The Good, The Bad, And The Visually Acceptable

During consideration of having LASIK - Laser Vision Correction, each patient must weigh the benefits and risks of having such a procedure. It is essential that patients understand potential risks associated with the LASIK procedure. Although, it has received FDA approval and is considered to be safe, there is risk of having a serious vision-threatening complication. While approximately 1% of patients have complications with their LASIK procedure, even fewer experience a serious flap related complication. LASIK is an extremely effective procedure that is suitable for high, moderate or low prescriptions.
Complications can occur due to the Laser component of the procedure or the Keratectomy step of the procedure. There have been no reported cases of blindness following either PRK or LASIK, anywhere around the world.
Undercorrection, is when the intended amount of laser correction is not obtained during the primary procedure. In extreme cases of undercorrection, after stabilization, an enhancement may be necessary to obtain optimum results. Undercorrection can result from a number of factors: the healing response of the eye, the hydration of the cornea during treatment, the laser's calibration, or temperature and humidity. Often time undercorrection is deliberately induced to create a monovision effect.
Overcorrection occurs when the desired treatment is exceeded, this causes an eye to become farsighted. Often this condition will correct itself, as the cornea tends to bounce back somewhat towards its original shape following the procedure. However, should the patient remain hyperopic (farsighted), it is possible to perform an enhancement to obtain the desired correction.
Corneal haze occurs in the normal healing process of the cornea; however for most patients (95% +) it does not affect their vision. The haze is actually caused by a collagen protein that has developed on the surface of the eye. For those patients who do develop haze, it usually clears gradually over many months following the procedure.
People may experience poor night vision, night glare, haloes and starbursts even before having vision correction by laser. Night glare is common immediately following the LASIK procedure and typically last for a short period of time; however, it is important that you discuss your pupil size with your physician. Patients with large pupils when dilated are at a higher risk of having decreased night vision.
Although the risk of infection is rare, it is probably the greatest risk during the first 48 to 72 hours following LASIK. Because of the potential dangers resulting from infection, antibiotic drops are dispensed both before and after the procedure.
Another complication involves a non-infectious infiltrate developing beneath the flap. A cloudy accumulation of inflammatory cells gives the appearance of swirling sand and has been dubbed "Sands of the Sahara". The cause is unclear; however, it can be successfully treated by the use of topical steroid eye drops or lifting the flap to remove the debris.
Some patients find their best vision after LASIK not as good as with their glasses or contacts. This is called a loss of best corrected visual acuity. The final result depends not only the procedure but how a patient heals. Healing determines the speed of visual recovery, the sharpness of vision and the need for enhancement. As the degree of correction increases, the importance of healing to the final visual outcome also increases.
Blindness is the number one concern of all patients considering LASIK. In surgery, as in life, anything is possible; however, there has not been a reported case of permanent blindness occurring after LASIK surgery.
A major component of LASIK surgery is the creation of the corneal flap (keratectomy). The first complication associated with the keratectomy is an incomplete flap, which can be caused by an obstructed microkeratome. Second is a thin flap, which occurs if there is a loss of suction. These types of complications will not affect the final outcome; however, it can prolong the recovery process sometimes leading to a secondary procedure to complete the correction.
Another complication resulting from the keratectomy is a "free cap". A free cap occurs when the flap is cut completely across the cornea leaving no connecting tissue. Although this is considered a complication, LASIK was originally performed without a hinge. This condition is manageable by the surgeon, and excellent vision can still be achieved.
LASIK dramatically reduces your recovery time and decreases the chance of many of the procedural risks, as opposed to RK. The procedure takes only a few minutes to complete and entails minimal discomfort. LASIK requires more technical skill and training than other laser procedures.
The number of people considering refractive surgery is at an all time high and LASIK is considered by virtually all refractive surgeons to be the procedure of choice today.
Experience has shown us that vision correction using the excimer laser has been overwhelmingly successful in reducing myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. While vision improves following the procedure, the degree of improvement may vary with each individual. Overall, 98% of typical patients achieve 20/40 vision or better after one procedure allowing them to drive legally, play sports, and join the police or fire departments. Patients may receive a second enhancement procedure to further improve their results if their vision is below legal driving levels. Generally, there is a 10% chance that a patient will require an enhancement procedure. This chance is less in patients with mild myopia (approximately 5% chance) and greater in patients with extreme myopia (approximately 20% chance).
What makes LASIK an excellent vision correction option for many people is the technology provides an unparalleled degree of precision and predictability.

