jueves, 26 de enero de 2017
martes, 24 de enero de 2017
7 Ways to Overcome Mental Laziness
Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
We often associate mental noise and chatter with active thinking. This is not true. As a matter of fact most of us are mentally lazy. We know our brain is going on automatic most of the time, but we hardly stop to think about it. It is a fact of life that we learn to accept and live with.
I was shocked when I read that 90 to 95% of our biology and thinking is controlled by our subconscious mind. What this means is that only 10% or less of our thoughts are generated from our conscious mind based on what we’re experiencing now.
The downside of mental laziness
You might ask what’s the harm? Isn’t it better to automate more things in our life?
Automating your mind is fine if you are happy with the type of thoughts and beliefs you have and you’re still able to enjoy the present moment. But if you’re like me, chances are you have limiting beliefs and negative thoughts that take away from enjoying life.
The downside of automatic thinking can be summed up below:
Feeding off the same negativity. On average 70% of our thoughts are negative or redundant. What a waste of mind power!
How can we expect our collective experience to improve when most of the time we are immersed in negative thinking?
Creating serious health issues. It is estimated that 1/3 of patients heal themselves by the power of their own thought (the placebo effect). The opposite should stand true as well. Continued negative thinking can lead to serious illness (the nocebo effect).
Missing out on the present moment. When you are in your head most of the time, how can you experience what’s in front of you right now?
Being somewhere else (not here and now) can cause boredom, anxiety, stress, and so many other negative states.
Not living to our potential. We are held hostage by our conditioned subconscious mind. We are more accustomed to I can’t, there is no way, ain’t gonna happen and so on.
The few of us that break the mold and step out of their limiting beliefs and conditioning become very successful in living their truth.
We all can be whatever we want to be. It’s not a matter of capability but a matter of desire and belief. We have different unique talents. Unfortunately, the majority of us chooses to stick to the limiting thoughts and excuses.
How can we strengthen our conscious thinking muscle and reduce mind chatter?
This is not to be confused with fooling yourself to think positive thoughts. It is more about awakening to the pattern of your own thought and challenging the negative beliefs.
1. Observe your thoughts. The first step is to start observing your thoughts. Thoughts come and go. Just notice the thought as it passes by. Don’t judge or fight it. Become the observer. Experience it in your body. How does it feel? Don’t label; allow.
The moment you pay attention to a thought, it starts to change then fades away.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.
We often associate mental noise and chatter with active thinking. This is not true. As a matter of fact most of us are mentally lazy. We know our brain is going on automatic most of the time, but we hardly stop to think about it. It is a fact of life that we learn to accept and live with.
I was shocked when I read that 90 to 95% of our biology and thinking is controlled by our subconscious mind. What this means is that only 10% or less of our thoughts are generated from our conscious mind based on what we’re experiencing now.
The downside of mental laziness
You might ask what’s the harm? Isn’t it better to automate more things in our life?
Automating your mind is fine if you are happy with the type of thoughts and beliefs you have and you’re still able to enjoy the present moment. But if you’re like me, chances are you have limiting beliefs and negative thoughts that take away from enjoying life.
The downside of automatic thinking can be summed up below:
Feeding off the same negativity. On average 70% of our thoughts are negative or redundant. What a waste of mind power!
How can we expect our collective experience to improve when most of the time we are immersed in negative thinking?
Creating serious health issues. It is estimated that 1/3 of patients heal themselves by the power of their own thought (the placebo effect). The opposite should stand true as well. Continued negative thinking can lead to serious illness (the nocebo effect).
Missing out on the present moment. When you are in your head most of the time, how can you experience what’s in front of you right now?
Being somewhere else (not here and now) can cause boredom, anxiety, stress, and so many other negative states.
Not living to our potential. We are held hostage by our conditioned subconscious mind. We are more accustomed to I can’t, there is no way, ain’t gonna happen and so on.
The few of us that break the mold and step out of their limiting beliefs and conditioning become very successful in living their truth.
We all can be whatever we want to be. It’s not a matter of capability but a matter of desire and belief. We have different unique talents. Unfortunately, the majority of us chooses to stick to the limiting thoughts and excuses.
How can we strengthen our conscious thinking muscle and reduce mind chatter?
This is not to be confused with fooling yourself to think positive thoughts. It is more about awakening to the pattern of your own thought and challenging the negative beliefs.
1. Observe your thoughts. The first step is to start observing your thoughts. Thoughts come and go. Just notice the thought as it passes by. Don’t judge or fight it. Become the observer. Experience it in your body. How does it feel? Don’t label; allow.
