a community property state , loans that you accumulate while married may automatically be joined together and show up on both reports.
Any loans that you co-sign with your spouse will also appear, says TransUnion's O'Neal. "When you co-sign for a loan, activity on that joint account will be displayed on your credit report as well as the person you co-signed with," he says.
However, simply being married won't make you financially liable for a spouse's loans (but it will if you co-signed) -- unless you live in a community property state. States with community property laws hold both spouses liable for debts accumulated during the marriage. Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin are community property states; Alaska is an opt-in community property state. See " Compare states' community property laws " for more details.
Joint debts -- in which both of you sign a contract with a lender or credit card company -- do make you equally responsible for repayment. Meanwhile, if you split up, the jointly held debt that you acquired as a couple will stay put on both your reports, no matter what you agreed to in the divorce. "People think that if they get a divorce, that automatically severs joint accounts that are listed on a credit report, and it doesn't," says Equifax's Wilson. You'll both still be on the hook for that debt, unless your creditor agrees to take one of you off the account.
6. Myth: Credit agencies are responsible for granting or denying credit.
The truth: "We don't do that," says Experian's Rod Griffin. "We don't approve or decline a person's credit application."
Instead, credit agencies gather your information in one place so that lenders don't have to do it themselves. "The role of the credit reporting company is to compile information about a person's debts and put them in a form that lenders can use," says Griffin. "We don't make any judgments about the information that is in the credit report."
7. Myth: If you pay all your bills on time, you don't need to check your credit report.
The truth: "It's always important to look at your credit report from time to time and make sure it is up to date with the most current information that reflects your credit history," says TransUnion's Cliff O'Neal.
After all, you may be surprised at what's in there. "One of the main misconceptions is that people think that if they pay their bills on time, they don't need to check their credit," says Demitra Wilson. "Your credit report is changing all the time ... You want to make sure that the information that is being reported is accurate and correct. Even though you know that you're paying your bills on time, the data furnisher may not be reporting it correctly."
It also helps to know how you're doing with your money. "When you know what's in your credit file, you know your financial standing," says Wilson. "You know your financial health so you're able to take charge of your credit and know when is the best time to apply for a loan or seek preapproval for a mortgage."
"People don't understand what is actually included in their credit report," says Demitra Wilson, director of media relations at Equifax. Consumers will stress over details that aren't even included and will get themselves into trouble over urban myths like the tale of the magically disappearing delinquency.
It's a problem, agree educators. Here are just seven of the most persistent myths that the top three credit bureaus say they hear all the time.
1. Myth: Your credit report includes your credit score.
The truth: "Your credit report does not contain your credit score," says Wilson.
Consumers often think that when they pull a free copy of their report at AnnualCreditReport.com , they should also get a copy of their score, she says. However, if you want a copy of your FICO credit score (which is the most widely used score by lenders), you'll usually have to pay up to $19.95 (at myFICO.com ) to get it. The exception is if you are denied a loan or given higher rates based on your credit score. In that case, a lender is required to send you a free copy of the score they used to make their decision.
You can also access a free credit score through a service such as CreditKarma.com. However, those scores aren't necessarily going to be the scores that lenders use. That's because "there are many different credit scores," says Rod Griffin, director of public education at Experian, and the score that gets used depends on the lender and the type of loan they are handing out.
The good news is that even though you can't control the formulas that lenders use to calculate your many different credit scores, you can influence the information that goes into them. "You as a consumer have the ability to control the information in your report," says Griffin.
2. Myth: Intimate details, such as race, income or medical history, are included on your credit report.
The truth: "Your credit report only includes information that's debt-related," says Griffin. It doesn't include your race or ethnicity, your income, your investments and assets or your criminal record, he adds. (It does, however, include your address, your Social Security number, your date of birth and possibly your place of employment.)
Some consumers also worry that late payments to their doctor's office will appear on their reports. However, that's false, says Griffin. "There's a law called HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. It prohibits or regulates the sharing of medical information," he says. So credit reporting agencies are legally barred from including any information about your recent doctor's visits, the kind of treatment you received or the name of the health care provider that you visited.
That said, if you miss a payment on a medical bill, your health care provider may send that uncollected debt to a medical collection company and the name of that company could appear on your personal credit report, says Griffin. Your lender, however, won't see the medical company's name when they pull your report. They'll just see you have a medical collection listed.
That's the confusing part, adds Griffin. Consumers often don't realize that what they see on their personal credit report isn't necessarily what a lender sees.
The same is true for soft inquiries, he says. A soft inquiry is listed when someone such as a credit card lender who's thinking about giving you a special deal or a potential employer asks to see your report. However, unlike hard inquiries (which occur when you apply for a new loan or credit and temporarily ding your credit score), soft inquiries aren't shared with lenders -- and don't affect your credit score -- because you haven't applied for any credit. "We don't share soft inquiries with anyone but you, the consumer," says Griffin. "It's there so you know who's looked at that report."
3. Myth: Checking credit reports too often will hurt your credit score.
The truth: "Viewing your own credit report has no impact on your credit score," says Cliff O'Neal, senior director for corporate communications at TransUnion. "You could view your credit report every day and it will have no impact."
However, if you give a lender permission to pull your credit report, that will affect your score, says Equifax's Demitra Wilson. "Where people get confused is if you actually go into a creditor or merchant and you apply for a loan or apply for credit and you give them permission to access your credit report. That kind of inquiry is called a hard inquiry and that kind of inquiry can impact your credit score," says Wilson.
Luckily, credit agencies will give you a break if you're shopping around at different dealers. "If you're shopping for a loan and are concerned that will hurt a score, know that we realize that you are shopping for a car or a mortgage or something of that nature," says O'Neal. If the credit agency sees that your report has been pulled multiple times within a 30-day period, they will group those inquiries together and count them as just one hard inquiry.
4. Myth: If you pay off a delinquent debt, the missed payment will be removed from your credit report.
The truth: The only thing that clears a negative mark on your credit report is time.
"People think that if they pay off an account, it automatically falls off their credit report," says Equifax's Wilson. However, that's just magical thinking, she says.
Instead, it will take up to seven years for a missed payment to disappear from your report and up to 10 years for a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to disappear.
Meanwhile, don't think that you can just pay a credit repair company to clear those negative marks. Any credit repair company that says they can scrub your credit report clean of accurate but negative information isn't telling you the truth, say experts.
They may be able to assist you with disputing negative information. However, the cost it takes to do that probably isn't worth it, says TransUnion's O'Neal. "Anything that a credit repair company promises, you can do yourself," he says. There are no quick fixes when it comes to repairing your credit. "Just as it took time to damage your credit, it's going to take time to improve your credit," he adds.
The amount of time you'll have to wait for a black mark to disappear can also be a major source of confusion, adds Experian's Rod Griffin. "Seven years is a rule of thumb that applies to late payments. The confusion comes in when that seven years actually starts," he says.
The good news is if you only missed one payment, the math should work in your favor. For example, if you miss a credit card payment, the clock will start on your credit report as soon as the payment is listed as late. Credit reporting companies call that your "original delinquency date."
If you fail to pay that debt off and the account goes into collections, the clock will keep ticking and won't reset, says Griffin. "Federal law requires that collection agencies carry over the original delinquency date from the original account and report that" to a credit reporting company.
Where it gets murky is if you make payment arrangements to clear a debt on an overdue account and then later miss another payment. Then the clock will start over from that second missed payment instead of the first one, says Griffin. "It gets a little bit confusing because an account can actually have more than one original delinquency date," says Griffin. The first missed payment will be deleted seven years from the first time you were late. The second missed payment will then be treated as separate and will be deleted seven years after that one was reported as delinquent.
5. Myth: Your credit reports merge when you get married and split when you divorce.
The truth: "Getting married does not cause your previous credit histories to be merged," says Griffin. "Everyone has their own credit report even after they are married." So if your spouse has a spotty credit history, it won't show up on your report.
That said, if you live in a community property state , loans that you accumulate while married may automatically be joined together and show up on both reports.
Any loans that you co-sign with your spouse will also appear, says TransUnion's O'Neal. "When you co-sign for a loan, activity on that joint account will be displayed on your credit report as well as the person you co-signed with," he says.
However, simply being married won't make you financially liable for a spouse's loans (but it will if you co-signed) -- unless you live in a community property state. States with community property laws hold both spouses liable for debts accumulated during the marriage. Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin are community property states; Alaska is an opt-in community property state. See " Compare states' community property laws " for more details.
Joint debts -- in which both of you sign a contract with a lender or credit card company -- do make you equally responsible for repayment. Meanwhile, if you split up, the jointly held debt that you acquired as a couple will stay put on both your reports, no matter what you agreed to in the divorce. "People think that if they get a divorce, that automatically severs joint accounts that are listed on a credit report, and it doesn't," says Equifax's Wilson. You'll both still be on the hook for that debt, unless your creditor agrees to take one of you off the account.
6. Myth: Credit agencies are responsible for granting or denying credit.
The truth: "We don't do that," says Experian's Rod Griffin. "We don't approve or decline a person's credit application."
Instead, credit agencies gather your information in one place so that lenders don't have to do it themselves. "The role of the credit reporting company is to compile information about a person's debts and put them in a form that lenders can use," says Griffin. "We don't make any judgments about the information that is in the credit report."
7. Myth: If you pay all your bills on time, you don't need to check your credit report.
The truth: "It's always important to look at your credit report from time to time and make sure it is up to date with the most current information that reflects your credit history," says TransUnion's Cliff O'Neal.
After all, you may be surprised at what's in there. "One of the main misconceptions is that people think that if they pay their bills on time, they don't need to check their credit," says Demitra Wilson. "Your credit report is changing all the time ... You want to make sure that the information that is being reported is accurate and correct. Even though you know that you're paying your bills on time, the data furnisher may not be reporting it correctly."
It also helps to know how you're doing with your money. "When you know what's in your credit file, you know your financial standing," says Wilson. "You know your financial health so you're able to take charge of your credit and know when is the best time to apply for a loan or seek preapproval for a mortgage."
GREAT WAY OF KILLING MOLD IN YOUR HOUSE
For more information on molds visit this website
http://blackmold.awardspace.com/aspergillus.html
How To Kill Mold with Bleach, Vinegar & More
Mold Removal Products
There are several products and solutions you can use to kill and remove mold. Some of the most effective mold removal products include:
Bleach
Borax
Vinegar
Ammonia
Hydrogen peroxide
Detergent
Baking soda
Tea tree oil
Grapefruit seed extract
For a step by step guide to the entire mold removal process covering protective equipment, containing spores, killing the mold, preventing the mold's return, mold disposal and final clean up go to Mold Removal.
To find out how to remove mold from your clothes go to Mold On Clothes.
There is also a page describing How to Kill Mold on Drywall, Wood, Carpet, Tiles and Grout.
Bleach
Killing Mold with Bleach
Bleach can kill virtually every species of indoor mold that it comes into contact with, along with its spores, leaving a surface sanitized and resistant to future mold growth.
Unfortunately, however, using bleach is only effective if the mold is growing on non-porous materials such as tiles, bathtubs, glass and countertops. Bleach cannot penetrate into porous materials and so it does not come into contact with mold growing beneath the surface of materials such as wood and drywall. Using bleach on these materials will kill the mold above the surface but the roots within the material will remain and the mold will soon return.
How to Kill Mold with Bleach
Bleach produces harsh fumes so make sure the area is well ventilated before you begin. You should also wear gloves during the process to protect your hands.
For killing mold with bleach use a ratio of one cup of bleach per gallon of water (ie about 1 part bleach to 10 parts water).
Apply the solution to non-porous surfaces with mold growth either by using a spray bottle or by using a bucket and a sponge or cloth.
You don't need to rinse the surface afterwards (unless it is used for food preparation or a surface which may be touched by small children or pets) as the bleach will inhibit mold growing in the future.
Does Bleach Kill Mold?
Although the active ingredient in bleach, sodium hypochlorite, is the main ingredient in many mold removal products, there are many reasons to use alternatives to chlorine bleach when killing mold.
One reason is that bleach cannot completely kill mold growing in porous materials. The chlorine in bleach cannot penetrate into porous surfaces such as drywall or wood. The chlorine is left on the surface of porous materials and only the water component of the bleach is absorbed into the material, providing more moisture for the mold to feed on.
Some of the mold on the surface might be killed but the roots of the mold are left intact meaning the mold soon returns, leaving you in a cycle of repeated bleaching. Perhaps this is why some people believe that spraying bleach on mold doesn't affect it but instead just bleaches its color so you can no longer see it.
Another disadvantage of bleach is that it can damage the materials it's used on as it is a harsh, corrosive chemical. Chlorine bleach also gives off harsh fumes and it even produces toxic gas when mixed with ammonia. There are safer alternatives such as borax or vinegar which don't produce dangerous fumes or leave behind toxic residue. For these reasons try to avoid using bleach and if you must use it, only use it on non-porous surfaces.
Borax
Does Borax Kill Mold?
There are many advantages to using borax to kill mold. For starters, borax is a natural cleaning product and although it is toxic if you swallow it, borax does not emit chemicals or dangerous fumes like some other mold killers. Borax, a white mineral powder, has a pH level of about 9 (baking soda is pH 8.1 and pH 7 is neutral) and a low toxicity.
Borax is commonly used as a deodorizer as well as for cleaning toilets and drains. Borax is also used as an insecticide, herbicide and fungicide and it can be mixed with water in a solution to kill and remove mold as it is a natural mold inhibitor. You can buy borax in supermarkets for a few dollars from the laundry section.
How to Kill Mold with Borax
To kill mold using borax, create a borax-water solution using a ratio of 1 cup of borax per gallon of water.
Vacuum up any loose mold with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to lessen the number of spores stirred up into the air during the cleaning process.
Use a scrubbing brush with the borax-water solution to scrub the mold off the surface.
Wipe up any extra moisture and excess mold particles or dust/debris to prevent them spreading into the air once the surface has dried.
You don't need to rinse off the borax as the solution will prevent more mold beginning to grow on the surface again.
Leave the surface to dry completely.
Vinegar
Does Vinegar Kill Mold?
Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. However it also has the advantages of being natural and safe. Vinegar is non-toxic and doesn't give off dangerous fumes like bleach does.
Cleaning Mold with Vinegar
To kill mold with vinegar, use white distilled vinegar which you can buy cheaply from the supermarket.
Pour some vinegar into a spray bottle without watering it down.
Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it to sit for an hour.
Wipe clean the area with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours.
If you want to use vinegar to prevent mold growing on surfaces just spray vinegar on the surface and leave it. Repeat this every few days to ensure the surface will stay mold-free. You can even mop your tiled bathroom floor or other hard non-porous floors with vinegar if you are worried about mold growing on them.