By Shawn Powell - Austin, Texas
Shawn Powell is the Director of Marketing and Advertising for the Howerton Eye & Laser Center. Ernest E. Howerton, M.D. has been serving the Austin community for over 20 years. Having the procedure performed on him, Dr. Howerton understands the importance of the surgeon seeing the patient at every visit. He believes this practice is paramount to patient care and recovery. The Howerton Eye & Laser Center performs LASIK on site, with state-of-the-art equipment and an affordable, all-inclusive fee structure.

Prevent Suicide Now

A website called Prevent Suicide Now.Com recently came to my attention by chance. I almost sent it back into cyber obscurity with a mouse click as it seemed unlikely to be of any interest or use to me in my carefree home business programme.
My first thought was that a website dedicated to suicide must be macabre. However, a tour of the website revealed that a great deal of loving work had gone into its creation. The site's purpose is to prevent suicide and raise public awareness of the subject. In America alone over 31,000 lives ended in 2002 as a result of suicide. That is one suicide every sixteen and a half minutes. Trends show the suicide rate to be increasing.
There is a touching remembrance section on the site. The first memorial on the "wall of angels" is to a little girl aged 13 who was driven to suicide by school bullies. I could hardly bear to look at the photographs of the other beautiful, bright children who became "angels" in their teenage years. In the year 2002 in America a total of 4,010 people below the age of 24 committed suicide. That equates to 11 young lives destroyed each day. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in the 15-24 age group.
Suicide is a subject which most of us would wish to avoid. We would rather not think about it, let alone discuss it. We are uncomfortable when dealing with people who have been bereaved through suicide and feel helpless when somebody we know is tormented by suicidal thoughts.
Our reluctance to contemplate the issue of suicide is understandable. It is painful and we don't want to be reminded of our own mortality, but we would be better equipped to deal with the issue if we were brave enough to face suicide and become familiar with its features. The ability to recognise the enemy would give us a better chance of knowing when help should be sought.
Seeing the photographs of the young suicide victims reminded me of two young women I used to know but had not thought of for some time. I was friends with both these women but they never met each other. Their lives, however, strangely paralleled each other for a while when they reached the age of 25.
My friend Janet had been engaged for two years and was looking forward to a traditional white wedding. The wedding dress and cake had been made and the big day was only two weeks in the future when her fiancé abruptly broke off the engagement. She was quietly devastated. Janet was a warm person with a wonderful sense of humour but she was not a pretty girl - not ugly - just not a head turner and she was rather shy. Being jilted shattered her self-confidence and she suffered through several lonely years before finding another boyfriend. He treated her abysmally but she felt that it was better to put up with his behaviour than to face the loneliness of being single. By then Janet was approaching the dreaded 30th birthday and felt like everybody else in the world was married. I was relieved when she finally found the courage to end that relationship.
My other friend was Cathy. Like Janet, she was jilted only a couple of weeks before her wedding was due to take place; with impeccable timing her fiancé chose to dump her on the very day her wedding dress was delivered. Cathy was a charming, sweet girl but, unlike Janet, she was also extremely pretty and outgoing. Cathy had many friends and, with her good looks and bubbly character, was very attractive to men. She bounced back from the rejection and had a new suitor within a matter of months. I thought her new boyfriend was much nicer in every way than the former fiancé and that the jilting had been a blessing in disguise.
The last time I spoke to Janet she was blissfully happy. She had met and married a lovely man and was living by the coast with him and their two gorgeous children. Cathy never married; she hanged herself at the age of 26. We were all utterly shocked: we had not realised that Cathy was hiding deep depression behind her pretty smile.
Could I or any of Cathy's friends have saved her if they had known the symptoms of depression? We will never know but 80% of people who seek treatment for depression are treated successfully. Could you help to save a life? Could you comfort someone who has been bereaved through suicide? Advice and details of resources are available free. If you have a website of your own, please offer a link exchange to this not-for-profit site and help to raise its profile. It will cost you nothing but a little of your time.

