Terry Lloyd's Blog, page 29

Experiences.

Life is what you make it or so I have been told and indeed how you use memories are an important part of the present and future. At this time I thought it would be a great moment to reflect on a simple but significant trip from my early days to the seaside.

The couch was crowded with happy chatting children, parents and guardians. Although in real terms the journey may not have been long, there was constant inquiry from the children of are we there yet? It was early morning and the sunlight glinted off of the shiny bright parts of the cars on the road as the journey progressed.

Boldly and in unison, there was the collective exclamation, as just for a moment in front of the coach there was a flash of extensive blue with the sunlight reflected off the expanse of ocean. It was not long after that, chattering eager visitors swarmed over the beach, after being instructed not to be late for the return journey. This warning would later have a particular importance for myself.

At that precise time it was of commanding importance that a Punch and Judy show was about to open for the pleasure of the awaiting sitting crowd. The beach was crowded with ice cream munching visitors. The sun beamed down and many of the lounging figures, some draped with handkerchiefs over the head, were turning a deep lobster red.

I joined a small group of children bent on exploring the rocky stretch that was secluded in the shade under the massive rusty supports for the extensive pier. At first I was invigorated by the cooler air and the pungent smell of the copious seaweed until things began to take an alarming turn. The leading group of children had an amazing agility and totally lacked any fear of falling. The distance between myself and them, was becoming greater every second, but I needed to keep up.

It was with a shock that I found myself staring at the wooden planks of the underside of the pier. The back of my head hurt and I had a strange taste in my mouth as I had inadvertently bit my own tongue from the fall. It took a few moments for me to regain my feet and set off after my compatriots, who of course were oblivious of my predicament. The back of my shorts were soaking wet and stuck uncomfortably to my skin.

We had travelled so far out on the rocks that the waves were crashing over them making an awesome spray display, high it shot out into the air. The truth is back then, I have no doubt it was fear rather than good judgement that caused me to break off from following my companions and return to the amusements on the pier.

Like many things, there is good and bad luck and sometimes both at the same time. After watching the bumper cars I came across a rear gunner machine that displayed a series of attacking aircraft and the objective was that I had to shoot them. I did not realise something was wrong until I heard somebody remark, you should join the Royal Air Force! It was then that I realised the machine was not stopping but continuously running and the time for me was of no consideration. Somebody from the coach announced you’re lost and we need to get to the coach before it leaves. I resented the accusation, as obviously I knew where I was, but it snapped me into timely action anyhow.

Even if at the time things may seem bad, they have a potential to shape good decisions in the future. Memories and experiences can be the lasting examples that we need to use history to our advantage and never let any lesson or skill learnt to go to waste.

Using Your Imagination.

Using your imagination, in the best way, can expand your capabilities. Some of the fun things one can do with imagination is revel in pleasurable journeys. It could be in exotic water locations as you marvel at the never ending beauty of colour in the rainbows caused by sunlight. The great thing about imagination is that it can be used anywhere and is a powerful way of changing the mental and physical state into a more beneficial condition.

One of my favourite scenarios is walking on the wet beach with bare feet and in glorious sunshine there are rocks draped with seaweed and deep in the bottom of the water, life of all sorts can be seen. Over head the seagulls swoop with their distinctive calls and there is the constant faint sound of the waves surging along the beach.

Imagination is not just the gateway to dreams, it is vital in improving memory techniques, mindful practices such as visualising words and objects that can be linked by association. Take things that are already known in order, for example numbers or letters of the alphabet that come to life when they are linked into visual pegs, just waiting for associating to anything that needs to be remembered.

I use my imagination to make a peg visualisation of the number one. I do this by immediately seeing a lighthouse. If I want to go to the shops and buy potatoes, that is the first thing to remember, so I see the lighthouse as a giant potato with a flashing light from the top of it. Alternatively, I could see the lighthouse top surrounded by lots of tiny potatoes that look like flashing lights. It is important to actually see the action of what you want to remember.

