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My Thoughts -- In Essay Form Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved [Do not reprint any portion without express permission from the author]
A Better Way to Lose Weight: Traditional Dieting Versus Intuitive Eating
(90/100+5) Back to TOP A person who does not own a motor vehicle is somewhat of an oddity. As I read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Channelled Whelk" about simplicity, I felt even more confident with my resolution to not own a car. Owning an automobile induces mental distress, is expensive and creates many health complaints. Cars create much mental anguish. They break down at the most inopportune times. Driving down the road the car emits a hissing or popping sound. The driver feels anxiety at the prospect of yet another repair. The remainder of the trip is spent anxiously listening for more strange noises. Traffic often comes to a sudden halt; tires squeal as brakes are slammed on, in an effort to stop the careening vehicle. A quick glance in the rear view mirror may reveal the car behind about to slam into the car. In addition to car problems, rush hour traffic is a harrowing experience, especially when fellow drivers seized with "road rage" are encountered. These specimens are often vituperative. Frequently, firearms are flaunted, oftentimes actually discharged! It can be a frightening and nerve-wracking way to spend time. The stressed automobile owner must consider the expenses of owning a car. Automobiles are expensive to own. Monthly car payments are easily as high as renting an apartment. A driver not paying close attention to vehicular laws may incur hefty fines. Repairs are costly, even if a reputable repair shop can be found. Car insurance is costly, especially for careless or young, unmarried drivers. After major repairs, there are ongoing, routine maintenance costs; gasoline, oil, and other assorted necessary fluids. Then, there is the cost to routinely replace these fluids with all new fluids. The list goes on and on. Monetary issues aside, automobiles cause serious health concerns. Owning a vehicle generates health concerns, both to our environment and to the individual. Automobiles create tons of exhaust fumes which pollute the air and harm the ozone layer. Daily we see many single occupant cars on every highway and road adding to the problem. Tires and broken parts are scattered through our landfills. Used fluids are illegally dumped and seep into our water supply. Car owners often drive to the corner store, as though they have forgotten they could easily walk or bike and get some exercise in the process. Car accidents, which lead to dismemberment, crippling or premature death, are actually a grave health concern. Owning a motor vehicle adds much stress that most people don't take into consideration. Whether the stress is mental, monetary or physical, it is inherent in automobile ownership. Get out of the fast lane, try life without one.
(98/100+2) Published in The Taking Children Seriously Paper Journal Number 28 (1999) Back to TOP "Distrust all in whom the impulse to punish is powerful," said Friedrich Nietzsche, in an uncharacteristic moment of insight. This aphorism could greatly aid parents in raising healthy individuals. Unfortunately, many people take for granted that children and punishment are inseparable. Parents do not realize how detrimental any form of punishment is, even the popular so-called "natural consequences" and "discipline," because they fail to anticipate the far-reaching effects it has on individuals. Utilizing discipline as a parenting tool results in emotionally-withdrawn individuals who skillfully lie to protect themselves and feel comfortable only in abusive relationships. The disciplining parent creates a withdrawn child who is afraid to do anything or even attempt to do things for fear of discipline. This fear of discipline effectively paralyzes the natural curiosity with which all children are born. Creativity is damaged as children are told how, when, what and why to do and act in certain ways, instead of being able to do, be, explore and live. Interestingly, we wonder why young people have to "find themselves." Surely, finding oneself is a lifelong journey which should begin in infancy. When coercive parents deliberately confiscate beloved possessions or withhold favorite activities from children to discipline them for some perceived misdeed, the children withdraw emotionally, erecting a protective shell around themselves. They have learned the painful risks of revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings, and which possessions they cherish. Moreover, because parents are not all-seeing, all-knowing, perfect judges, their discipline is meted out quite randomly, further confusing the child. The child loses confidence that the parent is on their side and learns that it is unsafe to confide in the parent. Such fear and confusion often compels the child to learn to lie convincingly. Children who are disciplined become skillful liars to circumvent action being taken against them. Take for example, the fact that teens will hide their whereabouts, instead of feeling safe confiding in their parents with the truth, often