The Magic of Pain Free Good Health

Has the use of aromas and herbs, only recently been appreciated for their healing, and recuperative qualities? Most certainly not.
Aromas had been used for medicinal, spiritual, and magical purposes going back as far back as Egyptian times 3000 B.C. Even further back in time 5000 B.C. the Tassili cave paintings showed women wearing fragrant flower garlands. There are frequent mentions of the use of potions throughout history - Pliny the 1st century Roman historian, mentions in his Natural History narrative, 32 remedies prepared from roses, 21 from lilies, 17 from violets, and 25 from pennyroyal. Ancient Indian cultures used sandalwood for genito-urinary infections.
Nostradamus, at the age of 21 received a licence, having studied in Montpellier France, to practise medicine. One of the formulae which he used as a remedy for several conditions, has survived to this day, and was compounded of rose petals, cloves, lignum aloes, and the dried roots of iris and sweet flag.
The ancient Greeks also contributed to the origins of herbal medicine. Dioscorides, a military doctor was the author of De Materia Medica a book on herbal medicine, which was the foundation of all subsequent books for a further 1600 years. Galen another Greek doctor also wrote a major book on herbal medicine De Simplicibus in the 2nd century which was used up to the middle ages by the Islamic physicians.
The word of herbalism was carried to Europe via the crusaders, and the texts were translated into Latin, which when printing was developed, the information became more widespread, though only if you could read. So herbal folklore passed on from generation to generation, by word of mouth. In the 16th century John Gerard published in 1597 the "Herbal or General Historie of Plantes". He had been greatly influenced by the great medical scholar Paracelsus.
Now in recent time the medical fraternity is becoming aware of the benefits of some of these ancient methods, and in the United Kingdom some areas are becoming available on the National Health System.

7 Steps to Protect Yourself from the Winter Sun

What outdoor activities did you do this past summer? Maybe you went on a vacation to the beach. Maybe you spent some time playing your favorite sports such as baseball, golf, or tennis. Maybe you went swimming or had a barbeque in the backyard with family and friends. Regardless of the outdoor activities you did over the summer, most likely you were aware that it was important to protect yourself from sun while outdoors.
Now winter is approaching. I am turning my attention to putting away my summer items to make room for the winter ones; long sleeve shirts for short sleeve ones, corduroy pants for shorts, and boots for sandals. Most of the sports equipment I have been using is going to get put away as well. But what about those items I have been using to protect myself from the sun? Things like my sunscreens, sunglasses, and sun protective hats and clothing.
You may be putting these items away and not using them during the winter. The National Council of Skin Cancer Prevention reported in their January 2003 newsletter that research shows only 3 percent of Americans routinely wear sunscreen during the fall months, and only 2 percent during the winter months. However, you can still get a sunburn and snow blindness during these months. The colder temperatures do not block the UV rays and reflections off the snow and higher altitudes can make matters even worse. You may be causing yourself significant, long-term damage by not properly protecting yourself.
How do you protect yourself from the winter sun (or any other season)? Follow these simple sun safety action steps recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency:
1. Limit Time in the Midday Sun - The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Whenever possible, limit exposure to the sun during these hours.
2. Wear a Hat - A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection to your eyes, ears, face, and the back of your neck - areas particularly prone to overexposure to the sun.
3. Cover Up - Wearing tightly woven, loose-fitting, and full-length clothing is a good way to protect your skin from the sun's UV rays.
4. Wear Sunglasses that Block 99-100% of UV Radiation -Sunglasses that provide 99-100% UVA and UVB protection will greatly reduce sun exposure that can lead to cataracts and other eye damage. Check the label when buying sunglasses.
5. Always Use Sunscreen - Apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 or higher liberally on exposed skin. Reapply every 2 hours, or after working, swimming, playing, or exercising outdoors. Even waterproof sunscreen can come off when you towel off, sweat, or spend extended periods of time in the water.
6. Avoid Sunlamps and Tanning Parlors - The light source from sunbeds and sunlamps damages the skin and unprotected eyes. It's a good idea to avoid artificial sources of UV light.
7. Watch for the UV Index - The UV Index provides important information to help you plan your outdoor activities in ways that prevent overexposure to the sun. Developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) and EPA, the UV Index is issued daily in selected cities across the United States.
I am going to keep my sun protective items out to use this winter. I am trusting that you will do the same so that you can enjoy the outdoors while in the cold, on the ice, or in the snow. Have a terrific and safe winter!

