To Inspire is Greater than Being Inspired!

When people are INSPIRED to act, they frequently demonstrate the following characteristics: they have the relevant Information about an issue; they feel that their action around that issue is a Necessity; they experience a sense of Solidarity and shared commitment with others; they consider themselves part of a greater Purpose; they are often responding to an Injury they or someone they care about has suffered; they have been illuminated by a new vision of the future, enabling the Reimagination of their world; they feel Empowered to act; and, ultimately, they give themselves in Devotion, long-term, to the cause. People who are inspired may not exhibit all these elements, but people experiencing them all are definitely inspired. In philosopher-speak, these are “sufficient but not necessary conditions” for inspiration.

Information
If people are to be inspired to act around an issue, they need to know about that issue. They need information: what’s wrong, what can be done, and how they can help – specifically. Conveying your ideas clearly is essential to inspiring people – crystal clarity counts.

NecessityThe second element of inspiration is necessity: people need to feel both that it is necessary to act on your issue, and that their participation is necessary. If you lack the first aspect of necessity, people will think “why now?” If you lack the second aspect, they will think “why me?” Neither of those responses is the excited “Yes! Me! Now!” of the truly inspired.

Solidarity
The third element of inspiration is solidarity: people will frequently only act if they feel that others are acting with them. In the words of organizer and Harvard Professor Marshall Ganz, people need to feel like they are part of an “Us” – a group with shared values – in order to act collectively to solve a problem. Solidarity is the heart of every “Us”.

Purpose
This one’s huge: when people are inspired they often feel a connection to a mission or calling way bigger than themselves, something which they are dedicating their energy to which supersedes and surpasses them in importance. In short, they feel a sense of purpose.

Injury
It might seem strange that “injury” is one of the elements of inspiration, but when it comes to inspiring people to act, few experiences are as effective as spur as the sense that we – or someone we care about – has been injured. If we can make it clear the injury caused to real people by actions we oppose, then we will be much more effective at inspiring people to act.

Reimagination
It’s no use telling people what’s wrong, and what needs to change, if you don’t offer them a vision of a different future. That’s why reimagination is so important to inspiration: when people are inspired, it’s often because they’ve been presented with a reimagined view of the future, an idea of how things could be.

EmpowermentTo inspire people, you also have to empower them. If you understand an issue, know what needs to change, feel it’s necessary to get involved, can see what a different future might look like, but don’t feel like you can make a difference, how likely is it that you will act? Empowerment overcomes this problem: it awakens people to their own potential, demonstrating that they do have the power to make change.

Devotion
Finally, devotion: the ultimate end-point, the hallmark of the fully committed. Inspiration can be a transitory thing, a momentary relief from the burdens of the everyday, and that’s nice enough. But people who are inspired are devoted to their cause: they give themselves to it, immerse themselves in it, make it the center of their life. If you can engender this level of commitment, then you know you have truly INSPIRED.

5 things you need to know about antioxidants

It's billed as an epic story of good versus evil — biology in comic-book form. The villains: free radicals, those nefarious DNA-attacking poisons of modern life. Our fearless defenders: antioxidants, poised to protect us from—well, everything, right? You've heard the claims:

They cure cancer!

They prevent aging!

They supercharge your immune system!

But while we think we know what antioxidants do, few of us know what antioxidants actually are. And food manufacturers are fine with that; the less you know, the more likely you are to swallow the hype. "Antioxidants have a health aura around them," says Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University. "They are supposed to fight something bad in your body. Who wouldn't want to consume more of a helper like that?"

There's no doubt that antioxidants can be good for you. But to maximize their benefit, we first have to strip away some assumptions.

1. Free radicals must be destroyed. Not so fast.

The basics: Antioxidants fight free radicals, which are unstable molecules in the body that can cause DNA mutation. Even though free radicals have been linked to serious conditions like heart disease, Parkinson's, and cancer, they aren't necessarily villains — they're by-products of a basic metabolic process called oxidation. "They're absolutely essential to life," says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., director of the antioxidants lab at Tufts University. "For example, immune cells will shoot free radicals onto invading bacteria in order to kill them. They're an important part of the body's defenses."

Too many free radicals, on the other hand, are harmful. Pollutants, cigarette smoke, and sun overexposure can generate so many free radicals that your normal antioxidant defenses become overwhelmed, leaving you vulnerable to cell damage and disease. Some researchers also link free-radical oxidation with aging.

