10 Rules in Reading for Personal Growth and Development

If you are like most people, you have to read a tremendous amount of material, at home, at
the office, or at school just to keep from getting buried in paper.

Considering all the reading materials you get just in the course of a day, if you read all this information word for word, you'll wind up spending all your time reading and not have time for anything else. These

Ten Rules in Reading for Personal Growth and Development will help you to experience reading, not as a chore to be put off as long as you can, but as an enjoyable and satisfying skill.

1. Take at least one minute to review the material before reading it. First, skim to get a feel of what the piece contains, then the introductory material, section and chapter titles, index, and any other signposts. Next, treat the body of the text as a series of paragraphs, each paragraph being a self-contained unit with his own message to convey.

2. Read by paragraph. As soon as you have grasped the message, move immediately onto the next paragraph and repeat the process.

3. Become an active, rather than a passive reader. Instead of reading individual words, actively search out the important, descriptive, and meaningful ideas. Don't get bogged down in details. Move rapidly over the material.

4. Develop the knack of concatenation (linking two things together). Stop reading one word at a time and develop the habit of joining several words and repeating them as one unit. Learn to read by thought units rather than by individual words. You should take in between four and six words in a single glance.

5. Don't linger or reread words, phrases, or sentences. As difficult as it may be to break this non-productive habit, doing so will pay tremendous dividends. One way you can do this is to place a small slip of paper over the lines you have just read.

6. If your time permits, read at least one hour every day. Break it up into 15 minute segments, if necessary, and both select your reading materials carefully and read at optimum speed. Get rid of distractions and concentrate on what you are reading.

7. Eliminate poor physical habits such as sounding out the words in silent reading.

8. Watch for the signpost in reading. Signposts are words or phrases which tell you in a split second whether there's going to be an abrupt change in the author's trend of thought or whether, on the contrary, the writer is really going to add more details to what is already been said.

Some of the common turn about signals are: but, despite, on the contrary, however, nonetheless, yet, and rather. When you see these words you know instantaneously that the author is about to introduce a thought that is in opposition to the one he has just stated.

9. While you shouldn't sacrifice comprehension for speed, make a conscious effort to increase your reading speed. Still, make sure you understand what you are reading.

10.Reinforce what you read. At the earliest opportunity, think back on what you learned in your last reading session. Review the important points and any related information relayed by the author.

To make it easy, here are five questions you can ask yourself about what you read, What was the piece about? What important information was presented? What, if any, opinions did the writer present? What is your opinion of the piece? Name one element of the piece that makes it stand apart. This procedure helps to firmly implant the information in your memory.

Do you think that these tips are helpful? Leave your comments below.

Best Ways to Exercise Your Mind and Body for Today's Challenges

The old adage, you are what you read, still rings true. When your reading materials are success-oriented and optimistic, your achievement level will be high. 

If your reading materials are pessimistic or depicts people as victims of circumstance, your achievement level will be low. 

It seems that achievement oriented literature will help you to think in terms of goals and success. It can be most supportive of you in your pursuit of inner strength and self-reliance. 
 
1. Keep the book you never get to read either in your car, your briefcase, or your purse. If you are waiting in a long line some where, or if you are caught waiting for a tardy child, it will become an opportunity to read.

And, finally, think about a book that you absolutely loved when you were in college and reread it. Great literature is every bit as great the second time around.

2. For the body consider this. Nearly six out of ten people experience no daily exercise. However, like any other activity, it takes both choice and commitment. Walking, jogging, biking, or working out regularly on a home exercise machine such as a stationary bike can have a positive impact on your physical and emotional health. But you have to choose and commit to doing it. 

Do it even if you think you don't have time for it. It's good for the mind, good for the soul, and it doesn't have to cost you a cent. Also consider walking with a friend. It's a perfect way to do two things at once: exercise and create an opportunity for good conversation. In addition to a regular exercise routine, get extra exercise by walking up a flight of stairs rather than using an elevator.

Back to the simple home exercise machine. It works fine. Forget the fancy looking exercise machines you see advertised on television and forget joining the local health club. You don't need either before you start exercising.\

In reality, the foundation of any good exercise program needs to be no more complicated than taking a walk or a jog for free and adding a few other activities such as sit-ups, push-ups, or jumping on an exercise bike if you just want to work on certain parts of the body and to give yourself some variety. This is all that is required for you to have a positive effect on your health.

To get the maximum enjoyment from life, you need to pursue the care and feeding of both your mind and your body. Think about health as a broad goal for both your mind and your body.

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7 Ways to Stop High Blood Pressure from Killing You

High blood pressure is called the "silent killer." Most people who have it do not feel sick and don't know that they have it. High blood pressure usually has no symptoms, but it can cause serious problems such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and kidney failure.

If you've ever tried to run water through a garden hose that's been hardened by age or gunked up with hard-water deposits, you know how hard it is to get a good water flow. Blood flow through your arteries works the same way. 

Stiff or blocked arteries can make your heart strain to push blood through all your blood vessels. The result is high blood pressure, which damages both your heart and your blood vessels. You can control high blood pressure through healthy lifestyle habits and taking medicines.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), almost 67 million Americans have high blood pressure and more than half do not have it under control. Almost 1 in 4 Americans with uncontrolled high blood pressure do not take their medication regularly.

A blood pressure reading can tell you whether you have high blood pressure. The reading uses two numbers, the systolic and dias­tolic pressures, written one above or before the other. A reading of:

• 120/80 or lower is normal· 
• 140/90 or higher is high blood pressure.
• 120 and 139 for the top number, or between 80 and 89 for the bottom number, is pre-hypertension.

If you have high blood pressure (consistently higher than 140/90) and see a conventional doctor, chances are pretty good that the doctor will tell you that you'll have to take drugs, probably for the rest of your life.

If you frequently feel stressed, angry or sad, you may be at higher risk of having a heart attack. Have your blood pressure checked each time you go to the doctor. And, talk to him or her if you cannot get your blood pressure under control.

Here are the 7 ways to stop high blood pressure from killing you:

1.   If your blood pressure is not where it should be, work in close partnership with your doctor to control it. Get your blood pressure checked regularly.

2.  Take all blood pressure medications as prescribed by your doctor.

3.  Request 90-day prescriptions for your blood pressure medication.

4.  Let your doctor know if you experience unwanted side effects from your blood pressure medication.

5.  Eat a healthy, low-salt diet and consume alcohol in moderation. Maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly.

6.  Smoking can increase your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about a smoking cessation plan for you.

7.   Identify causes of stress, then work to minimize or eliminate those things that cause stress for you.


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