It is quite possible that after implementing the method of visualisation, you can even build on your sense of stress management and wellbeing. Stress and the lack of sleep are an ever constant threat to every day good health. Imagination is a vital tool to drastically improve these conditions. Simply directing your thoughts into visualisation is a positive occupation with proven results, it could help you fall naturally into a restful sleep and improve the ability to relax.

Memories.

Memoires, good or bad, are what life is about. For me, although personal, they contain a certain type of wit that when shared may cause a smile or two. After all, a good laugh is a proven tonic for keeping good health.

It is strange that on looking back to my earliest memoires, it is quite possible my adult view may trigger different feelings about some of the aspects them but regardless these memories are the ones that have filled my life.

Breast feeding babies at one time was thought of as an ideal. It was widely thought of as a highly prized practice and in fact, considered at that precise time to be the ultimate goal of good motherhood. Unfortunately as a baby I was not aware of this method of thought and even if I had been born at that exact time I had a complete aversion to the whole process, the bottle would have to do. Another alarming event from babyhood was the feeling of being tightly restrained in the pram, presumably it was for my own safety and yet I remember knowing the panic of too much saliva in my throat and being unable to move to release the blockage due to the multiple coverings over me. To make matters worse a lady passing by loomed over me grinning and completely unaware of my situation, frightened me further.

My first encounter with water was not great. In fact I was a toddler and my father was supposed to be watching me. To be fair, if he had not been there. that would have been my lot. In the back garden of a house was a pond with fish swimming around in it. I am not sure whether I wanted to get closer to the fish or I just fell in. I remember the sensation of water rushing through my open mouth and up my nose and just a glimpse of light before thankfully my father pulled me to safety.

My schooldays were covered by reports, such as he tries hard but always seems to underperform.
That is until the last two years of school when a dynamic change took place. From the bottom of the class I achieved the distinction of being top in most subjects, with the exception of arithmetic and physical training. My classmates were gathered in a queue waiting their turn to spring board the box that was waiting for me. I started my run with confidence, until I found myself upside down plummeting into the safety mat on the other side of the box. My fellow school mates were doubled up with laughter at my expense but ever the student of life, I like to think that the last laugh was mine. From every action in life is the opportunity to learn for the future and ever since while my athletic prowess is not totally competitive worthy, at least I can hold my own in an exercise class, well one of my own making anyhow!

My first car was a three wheeler with the single wheel at the back, which did not create a problem until one day after a heavy fall of snow, other cars had created tracks in the snow and the rear wheel of my car could not decide which side of the central mound of snow to be on. So I was left with my car hopping from side to side, which I can tell you, although amusing was quite uncomfortable. Another comical feature of my car was for some reason it was impossible to select first gear or still have the reverse gear. I chose the first gear and when necessary for reverse would stop and get out of the car to pick the rear of the car up and position it in the new direction. This of course would be most entertaining for any onlookers but was not, shall we say, the most super or slick car driver image that I had ever had in mind for myself.

If you can laugh about it, learn from it, or even achieve both, then the process of memory making can be a most successful gift that keeps on giving.

Taking Control.

How things are viewed, and ultimately perceived, can make a great difference to both health and happiness. It is well known that the example of stating an opinion, on if one thinks the glass is half full or half empty, can separate optimists from the pessimists.

In a wider context an acquaintance who regularly bemoans constant business and private problems to me, recently spoke of the problems in their life. In an effort to help, I made what I believed to be a constructive suggestion to alleviate the situation, but the problem solving option was promptly discarded by them. It is clear to me, I am more often than not, only helping by listening and a solution to the problems is not always the point of the conversation.

The other day I came across a tip of life changing proportions and all of that, in a simple five word sentence. Take being happy for example, all you have to do, is act on it. So, to be something, act something out.

People can be demonstrating this mind over body technique all the time, without even realising it. In the morning they may feel not quite as refreshed as usual, so the subconscious thought is I am not well and they start reinforcing the original subconscious feeling into actions of not being well. However if the conscious mind had taken charge and noted the positives, prioritising the good over the bad and the potential for achievement, all of these aspects can have a significant influence on one’s overall state of wellbeing.