Ammonia
Does Ammonia Kill Mold?
Like bleach, ammonia will kill mold on hard non-porous surfaces such as countertops, glass or tiles but it is ineffective at killing mold growing in porous material such as wood or drywall.
Another disadvantage of using ammonia is that it is a harsh, toxic chemical. Make sure you never mix ammonia with bleach because the gas they create when combined is toxic. Chlorine mixed with ammonia was even used as a chemical weapon during World War 2.
Additionally, although ammonia can kill surface mold, dead mold and dead mold spores are still allergenic so you will need to make sure to remove them afterwards.
How to Kill Mold with Ammonia
To kill mold using ammonia, create a solution of 50% clear ammonia and 50% water in a spray bottle and spray it on moldy areas.
Make sure the ammonia you use says "clear ammonia" on the label.
Leave the area for a few hours before wiping and rinsing.
Often detergents or mold cleaning products will contain ammonia. In that case just follow the directions on the label and be sure never to mix it with bleach.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide and Mold
Hydrogen peroxide kills mold as it is anti-fungal as well as anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Hydrogen peroxide is a good alternative to chlorine bleach because it is safe to use and doesn't damage the environment, nor does it leave behind toxic residue or produce toxic fumes like chlorine bleach does. You can buy hydrogen peroxide from drug stores for around one dollar for a bottle of 3% concentration.
Hydrogen peroxide kills mold effectively on many materials such as clothes, floors, bathroom fixtures, walls and items such as kitchen appliances. Since hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent it may also help fade the stain mold leaves behind. Spot test hydrogen peroxide on the material you're going to be cleaning to make sure it won't fade the material's colors.
How to Kill Mold with Hydrogen Peroxide
To kill mold pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle.
Spray the moldy surface completely so that the moldy areas are saturated with hydrogen peroxide.
Leave the surface to sit for 10 minutes while the hydrogen peroxide kills the mold.
Then scrub the area to make sure to remove all the mold and mold stains.
Finally wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores.
You can also use vinegar with hydrogen peroxide during the cleaning to more effectively remove the mold. Afterwards store the spray bottle in a dark place since light diminishes hydrogen peroxide's effectiveness.
Detergent and Water
Removing Mold with Detergent and Water
A solution of detergent and warm water can be used to scrub surface mold off non-porous surfaces. Although detergent itself doesn't kill mold, if the mold is on non-porous materials then the solution doesn't need to kill it as long as you completely clean away all the mold on the surface.
Baking Soda
Killing Mold with Baking Soda
Baking soda is well known as a natural and safe household cleaner. But you can also use baking soda to kill mold in your home. Unlike other mold killers which contain harsh chemicals, baking soda is mild (pH of 8.1) and harmless to your family and any pets.
Besides killing mold, baking soda also deodorizes and so using it can get rid of the smell mold leaves in your home. Baking soda also absorbs moisture to help keep mold away.
Vinegar is often used along with baking soda when cleaning up a mold problem since vinegar kills different species of mold to baking soda.
How to Kill Mold with Baking Soda
Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water.
Shake the bottle to dissolve the baking soda into the water.
Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution.
Then use a sponge or scrubbing brush to make sure to remove all the mold from the surface.
Once you've scrubbed away the mold rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface.
Spray the area with the spray bottle again and let the surface dry. This will kill any left over mold and prevent the mold returning.
You can use a cloth instead of a spray bottle to clean mold with baking soda.
Soak a cloth in water and then add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to it.
Use the cloth on the moldy area to remove the mold with the baking soda and water solution.
Tea Tree Oil
Killing Mold with Tea Tree Oil
Of all the natural mold killing solutions tea tree oil is the most effective. Although it is also expensive, a small amount of tea tree oil goes a long way in killing mold.
Tea tree oil is an essential oil which is harmless to people and pets. Tea tree oil is antifungal, capable of killing all types of molds. Tea tree oil is antibacterial as well.
You can buy tea tree oil for about $10 for a small bottle from most natural food stores. Make sure the tea tree oil you buy is derived from the Melaleuca Alternifolia, which is the technical name for tea tree, as not all brands always are.
How to Kill Mold with Tea Tree Oil
To kill mold using tea tree oil add water to a spray bottle, keeping in mind how many cups it takes to fill the bottle.
Next add tea tree oil at the ratio of 1 teaspoon per cup of water that went into the spray bottle.
Spray the solution on the moldy surface.
There is no need to rinse since leaving the tea tree oil on the surface will kill the mold and prevent it from returning.
An alternative to using a spray bottle is to use a rag or cloth with the tea tree oil solution to clean away mold.
First create a solution of tea tree oil and water in the ratio of 1 teaspoon per cup of water.
Use a cloth to apply the solution to the moldy surface and scrub the mold away.
Again, you do not need to rinse the surface afterwards.
Tea tree oil has a strong smell but it will go away after some time. You can keep and use the solution you have made for a long time afterwards as tea tree oil does not lose its potency quickly.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Killing Mold with Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit seed extract is similar to tea tree oil in that it is an expensive but very effective natural mold killer. The advantage of grapefruit seed extract over tea tree oil however is that it has almost no odor. Like tea tree oil you can buy grape fruit seed extract from most health food stores.
Grapefruit seed extract kills mold naturally as the citric acid from the grapefruit attacks mold. Grapefruit seed extract also disinfects areas and deodorizes as well. Like tea tree oil, a small amount of grapefruit seed extract goes a long way in killing mold.
How to Kill Mold with Grapefruit Seed Extract
To kill mold with grapefruit seed extract create a solution of grapefruit seed extract and water in a spray bottle in the ratio of 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract per cup of water.
Shake the spray bottle to mix the solution thoroughly and then spray it onto the surface where mold is growing.
You do not need to rinse the solution away afterwards although you can use a cloth to wipe away the mold and solution after some minutes if you like. The longer grapefruit seed extract is in contact with mold the more it will cut through and kill the mold colony and prevent mold from returning.
Repeat if needed to more thoroughly remove mold from the surface.
The grapefruit seed extract solution in the spray bottle will remain potent for a long time and can be reused again and again as grapefruit seed extract has a long shelf life.
http://blackmold.awardspace.com/aspergillus.html
How To Kill Mold with Bleach, Vinegar & More
Mold Removal Products
There are several products and solutions you can use to kill and remove mold. Some of the most effective mold removal products include:
Bleach
Borax
Vinegar
Ammonia
Hydrogen peroxide
Detergent
Baking soda
Tea tree oil
Grapefruit seed extract
For a step by step guide to the entire mold removal process covering protective equipment, containing spores, killing the mold, preventing the mold's return, mold disposal and final clean up go to Mold Removal.
To find out how to remove mold from your clothes go to Mold On Clothes.
There is also a page describing How to Kill Mold on Drywall, Wood, Carpet, Tiles and Grout.
Bleach
Killing Mold with Bleach
Bleach can kill virtually every species of indoor mold that it comes into contact with, along with its spores, leaving a surface sanitized and resistant to future mold growth.
Unfortunately, however, using bleach is only effective if the mold is growing on non-porous materials such as tiles, bathtubs, glass and countertops. Bleach cannot penetrate into porous materials and so it does not come into contact with mold growing beneath the surface of materials such as wood and drywall. Using bleach on these materials will kill the mold above the surface but the roots within the material will remain and the mold will soon return.
How to Kill Mold with Bleach
Bleach produces harsh fumes so make sure the area is well ventilated before you begin. You should also wear gloves during the process to protect your hands.
For killing mold with bleach use a ratio of one cup of bleach per gallon of water (ie about 1 part bleach to 10 parts water).
Apply the solution to non-porous surfaces with mold growth either by using a spray bottle or by using a bucket and a sponge or cloth.
You don't need to rinse the surface afterwards (unless it is used for food preparation or a surface which may be touched by small children or pets) as the bleach will inhibit mold growing in the future.
Does Bleach Kill Mold?
Although the active ingredient in bleach, sodium hypochlorite, is the main ingredient in many mold removal products, there are many reasons to use alternatives to chlorine bleach when killing mold.
One reason is that bleach cannot completely kill mold growing in porous materials. The chlorine in bleach cannot penetrate into porous surfaces such as drywall or wood. The chlorine is left on the surface of porous materials and only the water component of the bleach is absorbed into the material, providing more moisture for the mold to feed on.
Some of the mold on the surface might be killed but the roots of the mold are left intact meaning the mold soon returns, leaving you in a cycle of repeated bleaching. Perhaps this is why some people believe that spraying bleach on mold doesn't affect it but instead just bleaches its color so you can no longer see it.
Another disadvantage of bleach is that it can damage the materials it's used on as it is a harsh, corrosive chemical. Chlorine bleach also gives off harsh fumes and it even produces toxic gas when mixed with ammonia. There are safer alternatives such as borax or vinegar which don't produce dangerous fumes or leave behind toxic residue. For these reasons try to avoid using bleach and if you must use it, only use it on non-porous surfaces.
Borax
Does Borax Kill Mold?
There are many advantages to using borax to kill mold. For starters, borax is a natural cleaning product and although it is toxic if you swallow it, borax does not emit chemicals or dangerous fumes like some other mold killers. Borax, a white mineral powder, has a pH level of about 9 (baking soda is pH 8.1 and pH 7 is neutral) and a low toxicity.
Borax is commonly used as a deodorizer as well as for cleaning toilets and drains. Borax is also used as an insecticide, herbicide and fungicide and it can be mixed with water in a solution to kill and remove mold as it is a natural mold inhibitor. You can buy borax in supermarkets for a few dollars from the laundry section.
How to Kill Mold with Borax
To kill mold using borax, create a borax-water solution using a ratio of 1 cup of borax per gallon of water.
Vacuum up any loose mold with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to lessen the number of spores stirred up into the air during the cleaning process.
Use a scrubbing brush with the borax-water solution to scrub the mold off the surface.
Wipe up any extra moisture and excess mold particles or dust/debris to prevent them spreading into the air once the surface has dried.
You don't need to rinse off the borax as the solution will prevent more mold beginning to grow on the surface again.
Leave the surface to dry completely.
Vinegar
Does Vinegar Kill Mold?
Vinegar is a mild acid which can kill 82% of mold species. However it also has the advantages of being natural and safe. Vinegar is non-toxic and doesn't give off dangerous fumes like bleach does.
Cleaning Mold with Vinegar
To kill mold with vinegar, use white distilled vinegar which you can buy cheaply from the supermarket.
Pour some vinegar into a spray bottle without watering it down.
Spray the vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it to sit for an hour.
Wipe clean the area with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell from the vinegar should clear within a few hours.
If you want to use vinegar to prevent mold growing on surfaces just spray vinegar on the surface and leave it. Repeat this every few days to ensure the surface will stay mold-free. You can even mop your tiled bathroom floor or other hard non-porous floors with vinegar if you are worried about mold growing on them.
Ammonia
Does Ammonia Kill Mold?
Like bleach, ammonia will kill mold on hard non-porous surfaces such as countertops, glass or tiles but it is ineffective at killing mold growing in porous material such as wood or drywall.
Another disadvantage of using ammonia is that it is a harsh, toxic chemical. Make sure you never mix ammonia with bleach because the gas they create when combined is toxic. Chlorine mixed with ammonia was even used as a chemical weapon during World War 2.
Additionally, although ammonia can kill surface mold, dead mold and dead mold spores are still allergenic so you will need to make sure to remove them afterwards.
How to Kill Mold with Ammonia
To kill mold using ammonia, create a solution of 50% clear ammonia and 50% water in a spray bottle and spray it on moldy areas.
Make sure the ammonia you use says "clear ammonia" on the label.
Leave the area for a few hours before wiping and rinsing.
Often detergents or mold cleaning products will contain ammonia. In that case just follow the directions on the label and be sure never to mix it with bleach.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide and Mold
Hydrogen peroxide kills mold as it is anti-fungal as well as anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Hydrogen peroxide is a good alternative to chlorine bleach because it is safe to use and doesn't damage the environment, nor does it leave behind toxic residue or produce toxic fumes like chlorine bleach does. You can buy hydrogen peroxide from drug stores for around one dollar for a bottle of 3% concentration.
Hydrogen peroxide kills mold effectively on many materials such as clothes, floors, bathroom fixtures, walls and items such as kitchen appliances. Since hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent it may also help fade the stain mold leaves behind. Spot test hydrogen peroxide on the material you're going to be cleaning to make sure it won't fade the material's colors.
How to Kill Mold with Hydrogen Peroxide
To kill mold pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle.
Spray the moldy surface completely so that the moldy areas are saturated with hydrogen peroxide.
Leave the surface to sit for 10 minutes while the hydrogen peroxide kills the mold.
Then scrub the area to make sure to remove all the mold and mold stains.
Finally wipe the surface down to remove residual mold and spores.
You can also use vinegar with hydrogen peroxide during the cleaning to more effectively remove the mold. Afterwards store the spray bottle in a dark place since light diminishes hydrogen peroxide's effectiveness.
Detergent and Water
Removing Mold with Detergent and Water
A solution of detergent and warm water can be used to scrub surface mold off non-porous surfaces. Although detergent itself doesn't kill mold, if the mold is on non-porous materials then the solution doesn't need to kill it as long as you completely clean away all the mold on the surface.
Baking Soda
Killing Mold with Baking Soda
Baking soda is well known as a natural and safe household cleaner. But you can also use baking soda to kill mold in your home. Unlike other mold killers which contain harsh chemicals, baking soda is mild (pH of 8.1) and harmless to your family and any pets.
Besides killing mold, baking soda also deodorizes and so using it can get rid of the smell mold leaves in your home. Baking soda also absorbs moisture to help keep mold away.
Vinegar is often used along with baking soda when cleaning up a mold problem since vinegar kills different species of mold to baking soda.
How to Kill Mold with Baking Soda
Add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water.
Shake the bottle to dissolve the baking soda into the water.
Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution.
Then use a sponge or scrubbing brush to make sure to remove all the mold from the surface.
Once you've scrubbed away the mold rinse the surface with water to remove any residual mold on the surface.
Spray the area with the spray bottle again and let the surface dry. This will kill any left over mold and prevent the mold returning.
You can use a cloth instead of a spray bottle to clean mold with baking soda.
Soak a cloth in water and then add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to it.
Use the cloth on the moldy area to remove the mold with the baking soda and water solution.
Tea Tree Oil
Killing Mold with Tea Tree Oil
Of all the natural mold killing solutions tea tree oil is the most effective. Although it is also expensive, a small amount of tea tree oil goes a long way in killing mold.
Tea tree oil is an essential oil which is harmless to people and pets. Tea tree oil is antifungal, capable of killing all types of molds. Tea tree oil is antibacterial as well.
