Titanium, the multitalented metal used in everything from jet engines to eyeglass frames, has taken on yet another role as the crucial component of two toothbrushes that aim to shake up the staid world of dental hygiene.
One of the brushes dispenses with toothpaste, instead employing a core of titanium dioxide that generates a plaque-removing electrochemical reaction. The other uses fine, flexible titanium bristles that can last for years. Both are getting favorable, if preliminary, reviews from scientists, dentists and consumer testers. Click here to see how it works!
The tried-and-true manual toothbrush has remained largely unchanged for generations. In the dental field, where professionals rarely agree on anything, the new brushes take some getting used to.
“People think it’s hocus-pocus,” said Erik Powers, of Powers International in Henderson, Nev., who has recently started importing the no-toothpaste Soladey brush to the United States. The brush was invented in Japan. “If you put this on the shelf next to a 99-cent toothbrush, which would you buy?”
For Nick Ravotti, a store manager in Manhattan, there is no question. “I’m a believer,” said Mr. Ravotti, who was given a brush by a reporter who received samples from the company.
When he eats his favorite salsa, the aftertaste, “normally kind of stagnant and sour,” is simply gone, Mr. Ravotti said. “It’s the most bizarre feeling,” he added. “I feel better after using this toothbrush than I do after using a regular toothbrush.”
Admittedly, it’s awkward, because the brush must be activated by bright light. (Mr. Ravotti shines a desk lamp into his mouth.)
The brush, available at http://nutronix.com , relies on a property of titanium dioxide. It is photocatalytic, meaning that it causes chemical reactions in the presence of light.
Light shining on the titanium dioxide rod in the brush’s handle generates negatively charged electrons, which steal positively charged ions from dental plaque, causing oxidation. Brushing creates a slurry of negatively charged saliva, which attracts and decomposes plaque.
The concept makes sense, said Donald C. Selmarten, a senior scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. “They are suggesting you can do oxidative electrochemistry inside your mouth,” he said. “The principle sounds reasonable. It is not out there in left field.”
But Dr. Selmarten has questions about the details — whether the wavelength of visible light is high enough to drive the reaction inside a dark mouth, and whether the resulting positive charge will actually remove plaque. The assumption is that “saliva, which is an aqueous solution with biomolecules in it, will be enough electrolyte to actually break down the contaminant,” he said.
Kunio Komiyama, a dentist at the University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry in Canada, is currently researching the next generation of Soladey, which has a solar panel in the handle to speed the reaction.
“We can prove this product has a bacteriocidic effect,” said Dr. Komiyama, whose research, sponsored by the brush’s maker, the Shiken Corporation of Osaka, Japan, suggests that the brush reduces the amount of oral bacteria.
The company says the titanium dioxide core will never lose effectiveness. But it does sell replacement heads, because the nylon bristles will eventually splay.
That is the problem that the TiFinity toothbrush, with its long-lasting titanium bristles, aims to solve.
“The efficacy of a nylon brush, which is the plaque-removal ability, drops 30 percent in the first three months,” said TiFinity’s inventor, Dane Q. Robinson, a dentist in Tempe, Ariz. The TiFinity brush should last several years.
Dr. Robinson, who invented the WaterPik automatic flosser, originally tried it with a filament of titanium alloy. It was wonderfully flexible, he said. He figured it would be excellent bristle material if it could be drawn fine enough.
Nylon bends but does not fully rebound, so the user must “do a lot of wiggling and jiggling,” Dr. Robinson said, to get the brush into the sulcus — the cuff of flesh that encircles each tooth — and the spaces between teeth.
TiFinity’s bristles, on the other hand, should lose neither shape nor effectiveness. Brushers gently move the tips of the bristles — finer than a cat’s whisker, but still firm, with a needlelike point — under the gumline and into the teeth’s deepest crevices.
When the TiFinity fails, the bristles will snap off or fall out, but will not lose their shape, Dr. Robinson said, adding that the brush will be available from his company’s Web site, TiFinityToothbrush.com, as soon as the technique for attaching the bristles to the head is perfected. It is to cost $46.95.
Is brushing with metal as scary as it sounds? Dr. Robinson says the TiFinity feels stimulating but not stiff. In an independent evaluation, the TiFinity was no more abrasive than a standard nylon brush, said Bruce Schemehorn of Therametric Technologies in Indianapolis, who tests dental products.