It is all too easy to let one’s nerves fray and temper unravel at times of distress. Take for example many incidents of road rage which can manifest from misunderstanding. When driving the car and some other driver starts flashing their lights, if one stops to take a moment to appraise the situation, it could avert a bigger problem. It could be for some well intentioned reason, such as one may have forgotten to switch the cars lights on. Before acting negatively, even if one feels stressed, do not let it get the better of the situation. Try the counting to ten slowly and breathing method of deep breaths inhaled through the nose and exhaled through the mouth, all of which will help to lower the anxiety levels and probably the blood pressure too!

If a particular situation seems like it is getting out of control, then assert as much positive action reinforcement into it, as possible. Engaging in a proactive task can reduce stress and perhaps bring about a successful or positive result as a consequence. Remember that an individual’s influence can matter and whatever comes about can be because of what has been put into it. There is a lot to be gained from understanding the positive attributes of control and taking up the right measures to enhance what it can achieve.

Notable Books.

The greatest joys in life, for many people, are books. The ones that stand out for each and everybody will of course vary greatly. My first encounter with the printed word stands out vividly in my mind.

My first ever voyage into literary wonder involved a large, brightly illustrated children's story. It was quite short, in fact ten pages, which coincided with a dramatic telling of a sort of ten green bottles on the wall story. The only difference being that this particular version had a far more haunting effect. The first page depicted ten happy smiling characters, that was up to the point of page after page, as one by one each character met an untimely demise until there were none. Even as a child the book had a hypnotic power, and even though I was somewhat uneasy about the prospects of the contents, upon opening the first page I could not put it down until all the pages were read. Could it be that I was looking for a happy ending?

One day completely by chance I came across a paperback novel that was discreetly hidden. I do not know which was the bigger surprise, the type of book or who had hidden it? It is enough to say the person was a senior member of my family and the novel in question was called Forever Amber written by Kathleen Winsor. The plot highlighted the conditions of the 17th century with the terrible loss of life due to the plague and later, the fire of London. A copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover was the next novel to frequent that particular vacated hiding place and I shall say no more on the matter.

My greatest possession in childhood was a beautiful lustrated copy of Aesop's Fables. The stories
are a great introduction to the complexity of morality. On leaving school, an important tool to guide
me in those coming years was a copy of the Christian Holy Bible. Of course if I was in another country it might well have been a copy of the Koran or the Veda.

Later in life, Salman Rushdie’s literary contribution hit world fame after the Ayatollah had issued a
a fatwa on the author, demanding his death. Surely the contents of this offending masterpiece must contain some shocking revelation, it consequently made me think. I began to wade through a rambling page after page, of in my opinion, loquacious and anticlimatic text. I never found the aforementioned revelation in the book, but took on board quantity can not replace quality.

My wife used to tell fairy stories and nursery rhymes to my daughter but used to make a point of changing the horrific endings into heart warming conclusions that left my daughter, I hope in a much better condition than myself, especially after having read the ten page shocker of my childhood.

Surely, literature and the most notable books, are the ones that can captivate the reader to want to see the journey through. Notable books evoke a response from the audience, albeit positive or negative. Notable for the impressions, meanings or mindful motivations that they can relay, books can be the reason or simply the basis for interpretations and altered perspectives. Transcending religions, cultures and borders, a good book can be notable in so many ways.

Coronavirus.

Good and bad exist in most aspects of life, but this might specially be true about the coronavirus. You may well have heard of this virus, in the news, on the news and once again it is vital to remember that not all knowledge is power, but learning the right facts could well keep you in the know, health and safety wise!

A typical virus is very small when compared with bacteria. The sort of good news is the genome of the coronavirus is near the large end of viruses. When it comes to the spread of the virus this could take the form of droplets in mucus that is spread from a sneeze with an approximate proximity of three to six foot. However, respiratory viruses can also travel through the air as tiny dry particles that are called aerosols. The big question is, can face masks electively prevent infection of the virus? The answer is that it depends on the type of mask and how precautions are taken in its use. One direct benefit of a mask is cutting down hand to mouth infection but how long a coronavirus can survive on surfaces is not clear.