You can buy tea tree oil for about $10 for a small bottle from most natural food stores. Make sure the tea tree oil you buy is derived from the Melaleuca Alternifolia, which is the technical name for tea tree, as not all brands always are.
How to Kill Mold with Tea Tree Oil
To kill mold using tea tree oil add water to a spray bottle, keeping in mind how many cups it takes to fill the bottle.
Next add tea tree oil at the ratio of 1 teaspoon per cup of water that went into the spray bottle.
Spray the solution on the moldy surface.
There is no need to rinse since leaving the tea tree oil on the surface will kill the mold and prevent it from returning.
An alternative to using a spray bottle is to use a rag or cloth with the tea tree oil solution to clean away mold.
First create a solution of tea tree oil and water in the ratio of 1 teaspoon per cup of water.
Use a cloth to apply the solution to the moldy surface and scrub the mold away.
Again, you do not need to rinse the surface afterwards.
Tea tree oil has a strong smell but it will go away after some time. You can keep and use the solution you have made for a long time afterwards as tea tree oil does not lose its potency quickly.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Killing Mold with Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit seed extract is similar to tea tree oil in that it is an expensive but very effective natural mold killer. The advantage of grapefruit seed extract over tea tree oil however is that it has almost no odor. Like tea tree oil you can buy grape fruit seed extract from most health food stores.
Grapefruit seed extract kills mold naturally as the citric acid from the grapefruit attacks mold. Grapefruit seed extract also disinfects areas and deodorizes as well. Like tea tree oil, a small amount of grapefruit seed extract goes a long way in killing mold.
How to Kill Mold with Grapefruit Seed Extract
To kill mold with grapefruit seed extract create a solution of grapefruit seed extract and water in a spray bottle in the ratio of 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract per cup of water.
Shake the spray bottle to mix the solution thoroughly and then spray it onto the surface where mold is growing.
You do not need to rinse the solution away afterwards although you can use a cloth to wipe away the mold and solution after some minutes if you like. The longer grapefruit seed extract is in contact with mold the more it will cut through and kill the mold colony and prevent mold from returning.
Repeat if needed to more thoroughly remove mold from the surface.
The grapefruit seed extract solution in the spray bottle will remain potent for a long time and can be reused again and again as grapefruit seed extract has a long shelf life.
5 MIND-BENDING FACTS ABOUT DREAMS
When your head hits the pillow, for many it's lights out for the conscious part of you. But the cells firing in your brain are very much awake, sparking enough energy to produce the sometimes vivid and sometimes downright haunted dreams that take place during the rapid-eye-movement stage of your sleep.
Why do some people have nightmares while others really spend their nights in bliss? Like sleep, dreams are mysterious phenomena. But as scientists are able to probe deeper into our minds, they are finding some of those answers.
Here's some of what we know about what goes on in dreamland.
1. Violent dreams can be a warning sign
As if nightmares weren't bad enough, a rare sleep disorder — called REM sleep behavior disorder — causes people to act out their dreams, sometimes with violent thrashes, kicks and screams. Such violent dreams may be an early sign of brain disorders down the line, including Parkinson's disease and dementia, according to research published online July 28, 2010, in the journal Neurology. The results suggest the incipient stages of these neurodegenerative disorders might begin decades before a person, or doctor, knows it.
2. Night owls have more nightmares
Staying up late has its perks, but whimsical dreaming is not one of them. Research published in 2011 in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms, revealed that night owls are more likely than their early-bird counterparts to experience nightmares.
In the study 264 university students rated how often they experienced nightmares on a scale from 0 to 4, never to always, respectively. The stay-up-late types scored, on average, a 2.10, compared with the morning types who averaged a 1.23. The researchers said the difference was a significant one, however, they aren’t sure what's causing a link between sleep habits and nightmares. Among their ideas is the stress hormone cortisol, which peaks in the morning right before we wake up, a time when people are more prone to be in REM, or dream, sleep. If you’re still sleeping at that time, the cortisol rise could trigger vivid dreams or nightmares, the researchers speculate. [Top 10 Spooky Sleep Disorders]
3. Men dream about sex
As in their wake hours, men also dream about sex more than women do. And comparing notes in the morning may not be a turn-on for either guys or gals, as women are more likely to have experienced nightmares, suggests doctoral research reported in 2009 by psychologist Jennie Parker of the University of the West of England.
She found women's dreams/nightmares could be grouped into three categories: fearful dreams (being chased or having their life threatened); dreams involving the loss of a loved one; or confused dreams.
4. You can control your dreams
If you're interested in lucid dreaming, you may want to take up video gaming. The link? Both represent alternate realities, said Jayne Gackenbach, a psychologist at Grant MacEwan University in Canada.
"If you're spending hours a day in a virtual reality, if nothing else it's practice," Gackenbach told LiveScience in 2010. "Gamers are used to controlling their game environments, so that can translate into dreams." Her past research has shown that people who frequently play video games are more likely than non-gamers to have lucid dreams where they view themselves from outside their bodies; they were also better able to influence their dream worlds, as if controlling a video-game character.
That level of control may also help gamers turn a bloodcurdling nightmare into a carefree dream, she found in a 2008 study. This ability could help war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Gackenbach reasoned.
5. Why we dream
Scientists have long wondered why we dream, with answers ranging from Sigmund Freud's idea that dreams fulfill our wishes to the speculation that these wistful journeys are just a side effect of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Turns out, at least part of the reason may be critical thinking, suggests Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett who presented her theory in 2010 at the Association for Psychological Science meeting in Boston.
Her research revealed that our slumbering hours may help us solve puzzles that have plagued us during daylight hours. The visual and often illogical aspects of dreams make them perfect for the out-of-the-box thinking that is necessary to solve some problems, she speculates.
So while dreams may have originally evolved for another purpose, they have likely been refined over time for multiple tasks, including helping the brain reboot and helping us solve problems, she said.
Why do some people have nightmares while others really spend their nights in bliss? Like sleep, dreams are mysterious phenomena. But as scientists are able to probe deeper into our minds, they are finding some of those answers.
Here's some of what we know about what goes on in dreamland.
1. Violent dreams can be a warning sign
As if nightmares weren't bad enough, a rare sleep disorder — called REM sleep behavior disorder — causes people to act out their dreams, sometimes with violent thrashes, kicks and screams. Such violent dreams may be an early sign of brain disorders down the line, including Parkinson's disease and dementia, according to research published online July 28, 2010, in the journal Neurology. The results suggest the incipient stages of these neurodegenerative disorders might begin decades before a person, or doctor, knows it.
2. Night owls have more nightmares
Staying up late has its perks, but whimsical dreaming is not one of them. Research published in 2011 in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms, revealed that night owls are more likely than their early-bird counterparts to experience nightmares.
In the study 264 university students rated how often they experienced nightmares on a scale from 0 to 4, never to always, respectively. The stay-up-late types scored, on average, a 2.10, compared with the morning types who averaged a 1.23. The researchers said the difference was a significant one, however, they aren’t sure what's causing a link between sleep habits and nightmares. Among their ideas is the stress hormone cortisol, which peaks in the morning right before we wake up, a time when people are more prone to be in REM, or dream, sleep. If you’re still sleeping at that time, the cortisol rise could trigger vivid dreams or nightmares, the researchers speculate. [Top 10 Spooky Sleep Disorders]
3. Men dream about sex
As in their wake hours, men also dream about sex more than women do. And comparing notes in the morning may not be a turn-on for either guys or gals, as women are more likely to have experienced nightmares, suggests doctoral research reported in 2009 by psychologist Jennie Parker of the University of the West of England.
She found women's dreams/nightmares could be grouped into three categories: fearful dreams (being chased or having their life threatened); dreams involving the loss of a loved one; or confused dreams.
4. You can control your dreams
If you're interested in lucid dreaming, you may want to take up video gaming. The link? Both represent alternate realities, said Jayne Gackenbach, a psychologist at Grant MacEwan University in Canada.
"If you're spending hours a day in a virtual reality, if nothing else it's practice," Gackenbach told LiveScience in 2010. "Gamers are used to controlling their game environments, so that can translate into dreams." Her past research has shown that people who frequently play video games are more likely than non-gamers to have lucid dreams where they view themselves from outside their bodies; they were also better able to influence their dream worlds, as if controlling a video-game character.
That level of control may also help gamers turn a bloodcurdling nightmare into a carefree dream, she found in a 2008 study. This ability could help war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Gackenbach reasoned.
5. Why we dream
Scientists have long wondered why we dream, with answers ranging from Sigmund Freud's idea that dreams fulfill our wishes to the speculation that these wistful journeys are just a side effect of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Turns out, at least part of the reason may be critical thinking, suggests Harvard psychologist Deirdre Barrett who presented her theory in 2010 at the Association for Psychological Science meeting in Boston.
Her research revealed that our slumbering hours may help us solve puzzles that have plagued us during daylight hours. The visual and often illogical aspects of dreams make them perfect for the out-of-the-box thinking that is necessary to solve some problems, she speculates.
So while dreams may have originally evolved for another purpose, they have likely been refined over time for multiple tasks, including helping the brain reboot and helping us solve problems, she said.
Friday 27 April 2012
11 SIMPLE MEMORY TRICKS TO IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY
Sometimes I think my memory is actually too good. Like when I realize I still know the lyrics to nearly every song released in the '80s. But then I'll go to transfer a load of laundry into the dryer and discover that it's already dry; seems I forgot to ever turn on the washer. Or I'll forget my neighbor's name - again. Could it be that song lyrics are taking up so much brain space there's none left for remembering when my next dentist appointment is or whether I've mailed the mortgage payment this month?
My mom blames 21st-century information overload for her everyday memory lapses - misplacing her glasses or walking into the kitchen only to forget what she needed there. "There's some truth to that," says Gary Small, M.D.,director of the Memory & Aging Research Center at UCLA. "Our lives may be more frenetic, but we actually have the capacity to remember much more than we do," he says. "We simply need to work on improving our attention."
Read on for 11 smart short- and long-term strategies.
1. Repeat yourself. Locking the door, taking your vitamins, unplugging the iron - there's a reason they're called mindless tasks. To help get a routine activity lodged in your brain, say it out loud as you do it ("I'm popping my multi"), advises Cynthia Green, Ph.D., president of Memory Arts LLC, a company that provides memory fitness training. The same trick - repeating aloud "I'm getting the scissors" - fends off distraction as you head into the kitchen for them. Memory experts also advise that you repeat a person's name as you're introduced ("Hi, Alice") and again as you finish your conversation ("Nice talking with you, Alice"), but if that feels forced, just repeat the name to yourself as you walk away.
2. Bite off bigger pieces. Since your brain can process only so much information at a time, try chunking bits together. By repeating a phone number as "thirty-eight, twenty-seven" instead of "3, 8, 2, 7," you only have to remember two numbers, not four, Dr. Small points out. If you need to buy ground beef, milk, lettuce, cereal, and buns, you might think "dinner" (burgers, buns, lettuce) and "breakfast" (cereal and milk).
3. Give words more meaning. When you're introduced - let's say to Sally - you can make up a rhyme ("Sally in the alley") or connect the name to a song ("Mustang Sally"). Some people swear by devices like mnemonics. One New York City dog owner never leaves for the morning walk without her three b's (bags, biscuits, ball) and two t's (telephone, tissues).
4. Create unlikely connections. Jennifer Rapaport, a mother of three in Somerville, MA, switches her watch to the other wrist when she needs to remember something. The oddity of not finding the watch where it should be triggers her recall.
5. Stop trying so hard. You're watching an old movie on TV and can't think of the lead actor's name. "What is it?" you fret. "Why can't I remember?" Then an hour later, as you're peeling carrots, "Clark Gable" pops into your head. "Anxiety distracts us, making it even harder to remember," says Dr. Small. De-stressing - taking deep breaths, thinking of something pleasant - can break the cycle.
6. Sleep on it. Anyone who's ever stayed up with a new baby recognizes that next-day brain fuzziness, when it seems like nothing really registers or is available for recall later. That is what's happening. Different parts of the brain are responsible for creating different types of memories - a face, a name, or just the recollection that you met someone, explains Gary Richardson, M.D., senior research scientist at the Sleep Disorders Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. "Sleep is what helps knit all those memories together." You also need sleep to make long-term memories last. Studies at Harvard Medical School have shown that when people are given a random list of words to memorize, those who then sleep will recall more words afterward than those who are tested without a chance to sack out.
7. Address your stress. Ever wonder why, when you're already having a maddening day, your memory goes on the blink, too? Blame the stress hormone cortisol. When you're on edge, it increases in the hippocampus - the brain's control center for learning and memory - and may interfere with encoding information or retrieving it. Cumulatively, this can be serious: "As you get older, chronic elevated cortisol levels are linked to memory impairment and a smaller hippocampus," says Shireen Sindi, a researcher in the department of neurology and neurosurgery at McGill University. Another compelling reason to deal with issues that make you stressed.
8. Eat to your brain's content. Foods that keep your heart healthy are also good for your brain. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (including sardines and salmon) fight artery-damaging inflammation. Ditto for walnuts. Berries, especially blueberries, are loaded with anthocyanins - potent antioxidants that protect cells, including those in the brain. Blueberries may also have the power to create new pathways for connection in the brain: These connectors tend to die off with age, but in animal studies, blueberry consumption has been shown to help restore them, says Jim Joseph, Ph.D., director of the neuroscience lab at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University.
9. Take a walk (down memory lane). When you exercise, your brain gets a workout of its own. A new study of 161 adults ages 59 to 81 found that the hippocampus was larger in those who were physically active. "Fitness improvement - even if you've been sedentary most of your life - leads to an increase in volume of this brain region," explains Art Kramer, Ph.D., professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois and coauthor of the study. And the bigger the hippocampus, the better able you are to form new memories. You don't have to live at the gym. "Just get out and walk for an hour a few days a week," says Kramer.
10. Practice paying attention. What color hair did the barista who made your latte this morning have? Was your husband wearing a blue or red tie? Even if you'll never need the information, forcing yourself to observe and recall the details of your day sharpens your memory, says Dr. Small.
11. Play mind games. Doing something mentally challenging - working a crossword puzzle, learning an instrument - creates fresh connections in your brain. "You can actually generate new cells in the hippocampus," says Peter Snyder, Ph.D., professor of clinical neurosciences at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. Those new cells build cognitive reserves that are important for creating new memories and may protect against memory loss - even dementia - later in life. Games that work to improve processing speed may deliver an extra boost, Smith has found. In a group of older adults, his (company-funded) studies of the computer game Brain Fitness showed that players had a significant improvement in cognitive skills, including memory, compared with those in a control group. Anything that requires working against the clock can help. "A timed game like Boggle or Simon will force you to pay attention, work quickly, and think flexibly," says Green.
