Author Archive

The Best Remedies for Heart Disease Among Women by Jennifer Smith

Sunday, May 19th, 2019

The Best Remedies for Heart Disease Among Women by Jennifer Smith

According to a 2018 report by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on the leading causes of deaths among women, one in every four deaths is heart-related. This report was instrumental in painting the harsh reality in the medical world, especially concerning women and heart disease. Since then, different experts have come up with many remedies—all aimed at reducing the number of deaths among women. This article discusses some of the best remedies for heart diseases among women.

Keep track of your heart condition

Keeping a record of your heart condition is one of the best ways of maintaining a healthy heart. Unlike other organs, detecting heart diseases in early stages is impossible, especially when someone does not have specialized equipment. Fortunately, EKG machines have revolutionized this medical space in the following ways.
Thanks to the best EKG machine, it is possible for a doctor to keep track of your heart rate and rhythms. Inconsistency in heart rate and rhythms can signify a bigger heart problem. However, it is hard to detect if your heart rhythm and heart rate are inconsistent without a specialized machine, such as an EKG machine. Thanks to advances in this niche of EKG machines, it is now possible to detect enlargement of the heart and, more importantly, detect other complications such as myocardial infarction and hypertension.

Choose a regular exercise routine and get enough sleep every day

Finding an enjoyable hobby is easy, but being consistent in an exercise routine is hard for most women. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services points out that being part of regular exercise is not only good for metabolism but also strong and healthy hearts. According to this department, paying for a gym membership is great, but being inconsistent is not suitable for your heart. Instead, pundits point out that daily exercise, such as using stairs, is unmatched when it comes to your health.
On the other hand, a night of good sleep is essential, especially for women aged 30 and above. Although the optimal hours of sleep are still one of the most discussed items in the medical cycles, the minimum number of hours recommended for women is six. In a study by an independent firm in 2018, people who sleep less than six hours a day have higher chances of getting cardiovascular disease.

Manage stress through changing life perceptions and reducing alcohol intake and smoking

Stress is without a doubt the highest cause of heart diseases in the world. Although it is hard to live a stress-free life, having a unique approach to stress management is critical. One of the best ways of reducing stress in life is having a mental shift of success and failures in life. Humans have high expectations about themselves and others. If the expectations are unmet, stress is inevitable. However, having a change in life perception is not only a key to happiness and satisfied life but also ideal for your heart wellness.
On the other hand, smoking and alcohol have a tremendous effect on your nervous system and other vital organs. However, the two affects stress management of women and makes her vulnerable to heart diseases. Although deciding to stop drinking alcohol and smoking is advisable, reducing the intake of the two is also great for your heart.

Change your diet and eat healthier

According to pundits, we are what we eat! This medical reality also applies to heart health. One of the greatest threats to your heart are unhealthy fats. Although there are many types of fats, trans-fat poses a risk to your body. According to statistics, consumption of trans-fats and over-consumption of fats increases your chances of heart diseases by over 34%. In order to be healthy, reduce fat consumption.
It is also critical to reduce salt intake, especially added salt. Recent studies have shown a lot of connection between excessive salt intake and heart disease among women. Salt has a negative effect on your heart as well as other organs in your body. Instead of adding salt to your food, experts recommend that you try out alternatives such as different healthy seasonings.
Finally, eating a balanced diet may sound cliché to the modern population, but it is the gateway to better health, especially to a healthy heart. In the last two decades, most people are becoming keen on what they eat. One of the trends is a vegan’s approach to diet. Although it has its own downfalls, the lifestyle provides some insights on the importance of fruits and vegetables in our diets. It’s also a good idea to avoid added sugar and sugar-laden drinks.

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The Leadership Mind Switch: Rethinking How We Lead In the New World of Work by D. A. Benton and Kylie Wright-Ford

Monday, April 8th, 2019

The Leadership Mind Switch: Rethinking How We Lead In the New World of Work by D. A. Benton and Kylie Wright-Ford makes an excellent textbook for any modern course on leadership, including educational leadership. It deals with how our modern culture impacts how leaders need to think and operate and it also deals with leadership qualities that never change. Get a copy for any aspiring leader you know.

