Science Says Eating Whole Fresh Lemons Make You Stronger

“When life gives you lemons, you don’t make lemonade. You use the seeds to plant a whole orchard—an entire franchise!”

—Anthon St. Maarten

Lemon is one of the most commonly used ingredients when it comes to the culinary arts. It has the ability to bring its own tangy flavor and enhance the dish’s other flavors. The lemon is said to be a “flavor catalyst,” meaning it opens the taste buds so the flavors that follow it are more prominent.

Aside from their culinary advantages, lemons have many health benefits. They contain large amounts of vitamin C, as well as riboflavin, thiamine, iron, magnesium, pantothenic acid, fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, copper, calcium and folate.

Here are 11 ways that fresh lemons will make you stronger. As Kelly Clarkson sings, “What lemon doesn’t make you stronger? Stand a little taller.”

1. They fight free radicals.

Free radicals are microscopic annoyance that are responsible for damaging cells and cellular membranes. They can cause inflammation, chronic diseases and accelerated aging.

The large amounts of vitamin C in a lemon neutralizes the free radicals. It also helps prevent the buildup of free radicals and can aid in stopping the progression of atherosclerosis and heart disease in diabetics.

2. They boost your immune system.

Punch your flu in the face by boosting your immune system. The citric acid, bioflavonoids, vitamin C, calcium and pectin are your immune system’s sidekick—they will boost your immune system and keep infections at bay.

3. They protect your cells from cancer.

Lemons contain limonene which has been shown to halt the growth of cancer tumors in animals. The limonoids in citrus fruits can protect the cells from damage that can lead to cancer according to a 2005 study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

4. They neutralize chemicals in your body.

Our bodies are naturally acidic and lemons, when metabolized, become alkaline. This reduces our body’s overall acidity, which draws uric acid from the joints. This can reduce the pain and inflammation which many people feel in their joints.

5. They increase your energy and alertness.

The success of climbing Mount Everest, according to Sir Edmund Hillary, is because of the lemon. Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of The Owner Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research, says “[lemons] increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness and more mental energy.”

6. They keep your intestines running smooth.

Lemons are a good addition to help you intake enough fiber. The fiber in lemons will help you avoid becoming constipated or developing hemorrhoids. Fiber has also been shown to decrease the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and diverticulitis.

7. They improve your mood.

Turns out lemons do not make sour people. Lemons contain more negatively charged ions that when reacted with positively charged ions create a positive reaction. This reaction will boost improve your mood and elevate your energy levels. They promote clearer thinking and help reduce anxiety and depression.

8. They remove toxins and waste.

Lemon juice is similar in atomic composition to the digestive juices and saliva found in your body. This allows lemons to do a great job at breaking down material, encouraging the liver to produce bile, and helps you flush away unwanted materials and toxins from the digestive process.

9. They make your skin clearer.

Lemons help to push toxins from the body and support healthier liver functions. This results in skin that is clear and supple. The vitamin C in lemons can decrease wrinkles and blemishes. The way to clearer skin starts with good nutrition.

10. They reduce the chance of kidney stones.

Kidney stones develop from an inadequate amount of citrate in your urine. Lemons raise the levels of citrate in your body, helping to prevent kidney stones from developing or being enlarged.

11. They decrease your blood pressure.

Lemons are also high in potassium which helps to keep blood vessels soft and flexible. This will reduce your blood pressure. The vitamin B found in lemons is also beneficial to your heart.

How to Eat a Lemon

A lemon has three distinct parts that can be consumed: the juice, the carpels, and the zest.

The juice can be squeezed on your meals, mixed in with drinks, or used to make pure lemon juice. Mixing lemon with water is a good way to give your water some flavor so that you drink adequate amounts of water in a day.

The carpels are the inside segments that you can eat. You can eat them raw, but many people find the juice too strong. A good way around this is to squeeze the juice into a separate container for different use and then eat the carpels.

The zest is the outer colored part of the peel that is often used to flavor foods. To make zest, place your lemon peels in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then take the peels and grate them.