My mom blames 21st-century information overload for her everyday memory lapses - misplacing her glasses or walking into the kitchen only to forget what she needed there. "There's some truth to that," says Gary Small, M.D.,director of the Memory & Aging Research Center at UCLA. "Our lives may be more frenetic, but we actually have the capacity to remember much more than we do," he says. "We simply need to work on improving our attention."
Read on for 11 smart short- and long-term strategies.
1. Repeat yourself. Locking the door, taking your vitamins, unplugging the iron - there's a reason they're called mindless tasks. To help get a routine activity lodged in your brain, say it out loud as you do it ("I'm popping my multi"), advises Cynthia Green, Ph.D., president of Memory Arts LLC, a company that provides memory fitness training. The same trick - repeating aloud "I'm getting the scissors" - fends off distraction as you head into the kitchen for them. Memory experts also advise that you repeat a person's name as you're introduced ("Hi, Alice") and again as you finish your conversation ("Nice talking with you, Alice"), but if that feels forced, just repeat the name to yourself as you walk away.
2. Bite off bigger pieces. Since your brain can process only so much information at a time, try chunking bits together. By repeating a phone number as "thirty-eight, twenty-seven" instead of "3, 8, 2, 7," you only have to remember two numbers, not four, Dr. Small points out. If you need to buy ground beef, milk, lettuce, cereal, and buns, you might think "dinner" (burgers, buns, lettuce) and "breakfast" (cereal and milk).
3. Give words more meaning. When you're introduced - let's say to Sally - you can make up a rhyme ("Sally in the alley") or connect the name to a song ("Mustang Sally"). Some people swear by devices like mnemonics. One New York City dog owner never leaves for the morning walk without her three b's (bags, biscuits, ball) and two t's (telephone, tissues).
4. Create unlikely connections. Jennifer Rapaport, a mother of three in Somerville, MA, switches her watch to the other wrist when she needs to remember something. The oddity of not finding the watch where it should be triggers her recall.
5. Stop trying so hard. You're watching an old movie on TV and can't think of the lead actor's name. "What is it?" you fret. "Why can't I remember?" Then an hour later, as you're peeling carrots, "Clark Gable" pops into your head. "Anxiety distracts us, making it even harder to remember," says Dr. Small. De-stressing - taking deep breaths, thinking of something pleasant - can break the cycle.
6. Sleep on it. Anyone who's ever stayed up with a new baby recognizes that next-day brain fuzziness, when it seems like nothing really registers or is available for recall later. That is what's happening. Different parts of the brain are responsible for creating different types of memories - a face, a name, or just the recollection that you met someone, explains Gary Richardson, M.D., senior research scientist at the Sleep Disorders Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. "Sleep is what helps knit all those memories together." You also need sleep to make long-term memories last. Studies at Harvard Medical School have shown that when people are given a random list of words to memorize, those who then sleep will recall more words afterward than those who are tested without a chance to sack out.
7. Address your stress. Ever wonder why, when you're already having a maddening day, your memory goes on the blink, too? Blame the stress hormone cortisol. When you're on edge, it increases in the hippocampus - the brain's control center for learning and memory - and may interfere with encoding information or retrieving it. Cumulatively, this can be serious: "As you get older, chronic elevated cortisol levels are linked to memory impairment and a smaller hippocampus," says Shireen Sindi, a researcher in the department of neurology and neurosurgery at McGill University. Another compelling reason to deal with issues that make you stressed.
8. Eat to your brain's content. Foods that keep your heart healthy are also good for your brain. Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (including sardines and salmon) fight artery-damaging inflammation. Ditto for walnuts. Berries, especially blueberries, are loaded with anthocyanins - potent antioxidants that protect cells, including those in the brain. Blueberries may also have the power to create new pathways for connection in the brain: These connectors tend to die off with age, but in animal studies, blueberry consumption has been shown to help restore them, says Jim Joseph, Ph.D., director of the neuroscience lab at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University.
9. Take a walk (down memory lane). When you exercise, your brain gets a workout of its own. A new study of 161 adults ages 59 to 81 found that the hippocampus was larger in those who were physically active. "Fitness improvement - even if you've been sedentary most of your life - leads to an increase in volume of this brain region," explains Art Kramer, Ph.D., professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois and coauthor of the study. And the bigger the hippocampus, the better able you are to form new memories. You don't have to live at the gym. "Just get out and walk for an hour a few days a week," says Kramer.
10. Practice paying attention. What color hair did the barista who made your latte this morning have? Was your husband wearing a blue or red tie? Even if you'll never need the information, forcing yourself to observe and recall the details of your day sharpens your memory, says Dr. Small.
11. Play mind games. Doing something mentally challenging - working a crossword puzzle, learning an instrument - creates fresh connections in your brain. "You can actually generate new cells in the hippocampus," says Peter Snyder, Ph.D., professor of clinical neurosciences at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University. Those new cells build cognitive reserves that are important for creating new memories and may protect against memory loss - even dementia - later in life. Games that work to improve processing speed may deliver an extra boost, Smith has found. In a group of older adults, his (company-funded) studies of the computer game Brain Fitness showed that players had a significant improvement in cognitive skills, including memory, compared with those in a control group. Anything that requires working against the clock can help. "A timed game like Boggle or Simon will force you to pay attention, work quickly, and think flexibly," says Green.
WILD SALMON
Slimming superpowers: The fish's omega-3 fatty acids could help you fight flab more effectively. They alter the expression of certain genes, shifting your body to burn fat rather than store it.
The amazing proof: In a study analyzing the diets of 35,000 women, published in Public Health Nutrition, those subjects who ate oily fish such as salmon two to four times per week had the lowest basal metabolic indexes, a common measure of body fat.
APPLES
Slimming superpowers: This fruit's 4 to 5 grams of fiber not only are filling but also help ferry out some of the fat and calories you take in from other foods.
The amazing proof: People who ate an apple 15 minutes before lunching on cheese tortellini consumed 187 fewer calories in total than those who snacked on nothing beforehand, a study from Penn State University in University Park determines. How about them apples?
Slimming superpowers: This fruit's 4 to 5 grams of fiber not only are filling but also help ferry out some of the fat and calories you take in from other foods.
The amazing proof: People who ate an apple 15 minutes before lunching on cheese tortellini consumed 187 fewer calories in total than those who snacked on nothing beforehand, a study from Penn State University in University Park determines. How about them apples?
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QUINOA
Slimming superpowers: A complete protein, quinoa has all the essential amino acids needed to build metabolism-revving muscle.
The amazing proof: Reduced-calorie dieters eating about 115 g of protein daily lost 22 percent more fat after four months than those who ate 70 g per day, The Journal of Nutrition reports.
Slimming superpowers: A complete protein, quinoa has all the essential amino acids needed to build metabolism-revving muscle.
The amazing proof: Reduced-calorie dieters eating about 115 g of protein daily lost 22 percent more fat after four months than those who ate 70 g per day, The Journal of Nutrition reports.
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Photo by: CN Digital Studio
LENTILS
Slimming superpowers: These legumes are rich in resistant starch (RS), a carbohydrate that may encourage fat burning and shrink fat cells.
The amazing proof: When study participants enjoyed a meal with 5 g of RS-about what you get from 3/4 cup cooked lentils-they burned 23 percent more fat over 24 hours than when they had a meal without the starch, researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver say.
Slimming superpowers: These legumes are rich in resistant starch (RS), a carbohydrate that may encourage fat burning and shrink fat cells.
The amazing proof: When study participants enjoyed a meal with 5 g of RS-about what you get from 3/4 cup cooked lentils-they burned 23 percent more fat over 24 hours than when they had a meal without the starch, researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver say.
less
Photo by: CN Digital Studio
OLIVE OIL
Slimming superpowers: Healthful monounsaturated fats found in olive oil could potentially switch on genes related to fat burning and storage.
The amazing proof: Dieters on a low-cal plan emphasizing monounsaturated fats, protein and complex carbs lost almost double the weight that dieters who ate the same calories but less total fat and protein and more carbs lost, a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals.
EGGS
Slimming superpowers: The breakfast staple is loaded with choline, a compound known to help block fat absorption.
The amazing proof: After eight weeks, dieters who ate two eggs , toast and jelly for breakfast five days a week lost 65 percent more weight than those who had a same-calorie bagel breakfast without eggs, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity.
YOGURT
Slimming superpowers: Lowfat and nonfat Greek and regular yogurts contain 20 percent or more of your daily calcium needs. The mineral slows production of cortisol, a hormone that encourages belly-flab buildup.
The amazing proof: People on a low-cal diet that included yogurt lost 81 percent more belly fat than those on a similar but no-yogurt plan, a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville concludes. This dairy is a must-do.
SWEET POTATOES
Slimming superpowers: These spuds have RS, the same carbs found in lentils that may turn up the body's fat-scorching furnace. RS may also increase production of peptide hormone compounds that signal the brain to stop eating.
The amazing proof: After a breakfast and a lunch containing RS, subjects ate about 10 percent fewer calories over the next 24 hours compared with when they had similar meals with a placebo, research from the University of Surrey indicates.
Slimming superpowers: These spuds have RS, the same carbs found in lentils that may turn up the body's fat-scorching furnace. RS may also increase production of peptide hormone compounds that signal the brain to stop eating.
The amazing proof: After a breakfast and a lunch containing RS, subjects ate about 10 percent fewer calories over the next 24 hours compared with when they had similar meals with a placebo, research from the University of Surrey indicates.
less
KIWIFRUIT
Slimming superpowers: A large kiwi has 84 milligrams of vitamin C-more than a day's quota. C helps form carnitine, a compound that transports fat into cell mitochondria, where it's burned for energy during exercise.
The amazing proof: People with low blood levels of C burned 10 percent less fat per pound of body weight while walking than did those with normal levels of C, a study at Arizona State University in Mesa shows. But when subjects got a dose of C, their fat burning increased fourfold.
EDAMAME
Slimming superpowers: The green soybeans supply 17 g of protein per cup, and your body torches more calories digesting protein than it does processing carbs and fat.
The amazing proof: Researchers from the Federal University of Vicosa found that people burned about 70 more calories per day when their A.M. meal contained soy protein versus other types of protein. Cool beans!
Slimming superpowers: The fish's omega-3 fatty acids could help you fight flab more effectively. They alter the expression of certain genes, shifting your body to burn fat rather than store it.
The amazing proof: In a study analyzing the diets of 35,000 women, published in Public Health Nutrition, those subjects who ate oily fish such as salmon two to four times per week had the lowest basal metabolic indexes, a common measure of body fat.
APPLES
Slimming superpowers: This fruit's 4 to 5 grams of fiber not only are filling but also help ferry out some of the fat and calories you take in from other foods.
The amazing proof: People who ate an apple 15 minutes before lunching on cheese tortellini consumed 187 fewer calories in total than those who snacked on nothing beforehand, a study from Penn State University in University Park determines. How about them apples?
Slimming superpowers: This fruit's 4 to 5 grams of fiber not only are filling but also help ferry out some of the fat and calories you take in from other foods.
The amazing proof: People who ate an apple 15 minutes before lunching on cheese tortellini consumed 187 fewer calories in total than those who snacked on nothing beforehand, a study from Penn State University in University Park determines. How about them apples?
less
QUINOA
Slimming superpowers: A complete protein, quinoa has all the essential amino acids needed to build metabolism-revving muscle.
The amazing proof: Reduced-calorie dieters eating about 115 g of protein daily lost 22 percent more fat after four months than those who ate 70 g per day, The Journal of Nutrition reports.
Slimming superpowers: A complete protein, quinoa has all the essential amino acids needed to build metabolism-revving muscle.
The amazing proof: Reduced-calorie dieters eating about 115 g of protein daily lost 22 percent more fat after four months than those who ate 70 g per day, The Journal of Nutrition reports.
less
Photo by: CN Digital Studio
LENTILS
Slimming superpowers: These legumes are rich in resistant starch (RS), a carbohydrate that may encourage fat burning and shrink fat cells.
The amazing proof: When study participants enjoyed a meal with 5 g of RS-about what you get from 3/4 cup cooked lentils-they burned 23 percent more fat over 24 hours than when they had a meal without the starch, researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver say.
Slimming superpowers: These legumes are rich in resistant starch (RS), a carbohydrate that may encourage fat burning and shrink fat cells.
The amazing proof: When study participants enjoyed a meal with 5 g of RS-about what you get from 3/4 cup cooked lentils-they burned 23 percent more fat over 24 hours than when they had a meal without the starch, researchers at the University of Colorado in Denver say.
less
Photo by: CN Digital Studio
OLIVE OIL
Slimming superpowers: Healthful monounsaturated fats found in olive oil could potentially switch on genes related to fat burning and storage.
The amazing proof: Dieters on a low-cal plan emphasizing monounsaturated fats, protein and complex carbs lost almost double the weight that dieters who ate the same calories but less total fat and protein and more carbs lost, a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine reveals.
EGGS
Slimming superpowers: The breakfast staple is loaded with choline, a compound known to help block fat absorption.
The amazing proof: After eight weeks, dieters who ate two eggs , toast and jelly for breakfast five days a week lost 65 percent more weight than those who had a same-calorie bagel breakfast without eggs, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity.
YOGURT
Slimming superpowers: Lowfat and nonfat Greek and regular yogurts contain 20 percent or more of your daily calcium needs. The mineral slows production of cortisol, a hormone that encourages belly-flab buildup.
The amazing proof: People on a low-cal diet that included yogurt lost 81 percent more belly fat than those on a similar but no-yogurt plan, a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville concludes. This dairy is a must-do.
SWEET POTATOES
Slimming superpowers: These spuds have RS, the same carbs found in lentils that may turn up the body's fat-scorching furnace. RS may also increase production of peptide hormone compounds that signal the brain to stop eating.
The amazing proof: After a breakfast and a lunch containing RS, subjects ate about 10 percent fewer calories over the next 24 hours compared with when they had similar meals with a placebo, research from the University of Surrey indicates.
Slimming superpowers: These spuds have RS, the same carbs found in lentils that may turn up the body's fat-scorching furnace. RS may also increase production of peptide hormone compounds that signal the brain to stop eating.
The amazing proof: After a breakfast and a lunch containing RS, subjects ate about 10 percent fewer calories over the next 24 hours compared with when they had similar meals with a placebo, research from the University of Surrey indicates.
less
KIWIFRUIT
Slimming superpowers: A large kiwi has 84 milligrams of vitamin C-more than a day's quota. C helps form carnitine, a compound that transports fat into cell mitochondria, where it's burned for energy during exercise.
The amazing proof: People with low blood levels of C burned 10 percent less fat per pound of body weight while walking than did those with normal levels of C, a study at Arizona State University in Mesa shows. But when subjects got a dose of C, their fat burning increased fourfold.
