AUTOMATIC DEDUCTIONS AND AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS…BOTH ARE CONVENIENCES THAT LULL US INTO POOR HABITS AND COMPLACENCY.

WE SIGN UP FOR ACH (AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE) DEDUCTIONS THROUGH A BANK ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT. THIS ALLOWS A VENDOR TO WITHDRAW VARIABLE AMOUNTS OF MONEY (e.g. variable dollar amounts for natural gas bills or electric bills). WE MAY ALSO SCHEDULE AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS OF CONSTANT DOLLAR AMOUNTS (e.g. loan payments or rent payments), OUT OF OUR CHECKING ACCOUNTS.

ANY BUSINESS OR COMPANY WOULD LOVE CONSISTENT AND PREDICTABLE REVENUE STREAMS FROM RECURRING SUBSCRIPTIONS, AND AUTOMATIC RENEWALS. BOTH ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY AUTOMATIC DEDUCTIONS /PAYMENTS FROM OUR ACCOUNTS. BY THE SAME TOKEN, THESE COMPANIES DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO ASK US IF WE ARE STILL USING, OR STILL FINDING VALUE IN, THEIR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK, DAILY, THE ACTIVITIES OF THESE ACCOUNTS: CREDIT CARDS, CHECKING, SAVINGS, MONEY MARKET, LINES OF CREDIT, MARGIN LOANS, STOCKS, BONDS, REAL ESTATE, CRYPTOCURRENCY, AND ANY OTHER INVESTMENTS.

SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE VERY SPECIFIC: just the Sunday newspaper, just laptop or desktop web access, just smartphone app access, printed format but not digital, etc.

WE MAY ACCUMULATE MULTIPLE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE SAME PRODUCT OR SERVICES (especially if we register with different login names, or different emails)

These are just some of the items and services that we may have signed up for, but no longer require):

Subscriptions to magazines, newspapers, investment letters, and journals (sometimes billed weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually)

Subscriptios to online games

Subscriptions to websites

Subscriptions to discount or bulk buying clubs

Subscriptions to timeshares

Subscriptions to extended warranties

Subscriptions to cable or satellite TV

Subscriptions to extra / premium TV channels.

Subscriptions to a “landline” telephone services

Subscriptions to additional telephone extensions

Subscriptions to additional mobile phones on a group or family plan

Subscriptions to antivirus and anti-malware software

Subscriptions to VPNs (virtual private network for secure internet connections)

Subscriptions to multiple, personal or professional, email accounts

Subscriptions to website/domain names

Subscriptions to smartphone apps and services

Subscriptions to bookkeeping and tax preparation software

Subscriptions to book clubs

Subscriptions to online/cloud reading services such as Kindle and Nook.

Subscriptions to audio book and podcast services such as Audible, Blinkist, Scribd, etc.

Subscriptions for regular purchases of pet foods, prepared meals, clothing, kids’ educational toys, etc.

Subscriptions to productivity software (e.g. Microsoft Office 365, receipt scanning software, etc.)

Subscriptions for data storage to the cloud, computer backup to the cloud, photograph storage/backup to the cloud

Subscriptions to lawn, tree services, lawn irrigation, pool care,

Subscriptions to heating and air conditioning cleaning services

Subscriptions to legal aid and tax aid services

Subscriptions for automatic refill of medications

“Subscriptions” to life insurance, disability insurance, malpractice insurance, business insurance, business overhead insurance, automobile/vehicle insurance, homeowner’s insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, renter’s insurance, umbrella policy, personal articles insurance

Subscriptions for automatic refills of household cleaning items, and other consumable goods ( e.g. toilet paper, printer ink cartridges)

“Subscriptions” for PMI ( private mortgage insurance)

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 29, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

INTERESTING BENEFITS OF COOKING OUR OWN FOOD…

We understand and appreciate: organization, planning, storage, space utilization, assistants, assistance, tools, work flow, completeness, exactness, freestyling, waste, cost, quality, time, and timing.

We are more likely to appreciate the efforts and foods prepared by others.

We may consider growing some of our own foods (even a simple windowsill herb garden).

We appreciate the importance of grocery shopping 2 to 3 times per week in order to obtain smaller quantities of fresh ingredients.

We can better realize food as medicine (for prevention and healing).

We acquire more tools, skills, and confidence, by using meals, to help bring together family and support friendships.

We are, typically, less hungry for the final meal (calorie control), the longer it takes for us to prepare and cook.

Finally, and most importantly, LEFTOVERS!

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 29, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

HOW WE DRINK ALCOHOL (what, when, where, how much), THE REASON(s) FOR DRINKING, AND HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS US ARE MORE TELLING THAN WE REALIZE.

https://katiecouric.com/podcast/next-question/moms-and-drinking/

No adult wants to be questioned, judged, or regulated when it comes to anything in their lives, especially their alcohol consumption.