Featured photo credit: Lemons/ Liz West via flickr.com

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How To Start Investing In 2016

Investing can be scary. The fear of the unknown always is. And the case for Millennials is worse, especially considering many of them graduated into a financial crisis and witnessed the stock market plummet nearly 40% in 2008. That kind of traumatic experience sticks with you, just as the Great Depression forced an entire generation of Americans to develop very frugal habits.

However, it’s important that young adults overcome their fears and start investing to secure their financial future. Waiting too long and starting too late can result in not having saved enough for retirement. After all, the stock market doesn’t plunge every other year and investing volatility is why experts always recommend you pick long-term investments, not short-term trades.

Below, we will discuss how to start investing in 2016, including the power of compounding interest, the average return of the stock market over the last 100 years, how to choose a brokerage account that is right for you, and finally, investment tips for beginners who may need some guidance.

Average Stock Market Returns

For starters, let me provide some basic background on expected average stock market returns. Between the beginning of 1900 and the end of 2015, the stock market returned an average 11.53%. To make sure that these dates were not cherry-picked, let’s remember what happened during this time period: two World Wars, the Great Depression, Vietnam War, Korean War, an oil embargo, multiple terrorist attacks, and a number of recessions caused by economic boom and bust cycles.

Even if you decide to solely focus on the most recent recession, including the roughly 37% drop in equities in 2008, the stock market has returned over 8.40% between 2007 and 2015. This is because the drop in the S&P 500 was closely followed by a slow recovery that ultimately helped investors recover their investments and then some. The point is, despite recessions and individual years with negative returns, the stock market averages a strong positive return over time.

Time in the Market vs. Timing the Market

It is also important to point out that investors cannot time the market. In fact, research shows that a handful of days each year are actually responsible for the majority of the gains in that year.

The chart below, which reflects data compiled by JPMorgan Asset Management, demonstrates that an investor would have earned a 9.22% return if they were fully invested between 1993 and 2013. But if an investor were to have missed the top ten trading days out of ten years, the return would have decreased to 5.49%.

New investors should ask themselves: out of the more than 2,500 trading days in that 10 year period, would you have been able to pick the top 10 highest earning days?

Start Early – The Power of Compounding

Another reason why Millennials and young families should start investing as early as possible is the power of compounding. If you aren’t familiar with the concept of “compounding” returns, it is when you earn a gain on your principal the first year, and then begin to earn returns on your previous returns.

For example, if you invest $1,000 and earn an average 10% return annually, your investment will grow to $1,100 after the first year. After the second year, you won’t just earn another $100 but $110, for a total of $1,210. And the third year you will earn $121 for a total value of $1,331.

On a small scale, this doesn’t seem like much, but assume you invest $1,000 per year for 30 years and average a conservative 8% return. Instead of having $30,000 in a checking account, you will have accumulated a little more than $132,000.

Now let’s make this more realistic – assume you have a Roth IRA and you contribute the maximum (for your age) $5,500 per year for 30 years. At an average rate of return of 10% annually, you will have nearly $1.1 million dollars. But here’s why investing as early as possible is essential – if we change the number of years we’ve invested from 30 to 25, we only end up with $654,000 in retirement. Those final 5 years of investing on a large capital base comprise a significant amount in terms of gains and mean the difference between a comfortable retirement and a strained one.

Compounding returns are critical to investors because they allow you to turn small principal contributions over a long period of time into large nest eggs. Keep in mind that Albert Einstein called compounding interest “the most powerful force in the universe.”

How To Choose A Brokerage Account

Once you’ve made the decision to start investing for your future, you must decide on your investment strategy and how to execute it. There are many brokerage houses or investing platforms available today – some of which have been around for decades, while others have leveraged new technology to offer consumers alternatives to traditional companies.

Traditional Investment Management

A decade ago, investors had to choose between mutual fund managers such as Vanguard, Fidelity, and BlackRock (iShares) and discount brokerage firms such as TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, and Scottrade.

Mutual and index fund managers are ideal for passive investors. If you don’t know much about investing except for the basics, an index fund or ETF from Vanguard or Fidelity may be best – both securities use broad indexes as benchmarks and can be a way for investors to mimic returns from the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, or NASDAQ.

On the other hand, if your employer 401K is already held with one of those mutual fund managers, you may want your private investment portfolio to be at a brokerage house. Discount brokers offer a variety of services, but they are ideal for investing in specific securities or trading stock options.