EDAMAME
Slimming superpowers: The green soybeans supply 17 g of protein per cup, and your body torches more calories digesting protein than it does processing carbs and fat.
The amazing proof: Researchers from the Federal University of Vicosa found that people burned about 70 more calories per day when their A.M. meal contained soy protein versus other types of protein. Cool beans!
AN ENTREPENEUR MOM
Genevieve Thiers is the quintessential example of today's new- aged "mompreneur." Faced with the recurring question all college students confront "what will I do with my life?" Genevieve has now provided her own answer. As the founder of Sittercity.com, America's first and largest network to connect parents with sitters. Genevieve had humble beginnings in the her Boston College dorm room.
In 2001, the Sittercity.com "empire" was launched in Genevieve's breakthrough moment watching a soon-to-be mother struggle up 200 steps posting flyers to find a babysitter at her college campus. Genevieve recalls thinking "Gosh, this should be so much easier. Why can't someone just put all the caregivers in the country or the city together in one place?" And, that is exactly what Genevieve went on to do. Today, Sittercity.com has over a million registered caregivers, makes a parent/sitter match every 3 minutes, and is used by the US government and millions of eager mommies in search of that special sitter.
Assembling all the caregivers in the country in one central location was no easy task - especially for a college student.
With a hundred dollar loan from her father Genevieve purchased the domain name and paid 2 friends a few thousand dollars to build a website. Genevieve then hit the grounds of college campuses throughout the Boston Area with 20,000 fliers. The result? More than 600 registered sitters — primarily college students — in just a few months.
Sittercity.com expanded quickly, employing more than 15 people after several years in business, but Genevieve desperately needed strong investors to take the business to the next level. "When I first pitched Sittercity to investors I was laughed out of the rooms. One guy went so far as to tell me that his wife handles that," recalls Genevieve. Adding insult to injury, Genevieve was about to face one of the most difficult times in her life. The collapse of Lehman Brothers spawned a domino effect with investors retracting across the board. "It was like garage doors slamming down, I thought I was going to lose everything. "
But as fate would have it and armed with the motivation that babysitting is not just a "woman's problem," Genevieve rallied a team of bold investors, unafraid of recession pressures who believed in Sittercity. The investment team raised 5 million dollars - a long way from the loan Genevieve's father gave her some six years before.
Today, Genevieve is co-founding three more start-ups with emergent women leaders. She is happily married to the man of her dreams, is the new mother of a set of twin boys and continues to watch Sittercity.com prosper. "I've watched it go from hundreds of thousands, to multimillions, to tens of millions." With accolades from "INC. 500 Entrepreneurial Superstars" (2008) and Crain's Magazine "Top 40 under 40" (2007), Genevieve makes it her mission to empower women and "mompreneurs" around the country with her example: "if you are thinking of starting a company, I want you to know it's possible."
In 2001, the Sittercity.com "empire" was launched in Genevieve's breakthrough moment watching a soon-to-be mother struggle up 200 steps posting flyers to find a babysitter at her college campus. Genevieve recalls thinking "Gosh, this should be so much easier. Why can't someone just put all the caregivers in the country or the city together in one place?" And, that is exactly what Genevieve went on to do. Today, Sittercity.com has over a million registered caregivers, makes a parent/sitter match every 3 minutes, and is used by the US government and millions of eager mommies in search of that special sitter.
Assembling all the caregivers in the country in one central location was no easy task - especially for a college student.
With a hundred dollar loan from her father Genevieve purchased the domain name and paid 2 friends a few thousand dollars to build a website. Genevieve then hit the grounds of college campuses throughout the Boston Area with 20,000 fliers. The result? More than 600 registered sitters — primarily college students — in just a few months.
Sittercity.com expanded quickly, employing more than 15 people after several years in business, but Genevieve desperately needed strong investors to take the business to the next level. "When I first pitched Sittercity to investors I was laughed out of the rooms. One guy went so far as to tell me that his wife handles that," recalls Genevieve. Adding insult to injury, Genevieve was about to face one of the most difficult times in her life. The collapse of Lehman Brothers spawned a domino effect with investors retracting across the board. "It was like garage doors slamming down, I thought I was going to lose everything. "
But as fate would have it and armed with the motivation that babysitting is not just a "woman's problem," Genevieve rallied a team of bold investors, unafraid of recession pressures who believed in Sittercity. The investment team raised 5 million dollars - a long way from the loan Genevieve's father gave her some six years before.
Today, Genevieve is co-founding three more start-ups with emergent women leaders. She is happily married to the man of her dreams, is the new mother of a set of twin boys and continues to watch Sittercity.com prosper. "I've watched it go from hundreds of thousands, to multimillions, to tens of millions." With accolades from "INC. 500 Entrepreneurial Superstars" (2008) and Crain's Magazine "Top 40 under 40" (2007), Genevieve makes it her mission to empower women and "mompreneurs" around the country with her example: "if you are thinking of starting a company, I want you to know it's possible."
Thursday 26 April 2012
BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CHANGE!!!!!
It’s time to tip out your piggy bank, empty out your loose change jar and take a close look at the contents. Because, while you might think you’re staring at a mountain of pretty low-grade change, you could be in for a pleasant surprise. Lurking at the bottom of your jar of old coins could be a rare piece worth far more than its face value.
And you don’t have to unearth a Queen Anne farthing to be in the money. Some far more recent coins can fetch equally large amounts from collectors willing to part with some serious cash.
Top of the list is an undated 20 pence piece (pictured above) that could fetch you at least £100. Not a bad return on a piece of loose change that wouldn’t even buy you a bar of chocolate.
When the Royal Mint struck a batch of 20 pence coins in 2008 an error in the minting process meant that some accidentally had no date printed on them. Find one and you could get £100 for it from The London Mint Office, or try your luck on the likes of eBay and you could possibly get even more.
Tim Banks from the London Mint Office says these rare coins still turn up today, although the odds of finding one are longer than they were. “The quality at the Royal Mint is amazing, so this is the first time something like this had happened in something like 300 years. It’s quite extraordinary and it doesn’t happen that often, which is what made them so rare and therefore collectable.”
The prospect of finding a 20p worth £100 certainly got the nation rifling through their wallets in the hope of finding one of the rare coins. Tim says: “The day we revealed the minting of these rare coins was the same day Michael Jackson died and the undated 20p story got more hits on the Sky News website than the Michael Jackson story. It captivated the audience.”
And the future value of these coins could be even greater. “In the world of numismatics, dealers are by nature, hoarders, and there may be private dealers out there who have hoarded these rare 20p pieces in the knowledge that in 20 years time, when this has all gone away and there are fewer pieces around, they will be worth even more,” Tim adds.
More new rare coins
While it’s incredibly rare for the Royal Mint to make errors, it’s not the first time it has happened. In 1983 a two pence coin was minted that incorrectly had ‘new pence’ printed on the reverse side of the coin. It fetched £600 at auction. It’s well worth taking a look through your pile of coppers to see if you have any of these twopenny ‘mules’. If you do find a coin dated 1983 that has the word ‘new’ on the reverse side you’ve got a rare coin in your hand.
So what are the odds of a coin minted today, maybe for the Olympics, being worth a small fortune in the future? Tim says: “It’s really difficult to say for sure what value a coin will have in the future. The world of numismatics is based partly on metal content but mainly availability. So if a coin was to be struck for the Olympics that was in pure gold and there were only five or so struck then it would make that coin collectable, because of the lack of availability. But because they have been struck in such large quantities they aren’t necessarily going to appreciate in value.”
The rule of thumb is, the rarer the coin, the greater the potential future value. “The further back you go in history and the rarer the coins are, particularly gold coins, then you move into a slightly different world. Those sorts of coins make their own market because the limited availability makes them highly desirable,” he says.
Old money still good
However, you don’t need to be fortunate enough to find a rare coin to get something back for what looks like worthless old money. Find a pile of pre-decimal shillings and florins and most of the high street banks will give you something for them.
But find a stash of old cash and you might be better off contacting a dealer first to see if you can get a little more for it than face value. Go to www.bnta.net for a list of members of the British Numismatic Trade Association.
Member and coin dealer Chris Perkins of predecimal.com, says post-1947 silver coins are better off exchanged at the bank, but if you find any silver coins that date back to before 1947 you’re in luck. These coins contain silver, which, at its current two-month high, makes these coins worth substantially more than face value. Take them to auction where they will be treated as bullion.
Holiday money too
And don’t forget that jar of coins that you’ve been saving as a souvenir of sunny days in Ibiza back in the 1990s. The great news is that you can convert those old pesetas into cold, hard cash, just as you can many other European currencies from pre-euro days.
Former national banknotes and coins, like the German mark and Spanish peseta, can still be exchanged for euros at the relevant national central bank.
Also worth hunting for are old French franc notes, but you’ll have to hurry, the deadline for exchanging them at the Banque de France is 17 February and only five particular notes are eligible for exchange. They are the 500 franc note with Pierre et Marie Curie on it, 200 francs depicting Gustave Eiffel, the 100 franc notes featuring Cézanne, 50 francs adorned with Saint-Exupery and the 20 franc note featuring Debussy.
As for Italian lira, if you’ve got any lira you may as well stick them in your scrapbook because you can’t exchange them any longer. For a full list of the European notes and coins that are redeemable look on the European Central Bank website.
So the next time you find a pile of old coins in a drawer, take a close look, because you could be in for a pleasant surprise.
And you don’t have to unearth a Queen Anne farthing to be in the money. Some far more recent coins can fetch equally large amounts from collectors willing to part with some serious cash.
Top of the list is an undated 20 pence piece (pictured above) that could fetch you at least £100. Not a bad return on a piece of loose change that wouldn’t even buy you a bar of chocolate.
When the Royal Mint struck a batch of 20 pence coins in 2008 an error in the minting process meant that some accidentally had no date printed on them. Find one and you could get £100 for it from The London Mint Office, or try your luck on the likes of eBay and you could possibly get even more.
Tim Banks from the London Mint Office says these rare coins still turn up today, although the odds of finding one are longer than they were. “The quality at the Royal Mint is amazing, so this is the first time something like this had happened in something like 300 years. It’s quite extraordinary and it doesn’t happen that often, which is what made them so rare and therefore collectable.”
The prospect of finding a 20p worth £100 certainly got the nation rifling through their wallets in the hope of finding one of the rare coins. Tim says: “The day we revealed the minting of these rare coins was the same day Michael Jackson died and the undated 20p story got more hits on the Sky News website than the Michael Jackson story. It captivated the audience.”
And the future value of these coins could be even greater. “In the world of numismatics, dealers are by nature, hoarders, and there may be private dealers out there who have hoarded these rare 20p pieces in the knowledge that in 20 years time, when this has all gone away and there are fewer pieces around, they will be worth even more,” Tim adds.
More new rare coins
While it’s incredibly rare for the Royal Mint to make errors, it’s not the first time it has happened. In 1983 a two pence coin was minted that incorrectly had ‘new pence’ printed on the reverse side of the coin. It fetched £600 at auction. It’s well worth taking a look through your pile of coppers to see if you have any of these twopenny ‘mules’. If you do find a coin dated 1983 that has the word ‘new’ on the reverse side you’ve got a rare coin in your hand.
So what are the odds of a coin minted today, maybe for the Olympics, being worth a small fortune in the future? Tim says: “It’s really difficult to say for sure what value a coin will have in the future. The world of numismatics is based partly on metal content but mainly availability. So if a coin was to be struck for the Olympics that was in pure gold and there were only five or so struck then it would make that coin collectable, because of the lack of availability. But because they have been struck in such large quantities they aren’t necessarily going to appreciate in value.”
The rule of thumb is, the rarer the coin, the greater the potential future value. “The further back you go in history and the rarer the coins are, particularly gold coins, then you move into a slightly different world. Those sorts of coins make their own market because the limited availability makes them highly desirable,” he says.
[See also: Check out the new Olympic 50p designs]
Old money still good
However, you don’t need to be fortunate enough to find a rare coin to get something back for what looks like worthless old money. Find a pile of pre-decimal shillings and florins and most of the high street banks will give you something for them.
But find a stash of old cash and you might be better off contacting a dealer first to see if you can get a little more for it than face value. Go to www.bnta.net for a list of members of the British Numismatic Trade Association.
Member and coin dealer Chris Perkins of predecimal.com, says post-1947 silver coins are better off exchanged at the bank, but if you find any silver coins that date back to before 1947 you’re in luck. These coins contain silver, which, at its current two-month high, makes these coins worth substantially more than face value. Take them to auction where they will be treated as bullion.
Holiday money too
And don’t forget that jar of coins that you’ve been saving as a souvenir of sunny days in Ibiza back in the 1990s. The great news is that you can convert those old pesetas into cold, hard cash, just as you can many other European currencies from pre-euro days.
Former national banknotes and coins, like the German mark and Spanish peseta, can still be exchanged for euros at the relevant national central bank.
Also worth hunting for are old French franc notes, but you’ll have to hurry, the deadline for exchanging them at the Banque de France is 17 February and only five particular notes are eligible for exchange. They are the 500 franc note with Pierre et Marie Curie on it, 200 francs depicting Gustave Eiffel, the 100 franc notes featuring Cézanne, 50 francs adorned with Saint-Exupery and the 20 franc note featuring Debussy.
As for Italian lira, if you’ve got any lira you may as well stick them in your scrapbook because you can’t exchange them any longer. For a full list of the European notes and coins that are redeemable look on the European Central Bank website.
So the next time you find a pile of old coins in a drawer, take a close look, because you could be in for a pleasant surprise.
NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO DRUGS PRESCRIPTIONS
Drugs can undoubtedly save lives, but our penchant for prescriptions can sometimes mean treating or masking symptoms—without fixing the root cause of the health issue.
“There are natural therapies available that are much safer, often more effective, and cost much less,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of the book Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale, 2011). "Of course, you should never start, change, or stop taking medications without first talking to your doctor.”
Check out the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States, then read on for our experts’ suggestions on the best natural alternatives to treat—and prevent—illness.
#1 Most Prescribed Drug: Hydrocodone/acetaminophen, such as Vicodin, for pain
Key Statistics: Doctors wrote more than 131 million prescriptions for pain meds last year, for everything from dental surgeries to sports injuries.
Natural Remedy: Try Some Hands-On Help. Pain can be debilitating, sure, but pain meds can be addictive—and ingredients such as acetaminophen may also damage your liver in the long term. Rather than relying on a pill that masks your aches, try to tackle the trigger by seeing a professional with a healing touch. “Drugs will never be the answer to solving pain because pills treat only the symptoms and not the underlying cause,” says Sungwon D. Yoo, D.C., M.S.A.O.M., L.Ac, a chiropractor and acupuncturist who uses Traditional Chinese Medicine in his private practice, Healing Point, in Fayetteville, NY. “Pain can be caused by an interference in our body’s nervous system, so manipulating the body’s main nervous system channel to the brain—the spine—can help remedy aches.”