endangering themselves, in order to evade being grounded, or losing privileges to something they love. There is no trust between a disciplining parent and child. Lying does not come naturally, it is a purposely-acquired means of protection. Punishment inflicted for lies merely helps children hone their proficiency in telling untruths. Often the child begins to confuse the truth with their lies. Further confusion arises when parents insist that the discipline proves their love for the child. A disciplined child often concludes that being hurt equals love. Some parents actually declare to their child that they discipline as affirmation of their love for their child. People who justify disciplining their children are only lying to themselves. They are premeditatively, intentionally thinking of ways to harm their child. How safe would a person feel in a relationship if they knew that their friend was thinking of ways to discipline them? Yet children bear this unjust treatment throughout childhood from nearly every adult they interact with. Children who grow up in this environment have a distorted sense of love and sometimes feel compelled to seek abusive relationships. We all know people who are emotionally unavailable, attract abusive partners and profusely lie: these same people were raised in homes where punishment was the standard. Coercive parents will find that their children lose trust in them. These parents would be wise to reflect on the far reaching effects of punishment.
(97/100+3) Back to TOP There is a new recommendation for losing weight: Don't diet! According to statistics, 54%--over half--of the American population are heavier than is healthy. 27 million overweight Americans still utilize traditional dieting methods, growing heavier with each failed diet, because they are unaware of a more sensible non-dieting approach--intuitive eating. Traditional diets, with their strict mandates, actually foster failure in the goal to lose weight, while the intuitive eating approach suggests relinquishing restrictions which results in the desired weight loss. Traditional dieting methods impose self-defeating techniques for weight loss, which actually hinder the process. Traditional dieters are required to eat at certain times of the day, to stop eating at a specific time of the evening, and never during the night. Food types are restricted, which ones depend on the selected diet. There are always limits on the amounts of permitted foods. There is always a focus on size; weight and clothing (size 8 or smaller is a popular aspiration). Monthly public weigh-ins are an accepted humiliation at weight watching groups. The traditional dieter exercises to burn calories. These many restrictions and requirements lead the dieter to fail in their quest to achieve the coveted goal--a perfect body. Compared with the strict regime of the traditional dieter, the intuitive eater is advised to throw out the rules. Intuitive eating methods suggest empowering ideas that result in acceptance of the body and desired weight loss. Intuitive eaters are encouraged to honor their hunger and eat whenever they are hungry, even during the middle of the night. There are no food restrictions, and no limits. The intuitive eater may eat anything desired, and is merely encouraged to be stop eating when the stomach feels satisfied. The only focus on size is to be certain complimentary, comfortably fitting clothing is worn. Intuitive eaters are advised to throw out their scales and stop focusing on how many pounds they weigh. Intuitive eaters exercise only if they want to, for pleasure and health benefits. The lack of restrictions and requirements for the intuitive eater results in success at accepting and loving their imperfect body. Comparison of the two methods reveal significant differences. Both methods result in weight loss, however, weight lost with traditional diets is often regained, whereas intuitive eaters ultimately experience permanent weight loss. Early on in the weight loss game, the traditional dieter appears to be winning with quickly dropped pounds. The intuitive eater may experience weight gain initially, as they learn their body's preferences. But the traditional dieter's success is temporary as the restrictions become overwhelming and old habits resurface. Meanwhile, the intuitive eater is enjoying a satisfying victory having learned to eat less, honor the body and its needs and gradual permanent weight loss. Intuitive eaters don't crave and binge off-limit foods like their traditional dieting counterparts, because there are no restrictions. Traditional dieters feel like failures because they don't successfully keep off the weight, while intuitive eaters feel empowered and learn to love their body. The traditional dieter discovers that willpower doesn't work; the intuitive eater learns willpower isn't necessary. Rigid traditional diets undermine the dieter's efforts to lose weight, while the intuitive eater's relaxed approach to eating results in permanent loss of weight. Statisticians say obesity is the number two preventable cause of death: 300,000 Americans died last year as a result of obesity. Don't be a statistic, learn to honor your body by eating intuitively and lose those pounds forever.