Nevertheless, most investors aren’t stock-pickers, and evidence confirms they shouldn’t be. Research shows that “actively managed funds lost out to their passive peers in nearly every asset class during the 10 years between 2004 and 2014…”

So why pay your financial advisor a costly fee if they are going to have you invested in passively-managed index funds? Enter the robo-advisor.

What Are Robo-Advisors?

The robo-advisor is technology’s response to high fees charged by useless financial advisors and planners. Robo-advisors, such as Wealthfront and Betterment, are online wealth managers that provide automated, virtual investment and portfolio management advice without the intervention of a physical human being.

By asking you a handful of questions regarding your financial goals, risk tolerance, and personal financial circumstances (e.g. income, assets and age), algorithm-based robo-advisors are able to determine your ideal investment plan. Their programs then recommend a number of investment options and allocations, taking into account the need for diversification across different asset classes and geographies. The other benefit to investors is that, because robo-advisors don’t rely on individual advisors to manage clients, their fees are much lower.

Although both alternative asset managers are cheaper than traditional financial advisors, both companies have pros and cons. If this investment style seems appealing to you, it is crucial investors research and compare Betterment vs Wealthfront to determine which one better fulfills your needs.

Stock Market Investing Tips – Dos and Don’ts

Finally, when you pick a platform and start investing, it is important to develop a basic investment philosophy. While each investor has a different risk tolerance and way of choosing his investments, here are a few stock market tips to help you understand the fundamentals.

• Set long-term goals. Investing is not a get-rich quick opportunity, and taking on too much risk can easily result in financial ruin. Evaluate your age, risk tolerance, time horizon, and financial goals (e.g. income generation, wealth preservation, or growth).
• Control your emotions. Hope, greed, fear, and passion are emotions that will cloud your judgement. Investing with objectivity will protect you from making costly mistakes.
• Minimize risk and maximize reward. Don’t take on excessive risk for small gains. Ideally, take on little risk for huge potential gains.
• Don’t worry about taxes. If you think a stock has overshot its true value, sell. It is better to take your gains and pay capital gains taxes than to lose money holding a stock too long.
• Buy best-in-class companies. Unless a mediocre company is deeply misunderstood by other investors, always buy the best and strongest companies in an industry.
• Don’t be afraid to hold cash when you don’t see any bargains in the marketplace.
• Don’t believe the hype on Wall Street and always be skeptical of financial analysts. They have a vested interest in keeping you invested, especially when they have positions in the names they are advertising.
• Don’t let a financial advisor convince you to make an investment you aren’t comfortable with. If the investment, company, or industry doesn’t make sense to you, why invest in it?
• Life insurance is not an investment. Unethical financial advisors make exorbitant commissions selling whole life insurance, which they claim is an investment opportunity with guaranteed returns. The high premiums you pay outweigh any returns you may earn. Term life is the best life insurance you can buy, then take your savings and invest in an index fund.

Final Word

Starting anything new can be intimidating, but that’s no excuse to procrastinate and avoid securing your family’s financial future. To eventually reach financial independence, young adults and families need to start investing early to take advantage of time and compounding returns. If you are skeptical or fearful, starting small is an option. Ultimately, successful investing is all about taking simple steps and executing on fundamental principles on a regular basis. Let 2016 be the year you begin your journey to financial freedom!

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It’s not a bad life, just a bad day: 20 quotes to get over it

Sometimes life likes to play it mean and hurts you really bad. It could be because of us or it could be the result of someone else’s doing. Anyways, it doesn’t really matter because past that moment when one acknowledges the pain inside, it is already time to move on simply because we are meant to be on this earth for a reason and pretty much every single soul on this planet has been there before.

So if you feel like a bad day lies ahead, feel pain no more and read on.

Just like they say that every pot has its lid, hopefully every hardship has its own feel-better quote.

