Messy

“Politics is a messy business, but campaigning prepares you for governing. It prepares you to get hit, stand strong, and, if necessary, hit back.” (James Carville)

When the media is saying great things about a politician, them being in the spotlight is a simple task. The opposite of that is bad press. It can happen to anyone in politics. It doesn’t matter how prepared they are for an election campaign. A politician may have one of their statements taken completely out of context in the media, which could cause a tidal wave of

They can have a damaging effect on voter impressions. Political success as a candidate depends on the way the crisis of a bad press is handled. trouble for their campaign. Negative campaigns are a part and parcel of politics, worldwide. The public is often unaware of what goes in to an effective political campaign. Most of the myths given by cable news channels are incorrect. They are based on assumptions. To rid yourself of these common misconceptions, below is a list of five myths about political campaigns.

1.   BUILDING AN ONLINE CAMPAIGN 30 DAYS PRIOR IS ENOUGH: Forget online campaigning if you think 30 days is enough to get you all the attention you need! Building your online image, content, and personality takes time and effort. Campaigns have to start slow. First, build voter contact lists. Forge relationships with advocacy organizations and unions. Understand and address voter issues. Split up your campaign into multiple stages. As a representative, you need to influence what people see, hear and read about you online.

Building an online identity is the first step toward the goal. So create personal social media accounts and a professional website. How much time do you predict it will take to set up an effective primary election campaign? Way more than a month. You need to get to it from the time you announce your candidacy.

2.   IF YOU DON’T MAKE IT TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY, YOU CAN’T VOTE: Many people believe if they don’t make it to the polls on Election Day to turn in their ballot, their vote won’t count. Untrue! Absentee ballot allows voters who are ill, away or unable to vote on Election Day to send in their votes. This criterion varies from state to state. Some use this to avoid crowds while others offer early voting. Campaigns should pay attention to the lack of information that citizens have about the voting process. To make sure you don’t lose out on votes include early voting, absentee ballots, Election Day registration, and vote at home.

3.   NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN ADS ARE UNINFORMATIVE: During heated campaigns, you may come upon 10 trite political attack ads an hour. You hate them and think of it as unnecessary, unethical, and uninformative. You’re wrong. According to a study conducted, we are better informed about the issues of the elections by watching negative ads; these commercials prompt candidates to check facts, and opponents to respond to clear their names.

 

While people still think of it as deplorable, it benefits voters. The 2008 Presidential campaign is a good example of how negative ads are informative. John McCain claimed Barack Obama’s economic plan was bad for small businesses. This led to a series of debates where Obama hit back and better explained his stand, giving voters a lot more information.

4.   POLITICIANS USE NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING BECAUSE IT WORKS: It’s a long-held belief that politicians use a negative campaigning strategy as it benefits them. Politicians also believe negative ads are more memorable than positive ones. This is not always true. A campaign does not work or win favor based on its tone (positive or negative), more or less depends on how well the ad connects with the public on an emotional and rational level. The problem with mudslinging is it can misfire and do more harm than good.

For example, attacks against George W. Bush’s military record in the presidential election (2004) is a classic example of how negative campaigning did not work. In spite, Bush went on the win elections. For, the simple reason being Bush was popular and notable among the public. Criticizing him or attacking him would not change public opinion (due to emotional connect). Lyndon B. Johnson’s Daisy ad is a good example of how negative campaigning works. The ad raises concerns over the nuclear conflict during the cold war period. It instills a fear in people by asking the public to choose between life and death. Johnson won the elections with a landslide victory.

5.   YOU CAN INFLUENCE VOTER OPINION WITH JUST FACTS: If you think by providing voters with just facts will get you their votes, you are deluding yourself. In fact, voters respond better when you tap into their emotions and beliefs. Start by addressing the issue: How many able candidates offer a strong agenda built on policy issues but still end up failing because they couldn’t connect with voters on a personal level?