Introduction

The leadership game has changed over time and continues to do so. The book’s premise is that a mind switch is needed now to be ready for the future that will be vastly different. This book offers tools and information that you will likely need to lead in the future. You will need skills to understand and relate to people of all kinds. The more human aspect of leading is emphasized here. Leadership is everything in business and schools and since someone is going to lead it might as well be you.

Part One: Leading Today and Tomorrow 1. The Changing World of Leadership

We know that information is rapidly expanding and that there will be welcome and unwelcome consequences. Technology is ever expanding and robots may soon join your staff. Telecommuting is on the increase so you need to be able to communicate with others from almost anywhere in the world. Office spaces and hours are changing and some people, even leaders, don’t have desks. Leadership today is about character and communication. They will have more daily contact with everyone and must be able to connect with all types of people.
Leaders will have to understand and use technology and decide how it will be used. Leaders must decide the rolls that things like virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of things will have. Worker turnover has increased so it’s up to leaders to be the kind of people who can persuade workers to stay. The workplace will be more diverse so the leader needs to be able to relate to everyone. They must understand who they are speaking to, tell stories, and know that feelings count. They also must avoid generation gap issues. A description of the generations is included here.

2. Rethinking Our Leadership Qualities

Leadership is ever evolving. After setting a course (vision) a leader needs to develop a team that collaborates, cooperates, and enjoys each other. They need to be informed, curious, stable, positive, and accountable. They need to be able to relate to all generations and with people from all cultures. The one thing all followers want is trust and loyalty. Without them, nothing else matters. You must be accessible and not play loose with the facts. Speak frankly but be discreet.
Keep in mind that older workers are more likely to be cynical. Clear the air when you slip up with something you said, done, or implied. Do it privately on the phone or in person, not via email or text. Project confidence, which is a combination of courage and curiosity. Show that you are continuously learning and willing to try new things. Know your limitations and ask for help.
Know when it’s time to change course rather than being stubborn. When it comes to technology lean towards early adoption. As a leader, you need to have a wide range of interests. This is where being curious helps. Be open-minded and nonjudgemental. Learn to ask good questions and listen well to the answers. The concept of grit is covered here. See my summary of Angela Duckworth’s book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.

3. Developing Our Leadership Behaviors

You need to be consistent and set an example every day. Don’t be moody. Everything you say and do communicates a message. In addition to words, things like posture, clothes, tone of voice, body language, facial expression (smile), and energy level communicate. When you do talk, don’t talk too fast. With younger people, you may find yourself texting more. Tell staff to only send emails that they would put on the wall for everyone to see and not to read between the lines. Some people are comfortable with physical contact, but not everyone.
Stories are important and powerful. You need to set the scene, explain what happened, and wrap it up with a moral or key takeaway. Keep current and interesting, which will make you dynamic. Dynamic leaders introduce new ideas, are creative, bring energy and focus, change with the times, consider all situations, and model confident behavior. They enable change they don’t just manage it. They adapt to new technology, make course corrections when needed, and model the right attitude. They make work fun, interject humor, and accept and embrace all team members. They constantly recognize the actions they want to see.

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Wise Guy: Lessons From a Life by Guy Kawasaki

Tuesday, March 12th, 2019

Wise Guy: Lessons From a Life by Guy Kawasaki uses his unique experience with Apple and other tech companies along with his life beyond work to distill wisdom he has gathered to date. His stories are engaging and this book can save you a lot of pain as you strive to be a better leader and a better person. It may well help you have a happier life. As a devoted parent, he has created a valuable book for parents. I strongly recommend it.

Preface

Rather than an autobiography or a memoir, this book is a compilation of the most enlightening stories of Guy’s life. It’s lessons, not history. Perhaps Guy’s stories can help you live a more joyous, productive, and meaningful life. If Wise Guy succeeds, that will be a pretty good story.