An incubation time of fourteen days is being used to ensure people are clear of infection. Self isolation is a major step in trying to cut down the spread of the virus.

As it is estimated, it will be a year or eighteen months before an effective vaccine will be available. However another form of defence can be employed. Fortunately this one, you can be in charge of yourself and what you do, can have a huge influence over the success rate.

As the infection is more likely to be severe with the vulnerable members of the population, the strength of the immune system will be critical. Many people may be aware of these suggestions, but if they are not put into action, that knowledge will only be of theoretical use. Sufficient deep sleep and reducing stress are of supreme importance. A good diet including natural vitamin C, garlic and mixed vegetables can help towards building up the immunity of the body. Eggs are a source of vital nutrients. Keeping hydrated, not forgetting to drink plenty of water and doing a healthy amount of exercise, will all help to maintain your body’s fitness level and capability in fighting off any infection, if necessary.

For many years people at the first sign of a cold have taken echinacea, which is a natural flowering plant herbal remedy, for colds and flu. It is always advisable to ensure that it is appropriate for you to take but as there is no cure for conditions as such, it is useful to know about the natural alternatives that can help to reduce or even offset the symptoms. Extracts of echinacea do seem to have an effect on the immune system, and your body's defence against germs. Research shows it increases the number of white blood cells, which can go on to fight infections. There is no standard dose of echinacea, you can take it in capsule form, some people use echinacea tea, 6-8 ounces, four times daily. Echinacea appears to be most effective when started as soon as symptoms are noticed, taken many times a day, and used for about seven to ten days.

Keeping a stronghold on perspective and practicality should allow you to become informed and not overwhelmed. There is a lot of information out there but utilising what actually applies to this specific virus and the potential for you is crucial to the individual health and wellbeing of society. Being mindful of how you demonstrate your knowledge and ability will not only help you but it could improve the outlook of others around you.

Metabolism.

Keeping healthy is a main objective and a subject that everybody can have an influence on. Knowing the aim is not always the end of it, knowing how to best achieve health for you, could well be the key to success. It is to that end, knowing what and how metabolism works, is the optimum place to start.

Metabolism is the chemical process in organisms, that sustain life by converting food in to building units for energy, and maintain cellular activity. This means there is a constant dissembling and assembling of molecules of which are vital for all that is involved in life.

Health is often associated to nourishment. Food for humans comes in three broad categories. The first of which is fat and it has a unique quality in relation to metabolism. It is neutral to storing body fat. It is ironic that it also has more than double the calories of protein or carbohydrates. This might be the reason that in general there is an aversion to consuming fat. The truth is of the three food types, it is carbohydrates that dictate the mode of the human body as to storing or burning body fat. Proteins are in the middle of fat and carbohydrates, for storing body fat and if a large amount is consumed, will also cause a retaining of body fat.

From a neutral position of say after a good night’s sleep, the metabolic reaction works like this, if the first food or drink is a carbohydrate or a mixture of fat and protein with a carbohydrate included that really is the break of the fast. That means for a further four hours there will be no burning of fat and instead all the food potentially will be stored as body fat. After four hours or so the body is again in a neutral state and if the next food consumed is free of carbohydrates then the body has a choice of storing or not storing fat from that meal.

However green vegetables and dairy contribute to providing important vitamins and minerals, as well as the fact that cruciferous greens buffer fat storage and this is because of the fibre that they contain.

A good principle to keep in mind when associating eating habits to your health is to Only eat when you are hungry and stop just before you are feeling too full. It may be easy to say but convention is difficult to break. That extra bite of food to finish the entirety of your plate may well promote a false notion of polite behaviour and actually cause an increase in the potential of health problems for the future.

The size and frequency of meals can play an important part in maintaining a healthy metabolism. Not to forget that carbohydrates are the food that switches fat burning to fat storage.

The point is not so much about storing fat but what is happening to the surplus tiny carriers of fat, that are prone to deterioration and as they get smaller, are collected by the defence system of the body. It is then, that another part of the defence system will try to reprocess them, or excrete them. This is a pretty good system until it is overwhelmed by the burden it might have to bear.