The failure here is that facts alone aren’t good at resonating with people’s emotions, which is pivotal to securing the trust, and the vote of a person. The solution is candidates have to tie in policy issues or items on their agenda to specific pain points in the community. For example, instead of telling voters about your plan for stricter environmental regulation, tell them about how the regulation will get the local lake cleaned or improve drinking water facilities in the neighborhood.

“The American people deserve truthfulness, not more political campaigning. The American people deserve a responsible government that seeks to address their needs, not more ideological dogma.” (Jose Serrano)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Myths about political campaigns you should know” by CallHub

·        “Advice for Candidates: 6 Things You Should Do to Handle Negative Campaigns” by Tharika Tellicherry  

 

Medicine

“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” (Ann Wigmore)

With interest in Asian cuisine, people are growing a wide variety of Asian greens with flavors from mild to spicy. Leaf colors range from purple leaved mustards to the white-ribbed Komatsuna. The leaf shapes can be flat and spoon-shaped, long and round, or thin and jagged.

These greens are easy to grow in early spring (April to early-May), love the cool weather, and grow in small spaces. Asian greens grow best in the drained soil of raised beds or containers. They’re perfect for a Northeast gardener. They can add zest to your salads and sautés. Below are a few Asian greens that you may enjoy adding to your taste pallet:

1.   Mibuna (Brassica japonica): Like Mizuna, this is another traditional salad green of Japan with a similar flavor, but the leaves are long and narrow with a curved edge.

 

2.   Mizuna (Brassica juncea var. japonica): A traditional Japanese mustard salad green that has a mild taste when the leaves are young but gets stronger as the leaves mature. You can also try leaves in soups, steamed or in stir-fries. Sow autumn to spring.

 

3.   Tatsoi (Brassica navinosa): This is great as a lettuce substitute. It has small spoon-shaped leaves with a long harvest period. Seeds can be sown any time, but are best after frost.

 

4.   Tokyo Bekana ( Brassica rapa):  A quick growing plant with very tender leaves that are great for munching on. It looks a bit like a light green lettuce and leaves can be broken off as needed. You will probably need to order these seeds online or through your local nursery.

 

5.   Wasabi rocket (Diplotaxis erucoides): As the name suggests this is a form of rocket that takes on a mustard wasabi flavor.

“Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old, because too many hopes and dreams are yet to be realized.” (Allan Armitage)[i]

Stir-fried Asian greens

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[i] Sources used:

·        “How to: grow 5 easy Asian-style salad greens to pack in your lunch” by Anna Gregory

·        “Listen to this podcast and read more about growing and caring for Asian Greens in the vegetable garden” by Charlie Nardozzi

 

A Warrior

“[I] don't mind the scattered thoughts, blank stares, or the pharmacy in my purse. I'm a thyroid disease warrior.” (Anonymous)

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the base of your neck. It releases hormones that control metabolism (the way your body uses energy). The thyroid's hormones regulate vital body functions like breathing, heart rate, central and peripheral nervous systems, body weight, muscle strength, menstrual cycles, body temperature, cholesterol levels, moods, and energy levels.

Thyroid problems are fairly common and range in type and severity, but it’s important to have a doctor properly diagnose your thyroid condition rather than assuming you have a thyroid disorder. Here are 12 common thyroid disorders that can affect the person you become:

1.   Congenital Hypothyroidism: This is a thyroid condition (also called neonatal hypothyroidism) that affects newborns. It means the baby was born with an underactive thyroid, or no thyroid gland at all. If the condition is not found and treated,

it can result in irreversible neurological problems and poor growth. Early treatment can help reverse related problems, but in most cases it will require lifelong treatment. About 1 in 2,000 to 4,000-babies are born with this condition, and it’s twice as common in girls.

2.   Goiters: Goiters are a visible problem with the thyroid gland, and are described as “generalized swelling or bulging in the thyroid gland.” They can appear whether you have an overactive or underactive thyroid. In some other cases, you may not have any problems with hormone levels, or have any related symptoms and still end up with a swollen thyroid.

