2627 North Third Street, Ste. 100, Phoenix, AZ 85004 | 14418 West Meeker Blvd., Bldg B, Ste. 102, Sun City West, AZ 85375
NOVEMBER 2019
602-277-4327 | www.azhear.com
‘I Only Have Hearing Loss When …’
The Myth of Situational Hearing Loss
Hearing, for all intents and purposes, doesn’t work in a vacuum. What we experience as the sensation of listening is actually the result of three distinct processes working simultaneously. Imagine a triangle where one corner is the auditory process of hearing, the hard biology if you will. In the other two corners, you’ll find speech reading and context. Speech reading comprises all of the visual cues that magnify our sense of hearing, from lip reading to gesticulations to facial animations. Context includes the situation a conversation happens in and the words and sentences that precede and follow a given set of sounds. Language and communication, as most people experience them, require all three of these to function properly. Because all three of these work in concert, we have a lifetime of experience associating each corner of the triangle with the other two. When one of them falters, we use the other two to prop them up. Sometimes, we do this compensating tactic consciously. If we’re on the phone, for example, we can’t rely on speech reading. Understanding that something is lost when we aren’t able to see the person we’re speaking to, we tend to focus more on the person. The reason the buffoon who nearly wanders into traffic while talking on the phone is a cliché is because we
tend to ignore what’s around us to make it easier to hear what’s coming through the speaker. In other situations, our compensation process kicks in without us realizing it. One such situation is the early stages of hearing loss. We’re able to compensate the gradual diminishing of one corner of the triangle, the physiological process of hearing, with the strength of the other two. The way this compensation manifests itself in many patients is with the sense that they only have hearing loss in certain situations. You’ve probably heard a patient make this exact argument or a spouse attest to its veracity. The bottom line, though, is that while it may only hamper communication in certain situations, their hearing loss is present all the time. It’s an empirical phenomenon, not a situational one. If you think about the situations when a patient will argue that their hearing loss shows up, almost all of them demonstrate a restriction on one of the other parts of the triangle, as well. In the car, you have to focus on the road, making speech reading impossible. At a party with new people, you’re less attuned to body language and speech patterns. If you miss the first two sentences of a piece of conversation, especially if it doesn’t include the usual Dale Carnegie small
talk, it becomes a lot harder to keep up. When you couple these scenarios with failing hearing, it’s easy to see why hearing loss feels situational even when it’s not. How does somebody gain too much weight? One ounce at a time. You don’t go to sleep at 200 pounds and wake up the next week at 500. Hearing loss works the same way, but it’s much more insidious, in a sense. As your hearing begins to fail, you don’t have an easily memorable reference point for what normal looks or feels like. Your ears don’t get tight like your waistband. Your brain wants you to be able to communicate and understand, and it will allow you to do that long after demonstrable hearing loss is present. When a patient says they only have hearing loss in certain situations, what they really mean is they're in the early stages of hearing loss. They may not know it, but they’ve actually given you the perfect chance to intervene early, before they start to feel the effects of hearing loss all the time.
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BREAK AWAY FROM BLAND
Too Busy to Work Out?
How to Write Content That Pops
5 Simple Ways to Stay Active
When it comes to winning over customers with content marketing, many entrepreneurs seem to think, “If we publish, they will come.” That would certainly explain the flood of bland, cookie-cutter blog posts pumped out across social media every day. To win over readers and make the most of your marketing dollars, your content needs to have a personality — a voice. Of course, personalizing content comes with a few pitfalls every marketer needs to know. newspaper. Do you think the author speaks exactly like that in real life? Probably not. Speech and writing are two different mediums with different stylistic needs, and trying to translate one to the other can prove disastrous. For example, many content writers include verbal cues like dramatic pauses … by including useless ellipses. In a conversation, strategic pauses may impress, but on the page, they pull readers out of the article. Contractions Aren’t Your Enemy On the other end of the spectrum, some people write like robots. They avoid contractions like “don’t,” “can’t,” and “aren’t,” resulting in stilted, plodding sentences that inflate word counts and alienate readers. Obviously, formal publications like research papers and legal briefs still maintain this archaic ban on mashing words together, but when it comes to marketing content, rules are flexible. Do not fear using these tools. You cannot go wrong with adding a splash of informality to your writing. Your readers are not going to mind. (Are you still with me?) Show, Don’t Tell This is a big one. So many businesses publish copy with big statements like “We love our customers!” or “Our passion is helping you!” These blanket sentiments come across as shallow. So, rather than tell customers you care about their needs, write content that shows them you understand their needs and want to help address them. We care deeply about your marketing campaigns and want to help them succeed! Don’t Write How You Speak Read a few sentences from your favorite book or
Being active doesn’t have to mean going to the gym every single day. An active lifestyle can be as simple as going for a walk around the neighborhood for a few minutes a day. There are plenty of ways to exercise during daily activities like shopping, spending time with your kids, or hanging around the house. Park farther away. A lot of people will spend several minutes trying to find a parking space as close as they can to the entrance of a store. However, parking a little farther away will help you score a better parking space and make sure you get your steps in for the day. Do some yoga. You don’t have to push yourself to your absolute limit in order to stay active. There are other, gentler ways to exercise than running 5 miles a day. Tai chi or yoga are excellent low-impact alternatives to keep your body fit and healthy. Reduce TV time. It can be tempting to plop down in front of the television after a long day at work or after dinner, but you can also use this time to be active. Get the family together for a walk around the neighborhood, take a few minutes to dance to some of your favorite tunes, or do some light cleaning around the house. Put a spin on date night. Forget dinner and a movie. Instead, try taking your date out for a round of miniature golf, indoor rock climbing, an evening stroll, a bike ride, or dancing. You’ll have more fun while doing your body good. Grab a leash. Having a dog gives you plenty of opportunities to stay active. If you don’t have a dog, try asking a neighbor or friend if they would like their dog walked, start a dog- walking service, or volunteer at a local animal shelter. There are plenty of ways to make staying active a part of your daily routine! With enough creativity and motivation, you can turn any activity into an active one.