The moment you pay attention to a thought, it starts to change then fades away.
domingo, 22 de enero de 2017
Some common phrasal verbs
Here you have a list of some of the most common phrasal verbs. Try to learn them all. Or at least, most of them.
Thank you, Irene!
Thank you, Irene!
miércoles, 18 de enero de 2017
Multi-word verbs
What's the difference between phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs?
Phrasal Verbs often have a very different (idiomatic) meaning.
Find out more by clicking in this link about why not every multi-word verb is a phrasal verb: multi-word verbs
Miguel, I hope you see the differences!
What do Phrasal and Prepositional Verbs have in common and what are the differences?
Two-word verbs can be Phrasal Verbs or Prepositional Verb.Phrasal Verbs often have a very different (idiomatic) meaning.
- verb: look
- adverb: in
- Phrasal Verb: look in
1. What is the difference between a preposition and an adverb and why this distinction is important.
An object can go before or after an adverb – but it can only go after a preposition. So:- Phrasal Verbs can be separated
- Prepositional Verbs must not be separated.
1.1. Phrasal Verbs
- correct: verb + object + adverb → I switch the computer on.
- correct: verb adverb + object → I switched on the computer.
1.2. Prepositional Verbs
- correct: verb + preposition + object → The cat jumped on the computer.
- incorrect: verb + object + preposition → The cat jumped the computer on.
Find out more by clicking in this link about why not every multi-word verb is a phrasal verb: multi-word verbs
Miguel, I hope you see the differences!
martes, 17 de enero de 2017
Theresa May to confirm UK exit from EU single market
It will be really interesting to listen to her. And to Trump's comment on her speech!
Theresa May is expected to use the most important speech of her premiership to confirm that Britain will be leaving the single market while insisting that it wants to remain “the best friend” to European partners.
In remarks that critics will cite as evidence that the government is pursuing a hard Brexit, the prime minister will say there is no option that leaves Britain “half-in, half-out” as she sets out 12 key priorities for the EU negotiations.
Critically, she will insist there will be no compromise over the ability to control borders and regain sovereignty.
Speaking to an audience at Lancaster House, Westminster, including ambassadors from across the world, May will stress her ambition to reach out beyond the continent to build new trading relationships in a move that suggests the UK will also leave the customs union.
However, the prime minister is likely to restate an argument that she does not see it as an either/or choice and say that whatever final deal on trade and customs duties is struck, lorries will be able to pass through Dover and other ports unhindered, despite warnings from others on the issue.
“We seek a new and equal partnership – between an independent, self-governing, global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU. Not partial membership of the European Union, associate membership of the European Union or anything that leaves us half-in, half-out,” May is expected to say.
“We do not seek to adopt a model already enjoyed by other countries. We do not seek to hold on to bits of membership as we leave. The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. My job is to get the right deal for Britain as we do.”
Advisers know the speech could have an impact on the value on sterling by confirming that the UK cannot stay in the single market, but May will say that British voters backed Brexit “with their eyes open”.
In a speech that will delight Eurosceptic backbenchers, she will avoid talking about soft or hard options, but instead promise a clean break from the EU.
The priorities include control over immigration and removing Britain from the jurisdiction of the European court of justice plus securing the rights of EU citizens in Britain, committing to retain workers’ rights, building a strong trading relationship with the EU and rest of the world, making Britain an attractive place for investors and students, and preserving the union.
You can read more here: The Guardian
Theresa May is expected to use the most important speech of her premiership to confirm that Britain will be leaving the single market while insisting that it wants to remain “the best friend” to European partners.
In remarks that critics will cite as evidence that the government is pursuing a hard Brexit, the prime minister will say there is no option that leaves Britain “half-in, half-out” as she sets out 12 key priorities for the EU negotiations.
Critically, she will insist there will be no compromise over the ability to control borders and regain sovereignty.
Speaking to an audience at Lancaster House, Westminster, including ambassadors from across the world, May will stress her ambition to reach out beyond the continent to build new trading relationships in a move that suggests the UK will also leave the customs union.
However, the prime minister is likely to restate an argument that she does not see it as an either/or choice and say that whatever final deal on trade and customs duties is struck, lorries will be able to pass through Dover and other ports unhindered, despite warnings from others on the issue.
“We seek a new and equal partnership – between an independent, self-governing, global Britain and our friends and allies in the EU. Not partial membership of the European Union, associate membership of the European Union or anything that leaves us half-in, half-out,” May is expected to say.
“We do not seek to adopt a model already enjoyed by other countries. We do not seek to hold on to bits of membership as we leave. The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. My job is to get the right deal for Britain as we do.”