It could be from lack of iodine in your diet (which is essential for thyroid hormone production). Goiters can even be caused by a pregnancy hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG).

3.   Graves’ Disease: In Graves’ disease, your body releases abnormal antibodies that mimic a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) that’s normally produced in the brain’s pituitary gland. These “fake” TSH hormones kick the thyroid gland into overdrive. The good news is that the condition is fairly easy to correct once it’s properly diagnosed, but left unchecked it can cause complications and even death.

 

4.   Hashimoto’s Disease: This disease is the result of your immune system attacking your thyroid. The inflammation caused by Hashimoto’s disease usually leads to an underproductive thyroid. This is the leading cause of hypothyroidism in the U.S. It adds the disease primarily affects middle-aged women, but also can occur in men and women of any age and in children. Symptoms can include a puffy face, hair loss, and muscle aches, among many others.

 

 

5.   Hyperthyroidism: This is essentially the opposite of hypothyroidism, and it presents different symptoms. A hyper or overactive thyroid can “accelerate your body’s metabolism significantly,” which can lead to sudden and unexplained weight loss. Other symptoms can occur if your thyroid is putting your bodily functions into overdrive. These symptoms include an increased (resting) heartbeat, sweating, or feeling nervous or irritable. You may also have trouble sleeping (insomnia), or notice thinning skin or brittle hair.

 

6.   Hypothyroidism: This condition is when your thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough hormones. There are a host of symptoms that come with hypothyroidism: fatigue, dry skin, constipation, and poor concentration just to name a few.

 

7.   Pituitary Gland Disorders: Although not the result of the thyroid itself, in some cases a pituitary gland disorder may be the reason your thyroid hormone production is out of balance. The pituitary gland at the base of the brain is about the “size of a pea,” but it has a big impact on systems in your body.

One of the functions of the pituitary gland is to produce thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which prompts the thyroid gland to produce hormones to regulate metabolism, energy, and nervous system function, says the source. If this gland isn’t sending TSH, it can lead to hypothyroidism. There are also (usually non-cancerous) pituitary tumors that can produce too much of a hormone normally made by the pituitary.

8.   Postpartum Thyroiditis: Just like babies can be affected by thyroid problems, new mothers can as well. This condition, an inflammation of the thyroid gland, usually occurs within a year after giving birth. There are usually 2-phases, with hyperthyroidism coming first (lasting about 2 to 4-months), followed by hypothyroidism (lasting up to a year). Inflammation can damage the gland making it less effective at producing hormones, which leads to the hypothyroidism phase.

Doctors may prescribe thyroid hormone therapy (such as Levothyroxine) for the second phase if you have symptoms. In some cases, the hypothyroidism can be permanent and women will need lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

9.   Thyroid Cancer: Some nodules could turn out to be cancerous (they could be painful in this case).Thyroid cancer is far more common among women than men, and that about 66-percent of cases occur in adults under the age of 55.

There are different forms of thyroid cancer classified by the specific cell type within the thyroid that has become cancerous. The good news for thyroid cancer patients is it typically has a high survival rate, but like other forms of cancer early diagnosis is key to dealing with this.

10.       Thyroid Nodules: These can lead to enlarged thyroids but are generally more localized (such as a single lump). These lumps are sometimes not obvious, and are discovered during routine medical exams. Nodules can lead to hyperthyroidism, but most are non-functioning and don’t present any symptoms at all even if the nodule turns out to be cancerous. A nodule may grow and interfere with the throat, which can make breathing and swallowing more difficult. Have your doctor examine you if you locate a suspicious lump in your neck area.

 

11.       Thyroiditis: Any type of thyroiditis implies inflammation of the thyroid, which can lead to either hyper or hypothyroidism. Acute thyroiditis is a rare type of the disorder that can cause pain and discomfort in the gland. The acute version is believed to be linked to a viral infection, and the thyroid swells in response to it. The source says it’s slightly more common among women aged 40 to 50-years than in men of the same age, and it usually appears following a respiratory infection such as the flu.