Dr. Michael Bruno, a Manhattan prosthodontist, examined the brush and was favorably impressed. Long-term testing is necessary, he said, but it seems the brush can easily remove plaque at the “delicate interface” between hard and soft tissues, and also reach into the very deepest grooves. “The brush represents a potential paradigm shift in the profession,” he said.
People conditioned to choose a soft brush might balk at using such strange bristles. But for those who care about their teeth, Dr. Bruno doesn’t see cost as a hurdle. “People want to have a healthy mouth,” he said.
6 ways to clog-proof your heart
When it comes to heart health, fat and cholesterol are the traditional enemies. But in recent research, it’s been shown that there are new ways to combat heart troubles and clear your arteries for a long, heart-happy life.
Your best bet: make use of both the old and the new wisdom on preventing clogged arteries. Here’s our top 6 picks for heart health, chosen for effectiveness as well as the almost effortless ways you can implement them into your own lifestyle:
Got calcium?
One of the best ways to fight “bad” or LDL cholesterol is to raise your levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol. One marathoner explained that HDL acts like a sort of Drano to your arteries, sweeping away the plaque that would otherwise build up and create a blockage that leads to serious strain on the heart or heart attack. Though this has been conventional wisdom for quite a while, the new surprise is one of the ways you can raise HDL levels – with calcium. The American Journal of Medicine just reported on a study in which patients who took 1,000 mgs of calcium a day had a 7 percent rise in their HDL levels. Try popping a calcium supplement like Sango Cal Coral Calcium from Nutronix, which may promote the restoration of favorable levels. Even the lead researcher in the study, Ian Reid M.D., said that a supplement is probably a better way to get this much calcium, since there isn’t as much research yet on calcium-containing foods.
Build more lower-body muscle
People like the marathoner just mentioned above tend to have great HDL levels because of their killer training schedules. And unfortunately, there’s no getting around the fact that to have optimal health, you’ve got to exercise. Now researchers are finding out that aerobic exercise isn’t the only way to achieve better HDL numbers. An Ohio University study found that weight training does it, too – in far less time. In the study, men who did even a fairly minimal lower-body routine consisting of squats, leg extensions and leg presses brought their HDL levels up 19 percent. Just 3 sets of 6-8 reps on each exercise, twice a week, made a big difference. To get your workouts on the right course, join the http://nutronixfitness.com through Nutronix! You can get customized workout routines, meal plans and much, much more!! Win-win!
Double up on fruits and veggies
Choose the most colorful produce you can find, and enjoy twice as much of it. The antioxidants not only keep your heart happy, but fight the whole litany of age-related ailments as well. Antioxidants work by scavenging or grabbing up all the oxygen fragments (free radicals) that would otherwise damage cells and tissues – including heart tissue. It’s not as tough as you think to work more fruits and veggies into your diet – especially if you have snacks like berries, baby carrots and citrus wedges ready to go. Try for 2 servings of veggies with each meal, which could be a double hit of broccoli, peas or asparagus, or a bit more salad (steer clear of iceberg, and choose one of the darker leaf lettuces). Or just take your Nugreens through Nutronix!! Each scoop is equivilent to eating 8 salads!! Now that's easy enough!
Make fats your friend
Fats? Friendly? That sounds crazy, since many kinds of fat like saturated and trans fats actually accelerate aging and put you at much higher risk of heart disease. Yet the American Heart Association recommends fat in the diet for lowering your risk of cardiovascular problems – as long as it is the right kind of fat.
Turns out that most Americans are severely lacking in these “good” fats – the monounsaturated fats such as those found in olive oil and fatty fish (like salmon). What’s more, the fish oils contain high levels of a very important fat called Omega-3 fatty acid. While other foods like flaxseed and walnut oils also contain Omega-3, researchers have now found that it is the fish oil type called DHA that is best, since the plant-source Omega-3 is not readily converted to DHA in the body. The most reliable sources of this healthy fat are marine sources, such as salmon and other fatty fish, or the marine-source supplement Omega 3-6-9. Omega 3-6-9 may well be a superior source of DHA, which is the fat that is shown to reduce risks of heart disease, macular degeneration and even Alzheimer’s. Nutritionists are strongly recommending a proper Omega-3 supplement such as Omega 3-6-9.