Improve Your Health While Saving Money on Pure Water

Is Bottled Water the Answer?
Nothing is more important to our health than drinking lots of pure water. All of the complex biochemical functions in our bodies depend on this key substance. Along with regulating the many micro-processes in our cells, it's essential in absorbing and transporting all nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. It's equally critical in eliminating wastes and toxins from the body. At a time when we are exposed to increasing levels of environmental toxins from our food, air, and water, the conventional wisdom to "drink 6 to 8 glasses of clean water per day for optimum health" is more important than ever before.
Unfortunately, as most people now know, most sources of drinking water are also contaminated with a wide variety of toxins. As a result, increasing numbers of people are now using water filters and are spending large sums of money annually on bottled water.
It is not so widely known, however, that an FDA survey has stated that 31% of the 52 brands of bottled water tested were tainted with bacteria. Similarly, a study conducted by the National Resources Defense Council on 103 brands of bottled water found that about one-third of them contained levels of contamination--including synthetic organic chemicals, bacteria, and arsenic. Moreover, there is growing evidence that xenoestrogens can leach out of the plastic bottles into the water when they are stored for long periods in either hot or very cold environments.
So many Americans, in spite of spending over $1,000 a year on bottled water, may still be exposing themselves to a significant level of toxins. These two facts taken together provide a major incentive for considering a new alternative to bottled water. It's called "WELLNESS WATER."
A Brief History of Wellness Water
Around 30 years ago, Haru Naito left Japan to attend the State University of New York. After winning the NCAA swimming championship there, he returned to Japan to coach Japan's National Swimming Team. Through his devotion to improving the performance of his swimmers, he became involved in the emerging field of sports medicine. This led him to start investigating the unusual levels of health, vitality, and longevity of certain ethnic groups, including the Hunza of Pakistan.
As a result of his extensive research with this group, he concluded that their extraordinary health and longevity was largely due to their water supply. Through careful analysis of this water, he discovered that it had certain unique features as a result of being filtered through minerals of volcanic origin.
During the following years, he continued to investigate the effects of filtering water through similar volcanic minerals in Japan until he developed water with properties very similar to those he had discovered with the Hunza. The final result of his ongoing research was the development of the "Wellness Filter."
Following the circulation of many anecdotal reports throughout Japan about the health benefits of drinking water that had been conditioned by this special filter, the Japanese Ministry of Health conducted rigorous scientific testing of this filter. This resulted in an unprecedented governmental endorsement of the filter. It has now been installed in over 100 government hospitals in Japan, and one of its mineral components has been licensed in Japan as a medicinal mineral.
It was introduced into the U.S. for the first time in 2000. Research here has added further documentation of the many health benefits of this enhanced "wellness water," not only for humans, but also for chickens and cows. (A link to an extensive online summary of this research can be found by clicking on the URL provided at the end of this article.)
How to Have Your Own Portable Supply of Wellness Water
Very recently, the "Wellness Filter" has become available in a 16 oz. Wellness Sport Enhanced Water Bottle. Through the use of this unique bottle, ordinary tap water is instantly transformed into purified ENHANCED water. Not only is this water at least as pure as the best bottled water, it also alters the water so that it: 1) increases the ease of absorption, helping your body absorb nutrients and rid itself of toxins; 2) adds trace minerals for cellular health; and 3) adds reduced ions for an anti-oxidant and anti-aging effect.
In additon to being superior in all of these ways to bottled water, Wellness Water is also much less expensive. Depending on the particular brand of bottled water used as a price comparison, the savings can range from $160 to over $1,000 per year.
Finally, using this Wellness Sport Enhanced Water Bottle as an alternative to bottled water eliminates the expense and burden on the environment of disposing of approximately 1,000 plastic bottles per person each year.
The Wellness Sport Enhanced Water Bottle is now being distributed in the U.S. exclusively by only one American company. To get further information, including how to purchase it, please click on the URL below.