 

12.       Toxic Thyroid Adenoma: We’ve covered thyroid nodules, but this particular condition results in excessive thyroid hormone production from a single nodule in the thyroid gland. One lump develops on the gland causing it to swell and release excess thyroid hormones. If iodine (essential to thyroid function) is lacking in your diet, it can cause your thyroid to enlarge to try and absorb any available iodine from the blood as possible. The symptoms of toxic adenoma are similar to hyperthyroidism, and can include weight loss, flushing, feeling tired, tremors, excessive sweating, and more.

 “I want people to know that blood tests alone won't always detect thyroid disease. I think a lot more people have this disease than are diagnosed.” (Kim Alexis)[i]

 

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[i] Sources used:

·        “12 Most Common Thyroid Disorders” by Jeff Hayward

·         “Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): The Pregnancy Hormone” by American Pregnancy Association

·        Thyroid Gland: Overview”   by Bridget Brady

 

 

On Guard

“If you check your personal blind spots, you can be able to guard against focusing on what you cannot do, but reduce the areas of weakness by taking their space with more of your strengths.” (Archibald Marwizi)

We all have blindspots because it’s part of being human. There are some parts of us that we can't clearly see. Many times we can only see blindspots with someone else's help. The great thing about life is that you're surrounded by countless mirrors. Every person that comes into your life is a mirror. Someone comes and reflects a lot of happiness, and you want them to stay. Someone else comes and reflects a lot of your anger, and you want them to go. They all show you different aspects of yourself.

This is another reality-check that real spirituality is a practical way of living your everyday life in integrity. We tend to evaluate our life story by what we can see apart from faith instead of by what we can see when faith opens our eyes. Spiritual awakening is like turning all the lights on at once. It's a ton of information, but gradually your eyes adjust.

While there's a short period of blindness with that, it does help to have other people to care for you as you transition out of the more permanent blindness you've been living in. That’s only natural. But when we consider reality from God’s point of view, we start identifying the blind spots that keeping us from living a story worth telling. We must distinguish between the temporary and the eternal. Here are five practical steps we can take right now to get rid of blind spots in our faith so we can live a life that matters:

 

1.     Acknowledge your viewpoint is not perfect. No one has unobstructed vision at least not on this side of eternity. Know that each person’s faith is defective in some way. We’ve all got blind spots. By definition, we can’t see them.

 

2.     Beware of sudden disappearances. When you are thinking about certain topics, do you find yourself withdrawing from discussions with others? You may be avoiding issues you need to see more clearly. Shine a spotlight on those areas and deal with what you see.

 

3.     Engage in healthy self-examination. Check yourself regularly by intentionally inspecting what you see from numerous perspectives. Measure what you see against what you believe to be true about God. When criticizing others, start with the phrase, “I may be missing something here…”

 

4.     Visit with a vision specialist. Sometimes it takes a specialist to see what you can’t. Enlist the help of a pastor or trusted advisor who shares your beliefs, and will speak the truth to you in love. Don’t just seek out people who will agree with you.

 

Wear corrective lenses. Borrow someone else’s perspective on a regular basis to double-check your own take on life. Surround yourself with a community of believers who will tell you the truth about what they see. You were not designed to take this journey to live a story worth telling all by yourself.

 

5.     When we refuse to walk by faith, we choose a story confined to “the seen.” It’s a fleeting tale already in the process of fading even as we live it. The best of us will leave little trace of our existence once our time on Earth has come and gone. Faith opens your eyes to the reality that we were not created just for the present but for the future.