1. Immigration

Guy’s great-grandparents from his father’s side emigrated from Hiroshima, Japan to Hawaii to avoid military service during the Russo-Japanese War. They worked on farms for $1 a day. Guy’s maternal grandfather also immigrated from Japan where he met his wife. Guy got his name from Guy Lombardo, a famous bandleader from Canada who his father knew. While his parents didn’t go to college they read a lot and were very fond of music. After three tries his father was elected to the state senate where he served twenty years.
Guy grew up in a poor section of Honolulu. His neighborhood was a melting pot at the time, but Japanese-Hawaiians were looked down on. His parents worked hard and placed a high value on education. Guy believes that by living in America, he was able to accomplish a great deal more than if he grew up in Japan, which wasn’t likely in Hiroshima. The wisdom here is to change a losing game or one that is going nowhere. This might require moving like Guy’s family did.

2. Education

Guy believes that education is the great catalyst and equalizer. He credits his sixth-grade teacher for telling his parents that he shouldn’t take the typical path through Hawaii’s public schools. This meant great personal financial sacrifice for his parents. Guy found that his best teachers were also the toughest in that they always had high expectations. The advice here is to seek out people who will challenge you. If you are a teacher or the boss, you aren’t doing any favors by lowering your standards. The future cost of short-term kindness is great.
Guy suggests that you also teach respect for authority and avoid trying to overprotect children. Sometimes being scared can teach an important lesson. Kids should know that people aren’t good or bad. Most of us have done good and bad things. Life offers a lot of contradictions. When it came time to go to college Guy wanted to go to Occidental where he could play football. His father told him no and that if he was going to pay for college Guy was going to Stanford. Guy got into Stanford even though his grades and SATs were not so great because at the time his Asian heritage made him a desirable minority. Guy recommends going away to college so you can meet people from different backgrounds.

3. Inspiration

Guy was motivated to work hard so he could afford a nice car. He believes that it doesn’t matter what motivates you as long as you are motivated. He also recommends If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit by Brenda Ueland for inspiration even if your goal is to do something other than writing. After getting robbed twice in high school Guy vowed to work hard so he could avoid public transportation and high crime neighborhoods.
When he told his father that a passerby thought he was a gardener because he looked Japanese his father told him to get over it. Don’t look for insults and don’t let other people get to you. Condoleezza Rice told him “don’t ever see yourself as a victim because then you will start acting like one.” You must believe that you control your own fate. Be sure to read Mindset by Carol Dweck. You can do some unbelievable things, but you have to use the right tool. It’s ok to quit something as long as you reboot and restart. This chapter ends with the text of the speech he gave to the graduates at Menlo College in 2012. It’s full of good advice.

4. Apple

Guy worked at Apple from 1983 to 1987 and from 1995 to 1997. These two “tours of duty” made him what he is today. When he first saw MacWrite and MacPaint he was dumbfounded by how cool the Macintosh was. His job was to convince software companies to produce products for the Mac. He was an evangelist. Guy felt that the cool aspect of the Mac made his job easy, but he worked hard and was smart enough to succeed. There are no perfect candidates for a job, only successful candidates who make their shortcomings irrelevant. A lot of people get jobs because they know someone. Don’t worry about that, just deliver.
Working for Steve Jobs required that you prove yourself every day. He demanded excellence and kept you at the top of your game. It was sometimes unpleasant and always scary, but it drove you to do your finest work. Steve demanded honesty and saw it as a test of competence and character. It’s also easier than lying. Trust but document. It’s good to cover your ass when you are bending the rules. Guy recommends Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink. Pay and perks are nice but look for a job where you can learn new skills, and work autonomously towards a meaningful goal. This chapter concludes with the top eleven lessons Guy learned at Apple.