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Point by Point
Revolutionize Your Business With Bullet Journaling
When you’re an entrepreneur or a business leader, your to-do list can feel more like a novel than a manageable list. But what if you could order your thoughts, track your accomplishments, and maintain organization all on your own terms? It may sound too good to be true, but bullet journaling does just that. What Is It? Despite what the name may suggest, bullet journaling has little to do with writing out your feelings — unless you want to do that! Instead, it’s a log of all your to-do lists, reminders, and tracking systems in one convenient place. The goal is to complete tasks and update your journal each day. You can even download a companion app to digitally stay on top of your tracking.
The beauty of bullet journaling is customization. If you’re a visual person, create drawings or tape down pictures to represent your tasks. If you prefer precise outlines, use ruled pages to order each goal and its subtasks. A bullet journal can include every aspect of your business down to the smallest logistical details, or it can break down a single, complicated aspect, such as vendor tracking, into one journal. The look and function of your bullet journal is completely up to you and your process. How Do I Do It? Despite the versatility, every bullet journal shares a couple key components. First, you need a legend or key to identify what symbols mean throughout your journal. For example, a square next to a task may indicate it is a high priority, or a star may mean a task has been completed. Any group of symbols will work, but consistency keeps you organized. Second, you need a calendar in your bullet journal. That way, you can organize your goals by year, month, week, or day and keep track of smaller goals along the way. Throughout your journal, create separate sections for as many breakdowns as you want, but the key is to keep it all connected. No longer do you need to carry around a to-do list, a planner, and a calendar. Turn to bullet journaling to revolutionize the way you organize. For more tips, inspiration, and information on how bullet journaling can help you and your business, visit BulletJournal.com.
PUZZLE
HAVE A Laugh
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602-277-4327 | www.azhear.com 2627 N. Third Street Ste. 100 Phoenix, AZ 85004
2627 N. Third St., Ste 100 Phoenix, AZ 85004
14418 W. Meeker Blvd., Bldg B, Ste 102 Sun City West, AZ 85375
Inside This Edition
1.
When Hearing Loss Shows
2.
Simple Ways to Stay Active
Are You Making These Writing Mistakes?
3.
Bullet Journaling for Your Business
Have a Laugh
4.
Spilling the Tea on Tea
TEA TIME Tea has been consumed for thousands of years and is the second-most popular drink in the world, with water being the first. It is the national drink of several nations, including China and India, and is an integral component of religious ceremonies the world over. Drinking tea has been known to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve sleep. In addition to these instant benefits, tea can also help improve a person's long-term health through regular consumption. YOUR HEART According to Harvard Health Institute, several studies show that those who regularly drink black and green tea are at a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. These types of tea contain antioxidants and flavonoids, which are plant chemicals that help dilate arteries and reduce
WHAT’S SWIRLING AROUND IN YOUR CUP?
YOUR MOOD Tea leaves contain the amino acid L-theanine, which stimulates several feel-good neurotransmitters, like serotonin and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). These neurotransmitters help boost your mood and alertness. According to a study by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, tea even has the ability to ward off depression. The study took 22,817 participants with 4,743 cases of depression over 11 studies, and 13 reports found that individuals who drank three cups of tea a day decreased their depression risk by 37%. So, the next time you want a warm beverage that will do your mind and body good, reach for some tea and bask in all the health benefits as you sip.
bad cholesterol. Studies also link tea consumption with improved vascular reactivity — how well your blood vessels respond to stress. YOUR BRAIN Flavonoids don’t only fight heart disease; these chemicals can also reduce any vascular damage to the brain. The National University of Singapore has conducted studies that link reduced risks of dementia in the elderly with regular tea consumption. The results speak for themselves: “The longitudinal study involving 957 Chinese seniors aged 55 years or older has found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly by 50%, while APOE e4 gene carriers who are genetically at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease may experience a reduction in cognitive impairment risk by as much as 86%.”
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