Advisers know the speech could have an impact on the value on sterling by confirming that the UK cannot stay in the single market, but May will say that British voters backed Brexit “with their eyes open”.
In a speech that will delight Eurosceptic backbenchers, she will avoid talking about soft or hard options, but instead promise a clean break from the EU.
The priorities include control over immigration and removing Britain from the jurisdiction of the European court of justice plus securing the rights of EU citizens in Britain, committing to retain workers’ rights, building a strong trading relationship with the EU and rest of the world, making Britain an attractive place for investors and students, and preserving the union.
You can read more here: The Guardian
viernes, 13 de enero de 2017
Give robots 'personhood' status, EU committee argues
The European parliament has urged the drafting of a set of regulations to govern the use and creation of robots and artificial intelligence, including a form of “electronic personhood” to ensure rights and responsibilities for the most capable AI.
In a 17-2 vote, with two abstentions, the parliament’s legal affairs committee passed the report, which outlines one possible framework for regulation.
“A growing number of areas of our daily lives are increasingly affected by robotics,” said the report’s author, Luxembourgish MEP Mady Delvaux. “In order to address this reality and to ensure that robots are and will remain in the service of humans, we urgently need to create a robust European legal framework”.
The proposed legal status for robots would be analogous to corporate personhood, which allows firms to take part in legal cases both as the plaintiff and respondent. “It is similar to what we now have for companies, but it is not for tomorrow,” said Delvaux. “What we need now is to create a legal framework for the robots that are currently on the market or will become available over the next 10 to 15 years.”
If you are interested in the article, read more here:
Robots-The Guardian
jueves, 5 de enero de 2017
Living near heavy traffic increases risk of dementia, say scientists
Study tracking 6.6 million people estimates one in 10 cases of
Alzheimer’s among those living by busy roads could be linked to air and
noise pollution
People living near a busy road have an increased risk of dementia, according to research that adds to concerns about the impact of air pollution on human health.
Roughly one in 10 cases of Alzheimer’s in urban areas could be associated with living amid heavy traffic, the study estimated – although the research stopped short of showing that exposure to exhaust fumes causes neurodegeneration.
Hong Chen, the scientist who led the work at Public Health Ontario, said: “Increasing population growth and urbanisation has placed many people close to heavy traffic, and with widespread exposure to traffic and growing rates of dementia, even a modest effect from near-road exposure could pose a large public health burden.”
Previously, scientists have linked air pollution and traffic noise to reduced density of white matter (the brain’s connective tissue) and lower cognition. A recent study suggested that magnetic nano-particles from air pollution can make their way into brain tissue.
The latest study, published in The Lancet, found that those who live closest to major traffic arteries were up to 12% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia – a small but significant increase in risk.
The study, which tracked roughly 6.6 million people for more than a decade, could not determine whether pollution is directly harmful to the brain. The increased dementia risk could also be a knock-on effect of respiratory and cardiac problems caused by traffic fumes or due to other unhealthy life-style factors associated with living in built-up urban environments.
ob Howard, a professor of old age psychiatry at University College London, who was not involved in the study, said: “We know that major road air pollution is bad for general health and this latest study doesn’t tell us whether the small increase in dementia risk is driven by indirect effects or whether proximity to traffic directly influences dementia pathology. Regardless of the route of causation, this study presents one more important reason why we must clean up the air in our cities.”
However, others cautioned that those living close to main roads should not be unduly alarmed by the findings.
Prof John Hardy, a neuroscientist at University College London said: “The analyses are exceedingly complex … and this always leads to concerns that the analytic complexity is hiding confounding factors in the analytic pipeline. There are several reasons why one might not want to live near a major road, but this study is not an additional one.”
People living near a busy road have an increased risk of dementia, according to research that adds to concerns about the impact of air pollution on human health.
Roughly one in 10 cases of Alzheimer’s in urban areas could be associated with living amid heavy traffic, the study estimated – although the research stopped short of showing that exposure to exhaust fumes causes neurodegeneration.
Hong Chen, the scientist who led the work at Public Health Ontario, said: “Increasing population growth and urbanisation has placed many people close to heavy traffic, and with widespread exposure to traffic and growing rates of dementia, even a modest effect from near-road exposure could pose a large public health burden.”
Previously, scientists have linked air pollution and traffic noise to reduced density of white matter (the brain’s connective tissue) and lower cognition. A recent study suggested that magnetic nano-particles from air pollution can make their way into brain tissue.