“Because your brain uses information from the areas around the blind spot to make a reasonable guess about what the blind spot would see if only it weren't blind, and then your brain fills in the scene with this information. That's right, it invents things, creates things, makes stuff up! It doesn't consult you about this, doesn't seek your approval. It just makes its best guess about the nature of the missing information and proceeds to fill in the scene.” (Daniel Gilbert) [i]

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[i] Inspired by the sermon “Amazing Grace: Now I See” (installment three) Sunday October 21, 2018, Pastor Dave Jansen, CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.

 

Sources used:

·         “5 Tips for Finding Your Blindspots on Your Spiritual Path” by Spiritual Awakening Process

·        “5 Ways to Get Rid of “Spiritual Blind Spots” by Bill Blankschaen

 

 

Love

“If you don’t correct your children, you don’t love them. If you love them, you will be quick to discipline them.” (Proverbs 13:24, ERV)

Here are a few statistics on spanking:

·        94% of 3- and 4-year-olds have been spanked at least once during the past year.

·        74% of mothers believe spanking is acceptable for kids ages 1 to 3.

·        61% of parents condone spanking as a "regular form of punishment" for young children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics defines “spanking” as "striking a child with an open hand on the buttocks or extremities with the intention of modifying behavior without causing physical injury.” Many parents spank their kids. Various factors increase the likelihood, which include geographic location (children in the South are spanked the most), family income (less money means more spanking), race (African-American mothers spank their children more than other ethnic groups) and religion (parents more fundamentalist in their religious beliefs spank more than those who are less so).

Along with lessons learned in childhood, many parents spank their kids for another simple reason: It stops children from doing whatever it is they're doing. The shock of the spanking coupled with time alone put an end to everyone's frustration. When safety is the issue, it's hard to dispute that spanking works. If spanking is merely a behavioral Band-Aid, why use it at all? For many parents, it's the quick solution—especially when they're dealing with an unruly toddler or preschooler, or when they're stressed out.

Some moms who've spanked their children agree that it was bad for them and how they wanted to relate to their kids. Maybe the question should be "Is it absolutely necessary?" It brings out the fact that your child is watching, waiting and learning from your decision, the answer seems clearly to just be no. As of 2014, up to 38 countries around the world have banned spanking. As a form of corporal punishment, it violates children’s human rights both in homes and schools. Below are five alternatives to spanking

1.   Logical consequences from letting things play out: If you tell your child they won’t get to read any of their favorite books for a week that they’re throwing around the room, as they lose access to those books it may help curb the unwanted book-throwing in your home going forward.

 

2.   Natural consequences: If your child refuses to keep clothes on during a meal, let them know that they may get cold during the meal, but are required to sit with family until everyone is done. Once cold, they’ll learn a bit.

 

3.   Set children up for success: Clearly we all know what drains our kid the most (a lack of food, an over-scheduled day, or anxiety about meeting new people) so work hard to have a strategy in place for the inevitable tantrum or terrible wild-child behavior that will come when you stretch your child during a day of travel or running errands. Also modeling your own self-regulation over time will always help your child soak in better ways to deal with conflict of any kind.

 

4.   Taking away devices of privilege: If a reward for your children is watching a show or playing with a tablet or smartphone, consider having children earn that time by good citizenship at home. If they have undesired behavior they lose access to those 30 minutes with their favorite screen.

 

5.   Timeouts for both a frustrated parent and/or child: Timeouts are hard to pull off with a child under age 2 years. After age two, about 1 minute per year of age for your child is a good duration for timeouts. Shorter timeouts may be effective, but a 5 minute time out for a 3 year-old will likely fail as they just won’t sit still that long.