That's where antioxidants come in. "We need to make sure we have adequate antioxidant defenses to combat all the excess free radicals," says Blumberg.

Do this: Assuming you've curbed bad habits such as smoking and excessive tanning, turn to your diet. If you eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, your diet is naturally rich in thousands of antioxidants. Studies suggest eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to reap the most health benefits.

2. All antioxidants are created equal.
Not even close.

Any molecule that protects your cells against oxidation is technically an antioxidant, says Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania. "They're anti-oxidation." This includes familiar nutrients, like vitamins, as well as more unfamiliar types of antioxidants, like flavonoids and polyphenols—about 8,000 varieties in all.

But don't assume that all antioxidants operate the same way, Blumberg warns. "You can't say, 'Well, I'm not going to worry about taking in enough vitamin E, because I take lots of vitamin C.' All the vitamin C in the world won't substitute for vitamin E," says Blumberg.

Some antioxidants excel at fighting certain types of free radicals (yep, there are different varieties of those, too) while others are effective only in specific parts of a cell. Still others can battle free radicals only under the right conditions.

"Think of antioxidants as an army," he says. "You need generals, lieutenants, corporals, privates, and others with specific duties. You can't fight an enemy with only generals." So how do you create an effective defense system in the battle for your life? By building a multipronged counteroffensive—er, diet.

Do this: Branch out and try something new in the produce aisle. In a 2006 study, researchers at Colorado State University found that people who ate the widest variety of fruits and vegetables had the most DNA protection.

3. All antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables.
Nope.

The entire plant kingdom—including beans, nuts, seeds, and grains—is awash in antioxidants, according to a recent study from the University of Scranton. That's because all plants produce antioxidants to fight against predators and UV rays, says Vinson. It's important to steer clear of refined grains, though; they've been stripped of most of their antioxidant benefits.

Even meat, dairy products, and eggs contain some antioxidants, which mainly come from the nutrient-rich plants the animals fed on.

Do this: Eat whole-grain foods, beans, nuts, and seeds regularly. When animals are on the menu, make sure they've been grass-fed; meat and dairy products from these better-fed beasts have been shown to contain higher levels of antioxidants. Eggs from pastured hens also rank higher in antioxidants—look for them at farmers' markets.

4. Antioxidant-fortified foods are healthier. 
Not really.

The ink was barely dry on early antioxidant studies when food companies started slapping the A-word on their packaging. You can even chug an antioxidant-fortified version of Cherry 7UP. The FDA requires food manufacturers to list the variety of antioxidant in a product; that part is often in fine print. Look closely, and the label reveals that you're receiving a tiny helping of vitamin E. Perhaps "Cherry 7UP Vitamin E" didn't sound as impressive.

If you're relying on processed foods to supplement your antioxidant intake, you may be surprised to find that many processed foods have relatively small amounts of just one or two kinds. Since variety is critical, you probably aren't making up for lost ground.

Do this: Ignore the hype — there's no research to prove that packaged products provide the same health benefits that whole foods do. Instead, focus on the ingredient list. If a food product contains mostly plant foods, it's likely to be rich in antioxidants.

5. If I exercise and take antioxidant supplements, I'll be superfit.
Maybe not.

Working out leads to more oxidation and an increase in free radicals. That's not a bad thing. "Since free-radical production is a normal response to exercise, taking a large dose of antioxidants right after a workout could interfere with the natural, beneficial response to exercise," says nutritionist Alan Aragon, M.S., a Men's Health weight-loss expert. The logic is unexpected but clear: Scientists speculate that the oxidative stress triggered by exercise promotes insulin sensitivity and weight loss, and possibly reduces your risk of diabetes. (Belly not budging?)

Case in point: A 2009 German study found that when exercisers took antioxidant supplements (vitamins C and E), they weren't rewarded with the typical postexercise boost in insulin sensitivity. So much for that well-intentioned antioxidant-fortified recovery drink. Michael Ristow, M.D., an author of the study and chairman of the department of human nutrition at the University of Jena, Germany, speculates that other antioxidant supplements might have similar negative effects, though more study is needed.

Supplements can even sap your power: A 2006 British study found that runners who took 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily for a week lost muscle strength.

Do this: If you're exercising to lose weight, your antioxidants should come from whole foods, not from supplements or antioxidant-enhanced food products. When it comes to antioxidants, more isn't always better.

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Origninal Article:

2010-http://www.nbcnews.com/