The latest study, published in The Lancet, found that those who live closest to major traffic arteries were up to 12% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia – a small but significant increase in risk.
The study, which tracked roughly 6.6 million people for more than a decade, could not determine whether pollution is directly harmful to the brain. The increased dementia risk could also be a knock-on effect of respiratory and cardiac problems caused by traffic fumes or due to other unhealthy life-style factors associated with living in built-up urban environments.
ob Howard, a professor of old age psychiatry at University College London, who was not involved in the study, said: “We know that major road air pollution is bad for general health and this latest study doesn’t tell us whether the small increase in dementia risk is driven by indirect effects or whether proximity to traffic directly influences dementia pathology. Regardless of the route of causation, this study presents one more important reason why we must clean up the air in our cities.”
However, others cautioned that those living close to main roads should not be unduly alarmed by the findings.
Prof John Hardy, a neuroscientist at University College London said: “The analyses are exceedingly complex … and this always leads to concerns that the analytic complexity is hiding confounding factors in the analytic pipeline. There are several reasons why one might not want to live near a major road, but this study is not an additional one.”
miércoles, 4 de enero de 2017
No evidence sugar-free soft drinks aid weight loss – study
Are you trying to lose weight? This article from The Guardian could be interesting.
Soft drinks made with artificial sweeteners, such as diet colas, do not help people lose weight and may be as big a part of the obesity problem as the full-sugar versions, academics have said.
A paper by researchers at Imperial College London and two universities in Brazil contends that artificially sweetened beverages, often called diet drinks, are just as big a problem as those containing sugar. There is no evidence they help people lose weight, they say, possibly because people assume they can eat more because their drinks are low in sugar.
The report says the combined factors of what goes into artificially sweetened drinks, how they are consumed, and their environmental impact mean that “far from helping to solve the global obesity crisis [they are] a potential risk factor for highly prevalent chronic diseases”.
Sugar-sweetened drinks, including sports beverages, have been identified as one of the major causes of obesity. Many countries, including Mexico and France, have introduced sugar taxes to try to reduce consumption, and the UK plans to do so next year.
(...)
he British Soft Drinks Association dismissed the paper. Its director general, Gavin Partington, said: “Contrary to the claims made in this article, scientific research shows that low-calorie sweeteners, such as those found in diet drinks, help consumers manage their weight as part of a calorie-controlled diet.
“At a time when we are trying to encourage people to reduce their overall calorie intake it is extremely unhelpful that products that contain no sugar, let alone calories, are demonised without evidence.”
He added: “It’s worth bearing in mind that the UK soft drinks sector is the only category in which sugar is consistently falling year on year – over 17% since 2012.”
Read here the whole article: The Guardian_ Soft drinks
Soft drinks made with artificial sweeteners, such as diet colas, do not help people lose weight and may be as big a part of the obesity problem as the full-sugar versions, academics have said.
A paper by researchers at Imperial College London and two universities in Brazil contends that artificially sweetened beverages, often called diet drinks, are just as big a problem as those containing sugar. There is no evidence they help people lose weight, they say, possibly because people assume they can eat more because their drinks are low in sugar.
The report says the combined factors of what goes into artificially sweetened drinks, how they are consumed, and their environmental impact mean that “far from helping to solve the global obesity crisis [they are] a potential risk factor for highly prevalent chronic diseases”.
Sugar-sweetened drinks, including sports beverages, have been identified as one of the major causes of obesity. Many countries, including Mexico and France, have introduced sugar taxes to try to reduce consumption, and the UK plans to do so next year.
(...)
he British Soft Drinks Association dismissed the paper. Its director general, Gavin Partington, said: “Contrary to the claims made in this article, scientific research shows that low-calorie sweeteners, such as those found in diet drinks, help consumers manage their weight as part of a calorie-controlled diet.
“At a time when we are trying to encourage people to reduce their overall calorie intake it is extremely unhelpful that products that contain no sugar, let alone calories, are demonised without evidence.”
He added: “It’s worth bearing in mind that the UK soft drinks sector is the only category in which sugar is consistently falling year on year – over 17% since 2012.”
Read here the whole article: The Guardian_ Soft drinks
martes, 3 de enero de 2017
Happy 2017!!!
To all of you!
I hope you have already thought about your new year's proposals (going on a diet, doing more sport, giving up smoking???).
Have a very good time and try to rest as much as you can. I'll come back to your lives very soon!!!
I hope you have already thought about your new year's proposals (going on a diet, doing more sport, giving up smoking???).
Have a very good time and try to rest as much as you can. I'll come back to your lives very soon!!!
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