Enjoy these former no-nos
Many of the items formerly on your “avoid” list have just attained new star status in the fight against aging and heart disease: chocolate, wine, and tea are now on the definite “indulge” list. All three contain high levels of antioxidants, and all three have been extensively studied for their role in preventing the risks of all sorts of age-related illnesses. A few caveats, though. The chocolate has to be at least 70% dark cocoa powder to make the impact you crave, so that means no milk chocolate or truffly cream-filled varieties (most high-end chocolate bars have the cocoa content displayed prominently on the label these days). The wine should be a nice red, since reds contain 20% more antioxidants than white wines. With both chocolate and wine, savor! But don’t overdo. Too much of these good things have the opposite effect you’re trying to achieve. With green tea, however, go ahead and have as much as you want, up to 5 cups a day. The antioxidants and other compounds in green tea keep your heart healthy and your body slim. Sorry, black tea and herbal teas don’t count.
Choose foods that remember where they come from
Make just one simple rule for yourself, and watch the pounds and the health risks drop off: choose real food instead of processed. Any time a food’s natural, original form is hard to determine, you consider steering clear. Example: a protein candy bar in all its rectangular, obscured-origin glory often has an ingredient list so long it barely fits on the glitzy wrapper – but a serving of edamame or beans packs a protein punch in tasty simplicity. Hyper-flavored snack chips? Or a few fresh slices of real sweet potato, lightly sea-salted? White bread vs. whole-grain? Your choice – just know that processed foods accelerate aging and clog arteries, and the more processing the worse for you.
The other benefit of our Top 6 list? These are all suggestions that will make you feel great! Make a commitment to yourself and to your future health today, by implementing these few easy ideas. And keep your heart in top condition for years to come.
Heart Disease Kills More Women Under 45
ATLANTA (AP) -- For decades, heart disease death rates have been falling. But a new study shows a troubling turn -- more women under 45 are dying of heart disease due to clogged arteries, and the death rate for men that age has leveled off.
Heart experts aren't sure what went wrong, but they think increasing rates of obesity and other risk factors are to blame.
The rates will have to be monitored to see if this is the beginning of a real trend. But if the data holds, the new study may be an early glimpse of the impact of escalating obesity and diabetes on U.S. deaths, said Wayne Rosamond, a University of North Carolina epidemiology professor and expert on heart disease statistics.
''This could be a harbinger of things to come,'' Rosamond said.
To be sure, the overall trend is still positive: From 1980 through 2002, the death rate from blocked heart arteries was cut in half for men and women over 35. Improvements in treatment and preventive measures, including cholesterol-lowering medications, get the credit.
But what's going on with younger adults is startling, said Dr. Anthony DeMaria, editor of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which is publishing the study and released it Monday.
''We have a pretty rosy view of how things are going in the war against cardiovascular disease,'' DeMaria said. ''I view this paper as a wake-up call that says there is a very important segment of our population that needs some attention.''
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing almost 700,000 Americans each year.
Nearly 500,000 of those deaths are attributed to coronary heart disease, in which fat and plaque clog the arteries feeding blood to the heart, sometimes called hardening of the arteries. Heart attacks are a common result.
It can take many years for arteries to get dangerously blocked. About 93 percent of deaths occur in people 55 and older.
But a combination of factors -- including genetics, obesity and high cholesterol -- are sometimes fatal for younger adults. In 2002, about 25,000 men and 8,000 women ages 35 to 54 died of coronary heart disease.
The study was done by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Control and Prevention and Britain's University of Liverpool. They looked at U.S. vital statistics for artery-related deaths in adults ages 35 and older for the years 1980 through 2002, the most recent year for which data was available when the analysis was done.
When they compared age groups, they detected the worrisome difference. The study found the death rate for women ages 35 to 44 rose from 1997 to 2002, when the rate was 8.2 per 100,000 women, the highest it's been since 1987.
In actual numbers, the increase amounts to roughly 100 added deaths a year of women in that age group. That's a relatively small impact in the entire U.S. population.
Still, the results are statistically significant and a legitimate cause for concern, said Dr. Wayne Giles, director of the CDC's division of adult and community health.
''That's like an MD-88 crashing every year,'' he said, referring to a medium-size commuter jet plane.
The rates for men age 35 to 44 were relatively stable in the last few years of the study period. The rate was 26 deaths per 100,000 men in that age group in 2002.