Dr Bob's Newsletter

High Blood Pressure And You
Did you know that nearly two thirds, yes 66% of Americans under sixty have or are on the verge of high blood pressure and at least 1/3 do not know it. Having this "silent killer" not only increases there risk of heart disease or stroke but puts them in a higher risk category for hospitalization and death according to a recent study.
There are new guidelines for high blood pressure that have been agreed upon over the last several years and you need to know about them. First the new guidelines are that normal blood pressure is when the systolic ( top number) is 119 or lower and the bottom number is 79 or less. In the recent past we felt that abnormal blood pressure was anything that was 140 or above over 90 or above. Now, people who have this are definitely hypertensive or have high blood pressure.
When the reading is 120 - 139 for the systolic and / or 80 - 89 for the diastolic we are to be considered "pre- hypertension. Each of needs to know what our blood pressure reading is, so don't be shy, ask your doctor.
Also, it makes good sense that if your blood pressure is not normal get a blood pressure cuff in the drug store and have your spouse, partner or children take it periodically and jot down the numbers for your doctor. There is such a diagnosis of "white coat" syndrome" where blood pressure rises when you go to the doctors office.
Dr Bob's Take: It is so important to know what your blood pressure is and if it is pre-hypertensive or in the category of high blood pressure (hypertensive) get it treated and you can make a dramatic difference in your life.
Anti-Oxidant Update
Last month we talked about Vitamin E and the potential for increasing the risk for heart disease. Initially when the first studies came out about 10-15 years ago it was felt that Vitamin E was going to be a panacea for "preventing" heart disease.
Well, there are more studies that are being released which is showing that the herbal remedies that are being touted as anti-oxidants are not proving very effective in preventing diseases like cancer. These are substances like beta carotene, vitamin C, and selenium. The researchers in France have been looking at this and have concluded that there may be a small benefit for men (none for women) but that the benefits can easily be derived by eating a balanced diet. This study was recently reported in the November issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Dr Bob's Take: as an American I like you are looking for the "holy grail" which in the US is "take a pill and cure it" is not the answer here. We need to really eat right and exercise and this will lead to a healthy "us".
Pacifiers and Baby's Teeth
A study in the Archives of Disease in Children this month, shows that there is a difference in the formation of "baby teeth" when a baby breast feeds or uses their thumb to suck or is given a pacifier during the first 3 months of their life. The study took place in Italy with 1000 children aged 3-5 years old. It found that 1/3 of all children who used pacifiers or sucked their thumb had malocclussion, where the teeth did not line up properly. 89% of had an open bite, where the front teeth do not meet. Whereas only 11% of those with an open bite were breast fed.
This study took place when the children were 3-5 years old and based on information about how they were fed and the use of pacifiers or thumbs. It also is based on the 1st set of teeth - the baby teeth. It is felt by the researchers that the pattern for the teeth is set by how the 1st set is treated.
Dr Bob's Take: although this may have quite a bit of significance for our children's future and their biting and chewing abilities I don't see many of us changing what we are doing or what we have done. But, you know the orthodontists will continue to flourish.
Prescription Tablet Splitting
Some of you may have remembered the articles in the papers about 3 years ago when it was suggested by some health plans that members cut their tablets in half with some medications. Well in Florida a pharmacist has noted that with cholesterol lowering medication a savings of about $850 could be saved per year by splitting the tablet. He goes on to say that this is one way to fight some of the escalation in prices for medications. It was found that with patients of the Veterans Affairs Dept there was a savings of $46 million when eligible patients split their Zocor.
Dr Bob's Take: before you go and do this you first need to check with your doctor. Bring in a sample of the medication so he/she can judge whether or not it would be wise to split the tablet.
Grape Juice and Cholesterol
Yes, the studies are in, grape juice does have a positive effect on raising the HDL part of cholesterol. Dr Jane Freedman, associate professor of Pharmacology at Boston University studied a group of 17 men and 3 women with a grant from Welch's. The participants were 63 years old on average and were 2 weeks on the juice, off for 2 weeks than given a placebo (non-juice) for another 2 weeks.
The outcome showed that the grape juice drinkers elevated their HDL on average from 45 to 50mg, about a 10% rise. This group also lowered a chemical in their system that shows the presence of inflammation in the blood vessels. It is felt that yes grape juice can work like red wine in humans. And for those who don't drink red wine there is an alternative.
With that good news I will close for this year and talk with you again next year.

Dr Bob is a Family Physician who has developed a website for common problems that we all have or encounter at http://www.physician-on-health.com. [http://www.physician-on-health.com] He has developed a unique newsletter which deals with current and timely topics with a down to earth interpretation of the latest findings for his readers.