When you are craving a sense of connection

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” – Steve Jobs

“Of course I’ll hurt you. Of course you’ll hurt me. Of course we will hurt each other. But this is the very condition of existence. To become spring, means accepting the risk of winter. To become presence, means accepting the risk of absence.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela

“Hopefully as you get older, you start to learn how to live with your demon. It’s hard at first. Some people give their demon so much room that there is no space in their head or bed for love. They feed their demon and it gets really strong and then it makes them stay in abusive relationships or starve their beautiful bodies. But sometimes, you get a little older and get a little bored of the demon. Through good therapy and friends and self-love you can practice treating the demon like a hacky, annoying cousin. Maybe a day even comes when you are getting dressed for a fancy event and it whispers, “You aren’t pretty,” and you go, “I know, I know, now let me find my earrings.” Sometimes you say, “Demon, I promise you I will let you remind me of my ugliness, but right now I am having hot sex so I will check in later.”- Amy Poehler

When you feel misunderstood

“Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”- Albert Einstein

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.”- Steve Jobs

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”- Paulo Coelho

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.”- Rosa Parks

When you are struggling

“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.”- Timber Hawkeye

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”- Buddha

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”- Dr. Seuss

“I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life’s a bitch. You’ve got to go out and kick ass.”- Maya Angelou

When you have to let go

“Shift the way you feel and watch what happens. If you can rid yourself of worry, you will rid yourself of things to worry about. It is really that simple.”- Abraham Hicks

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”- Anne Lamott

“This is a good sign, having a broken heart. It means we have tried for something.”- Elizabeth Gilbert

“Confession of errors is like a broom which sweeps away the dirt and leaves the surface brighter and clearer. I feel stronger for confession.”- Ghandi

When you need love

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”- J.K Rowling

“True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.”- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”- Martin Luther King. Jr.

“The moments that make life worth living are when things are at their worst and you find a way to laugh.”- Amy Poehler

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How He Keeps The Relationship Alive Every Single Day Will Move You

While many men and women dream of enjoying a romance like the one found in The Notebook, the truth is that the relationship between Noah and Allie Calhoun is fiction. It’s nothing more than a fantastic storyline thought up by Nicholas Sparks. However, the good news is that relationships like theirs do exist in real life.

Meet Jack Potter and his wife, Phyllis. Their story is every bit as good – and, in fact, greater – than the fictional love story portrayed in Hollywood.

The two met in 1941 at a wartime dance hall and quickly fell in love. “I remember it like it was yesterday the first time I met her – she came up to me and asked me to dance,” Jack told Daily Mail. A mere 16 months later, the couple was married.

Jack then documented every bits of their life, the holidays they took, and even their daily conversations in the diary.

Jack and Phyllis have been married for more than 70 years and Phyllis now suffers from dementia. In order to keep their relationship alive, Jack visits her in retirement home on a daily basis and reads her excerpts from the diary he’s kept for the past seven decades – just like Noah does in The Notebook. They laugh, reminisce, and even steal a kiss every now and then.

And while times haven’t always been easy, their love has flourished as a result of one simple decision: Choosing love every single day. “Phyllis means everything to Jack,” said a manager at the home where she resides. It’s clear that – even though she may not always realize it now – Jack means everything to Phyllis, too.

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Infographic: The Ultimate Car Repair Cheat Sheet

You are pretty sure that your battery needs replacing, but you have no idea how much it will cost and how long it will take to get it done. So, you are unsure whether you should take your car to a garage right away or wait till the weekend. Or should you even attempt to do it yourself?

Owning a vehicle is a big responsibility; you often find yourself asking questions like these.

The infographic below created by Buy Auto Parts provides you the ultimate guide to knowing the level of time commitment, the cost of parts and tool kit necessary for any car repair work on your vehicle.

The key points in the infographic can be summarized below.

Replace wiper blades

Replacing your wiper blades is cheap and easy. It does not take much time and can be replaced using tools you can find easily in your home.

Replace air filters

A properly working air filter keeps debris out of your fuel tank.  Dirt and muck in the oil tank may require cleaning of the fuel tank which is expensive and time consuming.

Replace headlight bulb

You can easily change your headlights using a screw driver in no time.

Change oil

Oil protects the moving parts from wear and tear. Dirty oil may even destroy your engine. So replacing oil on a regular basis is an essential part of keeping your vehicle well-functioning.

Install air intake

Air intake installation is highly recommended because it provides greater fuel economy, an increased acceleration and overall increase in performance. It takes about two hours and can be quite expensive but is well worth your time and money.