“Teach children in a way that fits their needs, and even when they are old, they will not leave the right path.” (Proverbs 22:6, ERV)[i]

 

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[i] Sources used:

·     “Don’t spank your children. Do these 5 things instead”  by Wendy Sue Swanson

·        “Is It Okay to Spank?” by Kitty O'Callaghan

 

The Machinery

“Proteins are the machinery of living tissue that builds the structures and carries out the chemical reactions necessary for life. “(Michael Behe)

Protein is an important component of every cell in the body. Hair and nails are mostly made of protein. Your body uses protein to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

Along with fat and carbohydrates, protein is a "macronutrient," meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. Vitamins and minerals, which are needed in only small quantities, are called "micronutrients." But unlike fat and carbohydrates, the body does not store protein, and therefore has no reservoir to draw on when it needs a new supply.
you might likeContinue Reading Below
The type of protein you eat may play a role in successful weight loss and in your overall health. Nutrition experts recommend getting dietary proteins from the following sources: Continue Reading Below

Fish offers heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and, in general, less fat than meat. You can eliminate most of the saturated fat by removing the skin of poultry.

 Beans contain more protein than any other vegetable protein, and they're loaded with fiber that helps you feel full for hours. One ounce of almonds gives you 6 grams of protein. This is nearly as much protein as one ounce of broiled ribeye steak. A slice of whole wheat bread gives you 3 grams of protein plus valuable fiber. "A lot of plant-based foods like soy and legumes can give you the same amount of protein as meats.

A lot of people still don’t understand that your amino acid stores are constantly being depleted and if you don’t replenish them, your body can pull from your muscle mass to get the protein it requires. Below are myths and facts on the topic of protein:

Myth: You should get all your protein for the day in one meal

Fact: Putting your protein into one meal, like a big steak at the end of the day isn’t smart. Protein intake needs to be distributed over the course of the day. We only have a limited pool of protein reserves, whereas we have greater reserves of carbs and fat. Think of it like a sink that you’re trying to keep full, but there’s no plug in the drain. You need to replenish your protein stores as they get depleted. Try to get some with each meal.

Myth: You have to consume animal proteins to really get enough protein

Fact: Many people still think plant proteins don’t count, but plant foods contain all of the necessary amino acids in varying proportions. Foods like black beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, quinoa, buckwheat, oatmeal, almonds, walnuts, and seeds from flax and chia are great sources of protein for any diet. Even if you’re vegan and you get enough of these each day, you won’t be protein deficient. 

Myth: You can’t over eat protein

Fact: Lots of people think this is true, but it’s not. A surplus of any nutrient can be stored as fat and lead to undesired weight gain. It’s harder to over eat unprocessed protein-dense foods like meat or eggs than processed carbs and fat, which often have added sugar and salt. If you’re highly active, a good general guideline for the amount you need before you reach that max is 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of total body weight. Just divide your weight by 2.2 to determine kilograms.

Myth: You need a protein shake immediately after a workout to build muscle

Fact: This idea is based on what’s known as the anabolic window of opportunity. When the body is sponge-like after a workout, absorbing nutrients in order to refill glycogen stores, kick off protein synthesis, and stop protein breakdown. Newer research shows that the window is broader than originally thought. You have up to 2 hours after a workout to kickoff the recovery process. But even more important is the protein you’re getting throughout the day. Are you consistently refilling that protein pool?

Myth: It’s hard to for the average person to get enough protein each day

Fact: Unless you have a body challenge like bariatric surgery, it’s easy to do. Dip veggies into bean-based dips like hummus or black-bean dip. Add sliced almonds or a scoop of protein powder to oatmeal, sprinkle sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds in soups and salads, and put chia and flax in your protein shakes. Another way to sneak more protein into your diet is to add it when you bake.

 Use protein powder to cut some of the flour in muffins, or adding black. Keep the following in mind in relationship to protein: Teenage boys and active men can get all the protein they need from three daily servings for a total of seven ounces. For children age 2 to 6, most women, and some older people, the government recommends two daily servings for a total of five ounces. For older children, teen girls, active women, and most men, the guidelines are two daily servings for a total of six ounces.

 “Calories from protein affect your brain, your appetite control center, so you are more satiated and satisfied.” (Mark E. Hyman)[i]

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[i] Sources used:

·        “5 Things You Need to Know About Protein” By Wendy Schmid

·        “The Benefits of Protein” By Neil Osterweil