Metabolism involves more than just food. Another important aspect is stress. It builds up over time and can leave the switch of storing fat in the on position. It also can interfere with the quality and length of sleep, a process that allows for vital repair and recovery, and promotion of a healthy metabolism to take place throughout the body and brain.

A healthy metabolism is the foundation for good health. Understanding how it works and what can be done to promote it, can be a useful way to help improve how you look at your own health matters.

Arthritis.

Painful, distressing, debilitating, it is quite possible that at some point through life, one might encounter the condition of Arthritis. Grandparents, parents and even yourself, in younger years, could have become prone to hearing the name and lifestyle associations of this widely recognised joint afflicting condition.

The pain associated with arthritis is often known as Arthralgia. Arthritis itself can usually make itself known to a person through a number of symptoms, which can include swelling and stiffness in one or multiple joints, morning stiffness in and around the affected joints, pain and stiffness that worsens with inactivity and can improve with physical activity, a reduced range of motion and sometimes fever, weight loss, fatigue and/or anaemia.

The main difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is the cause behind the joint symptoms. Osteoarthritis is caused by mechanical wear and tear which is felt and shown on joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, in which the body's own immune system, starts to attack the body's joints. It is this form of arthritis that is not age dependant and may begin at any time in life.

You could well have heard of the covering phrase, a touch of Arthritis, as a means of response for encompassing any one of a multitude of conditions which result in aches and pains. However arthritis is quite specific and can be a highly targetted, painful condition. While there is no known cure for arthritis, there are certain methods and techniques which reduce the pain and can seriously improve mobility.

There are many resources that claim arthritis is caused by inflammation and the subsequent accumulation of fibrin at the point of pain. Further, there is a theory that over time the body’s natural defence mechanism to naturally disperse the fibrin, decreases. An enzyme is a protein as well as a biological catalyst that increases the chemical reaction. This reduced enzyme is believed to be proteolytic and has a direct affect on dispersing fibrin and also relieving pain.

There are many foods that naturally contain proteolytic enzyme and reduce pain. Eating healthily and diet is one of the ways in which the condition of arthritis can be handled and in which the symptoms could be reduced. Exercise is another potent mechanism for relieving the symptoms of arthritis. Moving your body gently, but as much as possible, can help keep your ligaments and tendons flexible and increase the function of synovial fluid. It can be useful to try regular hand exercises to strengthen muscles and simultaneously relieve stiffness and pain. Simple exercises like bending, flexing and touching finger to finger, may help keep your fingers limber and flexible. Extending a reliable exercise regime further out to other parts of the body can help to reduce the symptoms of arthritis and increase motivation in a sense of wellbeing.

There is no doubt that the decision of medical treatment is placed on the sufferer of the condition, so the best course of action is down to the person who has experienced it, to determine. To that end the only person who can find the correct treatment is yourself. Often, it is a combination of lifestyle choices that can help with this condition because arthritis does affect many areas of mobility and even self-esteem. Medical remedies can come with side effects and in a condition which already has many symptoms, natural techniques that can compliment your own daily schedule and improve on how you feel, do seem the more appealing route to take.

The Dream.

Have you ever had that feeling? Which one? The I’ve been having a really interesting dream only to wake up with no recollection of it, except the knowledge that something of interest has occurred. A most baffling and bizarre experience. You are left frustrated beyond belief and not Freudian in the slightest Sir. In this true to life, well not so much my life but my dream life analysis, I would like to give you the details and let you make of it what you wish.

I have found that the best way with most dream analysis techniques, is to break apart the imagery from any supposed or obvious translation. Let us look at the facts first, on most occasions after a vivid but far off feeling dream I have little or no recollection of it, however this time a clear record of events remained.