Achieving Optimum Health

"Optimum health is not just the absence of disease but the presence of wellness in mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and social areas. Some would also include financial health."
Introduction
Optimum health is essential at all levels, from the individual to the society we live in to the environment around us. We have to start thinking of wealth not just in terms of possession of money and properties but also the possession of mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being.
Mental Health
The truth is mind is the forerunner of all states.
With a proper mindset, a poor man can still be happy. Conversely, if the mindset is not right, no matter how much material possessions you may have, you may still be a very unhappy person. Thus, Gandhi said, "The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not enough for even a single person's greed."
So a healthy mind is one that possesses a mindset that can lead to happiness and contentment with self and the world around us. It provides clarity of thoughts, good insight and the ability to see things through an unbiased mind.
To be able to see things through an unbiased mind is no small feat. It is extremely difficult to note or observe the unfolding of events and phenomena without judging. We habitually associate emotions or feelings to events, and allow such emotions to direct our actions. Our likes for certain things and dislikes for others are closely associated with our emotions.
Emotional Health
It is our emotions that lead us to act impulsively at times. Thus a high level of self-awareness in this area is extremely useful. In fact, it is essential to our well-being. After all, things and relationships that may take us years to build can be destroyed in a moment of anger.
There are positive and negative emotions. Positive emotions such as love, compassion and joy should be cultivated, while negative emotions such as fear, anger and hate need to be eradicated.
When asked about this, a wise sage of India once illustrated with a story:
An old man said to his grandson, "Boy, I have two tigers caged within me. One is love and compassion. The other is fear and anger."
The young boy asked, "Which one will win, grandfather?"
The old man replied, "The one I feed."
At times, it may seem that we have no control over our emotions. This is not true. The truth is how well we manage our emotions depends on how aware we are of our emotions, particularly on the arising of our emotions. The earlier we are able to note the arising of our emotions, we better we can manage them.
More and more researches are showing that our well-being is closely linked to our emotional and mental health. Our body's immune system is generally enhanced by positive mental outlook and emotion. Conversely, it is depressed by negative mental and emotional states. Thus, stress, worry, anger and fear are some states that may lead to physical illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac diseases, peptic ulcers, depression and a host of other ailments.
Physical Health
To maintain an optimum physical well-being, therefore, requires us to focus not only on our body but also our mind and emotions.
On a physical level, our body can be kept healthy through adequate sleep and rest, proper nutrition, regular exercises and a healthy environment that is free from pollution.
Spiritual Health
Throughout the ages, wise men have consistently informed and taught us that we are essentially spiritual beings.
Although medical science has not been able to reveal to us our spiritual nature, there are many indirect evidence that we would be foolish to ignore. Stories from people who had gone through a near death experience (NDE), or dying people with heightened nearing death awareness, or simply a cure from an 'incurable' disease all suggest that there is more to life than just the physical state.
Major religions of the world all based their teachings on the belief that we are essentially spiritual beings. According to these teachings, our physical existence is secondary.
While it may be true that we should focus our life more on our spiritual nature than our physical nature, it would be difficult for the majority of people to do so, at least not immediately. Things cannot change overnight. Mindset, however, can, and that is perhaps the best place to start.
Financial Health
However, on a more mundane level, most people are still stuck on how to survive from day to day, where to get the next cheque to pay for the house installment, so on and so forth.
Practically, therefore, we need to look into ways to achieve a financial state that would theoretically free us from the constrain of 'forced' work. This is where the concept of financial freedom is so attractive. According to this concept, one should strive for a state where we have one or more than one source of income that can be generated passively, that is, even when we don't work.
This is what Robert Kiyosaki termed as 'passive income'.
According to him, passive income can only be achieved by becoming an investor or a business owner, not a sole proprietor or an employee. To become an investor or a business owner, you must spend the time and money to acquire financial intelligence. Unlike IQ or EQ, you can acquire financial intelligence through self education.
To get a financial health check-up, consult an accountant, a banker or a financial planner you can trust.
Healthy Relationship
"No man is an island, entire by itself."
As a medical doctor, I am in a unique position to confront and comfort dying patients. One of the most important thing that I have observed is that dying people do not ask about their money or possessions. Instead, they focus their remaining energy and strength on trying to heal wounded relationships. It is as though there is an inherent need to get a proper closure to a relationship.
Thus, forming and cultivating a healthy relationship is important for our well-being. Unfortunately, this is something we often ignored until it is too late. If there is any forgiving to be done, or the need to be forgiven, leaving things to the last minutes may end up with an unfulfilled desire for a closure.
Knowing this now, shouldn't we spend more time and effort in improving our relationship with our loved ones, especially with our parents, spouse, children and siblings?