Thirty years of accumulated experience, knowledge, and wisdom from my taking care of patients, including addressing their alcohol use: https://notyourdoc.blog/2021/07/14/alcohol/

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 21, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

SHORT TERM THINKING: “HOW MANY HOURS/HOW MANY SHIFTS WILL IT TAKE FOR ME TO BUY THAT?” LONG-TERM THINKING: “IF I BUY THIS NOW, WHAT WILL THIS REALLY HAVE COST ME IF I HAD INVESTED THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY (into improving myself, improving my business, understanding real estate, investing in the stock market, etc) FOR THE NEXT 5, 10, OR 15 YEARS?”

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 20, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

ANXIETY, FEAR, AND PANIC ARE LIKE FLESH EATING BACTERIA. ALL OF THESE SEVERE PROBLEMS TAKE MORE AND MORE OF OUR LIVES IF WE IGNORE THE SYMPTOMS AND DO NOTHING. WITH FLESH EATING BACTERIA, WE CAN SEE THE INFECTION INVADING THE BODY AND THE REDNESS, PAIN, AND SWELLING EXPANDING BY THE HOUR. ANXIETY, FEAR, AND PANIC EXPAND BEYOND THEIR INITIAL TERRITORY TOO. IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO PUT UP A WALL TO PREVENT ANXIETY AND PANIC FROM PROGRESSING. WE ACTUALLY NEED HELP WITH THE USE OF MEDICATIONS, TALK THERAPY, MEDITATION, AND PHYSICAL TECHNIQUES IN ORDER TO PUT INTO REMISSION, AND EVEN CURE, ANXIETY, FEAR, AND PANIC.

Often, anxiety, fear, and panic manifest as physical symptoms. These symptoms lead patients and the patients’ families and friends on months to years of emergency room visits, repeat visits to primary care physicians and specialists, blood testing and imaging, all the while missing the actual problems (and root causes) of fear, anxiety and panic.

In addition to physical symptoms, those who suffer from fear, anxiety, and panic, at times, will manifest additional, confounding, behaviors such as anger, irritability, depression, work-related and relationship problems, substance abuse, self-mutilation/cutting, eating disorders, and personality disorders.

Often, families and other supportive loved ones are so entangled with their loved ones’ symptoms and behaviors, that they themselves start advocating for anything to help decrease the symptoms and acting out/ behaviors that their loved one is demonstrating. Unfortunately, this misplaced advocacy and help, actually worsens everyone’s situation. Many times, I have asked families and other supportive loved ones to obtain their own counselor in order to help them understand their own feelings and responses to their loved ones’ psychological difficulties and behaviors. Often these families and loved ones have slipped into a codependency role with the patient. The families’ and loved ones’ behaviors and responses ACTUALLY WORSEN AND FURTHER ENTRENCH THE PATIENTS’ SYMPTOMS AND BEHAVIORS.

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 20, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

EARLY IN LIFE, WHEN WE ARE STARTING TO MAKE AN INCOME, WE MAY WANT TO DONATE A PORTION OF OUR INCOME TO HELP SUPPORT OUR PLACE OF WORSHIP, HELP THE ELDERLY, HELP CHILDREN, HELP THE HOMELESS, OR TO HELP UNWANTED PETS. GO AHEAD, DONATE. START SMALL. DO NOT DELAY UNTIL WE ARE FINANCIALLY STABLE BEFORE WE ACT ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US.

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 14, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

ONCE WE ARE CONVINCED THAT IMPORTANT CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE IN OUR LIVES (OR WE ACTUALLY MAKE THESE CHANGES), OUR WORK IS NOT DONE. SINCE NONE OF US LIVE IN A VACUUM, WHAT MAY BE LEFT TO DO IS TO CONVINCE OTHERS TO: ALLOW THESE CHANGES, ACCEPT THESE CHANGES, SUPPORT US IN THESE CHANGES, OR AT LEAST NOT BLOCK OR CHALLENGE THESE CHANGES. OFTEN, OTHERS ARE NOT ONBOARD WITH OUR CHANGES, SO WE HAVE TO DECIDE IF WE ARE GOING TO SPEND TIME AND ENERGY CONVINCING THESE PEOPLE, OR IGNORING THESE PEOPLE.

What we often forget is that our changes force others to think about, or even expend energy on: understanding what is happening, supporting us, or even possibly needing to make their own changes.

Charles Tadros, M.D.

April 10, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri

MANY TIMES WHEN ADULTS HAVE HAD DIFFICULT CHILDHOODS (trauma, familial instability, abandonment, abuse, fear, confusion, personal or family member illnesses) THE STABLE AND SECURE FOUNDATIONS WHICH SHOULD HAVE DEVELOPED, NEVER FORMED. THESE HEALTHY FOUNDATIONS ARE IMPERATIVE IN ALLOWING YOUNGSTERS TO EVENTUALLY LEAVE THE NEST, EXPLORE, QUESTION, EXPERIMENT, FAIL, LEARN, AND STILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK TO LOVE, KINDNESS, APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCES, REASONABLE BOUNDARIES, AND ACCEPTANCE. THESE ACTIONS AND RESPONSES ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO HELP CHILDREN, WHO ARE NOW ADULTS, TO FORM A HEALTHY SENSE OF SELF AND TO BE ABLE TO HEALTHFULLY SELF REGULATE.

Charles Tadros, M.D.

March 6, 2022

Saint Louis, Missouri