Science supports the claims: People with lower back pain who received just four chiropractic treatment sessions in two weeks showed greater improvement in disability and pain compared to those receiving usual care, according to the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
#2 Most Prescribed Drug: Statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lipi)
Key Statistics: Statins prevent your liver from making cholesterol by blocking a necessary enzyme. Pharmacies dole out more than 45 million prescriptions a year for Lipitor alone.
Natural Remedy: Change Your Diet. Certain foods—such as oats, garlic, olive oil, and red wine—can help reduce inflammation in your body and have been proven to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol or raise “good” HDL cholesterol naturally. The secret to garlic’s heart-protecting powers is an amino acid called allicin, which is released when garlic is crushed. Allicin protects the heart by keeping cholesterol from sticking to artery walls. And studies show that red wine may raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and thin blood to keep artery-blocking clots from forming. In fact, moderate drinking may slash your risk of heart disease by up to 40 percent, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Here is another tasty heart-smart move: Eating a small square of dark chocolate three to four times a week may be 25 times as effective as taking statins for preventing heart disease, says Dr. Teitelbaum
#3 Most Prescribed Drug: Lisinopril (Zestril) or amlodipine besylate (Norvasc)
Key Statistics: The number of blood pressure prescriptions filled every year tops 144 million.
Natural Remedy: Up Your Intake of These Supplements. Prescription meds can play an important role in lowering blood pressure, but with the help of your doctor and the right supplements, you may be able to cut back—or eventually stop taking—prescription drugs. “In my experience, the best approach is to use medications to bring your blood pressure under control initially, and then add natural therapies that can help you wean off your prescription,” says Dr. Teitelbaum.
Increasing your potassium (500 mg a day—present in a banana or a cup of tomato juice or coconut water) and magnesium (200 mg a day) are especially effective at lowering blood pressure in most people. If you have especially high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about also taking 200 milligrams a day of Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that might help lower BP by dilating blood vessels. “Coenzyme Q10 deficiency is especially common in people taking cholesterol-lowering medications, and I have seen it lower blood pressure as much as 30 to 40 points in some severe cases,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. He suggests using the Enzymatic Therapy or Integrative Therapeutics brands for the highest quality and most effectiveness.
#4 Most Prescribed Drug: Levothyroxine sodium (Synthroid) for hypothyroid
Key Statistics: Hypothyroidism is most common in women over age 50. In fact, as much as 10% of women over 50 will have at least mild hypothyroidism. More than 70 million prescriptions are given for Synthroid annually.
Natural Remedy: Check for Mineral Deficiencies. Low thyroid problems might happen because the thyroid is being attacked by your own immune system, but it can also occurs from mineral deficiencies such as iodine, iron, or selenium. Talk to your doctor about whether taking mineral supplements before going on meds might be for you, or whether natural thyroid glandular supplements, such as BMR Complex by Integrative Therapeutics, might be helpful.
“The thyroid glandular [supplement] supplies the raw materials needed to optimize thyroid function, so taking one or two capsules three times daily between meals could start the process of kicking your thyroid back into gear within a month,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. Remember, never start or stop taking a medication without consulting your doctor: If you’re at risk for heart disease, taking thyroid supplements could trigger heart palpitations or even a heart attack or angina, just as strenuous exercise could.
#5 Most Prescribed Drug: Omeprazole (Prilosec) for acid reflux
“There are natural therapies available that are much safer, often more effective, and cost much less,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of the book Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale, 2011). "Of course, you should never start, change, or stop taking medications without first talking to your doctor.”
Check out the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States, then read on for our experts’ suggestions on the best natural alternatives to treat—and prevent—illness.
#1 Most Prescribed Drug: Hydrocodone/acetaminophen, such as Vicodin, for pain
Key Statistics: Doctors wrote more than 131 million prescriptions for pain meds last year, for everything from dental surgeries to sports injuries.
Natural Remedy: Try Some Hands-On Help. Pain can be debilitating, sure, but pain meds can be addictive—and ingredients such as acetaminophen may also damage your liver in the long term. Rather than relying on a pill that masks your aches, try to tackle the trigger by seeing a professional with a healing touch. “Drugs will never be the answer to solving pain because pills treat only the symptoms and not the underlying cause,” says Sungwon D. Yoo, D.C., M.S.A.O.M., L.Ac, a chiropractor and acupuncturist who uses Traditional Chinese Medicine in his private practice, Healing Point, in Fayetteville, NY. “Pain can be caused by an interference in our body’s nervous system, so manipulating the body’s main nervous system channel to the brain—the spine—can help remedy aches.”
Science supports the claims: People with lower back pain who received just four chiropractic treatment sessions in two weeks showed greater improvement in disability and pain compared to those receiving usual care, according to the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
#2 Most Prescribed Drug: Statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lipi)
Key Statistics: Statins prevent your liver from making cholesterol by blocking a necessary enzyme. Pharmacies dole out more than 45 million prescriptions a year for Lipitor alone.
Natural Remedy: Change Your Diet. Certain foods—such as oats, garlic, olive oil, and red wine—can help reduce inflammation in your body and have been proven to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol or raise “good” HDL cholesterol naturally. The secret to garlic’s heart-protecting powers is an amino acid called allicin, which is released when garlic is crushed. Allicin protects the heart by keeping cholesterol from sticking to artery walls. And studies show that red wine may raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and thin blood to keep artery-blocking clots from forming. In fact, moderate drinking may slash your risk of heart disease by up to 40 percent, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Here is another tasty heart-smart move: Eating a small square of dark chocolate three to four times a week may be 25 times as effective as taking statins for preventing heart disease, says Dr. Teitelbaum
#3 Most Prescribed Drug: Lisinopril (Zestril) or amlodipine besylate (Norvasc)
Key Statistics: The number of blood pressure prescriptions filled every year tops 144 million.
Natural Remedy: Up Your Intake of These Supplements. Prescription meds can play an important role in lowering blood pressure, but with the help of your doctor and the right supplements, you may be able to cut back—or eventually stop taking—prescription drugs. “In my experience, the best approach is to use medications to bring your blood pressure under control initially, and then add natural therapies that can help you wean off your prescription,” says Dr. Teitelbaum.
Increasing your potassium (500 mg a day—present in a banana or a cup of tomato juice or coconut water) and magnesium (200 mg a day) are especially effective at lowering blood pressure in most people. If you have especially high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about also taking 200 milligrams a day of Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that might help lower BP by dilating blood vessels. “Coenzyme Q10 deficiency is especially common in people taking cholesterol-lowering medications, and I have seen it lower blood pressure as much as 30 to 40 points in some severe cases,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. He suggests using the Enzymatic Therapy or Integrative Therapeutics brands for the highest quality and most effectiveness.
#4 Most Prescribed Drug: Levothyroxine sodium (Synthroid) for hypothyroid
Key Statistics: Hypothyroidism is most common in women over age 50. In fact, as much as 10% of women over 50 will have at least mild hypothyroidism. More than 70 million prescriptions are given for Synthroid annually.
Natural Remedy: Check for Mineral Deficiencies. Low thyroid problems might happen because the thyroid is being attacked by your own immune system, but it can also occurs from mineral deficiencies such as iodine, iron, or selenium. Talk to your doctor about whether taking mineral supplements before going on meds might be for you, or whether natural thyroid glandular supplements, such as BMR Complex by Integrative Therapeutics, might be helpful.
“The thyroid glandular [supplement] supplies the raw materials needed to optimize thyroid function, so taking one or two capsules three times daily between meals could start the process of kicking your thyroid back into gear within a month,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. Remember, never start or stop taking a medication without consulting your doctor: If you’re at risk for heart disease, taking thyroid supplements could trigger heart palpitations or even a heart attack or angina, just as strenuous exercise could.
#5 Most Prescribed Drug: Omeprazole (Prilosec) for acid reflux
DO YOU WANT TO BE A MILLIONAIRE!!!!
There's no real practical reason to ask "who wants to be a millionaire?" because the only people who won't put their hand up are religious types who've taken vows of poverty and those who are already multi-millionaires. Unfortunately, there's a big gulf between those who want it and those who do the things to make it happen.
Based on recent statistics on UK household income, millionaire-dom is not something that's going to happen for most people, even with the dubious benefits of inflation. An adult earning the median level of income (£26,200 a year in 2011) and saving an impressive 20% of that would need almost 200 years to save £1 million (excluding taxes and investment gains). It's pretty clear, then, that a would-be millionaire has to think outside the boundaries of "median" experience.
Start a business
There are certainly people who can become millionaires by working for other people, but this is not an especially good route to choose. The trouble with trying to become a millionaire by working for other people is that there are always other people siphoning off the value of whatever you produce. Say you're a hotshot salesman – although you're going to get your cut, a lot of the value you create is going to get split among a broader pool of workers, managers and the owner(s) of the business.
Start your own business, though, and you get to decide how to divide that pie. Better still, your ownership stake can become more and more valuable over time as that business becomes larger and larger. While a good employee may get raises and promotions as his or her employer grows, they'll never see the same benefits (including the appreciation in the value of the ownership interest) as the owners.
Use other people's money
One of the remarkably consistent features of stories about people who go from relatively no wealth to major wealth is the role of other people's money in making it happen. Sometimes it's start-up capital from a generous relative, or maybe it's a small business loan or venture capital.
Borrowed money can be a major force multiplier. Behind virtually every property empire is borrowed money and the use of leverage in investing (whether through buying stocks on margin, buying options or buying futures) can rapidly magnify a skilful investor's success. Of course, this cuts both ways – just as borrowed money can create a large business (or portfolio) quickly, just one mistake in an over-leveraged enterprise can bring the whole thing crashing down.
It comes down, then, to risk tolerance. Those who really want to build large wealth (and do so quickly) through business or investment will have to do so in part with other people's money.
Cultivate a valued skill
Wages respond to supply and demand just like everything else, so it is very important to cultivate a skill that is not only in demand, but scarce enough to be valuable. Architecture and law, for instance, are both specialised skills, but not necessarily rare enough to make their practitioners wealthy unless they are at the high end of their profession.
Sports is an obvious example, but most people know in their teens whether they have the rare physical gifts (and perhaps the even rarer mental discipline and dedication) to open the doors to a professional sports career, and it's not really a door that can be opened in college or later. Medicine and engineering, though, are both open to college-aged people who have the requisite abilities and the willingness to put in the effort. The services of these professionals are not only almost always in demand, but the supply is small enough that professionals here can fairly expect to become millionaires on the basis of their labours.
This is also true for unconventional skills as well. Pursuing a career as a writer, actor or professional gambler is a virtual guarantee of poverty for most people. For those who actually have the skills necessary to succeed, though, it can be their best chance of building real wealth.
Out-think or out-hustle
Lazy and self-made millionaire just don't go together. Going back to that supply-demand equation, anything that's relatively easy, convenient and accessible is going to have ample supply and relatively low payouts. Since most people don't actually want to work that hard, though, there are real wealth-creation opportunities out there for those willing to think and/or work just a little harder than average.
One option for building exceptional wealth is to out-think the majority of people out there. While pursuits like writing, investing and inventing all involve a tremendous amount of effort and dedication, there is at least some aspect of out-thinking to them all. Steve Jobs of Apple, Richard Branson of Virgin and Lord Alan Sugar all clearly worked hard to achieve success, but a lot of that success was predicated on seeing things that others didn't see and figuring out how to do them even better.
Out-hustling is an undervalued aspect of wealth creation. Success in business is often about the hustle – the willingness to make one more call or work an extra hour later. The field of "hustle" is wide, rich and fertile. You can make good money visiting auctions and reselling undervalued items, just as you can make good money from a variety of multi-level marketing programs. The question is whether you want to spend the hours it takes to drive the process forward.
Rental property is a good example. It is actually not all that difficult to find rental properties, buy them and rent them out. Do this well and it's fairly easy to earn an annual return of 8-15%. The problem is that there are a myriad of small annoyances that go with it – hassles in haggling over the purchase price, hassles in getting mortgages, hassles in getting tenants, hassles in dealing with tenants and so on. Some people just don't want to be bothered with this, but those who don't mind the annoyances can reap the rewards.
The bottom line
Having £1 million or more in net worth is still uncommon enough to be special and significant, and it doesn't often come as a by-product of luck or chance. Hard work is a virtual requisite, but so too is a willingness to take on some risk (such as starting a business or using leverage) or cultivate a rare gift (like writing or inventing). Although simple living and sound investing will help anyone build more wealth, a special level of success requires a special person who is willing to do more and risk more than most people
Based on recent statistics on UK household income, millionaire-dom is not something that's going to happen for most people, even with the dubious benefits of inflation. An adult earning the median level of income (£26,200 a year in 2011) and saving an impressive 20% of that would need almost 200 years to save £1 million (excluding taxes and investment gains). It's pretty clear, then, that a would-be millionaire has to think outside the boundaries of "median" experience.
Start a business
There are certainly people who can become millionaires by working for other people, but this is not an especially good route to choose. The trouble with trying to become a millionaire by working for other people is that there are always other people siphoning off the value of whatever you produce. Say you're a hotshot salesman – although you're going to get your cut, a lot of the value you create is going to get split among a broader pool of workers, managers and the owner(s) of the business.
Start your own business, though, and you get to decide how to divide that pie. Better still, your ownership stake can become more and more valuable over time as that business becomes larger and larger. While a good employee may get raises and promotions as his or her employer grows, they'll never see the same benefits (including the appreciation in the value of the ownership interest) as the owners.
Use other people's money
One of the remarkably consistent features of stories about people who go from relatively no wealth to major wealth is the role of other people's money in making it happen. Sometimes it's start-up capital from a generous relative, or maybe it's a small business loan or venture capital.
Borrowed money can be a major force multiplier. Behind virtually every property empire is borrowed money and the use of leverage in investing (whether through buying stocks on margin, buying options or buying futures) can rapidly magnify a skilful investor's success. Of course, this cuts both ways – just as borrowed money can create a large business (or portfolio) quickly, just one mistake in an over-leveraged enterprise can bring the whole thing crashing down.
It comes down, then, to risk tolerance. Those who really want to build large wealth (and do so quickly) through business or investment will have to do so in part with other people's money.
Cultivate a valued skill
Wages respond to supply and demand just like everything else, so it is very important to cultivate a skill that is not only in demand, but scarce enough to be valuable. Architecture and law, for instance, are both specialised skills, but not necessarily rare enough to make their practitioners wealthy unless they are at the high end of their profession.