The fact the male rate didn't worsen may indicate doctors are more likely to suspect heart disease in men that age than in women, said the CDC's Dr. Earl Ford, a study co-author.
For all ages, the female death rate fell to 261 from 514 per 100,000; the male rate fell to 430 from 898 per 100,000.
Chlorella, Your Natural Wonder Supplement in Nugreens
As supplements go, chlorella is among the elite few that reside in the "Near Perfect" category. For a simple single-cell algae plant coming from fresh water, chlorella's range of benefits is astounding.* Chlorella will help you:
To detoxify your body*
Improve your digestive system, including decreasing constipation*
Focus more clearly and for greater duration*
Promote a healthy pH balance*
Help freshen breath*
Chlorella is a supplement comprised of whole algae, unlike most commercial vitamins. And, chlorella is superior to vitamin supplements in many ways.
Over the past several years, pioneering research led by Dietrich Klinghardt, MD, Ph.D, one of the world's most knowledgeable physicians in mercury detoxification, has shed a blinding light on chlorella's amazing detoxifying properties.*
Far Superior to Typical Vitamin Supplements and Other Algae & Grasses
Chlorella is natural and the nutrients in it are bio-chelated, which means they are naturally wrapped in amino acids so the body will more readily take them in. Typical supplements, meanwhile, are nothing more than an amalgam of concentrates and extracts that have been artificially stitched together because -- at least on paper -- they look like they should provide balanced nutrition. Chlorella's nutrients are naturally balanced and won't accumulate in your body and become toxic -- yet another reason they are superior to any man-made vitamin supplement.
Chlorella is also the superior of the three algae and two cereal grasses commonly available: chlorella, spirulina, blue-green algae, wheat grass and barley grass. Its tough cell walls provide advantages above the other four, including an outstanding ability to detoxify the body.*
Dr. Howard Fisher Explains the Importance of Enzymes
Dr. Howard Fisher on Nuzyme
Reduce Grains and Sugar to Lose Weight and Improve Health
For several million years, humans existed on a diet of animals and vegetation. It was only with the advent of agriculture a mere 10,000 years ago -- a fraction of a second in evolutionary time -- that humans began ingesting large amounts of sugar and starch in the form of grains (and potatoes) into their diets. Indeed, 99.99% of our genes were formed before the advent of agriculture; in biological terms, our bodies are still those of hunter-gatherers.
While the human shift to agriculture produced indisputable gains for man -- modern civilization is based on this epoch -- societies where the transition from a primarily meat/vegetation diet to one high in cereals show a reduced lifespan and stature, increases in infant mortality and infectious disease, and higher nutritional deficiencies.
Contemporary humans have not suddenly evolved mechanisms to incorporate the high carbohydrates from starch- and sugar-rich foods into their diet. In short, we are consuming far too much bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain, not a vegetable), rice, potatoes and Little Debbie snack cakes, with very grave consequences to our health. Making matters worse, most of these carbohydrates we consume come in the form of processed food.
That 65% of Americans are overweight, and 27% clinically obese, in a nation addicted to sesame seed buns for that hamburger, with a side of French fries and a Coke, is no coincidence. It is not the fat in the foods we eat but, far more, the excess carbohydrates from our starch- and sugar-loaded diet that is making people fat and unhealthy, and leading to epidemic levels of a host of diseases such as diabetes.
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, chances are very good that the excess carbohydrates in your body are, in part or whole, to blame:
Excess weight
Fatigue and frequent sleepiness
Depression
Brain fogginess
Bloating
Low blood sugar
High blood pressure
High triglycerides
We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, of course, but, through our addiction to grains, potatoes, sweets and other starchy and sugary foods, we are consuming far too many. The body's storage capacity for carbohydrates is quite limited, though, so here's what happens to all the excess: they are converted, via insulin, into fat and stored in the adipose, or fatty, tissue.
Any meal or snack high in carbohydrates generates a rapid rise in blood glucose. To adjust for this rise, the pancreas secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream, which lowers the glucose. Insulin is, though, essentially a storage hormone, evolved over those millions of years of humans prior to the agricultural age, to store the excess calories from carbohydrates in the form of fat in case of famine.
Insulin, stimulated by the excess carbohydrates in our overabundant consumption of grains, starches and sweets, is responsible for all those bulging stomachs and fat rolls in thighs and chins.