Replace air plugs

Damaged and worn out spark plugs can cause serious problems such as misfires, poor fuel economy and increased emissions. Ensure you are using OEM compatible plugs.

Change tires

Changing your tires is necessary for safety, performance and efficiency. You should learn how to change your tires. It is simple and doesn’t require much time.

Replace starter

Your car won’t start with a damaged starter. Make sure it is receiving steady power flow once installed.

Replace battery

If the electrical components of your vehicle (headlights, radio, starter, etc.) start showing problems, there may be problems with your battery. Changing a battery is a quick and easy job in most cars and vans and can be done with minimal tools.

Replace cooling fan

Cooling fans are an important part of your cooling system. Ensure the fans are not damaged if you’re working on your radiator.

Change brake pads

Maintenance and replacement of your brake pads is an obligatory measure of security. In addition, use of thinning, worn out brake pads may damage your rotors which are expensive.  If you’re getting new rotors or calipers, always confirm that the brake pads are in good condition.

Change brake rotors

If you are having problems with braking despite well-functioning brake pads, it is time to check on the brake rotors. Change damaged rotors as early as possible to avoid difficulty of changing old rotors.

Replace alternator

If your alternators are failing you won’t be able to charge your batteries properly, so you will have trouble with electrical components in your vehicle. If you have a good battery, but are unable to power your electrical components, take a look at the alternator. This is a tough task and will require specialist knowledge.

Replace ignition switch

When the ignition switch is damaged, your car may not start and other accessories will not work. Fixing a switch can be a quick, simple task (for dashboard switch) or a lethargic, challenging one (for steering column switch).

Install navigation system

Paper maps are a thing of the past. A navigation system may be expensive but it will help you find directions easily compared to traditional approaches.

Replace wheel hub

Check your hubs for any signs of rust and corrosion, and replace them if necessary.

Replace radiator

The radiator is a critical part of your car’s cooling system. A poorly performing radiator could be the cause of your car’s excessive heating.

Replace shocks and struts

Shocks and struts must be in tip-top condition if you want to enjoy a smooth ride. Symptoms of damaged shocks and struts include difficulty in turning, bouncing and squeaking over bumps. Replacing them can be a tough, time consuming job in absence of proper tools.

Replace catalytic converter

Catalytic converters filter harmful toxic fumes from your vehicles before emission. They usually last the lifetime of your vehicle. However physical damage and certain additives in fuels can prematurely age the converters.

Replace oil pans

Debris, rust, slush and other substances can damage your oil pan. Damaged oil pans can cause oil leakage which can severely damage the engine. Ensure that you inspect for damage in oil pans every time you change the oil.

Replace fuel pumps

The fuel pump is responsible for pumping gas from fuel tank to engine. A completely damaged fuel pump will bring your vehicle to a halt. Fuel pumps do not usually get damaged, but when they do, be prepared to splash a lot of cash to get it fixed.

Replace water pumps

Water pumps circulate fluid whenever the engine is running to cool the hot engine. It is a crucial part of the cooling system. Replacing water pumps is very difficult and will need expert handling.

Replacing hybrid batteries 

If you have a hybrid car, you may need to change your hybrid battery packs when your car has put has had enough mileage. Hybrid batteries are very expensive and more challenging to replace than usual batteries.

Replace turbocharger

Installing a turbocharger can add more power to your engine but it comes at an expensive price. It is an arduous process that demands an experienced mechanic.

Replace steering racks

If you have trouble turning your car around, the problem may be in the steering rack. Steering rack replacement is a laborious and costly process.

Replace clutch

Every clutch needs replacement at some point in time. Symptoms of failing clutches include gear slippage and unwanted shifting. While you can replace clutches yourself, you will need to devote about an entire day for it.

Replace A/C

Driving with an A/C adds comfort to your ride. If the temperature through the A/C vents is not as cold as they should be, you should get it inspected.

Change timing belt

Breaking the timing belt could result in major engine failure. Therefore, regular servicing of your timing belt is necessary to avoid its failure. Checking your timing belt every 75,000 miles is highly recommended.