Sports is an obvious example, but most people know in their teens whether they have the rare physical gifts (and perhaps the even rarer mental discipline and dedication) to open the doors to a professional sports career, and it's not really a door that can be opened in college or later. Medicine and engineering, though, are both open to college-aged people who have the requisite abilities and the willingness to put in the effort. The services of these professionals are not only almost always in demand, but the supply is small enough that professionals here can fairly expect to become millionaires on the basis of their labours.
This is also true for unconventional skills as well. Pursuing a career as a writer, actor or professional gambler is a virtual guarantee of poverty for most people. For those who actually have the skills necessary to succeed, though, it can be their best chance of building real wealth.
Out-think or out-hustle
Lazy and self-made millionaire just don't go together. Going back to that supply-demand equation, anything that's relatively easy, convenient and accessible is going to have ample supply and relatively low payouts. Since most people don't actually want to work that hard, though, there are real wealth-creation opportunities out there for those willing to think and/or work just a little harder than average.
One option for building exceptional wealth is to out-think the majority of people out there. While pursuits like writing, investing and inventing all involve a tremendous amount of effort and dedication, there is at least some aspect of out-thinking to them all. Steve Jobs of Apple, Richard Branson of Virgin and Lord Alan Sugar all clearly worked hard to achieve success, but a lot of that success was predicated on seeing things that others didn't see and figuring out how to do them even better.
Out-hustling is an undervalued aspect of wealth creation. Success in business is often about the hustle – the willingness to make one more call or work an extra hour later. The field of "hustle" is wide, rich and fertile. You can make good money visiting auctions and reselling undervalued items, just as you can make good money from a variety of multi-level marketing programs. The question is whether you want to spend the hours it takes to drive the process forward.
Rental property is a good example. It is actually not all that difficult to find rental properties, buy them and rent them out. Do this well and it's fairly easy to earn an annual return of 8-15%. The problem is that there are a myriad of small annoyances that go with it – hassles in haggling over the purchase price, hassles in getting mortgages, hassles in getting tenants, hassles in dealing with tenants and so on. Some people just don't want to be bothered with this, but those who don't mind the annoyances can reap the rewards.
The bottom line
Having £1 million or more in net worth is still uncommon enough to be special and significant, and it doesn't often come as a by-product of luck or chance. Hard work is a virtual requisite, but so too is a willingness to take on some risk (such as starting a business or using leverage) or cultivate a rare gift (like writing or inventing). Although simple living and sound investing will help anyone build more wealth, a special level of success requires a special person who is willing to do more and risk more than most people
MOULD ALLERGY
Mold and Allergies: 10 Ways to Reduce Symptoms
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD
If you have allergy symptoms year-round -- or if they get worse in damp weather -- you may be allergic to mold. While people with pollen allergies tend to have seasonal symptoms, mold allergies can flare all year long. Indoor mold can be a problem in winter months, because mold will grow in your house where there is enough moisture -- whether it's on a basement wall, in your crawl space, a damp carpet, or behind the bathroom tile.
You may not even realize the mold is there -- but if you're sensitive you'll react with coughing, wheezing, stuffy nose, or irritated eyes.
More Cleaning Tips
"Very often, people don't really know what the problem is," says John Martyny, PhD, an industrial hygienist with National Jewish Health Center in Denver. "They have an allergic reaction, lots of sinus drainage, lots of upper respiratory problems, and it doesn't last for just a month or two. This goes on 12 months a year. It is not a minimal problem -- it can really change your life."
We’re all exposed to mold spores. Mold is a fungus that breaks down plant or animal matter, like leaves, wood, dirt, and food. It’s present both indoors and out. The trouble comes with a mold allergy, when mold spores trigger reactions like allergic rhinitis or asthma. Molds can also produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) -- the musty odor that irritates eyes, nose, and throat.
Black Mold: Toxic or Not?
What's known as black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum) is a slow-growing mold that grows only on wood, paper, and cotton. It’s often called "toxic black mold," but the mold itself is not poisonous.
"There's no question that the mold spores are very potent, but they are given off in extremely low levels," he tells WebMD. "It's really just another mold. What we see is an allergic reaction or asthma."
Black mold has been blamed for serious lung problems in a small number of infants, but that has not yet been proven. It's not uncommon for people to develop an allergy to mold -- not just black mold, says David Lang, MD, head of allergy/immunology at the Cleveland Clinic. "Infants, small children, and elderly adults are more likely to react to any type of mold," he says.
It may be hard to get a mold allergy correctly diagnosed. "Very often, the root of the problem isn't identified correctly," Martyny says. "People have these symptoms, but they don't realize they have a moisture and mold problem at home. If you get rid of the allergens -- the mold -- people get better, and they get better pretty fast."
In some cases, mold exposure can cause serious respiratory problems, with symptoms like chest tightness and difficulty breathing. "Some people who are exposed to high levels of any mold for a long time develop lung hypersensitivity -- which leads to scar tissue in the lungs," Martyny explains. "Some people recover when the mold source is removed. But if they've been exposed for a long time, they may never recover."
Coughing, wheezing, runny nose, irritated eyes or throat -- these are all signs of mold allergy. Mold allergies can also trigger an asthma attack, with symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, see an allergist for skin testing or a blood test to diagnose mold allergy
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World
Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD
If you have allergy symptoms year-round -- or if they get worse in damp weather -- you may be allergic to mold. While people with pollen allergies tend to have seasonal symptoms, mold allergies can flare all year long. Indoor mold can be a problem in winter months, because mold will grow in your house where there is enough moisture -- whether it's on a basement wall, in your crawl space, a damp carpet, or behind the bathroom tile.
You may not even realize the mold is there -- but if you're sensitive you'll react with coughing, wheezing, stuffy nose, or irritated eyes.
More Cleaning Tips
"Very often, people don't really know what the problem is," says John Martyny, PhD, an industrial hygienist with National Jewish Health Center in Denver. "They have an allergic reaction, lots of sinus drainage, lots of upper respiratory problems, and it doesn't last for just a month or two. This goes on 12 months a year. It is not a minimal problem -- it can really change your life."
We’re all exposed to mold spores. Mold is a fungus that breaks down plant or animal matter, like leaves, wood, dirt, and food. It’s present both indoors and out. The trouble comes with a mold allergy, when mold spores trigger reactions like allergic rhinitis or asthma. Molds can also produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) -- the musty odor that irritates eyes, nose, and throat.
Black Mold: Toxic or Not?
What's known as black mold (Stachybotrys chartarum) is a slow-growing mold that grows only on wood, paper, and cotton. It’s often called "toxic black mold," but the mold itself is not poisonous.
"There's no question that the mold spores are very potent, but they are given off in extremely low levels," he tells WebMD. "It's really just another mold. What we see is an allergic reaction or asthma."
Black mold has been blamed for serious lung problems in a small number of infants, but that has not yet been proven. It's not uncommon for people to develop an allergy to mold -- not just black mold, says David Lang, MD, head of allergy/immunology at the Cleveland Clinic. "Infants, small children, and elderly adults are more likely to react to any type of mold," he says.
It may be hard to get a mold allergy correctly diagnosed. "Very often, the root of the problem isn't identified correctly," Martyny says. "People have these symptoms, but they don't realize they have a moisture and mold problem at home. If you get rid of the allergens -- the mold -- people get better, and they get better pretty fast."
In some cases, mold exposure can cause serious respiratory problems, with symptoms like chest tightness and difficulty breathing. "Some people who are exposed to high levels of any mold for a long time develop lung hypersensitivity -- which leads to scar tissue in the lungs," Martyny explains. "Some people recover when the mold source is removed. But if they've been exposed for a long time, they may never recover."
Coughing, wheezing, runny nose, irritated eyes or throat -- these are all signs of mold allergy. Mold allergies can also trigger an asthma attack, with symptoms like wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms, see an allergist for skin testing or a blood test to diagnose mold allergy
NATURAL REMEDIES FOR DRUGS PRESCRIPTIONS
Key Statistics: Doctors wrote more than 131 million prescriptions for pain meds last year, for everything from dental surgeries to sports injuries.
Drugs can undoubtedly save lives, but our penchant for prescriptions can sometimes mean treating or masking symptoms—without fixing the root cause of the health issue.
“There are natural therapies available that are much safer, often more effective, and cost much less,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of the book Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale, 2011). "Of course, you should never start, change, or stop taking medications without first talking to your doctor.”
Check out the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States, then read on for our experts’ suggestions on the best natural alternatives to treat—and prevent—illness.
#1 Most Prescribed Drug: Hydrocodone/acetaminophen, such as Vicodin, for pain
Natural Remedy: Try Some Hands-On Help. Pain can be debilitating, sure, but pain meds can be addictive—and ingredients such as acetaminophen may also damage your liver in the long term. Rather than relying on a pill that masks your aches, try to tackle the trigger by seeing a professional with a healing touch. “Drugs will never be the answer to solving pain because pills treat only the symptoms and not the underlying cause,” says Sungwon D. Yoo, D.C., M.S.A.O.M., L.Ac, a chiropractor and acupuncturist who uses Traditional Chinese Medicine in his private practice, Healing Point, in Fayetteville, NY. “Pain can be caused by an interference in our body’s nervous system, so manipulating the body’s main nervous system channel to the brain—the spine—can help remedy aches.”
Science supports the claims: People with lower back pain who received just four chiropractic treatment sessions in two weeks showed greater improvement in disability and pain compared to those receiving usual care, according to the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
#2 Most Prescribed Drug: Statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lip
Key Statistics: Statins prevent your liver from making cholesterol by blocking a necessary enzyme. Pharmacies dole out more than 45 million prescriptions a year for Lipitor alone.
Natural Remedy: Change Your Diet. Certain foods—such as oats, garlic, olive oil, and red wine—can help reduce inflammation in your body and have been proven to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol or raise “good” HDL cholesterol naturally. The secret to garlic’s heart-protecting powers is an amino acid called allicin, which is released when garlic is crushed. Allicin protects the heart by keeping cholesterol from sticking to artery walls. And studies show that red wine may raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and thin blood to keep artery-blocking clots from forming. In fact, moderate drinking may slash your risk of heart disease by up to 40 percent, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Here is another tasty heart-smart move: Eating a small square of dark chocolate three to four times a week may be 25 times as effective as taking statins for preventing heart disease, says Dr. Teitelbaum.
#3 Most Prescribed Drug: Lisinopril (Zestril) or amlodipine besylate (Norvasc) to t
Key Statistics: The number of blood pressure prescriptions filled every year tops 144 million.
Natural Remedy: Up Your Intake of These Supplements. Prescription meds can play an important role in lowering blood pressure, but with the help of your doctor and the right supplements, you may be able to cut back—or eventually stop taking—prescription drugs. “In my experience, the best approach is to use medications to bring your blood pressure under control initially, and then add natural therapies that can help you wean off your prescription,” says Dr. Teitelbaum.
Increasing your potassium (500 mg a day—present in a banana or a cup of tomato juice or coconut water) and magnesium (200 mg a day) are especially effective at lowering blood pressure in most people. If you have especially high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about also taking 200 milligrams a day of Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that might help lower BP by dilating blood vessels. “Coenzyme Q10 deficiency is especially common in people taking cholesterol-lowering medications, and I have seen it lower blood pressure as much as 30 to 40 points in some severe cases,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. He suggests using the Enzymatic Therapy or Integrative Therapeutics brands for the highest quality and most effectiveness.
#4 Most Prescribed Drug: Levothyroxine sodium (Synthroid) for hypothyroid
Key Statistics: Hypothyroidism is most common in women over age 50. In fact, as much as 10% of women over 50 will have at least mild hypothyroidism. More than 70 million prescriptions are given for Synthroid annually.
Natural Remedy: Check for Mineral Deficiencies. Low thyroid problems might happen because the thyroid is being attacked by your own immune system, but it can also occurs from mineral deficiencies such as iodine, iron, or selenium. Talk to your doctor about whether taking mineral supplements before going on meds might be for you, or whether natural thyroid glandular supplements, such as BMR Complex by Integrative Therapeutics, might be helpful.
“The thyroid glandular [supplement] supplies the raw materials needed to optimize thyroid function, so taking one or two capsules three times daily between meals could start the process of kicking your thyroid back into gear within a month,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. Remember, never start or stop taking a medication without consulting your doctor: If you’re at risk for heart disease, taking thyroid supplements could trigger heart palpitations or even a heart attack or angina, just as strenuous exercise could.
#5 Most Prescribed Drug: Omeprazole (Prilosec) for acid reflux
Key Statistics: The number of prescriptions written for Prilosec surged by 8 million in 2010, for a total of 53.4 million prescriptions dispensed.
Natural Remedy: Try Herbal Relief First. “When people take Prilosec, it blocks the protective hydrochloric acid (HCL) in their stomach, which can lead to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines and ultimately to mineral deficiencies by hindering their absorption,” says Liz Lipski, PhD, CCN, author of Digestive Wellness. “It’s okay to take Prilosec in the short term, but you should try to find the underlying factors causing your indigestion or reflux rather than just covering them up with drugs.”
Dr. Lipski recommends trying an herbal fix, such as slippery-elm lozenges from your local health food store, to see if it eases symptoms before going on meds. Slippery elm coats the throat and stomach; has antioxidants that help relieve inflammation in your intestines; and boosts mucus production to help protect your gastrointestinal tract from excess acid. “Simple lifestyle changes, such as pinpointing food sensitivities so you can steer clear of your trigger foods, eating slowly, and managing stress will make the biggest difference in the long run,” she says.
Drugs can undoubtedly save lives, but our penchant for prescriptions can sometimes mean treating or masking symptoms—without fixing the root cause of the health issue.
“There are natural therapies available that are much safer, often more effective, and cost much less,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of the book Real Cause, Real Cure (Rodale, 2011). "Of course, you should never start, change, or stop taking medications without first talking to your doctor.”
Check out the top 10 most prescribed drugs in the United States, then read on for our experts’ suggestions on the best natural alternatives to treat—and prevent—illness.
#1 Most Prescribed Drug: Hydrocodone/acetaminophen, such as Vicodin, for pain
Natural Remedy: Try Some Hands-On Help. Pain can be debilitating, sure, but pain meds can be addictive—and ingredients such as acetaminophen may also damage your liver in the long term. Rather than relying on a pill that masks your aches, try to tackle the trigger by seeing a professional with a healing touch. “Drugs will never be the answer to solving pain because pills treat only the symptoms and not the underlying cause,” says Sungwon D. Yoo, D.C., M.S.A.O.M., L.Ac, a chiropractor and acupuncturist who uses Traditional Chinese Medicine in his private practice, Healing Point, in Fayetteville, NY. “Pain can be caused by an interference in our body’s nervous system, so manipulating the body’s main nervous system channel to the brain—the spine—can help remedy aches.”