(96/100+4) Back to TOP An ominous, invisible war is being fought daily between humans and disease-producing bacteria. Smith asserts, "The brief era in which such infectious diseases as pneumonia, tuberculosis, and gonorrhea could be effectively controlled by antibiotics may be nearing its end" (17). Action must be taken at all levels to slow the spread of resistant bacteria. A crucial step for slowing the development and spread of deadly antibiotic-resistant bacterium will be a deliberate restriction of antibiotic use in both humans and animals. Avoiding misappropriate use of antibiotics in humans can assist in halting the perilous spread of resistant bacteria. One area of abuse occurs when people hold the mistaken belief that antibiotics can cure viral infections. They visit their doctors sick with colds and flu, insisting on having antibiotics prescribed. However, colds and flu are viral; antibiotics cannot heal these infections. Another area of misuse is when a bacterially infected person (for which antibiotics are warranted) takes only a partial portion of his prescription. Halfway through his prescription he begins to feel healthy, so he decides to save the remaining tablets for a future illness. This is a grave error, as some of the bacteria causing his ailment die, but the tougher ones live on in mutated form, becoming resistant to the antibiotic they were exposed to, living to spawn millions of altered offspring. Several weeks later, the person contracts a cold, or the flu, and self-medicates with the leftover antibiotics. As a result of these risky practices, bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Begley informs us that there are currently over one hundred "antibiotics" and every illness-inducing germ now has variants capable of fending off at minimum one of those (3-4). The deadly Staphylococcus aureus "responsible for some pneumonias and most worrisome, for blood poisoning in surgical wounds" (Begley 5) resists all antibiotics but one, vancomycin. Not only should humans limit their antibiotic use; an equally important area to scrutinize is antibiotic use in animals. It is imperative that antibiotic use in animals be examined and restricted. Livestock are routinely medicated with antibiotics to accelerate maturation; however, this practice has been shown in studies to spread the resistant gene at an alarming rate. Studies have shown that human inhabitants of these livestock farms, and humans who live in close proximity to the farms--who have never taken antibiotics--harbor the genes of resistant bacteria in their intestines and feces. Fisher explains that one of the most common ways for the "genes of resistant bacteria" to be transmitted to humans from animals is by the consumption of rare or underdone animal flesh (13). Dairy cows are routinely medicated with antibiotics to prevent infections and the milk we drink contains traces of antibiotics. Because of the routine medicating of livestock, even humans who diligently avoid antibiotics ingest them daily, possibly producing resistance bacteria in their intestines without realizing it. Another way in which resistant bacteria are spread is by administering antibiotics haphazardly to our household pets. Pet shops sell over-the-counter antibiotics (manufactured primarily for use in tropical fish) however, clerks routinely advise customers to medicate their cats and dogs with these antibiotics. Fisher cautions, "This is not a trivial matter" (16). Antibiotics must be limited by humans and animals if we are to successfully curb the growth and propagation of lethal antibiotic-resistant bacteria. We can help in the fight against resistant bacteria by becoming informed consumers and in the process we will become healthier individuals. Works Cited
Begley, Sharon with Martha Brant, Pat Ingert, and Mary
Hagar. Fisher, Jeffrey A. Smith, John Maynard.