Even worse, high insulin levels suppress two other important hormones -- glucagons and growth hormones -- that are responsible for burning fat and sugar and promoting muscle development, respectively. So insulin from excess carbohydrates promotes fat, and then wards off the body's ability to lose that fat.
Excess weight and obesity lead to heart disease and a wide variety of other diseases. But the ill effect of grains and sugars does not end there. They suppress the immune system, contributing to allergies, and they are responsible for a host of digestive disorders. They contribute to depression, and their excess consumption is, in fact, associated with many of the chronic diseases in our nation, such as cancer and diabetes.
Newest Thoughts on Brain Food
This intriguing editorial from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looks at the effects of omega-3 fats on brain health. Now that more than5 million Americans have some form of Alzheimer’s disease, and just as many suffer from vascular dementia, preventing and slowing theprogression of neurodegenerative disorders is a public health imperative.
A host of recent studies, in the AJCN and elsewhere, have looked at the relationbetween omega-3 fats and cognitive function. These studies could eventually lead to opportunities for early intervention to maintain brainfunction and slow progression to dementia.
One of the best things you can do to prevent dementia--and a variety of other chronic disease--is to adhere to a nutritious diet, suitable for your nutritional type. Increase the amount of fresh vegetables, which are high in folate, in your diet, and restrict grains and sugars.
One of the crucial balancing acts on the course to better health, and warding off dementia, is mastering the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fats in your daily diet. Both are essential for your health. However, the typical American consumes far too many omega-6 fats and not enough omega-3 fats, like DHA.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats should be 1:1. Today, your intake ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 averages from 20:1 to 50:1!
The easiest way to balance your ratio is to consume more omega-3 fats from good sources and to reduce your intake of omega-6 fats. The primary sources of omega-6 are corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil, so avoid or limit these oils. Your best source for omega-3 is from fish oil like Omega 3-6-9. This is a clean, safe and pure alternative to fresh fish.
13 Tips to Actually Enjoy Exercising
I used to hate exercising too. Going to the gym, running and most forms of physical activity seemed dull and painful compared to most other ways I could spend my time. But by not giving up and looking for a way I could enjoy working out, I reversed this pattern. Now I exercise 5-6 times per week and I hate not being able to go.
Here’s some tips to make exercise something you actually want to do:
Make it a Habit - Remove the thinking element. If you can make exercise a habit, then it becomes that much easier to go. Here’s some tips on making habits stick if you aren’t sure where to start.
Get a Partner - Get someone else to go to the gym with you. Pick someone who is committed to their health. Not only can you socialize with someone while you’re there, but you’ll have a backup in case your motivation alone isn’t enough to drag yourself out there.
Tune Your Challenge Level - Here are two bad ways to start exercising. Go out and run until your winded and dry-heaving into a ditch. Show up to the gym, walk around, don’t do anything strenuous and go back home. In one case you put the challenge level to high, the other wasn’t challenging at all. Your goal is to set a workout routine that is challenging, but not overwhelming. Challenge is key to enjoyment.
Set Goals - Not weight-loss or muscle gain goals, but fitness goals. Set goals to beat your past records in distance ran, push-ups or chin-ups you can do, weight you can lift or degree you can stretch. Fitness goals make the gym a game where you strive to beat your previous high-score.
Get Past Your Comfort Zone - So what if you aren’t the most svelte or muscular person in the gym? Self-consciousness can be a big obstacle to enjoying your workout. The key is to get used to it. When you continue to show up, you’ll pay less attention to the people around you and more to your workout.
Experiment - Don’t stick with the same routine. Mix it up and try different activities. There are many different exercise routines you can follow or activities to try. If you don’t like lifting weights or running, try sports, martial arts or dancing. Assuming that exercise needs to be pumping iron or jogging may limit you from finding something you would truly enjoy.
Music - This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but music can enhance a workout. I find running almost twice as enjoyable with music than without it.
Short Workouts - Don’t have time or enthusiasm to last an hour? Just go for twenty or thirty minutes. Shorter workouts can be better than longer ones if the intensity is higher and you become more focused as a result. After an hour or two of exercise your body starts to go into a state where more exercise can actually reduce physical improvements.
Daily Challenges - Make your workout into a game. Sticking with the same type of exercises can get boring, so mix it up by introducing an unusual workout challenge. My gym partner and I have played a game that involves sit-ups and a deck of cards or one workout day that involves different types of push-ups. If you aren’t sure where to get ideas, look through a magazine like Mens Fitness which usually features a variety of different workouts.