Science supports the claims: People with lower back pain who received just four chiropractic treatment sessions in two weeks showed greater improvement in disability and pain compared to those receiving usual care, according to the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
#2 Most Prescribed Drug: Statins, such as simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lip
Key Statistics: Statins prevent your liver from making cholesterol by blocking a necessary enzyme. Pharmacies dole out more than 45 million prescriptions a year for Lipitor alone.
Natural Remedy: Change Your Diet. Certain foods—such as oats, garlic, olive oil, and red wine—can help reduce inflammation in your body and have been proven to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol or raise “good” HDL cholesterol naturally. The secret to garlic’s heart-protecting powers is an amino acid called allicin, which is released when garlic is crushed. Allicin protects the heart by keeping cholesterol from sticking to artery walls. And studies show that red wine may raise HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and thin blood to keep artery-blocking clots from forming. In fact, moderate drinking may slash your risk of heart disease by up to 40 percent, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Here is another tasty heart-smart move: Eating a small square of dark chocolate three to four times a week may be 25 times as effective as taking statins for preventing heart disease, says Dr. Teitelbaum.
#3 Most Prescribed Drug: Lisinopril (Zestril) or amlodipine besylate (Norvasc) to t
Key Statistics: The number of blood pressure prescriptions filled every year tops 144 million.
Natural Remedy: Up Your Intake of These Supplements. Prescription meds can play an important role in lowering blood pressure, but with the help of your doctor and the right supplements, you may be able to cut back—or eventually stop taking—prescription drugs. “In my experience, the best approach is to use medications to bring your blood pressure under control initially, and then add natural therapies that can help you wean off your prescription,” says Dr. Teitelbaum.
Increasing your potassium (500 mg a day—present in a banana or a cup of tomato juice or coconut water) and magnesium (200 mg a day) are especially effective at lowering blood pressure in most people. If you have especially high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about also taking 200 milligrams a day of Coenzyme Q10, an antioxidant that might help lower BP by dilating blood vessels. “Coenzyme Q10 deficiency is especially common in people taking cholesterol-lowering medications, and I have seen it lower blood pressure as much as 30 to 40 points in some severe cases,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. He suggests using the Enzymatic Therapy or Integrative Therapeutics brands for the highest quality and most effectiveness.
#4 Most Prescribed Drug: Levothyroxine sodium (Synthroid) for hypothyroid
Key Statistics: Hypothyroidism is most common in women over age 50. In fact, as much as 10% of women over 50 will have at least mild hypothyroidism. More than 70 million prescriptions are given for Synthroid annually.
Natural Remedy: Check for Mineral Deficiencies. Low thyroid problems might happen because the thyroid is being attacked by your own immune system, but it can also occurs from mineral deficiencies such as iodine, iron, or selenium. Talk to your doctor about whether taking mineral supplements before going on meds might be for you, or whether natural thyroid glandular supplements, such as BMR Complex by Integrative Therapeutics, might be helpful.
“The thyroid glandular [supplement] supplies the raw materials needed to optimize thyroid function, so taking one or two capsules three times daily between meals could start the process of kicking your thyroid back into gear within a month,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. Remember, never start or stop taking a medication without consulting your doctor: If you’re at risk for heart disease, taking thyroid supplements could trigger heart palpitations or even a heart attack or angina, just as strenuous exercise could.
#5 Most Prescribed Drug: Omeprazole (Prilosec) for acid reflux
Key Statistics: The number of prescriptions written for Prilosec surged by 8 million in 2010, for a total of 53.4 million prescriptions dispensed.
Natural Remedy: Try Herbal Relief First. “When people take Prilosec, it blocks the protective hydrochloric acid (HCL) in their stomach, which can lead to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestines and ultimately to mineral deficiencies by hindering their absorption,” says Liz Lipski, PhD, CCN, author of Digestive Wellness. “It’s okay to take Prilosec in the short term, but you should try to find the underlying factors causing your indigestion or reflux rather than just covering them up with drugs.”
Dr. Lipski recommends trying an herbal fix, such as slippery-elm lozenges from your local health food store, to see if it eases symptoms before going on meds. Slippery elm coats the throat and stomach; has antioxidants that help relieve inflammation in your intestines; and boosts mucus production to help protect your gastrointestinal tract from excess acid. “Simple lifestyle changes, such as pinpointing food sensitivities so you can steer clear of your trigger foods, eating slowly, and managing stress will make the biggest difference in the long run,” she says.
HOW TO HANDLE WHEN YOUR CHILD IS LYING
When Cindy Ballagh's 10-year-old son Kaden lost his portable video game recently, she asked him where he last put it. His answer: on his dresser.
After they spent several minutes searching on, under and all around the dresser, she happened to spot the game—buried in his bed. He had been playing with it there the night before and broke a rule by falling asleep with it, says Ms. Ballagh, of Clarksville, Tenn. Frustrated, she told Kaden he would get in less trouble if he would "just be honest and tell the truth."
It's a tense moment—one almost all parents experience: You look in your child's eyes and realize: "He's lying."
Lying is, in truth, a milestone of normal child development and starts as early as age 2. More than one-third of 3-year-olds will lie to keep from getting in trouble, based on research led by Victoria Talwar, an associate professor of developmental psychology at McGill University in Montreal. By ages 4 to 7, more than half of children will lie to avoid punishment, as Ms. Ballagh believes Kaden did, or to gain attention or approval; the same pattern appears in studies in Britain, West Africa and China.
Researchers are taking a new interest in children's lying, using experimental techniques to explore its role in cognitive and moral development and applying the knowledge to court cases and investigations of bullying and other problems. Even though lying is an expected behavior among children, parents influence whether it tapers off or escalates by serving as both police and models of desirable behavior.
The challenge with preschoolers is helping them distinguish between making up a fairy tale and telling a harmful lie. When Krista Hein found a bowl of cereal on the floor, her 4-year-old daughter Syra had an explanation: Monkey, the family's Chinese pug, did it. Another time, Syra grabbed a cookie from the kitchen, telling her mom that Daddy gave her permission.
Ms. Hein loves Syra's lively imagination and doesn't want her to stop telling stories about princesses and magic kingdoms. To teach her that lying to cover up a misdeed is bad, she talks about potential consequences, such as losing friends or hurting others' feelings. If Syra honestly admits she broke a rule, Ms. Hein, who lives in Albuquerque, N.M., expresses her approval.
Parents are remarkably bad at detecting their children's lies. In experimental studies of preschoolers, parents were able to detect accurately when their children were lying only 53% of the time—a little better than chance, according to a 2010 study led by Dr. Talwar. That falls to 33% by the time their kids are 6 to 8 years old. And parents of 9- to 11-year-olds have only about a 1 in 4 chance of knowing when their kids are lying.
Moms and dads have what researchers call "a truthfulness bias." They want and need to believe their kids are telling the truth.
And "there's no Pinocchio's nose" to serve as a reliable signal that a child is lying, Dr. Talwar says. Sometimes kids will glance away uneasily, shift from one foot to the other or cross arms in front of the body—but not always. Also, kids get better at concealing lies as they grow older, says researcher Angela Crossman, an associate professor of psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York.
And the cleverest lies are often told by the most focused and socially savvy kids. To tell a plausible lie, children must be able to understand how others see things. They also have to be able to maintain an alibi in the face of parental questioning and scrutiny. Children with good "executive function" skills, including self-control and the ability to focus on tasks, tend to be more skillful liars, Dr. Talwar says.
Adults set a confusing example by lying once a day, on average, based on a 1996 study led by researchers at the University of Virginia. Daily diaries of 147 participants' interactions with others showed that about 1 in 4 of the instances were white lies. Most of the others were attempts by study participants to appear kinder or smarter to others, or to avoid embarrassment.
Parents who lie for convenience's sake, by calling in "sick" at work to attend a sporting event, for example, suggest truthfulness doesn't matter. Or they might give mixed signals, such as, "Get A's at all costs," but "Don't cheat," fostering the kind of stress that can lead to cheating.
As children get older, they typically tell more white lies and fewer harmful ones. In a 2010 study of 120 children ages 7, 9 and 11, researchers at Beijing Normal University in China found kids increasingly told altruistic lies to avoid hurting others' feelings.
By the teen years, some kids lie to pull away from their parents and gain privacy, but often lack the skills to handle the resulting challenges. On CafeMom.com, where lying generates numerous posts from parents, one mother wrote that her teen lied to cover up that he was being bullied at school because he wanted to handle it himself. When the mom realized why her son was struggling, she arranged counseling to help him cope.
More than half of parents have been troubled by a child who lies regularly, usually between the ages of 2 and 7, according to a recent poll of 125 parents by the parenting website BabyCenter.com. Harsh punishments don't work very well, research shows. Instead, psychologists say parents should get professional help if a child's lying becomes a habit or disrupts normal activities, such as friendships or school. Lying can be one sign of a what mental-health professionals call conduct disorder if children also have other problems, such as aggression, truancy from school or drug abuse, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.
Creating an environment where truth is valued can help clear the fog. Kelly Gorski's 3-year-old daughter Lucidia was confused at a recent dinner gathering when she saw a guest compliment the host on her cooking, just minutes after they had overheard the same guest say privately that she disliked the meal.
Ms. Gorski explained that the guest was trying to avoid hurting the host's feelings. Then she gave Lucidia an alternative: "You can tell the truth without hurting someone" by finding something else to praise—saying, for example, that she appreciated the effort in preparing the meal, says Ms. Gorski, of Allentown, Pa.
The lesson, Ms. Gorski says: It's important "to be an honest person, but there are many ways to communicate the truth without being blunt or forceful or harsh."
After they spent several minutes searching on, under and all around the dresser, she happened to spot the game—buried in his bed. He had been playing with it there the night before and broke a rule by falling asleep with it, says Ms. Ballagh, of Clarksville, Tenn. Frustrated, she told Kaden he would get in less trouble if he would "just be honest and tell the truth."
It's a tense moment—one almost all parents experience: You look in your child's eyes and realize: "He's lying."
Lying is, in truth, a milestone of normal child development and starts as early as age 2. More than one-third of 3-year-olds will lie to keep from getting in trouble, based on research led by Victoria Talwar, an associate professor of developmental psychology at McGill University in Montreal. By ages 4 to 7, more than half of children will lie to avoid punishment, as Ms. Ballagh believes Kaden did, or to gain attention or approval; the same pattern appears in studies in Britain, West Africa and China.
Researchers are taking a new interest in children's lying, using experimental techniques to explore its role in cognitive and moral development and applying the knowledge to court cases and investigations of bullying and other problems. Even though lying is an expected behavior among children, parents influence whether it tapers off or escalates by serving as both police and models of desirable behavior.
The challenge with preschoolers is helping them distinguish between making up a fairy tale and telling a harmful lie. When Krista Hein found a bowl of cereal on the floor, her 4-year-old daughter Syra had an explanation: Monkey, the family's Chinese pug, did it. Another time, Syra grabbed a cookie from the kitchen, telling her mom that Daddy gave her permission.
Ms. Hein loves Syra's lively imagination and doesn't want her to stop telling stories about princesses and magic kingdoms. To teach her that lying to cover up a misdeed is bad, she talks about potential consequences, such as losing friends or hurting others' feelings. If Syra honestly admits she broke a rule, Ms. Hein, who lives in Albuquerque, N.M., expresses her approval.
Parents are remarkably bad at detecting their children's lies. In experimental studies of preschoolers, parents were able to detect accurately when their children were lying only 53% of the time—a little better than chance, according to a 2010 study led by Dr. Talwar. That falls to 33% by the time their kids are 6 to 8 years old. And parents of 9- to 11-year-olds have only about a 1 in 4 chance of knowing when their kids are lying.
Moms and dads have what researchers call "a truthfulness bias." They want and need to believe their kids are telling the truth.
And "there's no Pinocchio's nose" to serve as a reliable signal that a child is lying, Dr. Talwar says. Sometimes kids will glance away uneasily, shift from one foot to the other or cross arms in front of the body—but not always. Also, kids get better at concealing lies as they grow older, says researcher Angela Crossman, an associate professor of psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York.
And the cleverest lies are often told by the most focused and socially savvy kids. To tell a plausible lie, children must be able to understand how others see things. They also have to be able to maintain an alibi in the face of parental questioning and scrutiny. Children with good "executive function" skills, including self-control and the ability to focus on tasks, tend to be more skillful liars, Dr. Talwar says.
Adults set a confusing example by lying once a day, on average, based on a 1996 study led by researchers at the University of Virginia. Daily diaries of 147 participants' interactions with others showed that about 1 in 4 of the instances were white lies. Most of the others were attempts by study participants to appear kinder or smarter to others, or to avoid embarrassment.
Parents who lie for convenience's sake, by calling in "sick" at work to attend a sporting event, for example, suggest truthfulness doesn't matter. Or they might give mixed signals, such as, "Get A's at all costs," but "Don't cheat," fostering the kind of stress that can lead to cheating.
As children get older, they typically tell more white lies and fewer harmful ones. In a 2010 study of 120 children ages 7, 9 and 11, researchers at Beijing Normal University in China found kids increasingly told altruistic lies to avoid hurting others' feelings.
By the teen years, some kids lie to pull away from their parents and gain privacy, but often lack the skills to handle the resulting challenges. On CafeMom.com, where lying generates numerous posts from parents, one mother wrote that her teen lied to cover up that he was being bullied at school because he wanted to handle it himself. When the mom realized why her son was struggling, she arranged counseling to help him cope.
More than half of parents have been troubled by a child who lies regularly, usually between the ages of 2 and 7, according to a recent poll of 125 parents by the parenting website BabyCenter.com. Harsh punishments don't work very well, research shows. Instead, psychologists say parents should get professional help if a child's lying becomes a habit or disrupts normal activities, such as friendships or school. Lying can be one sign of a what mental-health professionals call conduct disorder if children also have other problems, such as aggression, truancy from school or drug abuse, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.
Creating an environment where truth is valued can help clear the fog. Kelly Gorski's 3-year-old daughter Lucidia was confused at a recent dinner gathering when she saw a guest compliment the host on her cooking, just minutes after they had overheard the same guest say privately that she disliked the meal.
Ms. Gorski explained that the guest was trying to avoid hurting the host's feelings. Then she gave Lucidia an alternative: "You can tell the truth without hurting someone" by finding something else to praise—saying, for example, that she appreciated the effort in preparing the meal, says Ms. Gorski, of Allentown, Pa.
The lesson, Ms. Gorski says: It's important "to be an honest person, but there are many ways to communicate the truth without being blunt or forceful or harsh."
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