As with most dreams, it starts in the middle of being frustrated over something trivial but thought-provoking. Here we go, pens at the ready and glasses mid-way down your noses, let the dream symbolism begin! In my nightly sleep, my mind’s eye vision has lead me to see that an elderly gentleman is sat in a wheelchair, he is wearing an oversized dressing gown and ankle length boots which are unlaced. He appears to be by himself, out in the open, and for some reason intent on removing the boots by only using the limited movement of his legs. After several failed attempts he becomes aware of a smartly dressed gentleman standing a short way from him and notes that he is observing what is going on. It was with anticipated joy that the dressing gown wearing man, who was sat down and had seen the other gentleman smile, then noticed him step forward and bend down. With a deft movement the bending gentleman removed the dressing gown man’s glasses and checked the quality of them, only to put them on his own face and stride off into the distance. The dressing gown man, left with a mouth open, was for a moment speechless. He summoned all his strength and with determination hoisted himself out of the wheelchair and now was able to fully scan the horizon, even with limited vision, he surveyed the distance for his lost glasses.

You might be pleased to know that the dream has a happy ending, in that after a short time, another stranger approached the dressing gown man. He was carrying the missing glasses and asked if they were what he was looking for?

There are so many supposed learning points that can be taken from this one simple dream. Such as when the circumstances change, we may be forced to rethink our capability. Perhaps do not put your trust in strangers until their intentions are made clear or clearer. A more mercenary view could be one person’s misfortune could be another one’s gain.

Dreams can be powerful indicators of the subconscious, the gateways to solving problems or even motivational, if they give an incentive to achieve what at one time was thought by someone as impossible.

Planet Knowledge.

Hello, fellow human being! Why am I addressing you as such? As we all inhabit this Earth together and share a common interest in our environment, I have found that there is nothing like having a good grounding in knowing more about where you are. Geography can be an education in itself because it can widen your scope of thought out to broader possibilities, and to that end, a knowledge of the planets proves to be very useful.

Apart from the name of our planet Earth, which represents the firm ground and comes from German and early English language, the rest of the planet names come from Roman and Greek mythical figures. The closest planet to orbit the Sun is called Mercury, which is taken from the Roman name of a winged traveller. The size of Mercury is just a little less than the size of our moon. Venus is the next planet and named after the Goddesses of beauty. Then comes the third planet from the Sun and that is Earth.

Next to know about is the sometimes called, red planet, Mars. This planet has the name of the Roman God of war and it has been visited by man-made robots and due to the foundations of it potentially could be a viable new home for humans. At one time it was believed Mars had natural canals over its surface. However the canals turned out to be natural geographical features causing light and dark shades that had the illusion of waterways.

In between Mars and Jupiter is the asteroid belt that is made of small rocks. The supergiant of all planets has the fitting name of the Roman King of the Gods, Jupiter. It is a gas giant that has two and a half the mass of all the other planets combined. It also has a large spectacular red spot on its surface, something which has been observed for a long time.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the last planet that can be seen with the naked eye. It has got its name from the Roman God of agriculture. It is noticeable for its rings surrounding the
planet. The Earth has benefited by the fact that Jupiter and Saturn have shielded it from the
onslaught of meteors that otherwise would have impacted the earth. Of course there have been
major collision with objects from space and there is a theory that even the moon at one time had
collided with the Earth.

Uranus takes its name from the ancient Greek King of the Gods. It has an amazing tilt of its axis that has it turned on its side, it has rings and twenty seven moons. It is also the coldest planet in the solar system.

Neptune is named after the Roman God of the seas. It is in the fact of being, discovered by means of a mathematical calculation, before actually having been seen. The atmosphere is plagued by violent storms, many times greater than those on earth.

Poor old Pluto is classed as a dwarf planet and named from the Roman god of the underworld. Pluto has five moons and is one third made of water.

There are easy mnemonic methods to remembering and helping to aid your knowledge of the planets, particularly in the positioning of them from the Sun. One technique that I like to use is this one, Make Very Easy Mash Just Start Using New Potatoes, i.e. Mercury Venus Earth Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto.

Planet Knowledge can be as applicable to your own factual mind as you would like, it could help you in a love or learning of physics, give you the basis for innovative ideas, intensify your understanding of historical, etymological associations or even boost your reserve for a much-needed response at a general knowledge quiz. However you use yours, apply your Planet Knowledge wisely!