Reward Showing Up, Not Weight Loss - Some people have gotten the idea that they should reward themselves for losing weight or gaining muscle. I disagree. Instead, I think you should reward showing up to the gym and exercising regularly. There are many ways you can lose or gain weight in unhealthy fashions. Rewarding exercise is rewarding your commitment to health.
Make Exercise Your Stress Relief - I know many people that swear by using the gym to relieve stress. Some of them will head to the gym because of a frustrating day even if it isn’t on their schedule. Exercising can be cathartic and release negative feelings if you get used to using it that way. Then instead of avoiding the gym because of a stressful day, it will be your reason to go.
Record Improvements - Again I recommend recording fitness over body improvements. Recording weight loss or muscle gain is a good idea, but because of the way your metabolism functions it becomes increasingly harder to make weight changes as you go to the gym more regularly. But fitness improvements can, if you work on it, continue to rise. Keep a record of your strength, endurance and flexibility so you can get pride in your accomplishments.
Make Time - You can’t say you don’t have time to exercise. Exercise improves your energy levels and mood which makes you more productive than any time lost. Find your forty minutes somewhere in the day and make it a commitment. Get up a bit earlier and go in the morning. Or schedule it right after work before you settle down for the day. Once you make time and make it a habit, you’ll actually want to exercise instead of just feeling you should.
You Must See This Amazing Illusion
love optical illusions and magical tricks that challenge the boundaries of reality. In this incredible video, magician Kevin James cuts a man in half with a chainsaw, then puts him back together!
I’m still trying to figure out how he did that!
Getting Rid of Yesterday: How to Start Your Day Fresh
Sometimes we start a day with the previous day still in mind. We think about the mistakes we made in the previous day, how things went wrong, and how we felt bad about it. No wonder it becomes difficult to focus on the current day. And since we cannot fully focus on the day, our performance may drop and things may once again go wrong. This pattern could repeat again and again, where the burden from the previous day is taken to the current day and make it bad, which will then be a burden for the following day. The chain may be hard to break and your overall performance may drop, not to mention the difficulty to have a peaceful mind.
So it’s important leave the past day behind. Always start your new day fresh, without thinking about yesterday. This way you will be able to fully concentrate, do your best, and improve your performance.
Here are some steps on how to do that:
1. Take time to evaluate your day
At the end of a day, take some time to think about it. You should do it at the same day and not wait until the next day. You should finish dealing with your day before the next morning comes.
The purpose of this thinking time is not to regret how bad your day was, how things went wrong, or how people treated you negatively. This won’t do you any good to improve your life. Instead, the purpose of this thinking time is to extract lessons which you can bring to the following day.
2. Ask the right questions to extract lessons
To extract the lessons, you should ask the right questions. There are basically two questions you should ask:
What have you done well? There should be some things you have done well. What are they and how did you do them? What can you do to make sure that you can continue doing them well or even better?
What have you done wrong? Usually there are also some things that do not go as expected. What are they and how could they happen? What can you do to improve yourself and avoid the same mistakes in the future?
3. Make a commitment to apply the lessons
After you extract the lessons, you should make a commitment to apply them. To do so, find some actionable things you can do to apply the lessons. Next, remind yourself to do them. You may write them down if you want to.
4. “Close” your day
After you have spent the time to think about the day and extract the lessons, make a decision to “close” the day. Think of it as closing the door to the past day. You are done with it; don’t think about it anymore. You should close the door to the past day so that you can start your new day fresh.
Here are some things you should realize to make it easier to “close” a day:
The day has passed; there’s nothing you can do about it. You can’t change the past no matter how hard you try.
Instead of thinking about something you can’t change, focus instead on the things you can change, and that is the present.
Having the mindset to focus on what you can change will make it easier to “close” your day.
5. Bring only the lessons to the next day and nothing else
After you “close” a day, you should not bring anything out of it to the next day except for the lessons you extract. These lessons deal with things you can do something about. They deal with the present, not the past. Instead of thinking about the past, focus on applying the lessons to the present. This way you will be able to start your day fresh without the burden of yesterday.
Donald Latumahina is an avid learner who blogs regularly about personal growth and effectiveness at Life Optimizer. He enjoys reading, writing, music, and connecting with people. He is currently a graduate student in information systems.