Repair transmission

Problems in transmissions should be taken very seriously and should be dealt with as early as possible.  If any problems exist, get a highly skilled mechanic to fix them. In addition make sure to replace gearbox oil or transmission fluid every 50,000 miles.

Featured photo credit: Vehicle of Estonian President via en.wikipedia.org

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How to Coach Millennials

Every day more and more millennials enter the workforce. It is often said that millennials bring innovation, new perspectives and ideas for growth. As the new and largest generation of our workforce, millennials are calling for a new way of leadership. Do you know how to best leverage their potential and coach them effectively?

Millennials, born between early 1980s and 2000s, have much to contribute to the expansion and growth of your business. In this article I will share 5 key principles from my business and career coaching practice to attract, lead and motivate millennials in the workplace.

1. Provide structure and sharpen their focus

Prioritizing days and weeks in advance is part of every successful leader’s routine. However, this is something millennials don’t embrace so easily: to have everything scheduled. They enjoy being spontaneous and flexible.

Offer them the flexibility they need, while still setting healthy boundaries and providing structure. Certain routines can be scheduled every day. Regular monthly and weekly meetings with a clear agenda and goals will help millennials to achieve long term goals and get organized.

Serve as a role model and inspire them to absorb your good working habits: how to organize your workspace, how to effectively schedule work and set realistic goals. Take some time to coach them on: how to use practical tools and methods to plan time wisely, streamline certain tasks, communicate with team members and lead workshops. This will not only sharpen their focus but also keep them on track with assigned projects.

2. Create opportunities for growth

Most millennials I’ve encountered are very self-confident and have a great “can do” attitude. That’s why millennials don’t need a manager but a great leader with coaching skills to inspire them. They don’t want simply a great title and a good check at the end of the month. They want to make a true contribution and work on something meaningful because their identity is often expressed through the work they do. Therefore assign them meaningful projects in which they can make an impact to the growth of the company and at the same time expand their current skills.

Be warned: millennials are generally less responsive to an authoritarian leadership style. Being stern or commanding will bring no improvement in productivity of millennials and may yield undesired consequences for the company.

Millennials are eager to take a lead and show off their skills by running independent projects. They will feel limited if they are expected to work only within the specific frameworks. Independent projects empower and serve as an opportunity to fuel their passion, grow, and learn.

3. Encourage ‘quick wins’

Every new assignment can be exciting at the beginning. However if desired goals are not as timely realized as expected, millennials may lose their initial enthusiasm and feel anxious or even depressed.

Setting ‘quick wins’’ is a countermeasure for burning-out. These are the goals that can be achieved before experiencing any sense of inefficacy. Based on my experience as a leadership coach I would recommend leaders devoting a few hours per week and month for joint reflection on current projects, progress and setting small attainable goals – ‘quick wins’ until next week and month. This simple exercise will keep millennials engaged and committed.

4. Foster an environment for learning

Millennials love flat hierarchies, honest feedback and having a transparent relationship with their authentic managers. Therefore, dedicate some time to review their progress and give constructive feedback. Stay in touch regularly, show interest and curiosity in their way of working; praise their progress; don’t be judgmental, but inspire them to aim higher. Reflect on how to coach them better and serve their thirst for knowledge.

5. Give opportunities to bolster their CVs

According to a recent study on the millennial workforce, 53% hiring managers find it challenging to retain the millennials. Your role as a leader is to support their growth, that’s why you need to learn when it’s the best time to let them go.  The ‘I want to work for the next 30 years in the same company’ trend is gone. The new wave has less long term commitment to one specific organization. Therefore, work with them to develop their skills and help them to enrich their CVs. Communicate clearly that even if they leave the organization, you will be there for them. In all my years of coaching, I’ve seen this loyalty returning.

You and millennials: two different generations, tackling the same challenges but ending up creating a distinctive individual plan of action to deal with them. Use this difference to your advantage. This is a wake-up call for all leaders. Invest in millennials and give them the freedom they need. You will see surprising results.

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10 Surprising Benefits Of Chewing Gum

Many people pop gum into their mouths while walking, driving, or sitting somewhere to ward off bad breath or satisfy a craving for something sweet without giving it much thought. But, if you stop to think about it, you realize that chewing gum has many other amazing benefits.