(96/100+4) February 28, 1999 Back to TOP Thesis: Unschoolers will be prepared to navigate the changing workplace because of their background in self-directed learning, and their early exposure to the adult world. I. The self directed learning style of unschoolers will be a valuable asset in the changing workplace. II. Unschoolers often become part of the adult world earlier than most young people, learning about teamwork and the importance of communication. There is a new class of homeschoolers emerging; they call themselves "unschoolers." Unschoolers are anticipating the many changes which are occurring in the job force, aware that employers are looking for employees who are creative, flexible and able to master new skills. Unschoolers will be prepared to navigate the changing workplace because of their background in self-directed learning, and their early exposure to the adult world. The self directed learning style of unschoolers will be a valuable asset in the changing workplace. As a result of drastically changing requirements in job descriptions, employers are searching for a different kind of employee: people able to satisfy those changing requirements. Prospective employees will need to demonstrate creativity, the ability to learn quickly, and the ability to alter themselves to fluctuating situations. How better to learn those skills than as an unschooler? Unschooling students learn at their own pace, retaining their joy of learning since they are in charge of their own educations. Employees capable of being flexible will be in great demand as job responsibilities increase. Unschoolers naturally learn flexibility because their education is not on a strict schedule. Unschoolers choose when to learn, how to learn, and what to learn. Major universities are eagerly accepting unschoolers because these students have a reputation for being intelligent and excelling in their studies since they are not burned out by repetitious public school educations. Furthermore, a larger percentage of the material that unschoolers study becomes permanent knowledge since they are able to determine how they learn best. Some people are visual learners, some people prefer to learn from books, and some learn best by tackling subjects with a hands on approach. Unschoolers are able to experiment with different learning techniques and discover what method works best for each individual. Unschoolers take charge of their learning as employees of the changing workplace will be expected to. Crane tells us that these changes in the workforce are part of our present, and our future; the jobs of the past are obsolete. Businesses will incorporate change continually (23). They will have to change in order to remain competitive and stay in business. Employees who can maneuver these changes will remain employed. Along with having superior learning ability, unschoolers often participate in the adult world earlier than their peers. Unschoolers often become part of the adult world earlier than most young people, learning about teamwork and the importance of communication. Unschoolers are more integrated into the adult world because their schedules are flexible and they are able to spend more time with their parents and other adults who have interests that the unschooler wants to learn more about. For example, a teenaged unschooling student may be interested in television repair and may be able to apprentice him or herself to the local television repair person. Unschoolers have greater opportunities to interact with adults, and, in comparison to their public schooled peers who seem to shun adult interaction, seem actually to have a desire to interact with adults. Many unschooling households view their family as a team; therefore, unschooling students interact with their 'team' members on a frequent basis, learning important skills necessary for employment in the 21st Century. More and more jobs in the changing workplace will demand that employees have the ability to work together on teams. Crane tells us that for the employee of our changing workplace, the ability to be a team player and the ability to communicate will be essential (23). Communication skills will be vital in the changing workplace. Unschoolers are having the opportunity to learn early in this area as well. Unschoolers are practicing communication skills with parents on a frequent basis, as well as with siblings, peers and other adults they have frequent contact with. Unschooling students often prefer conversation with adults rather than with their peers, mostly for the mature and intellectual benefits. People meeting an unschooling student for the first time are impressed with how articulate the young person is. Employers will be looking for prospective team members who have exceptional ability to communicate. Unschoolers are able to realize early on that good communication entails several areas. Writing or speaking clearly and coherently--being able to use words in such a manner that the idea or concept being discussed is easily understood by others--is a very important skill. Sometimes people place blame on the writer or the speaker for not articulating clearly, when actually, it is just as important to have the ability to listen carefully and ask for clarification when a misunderstanding occurs. With practice and information, people can become better communicators and succeed in the workplace. Having been part of the adult world from a young age, and being in charge of their education, unschoolers will be better suited to integrate the evolving workforce. Changes are occurring which we have to take into consideration in order to succeed in the workplace. Families should be encouraged to become part of the unschooling revolution and assist their children in securing prosperous and rewarding futures.
Crane, Shena. "Today's Evolving Workplace." In Writing With Insight: Using Sources from the Disciplines. Massachusetts: Simon and Schuster Custom Publishing, 1996. 23.
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