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From Teacher to Leader: Finding Your Way as a First-Time Leader—Without Losing Your Mind by Starr Sackstein

Monday, February 11th, 2019

From Teacher to Leader: Finding Your Way as a First-Time Leader—Without Losing Your Mind by Starr Sackstein recounts her first year as an administrator. This story of a remarkably gifted teacher’s journey into administration after her first year is a great read. Starr’s reflections, research efforts, and writing skills have resulted in a valuable resource for teachers considering a jump to administration and experienced administrators alike. She lives up to her desire of becoming the kind of leader she would want to have. As an educator since 1969 and an administrator for 30 years, I find her advice to be spot on. Make sure that you and your professional development library has a copy.

Forward

The forward by Dan Rehman, Superintendent West Hempstead Union Free School District tells the story of how Starr was hired as the district’s director of Humanities. While she clearly had the necessary qualities, she lacked the necessary certification, which Starr and the district were finally able to work around. Dan paints her as enthusiastic, goal focused, persistent, self-aware, creative, innovative, willing to take risks, and reflective. What else could you ask for in a leader?
While she loved her nine years teaching journalism in New York City, (16 years total) she struggled with boredom and dissatisfaction with administrative decisions, and began experimenting with grading less and helping students began a flurry of reflection and problem-solving. She questioned what learning should look like. She became an administrator to become a mentor for new teachers. This book tells the story of her first year, mistakes and all.
Each chapter also ends with some valuable Daily Reflections for Change that you can do.

1. To Leave or Not to Leave

As a teacher, there is no single right way to know when to leave. Possible reasons are boredom or complacency with your work, urge to share your expertise with others, or someone suggesting that you make the move. (Doug: They also make more money.) Once you start to think about it the more you need to look for administrative programs. Ideally, you find one where you can take a few courses as a non-matriculated student to get your feet wet. Interview working administrators to get a better idea of what the job entails. Read some of the books Starr suggests and look for Twitter chats on leadership.
Thirteen years into teaching Starr was able to take on a “hybrid” role as part teacher and part teacher coach. She felt that still doing some teaching gave her more credibility with the people she coached as she was still doing the things that she was trying to get them to do. Teachers could visit her classroom and she could still continue to try new things.
Before you start looking for jobs create a description for your ideal job. Starr provides one here based on her desires and skills. Once you have your goals spelled out you can better articulate them in interviews. While no two people take the same path to administration, Starr’s path covers the basics that all teachers need to consider. She suggests that you are not there to fix teachers but to help them further develop the skills they already possess. Stay humble, be present, listen, collaborate, and be patient.

2. Teacher Leadership as a Precursor to School Leadership

Consider the job description and ask a lot of questions about the school culture and needs to make sure the job is a good fit. Before transitioning grow your content or pedagogical expertise and serve on committees. Apply to present at local, regional, or national conferences on topics important to you. Adult learners are different from students. How so? Nothing is worse than discounting ideas elicited from others. It’s a surefire way to make your team resent you.

3. The Ache of the Shift

Starr became very aware of the void that had been created inside by not being in the classroom. She worked to rebrand her decision as an extension of her teaching career and not as a replacement for it. She spends time in classrooms. Plans with teachers and offers to co-teach when it is appropriate. As a new team leader, you will definitely experience isolation. For the most part, it will continue because you are no longer part of us. Now you are one of them. Leadership doesn’t have to be the dark side. It can be light, optimistic, and supportive, but it definitely takes time to get your team to believe you are one of them. To get feedback Starr uses anonymous Google forms. Be ready with “Plan B” in the event your day changes unexpectedly. Starr also offers advice on attire here. Learning—in the classroom and in life—happens moments forced her to figure things out. You are going to have to do a lot of learning so it helps if you enjoy learning. Exhibit the behaviors you’d like to see.

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Controlling a Noisy Class – Special Deal Today

Monday, February 4th, 2019

Take Control of the Noisy Class: From chaos to calm in 15 seconds – Here are some super-effective classroom management strategies for teachers in today’s toughest classrooms. Note the special price today. Be sure to get it now for your school. @RobPlevin @TheLifeRaftOrg

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