Of course, like most things in life, too much gum chewing can cause problems. Excessive gum chewing can cause migraines in adolescents. However, numerous studies have linked moderate gum chewing to a host of surprising benefits.

Here are ten surprising benefits of chomping on a stick of gum.

1. Chewing gum helps improve eating habits and manage weight

A study out of Louisiana State University showed that people who chewed gum after eating lunch had less food cravings later in the day. They were also less likely to eat high-calorie foods if they had chewed gum once an hour for three hours after eating lunch. So, while chewing gum won’t automatically melt the pounds, it will ward off food cravings, helping you eat less and manage your weight gain.

2. Chewing gum helps improve memory and cognitive performance

It’s been shown that chewing gum increases the flow of blood to the brain by 25 to 40 percent. An increase in flow of blood to the brain results in an increase in the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain, which in turn increases brain function efficiency. Cognitive functions like memory, concentration, and reaction times improve when people chew gum.

Andrew Sholey, a professor at the British Sciences Institute in Australia, has found that short-term memory improves by up to 35 percent just by chomping on a stick of gum. However, chewing too much will interfere with short-term memory, he cautions.

3. Chewing gum helps to release nervous energy and combat stress and anxiety

Psychologists have for years known that chewing gum helps to ease tension and release nervous energy by reducing the stress hormone cortisol in the body. When you chomp on a stick of gum in emotionally charged situations, you are likely to feel calmer and more alert. Actually, chewing gum can be a good substitute for nervous habits like leg-shaking or nail-biting when you’re feeling anxious.

4. Chewing gum helps improve digestion

Although chewing gum does not directly help you digest food, it improves the performance of your digestive system. The way it does this is by stimulating the flow of saliva in the mouth, which, in turn, promotes easier swallowing and activates the digestive processes, including the flow of bile and other helpful acids and enzymes that digest food. When you chew gum after a meal, these digestive chemicals are released and help to avoid indigestion.

5. Chewing gum helps relieve acid reflux and heartburn

Chewing gum after meals also relieves acid reflux and other symptoms of heartburn by reducing acid in the esophagus. Increased saliva production in the mouth is to thank for this. Avoid chewing when you have not eaten, though, as production of these digestive acids can cause bloating.

6. Chewing gum helps prevent tooth decay

The best way to prevent tooth decay is to brush your teeth regularly, but we all know we can’t always brush our teeth after every meal. Chewing sugar-free gum is the next best alternative to prevent tooth decay. The American Dental Association recommends chewing sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after meals, as it has been shown to reduce cavities, plaque, and gingivitis, as well as promote tooth enamel. Just make sure your gum is sugar-free—sugar-containing gums promote tooth decay.

7. Chewing gum helps relieve dry mouth

Because chewing gum stimulates saliva production up to 10 times the resting rate, it’s a huge help in reversing oral dryness, and the problems and discomfort associated with dry mouth.

8. Chewing gum helps fight cold symptoms

Catching a cold is never fun. The symptoms of the cold—buildup of phlegm and mucus—are not desirable either. Thankfully, chewing mint gum can help break up some of this nastiness, although you may eventually need to get a heavy duty over-the-counter pill to completely move that phlegm and mucus.

9. Chewing gum helps fight dependence on addictive stimulants

This benefit comes down to the physical act of gum chewing. When you chew gum, it not only reduces cravings for snacks, but also reduces (or provides a helpful diversion) from cravings for stimulants like nicotine and caffeine. So, if you are trying to quit smoking or break similar addictive habits, chewing gum is a handy strategy to add to your arsenal.

10. Chewing gum helps treat earworms

Earworms are incredibly common—90% of us are victims of the earworm at least once a week. An earworm is a catchy piece of music that gets stuck in our heads and no matter what we do, we can’t seem to dislodge it. While earworms are not harmful, they can be really distracting and totally unpleasant sometimes. Most of us are helpless against them, and just suffer through it. But, you don’t have to suffer through it. Researchers at the University of Reading, UK have identified a cure for earworms. The best way to treat earworms is to chew gum. Now that is something to chew on!

Featured photo credit: Guilherme Yagui via flickr.com

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