Health Affixed

Health Is Limitless

Warning: Fish Disease

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Ciguatera sounds like an exotic product, but it is a harmful toxin that infects a variety of fish. If a person ingests fish contaminated by the ciguatera toxin, he/she may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling, pain (muscle, abdominal, and general), numbness, dizziness, vertigo, drooling, paralysis, skin rash, chills, itching, trouble breathing, seizure, confusion, and/or abnormal skin color. Death due to heart or respiratory failure occurs in very rare cases.

In other words, ingesting a contaminated fish is very harmful to one’s health. Thus, fish known to be contaminated with the ciguatera toxin should be avoided. These fish include:

Lyretail
Black Fin Red Snapper
Cubera Snapper
Dog Snapper
Flowery Grouper
Black Grouper
Black Saddled Coral Grouper
High Fin Grouper
Tiger Grouper
Speckled Blue Grouper
Areolated Coral Grouper
Potato Grouper
Leopard Coral Grouper
Yellow Fin Grouper
Hump Head Wrasse
Moray Eel
Barracuda
Greater Amberjack
Horse-eye Jack
Hogfish
King Mackerel

General Information

- Background: The ciguatera toxins originate from a marine micro-organism which attach and grow on coral reef and marine algae (seaweed). Small fish eat the toxic surface, the larger fish eat the small fish, and humans eat the large fish. These contaminated fish tend to be located in tropical and subtropical areas. Try to eat only a few coral reef fish and only buy from reputable vendors.

- Infection: Seek medical advice and treatment immediately; call the National Poison Control Center; do not drink alcoholic beverages; and do not eat nut or seed products.

Warning: Chopsticks

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Chopsticks, please! Whenever I eat at an Asian restaurant, I request a pair of chopsticks. If I didn’t, the practice spent on learning to pick up rice with chopsticks would have amounted to nothing more than a waste of time. Now, however, I may have to bring my own chopsticks to the restaurant, and you may want to consider doing the same.

Apparently, chemical substances such as sulfur, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium sulfite are commonly used to make disposable chopsticks. While the verdict is still out regarding the magnitude of the health risk, the above list of chemicals arguably imply that the use of disposable chopsticks may pose a health risk. Accordingly, it would be best to avoid the use of disposable chopsticks.

Also, it is important to note that, in California, manufacturers are expected to issue a warning on products that contain certain toxins. If you visit an Asian grocery store that sells chopsticks, you may see the following label on certain chopsticks:

Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

Generally, this label can be found on wooden chopsticks. To avoid the dangers of an unlabeled potentially toxic product, it would be wise to purchase stainless steel chopsticks.

F.E.A.R

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The best acronym for self-generated FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. The mind tends to persuade the subconscious that the false evidence is real. Generally, the outcome is inaction. Due to fear, no risk is taken, no plans are laid, and no achievement is gained.

The trick is to act in spite of the false evidence being real. The trick is to acknowledge that the FEAR exists and still take the risk, lay a plan, and seek to achieve. When you acknowledge that what you fear is a possibility and you are brave enough to face that possibility, you become much more fearless, and your sense of fearlessness tends to lay the path to success.

Let your self-generated FEAR be the motivation that moves you forward not the anchor that keeps you still.

Developing Healthy Habits 101

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The time to start is now, but how long until the healthy habit sticks. They say it takes 21 days to form or break a habit, but I don’t believe it. A healthy habit that fits your lifestyle takes time to develop and 21 days is not enough time.

Remember, it’s only through trial and error that we can truly figure out what works for us. In fact, forcing yourself to do something consistently will seem forced and anything that feels forced tends to feel more punitive than rewarding. So, forget the 21-day rule.

First, figure out what healthy habit you would like to start or what unhealthy habit you would like to reduce.

Second, think long term, not 21 days. You want to develop this habit over your lifetime – not in 21 days. After all, there is no deadline.

Third, keep it simple and hassle free.

Fourth, keep is positive. Always think of what you can add to your life to develop the healthy habit or reduce a bad habit; do not tell yourself that you have to subtract or give up something.

Examples

1. You want more sleep. Q: how are you sabotaging your sleep time? Example A: you stay up too late to watch your favorite shows.

Solution: consider adding a DVR service.

2. You eat out too often. Q: why are you eating out so much? Example A: you work crazy hours.

Solution: consider adding a meal prep/plan service to your busy lifestyle.

3. You want to exercise more frequently. Q: what is keeping you from exercising? Example A: I work crazy hours; I don’t know how to exercise; I don’t have time/money for a gym; I am lazy.

Solution: consider working out in the AM before your work day starts; consider hiring an online coach or following exercise professionals on social media; YouTube has a ton of quick workouts ranging from beginner friendly to advance and you can play the videos on your television; join a challenge with a friend or co-worker to help motivate you.

4. You want to reduce the number of cigarettes that you smoke per day. Q: what are some of your triggers? Example A: stress at work; nicotine craving; hand to mouth motion

Solution: consider joining a counseling group; try using nicotine patches; keep gum to chew

5. You want to reduce the amount of coffee you drink daily. Q: how many cups of coffee do you drink throughout the day? Example A: Two to Five

Solution: after each cup, drink one 12 oz bottle of water before heading for a coffee refill.

Law Day: The Profession

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May 1st is a day that should be celebrated with the same vigor as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yes, I said it. At the very least, it should be an international holiday. Why? Simple: if the legal profession did not exist, how different would the world be? Lawyers are taught to advocate. They fight for the rights of the people they represent. Throughout history, lawyers have challenged the status quo on behalf of their clients to change almost everything and help to shape the world as it is today.

Some lawyers are really good, some take advocacy way to far, some are very unprofessional, some are rude, and some get deceived by the people they represent. True lawyers know and appreciate their role in society. They know that without them things tend to not change. They know that, if they do their jobs well, they can change every aspect of society – sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. It really depends on the position the lawyer’s client represents.

The bottom line is that laws exist in the world to hold people to some level of morality. People find themselves in situations and lawyers are there to help them to overcome their situation in the most favorable manner possible.

True lawyers are not the bad apples that you read about in the news or the liars, schemers, and dealers. True lawyers are lawyers who advocate on behalf of their client in an honest way by using the law itself as a guide. It doesn’t matter if the lawyer is for the defense or the prosecutor, all good lawyers should be celebrated.

Remember to thank the lawyer you know on May 1st of each and every year.