Does Learning by "Osmosis" Really Work?

What do I mean by learning by "osmosis?" Osmosis is really a scientific term relating to the flow of fluids through a semi-permeable membrane. With respect to learning, it means a gradual, often unconscious process of assimilation. The term has been applied to "sleep learning," but I'm using it in a broader sense here to refer to "unconscious learning."

osmosis jones soundtrack

When we first learn how to speak, we learn from being around other people and simply picking it up by repetition--by osmosis--from people who already know how to speak. Most of us do not have to go to school to learn our native language. We simply pick it up because it is all around us. It doesn't matter what the language is: English, French, Chinese...if it is what everyone else is speaking, we automatically pick up the basics when we are children.

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The same is true about other things in our environment. It's often how effective marketing campaigns are created. Companies will find celebrity opinion leaders and pay them to use their products. A classic example: Tiger Woods. You almost never see a picture of him without his Nike hat or shirt. Their logo is all over his equipment. Nike has paid Tiger, millions of dollars for his "endorsement" of their products.

Companies will also pay a hefty fee to have their products used by characters in a movie. Why? Because that will plant a subconscious suggestion in the minds of a certain percentage of people to want their product. A blatant example? When James Bond traded in his Astin Martin for the BMW convertible.

Have you ever been walking down the street only to find a song playing in your head? In this case, a song that you didn't purchase, but one that happened to be playing in a store you were recently in. Or that you happened to hear on the radio or a television show or in a move. That "afterglow" is an example of the type of "osmosis" I'm referring to.

How does this apply to the use of Power Affirmation recordings? The application here is to find various ways to add positive thought to your every day environment. For example, you can do that by listening to various audio self-help books, putting up posters of positive statements, or by listening to Power Affirmation recordings. I like to let the recordings play in the background while I'm doing other things. Often, I'm not even paying full attention--it's just "white noise" in the background. This is different from "subliminal learning" because the words can be clearly heard. I find that by doing this consistently, the Power Affirmations positively influence my thoughts so that the ideas are automatically there when I need them.

This is just one example of how I use my Power Affirmation recordings. There are also times when I actively participate in the affirmation. The point is, there are multiple ways to use them. The more you listen (even when you are not really paying close attention), the more they will help you. The more good "stuff" you put in, the more good "stuff" will come out.

Does Learning by "Osmosis" Really Work?

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Home Reverse Osmosis Systems - Are They Really Effective?

It's unbelievable how much misinformation is out there when it comes to water filters. So many people are led to believe that a home Reverse Osmosis system is exactly what they need to get pure, safe drinking water. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Fact is, a home reverse osmosis system can give your semi-pure water at best. Just think about the kinds of contaminants present in our tap water today. It's loaded with the normal dirt and grime, plus there are chemicals like chlorine and fluoride. Even pharmaceutical drugs can be found in this water.

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Add to this the heavy metals like lead and asbestos that get mixed in the water in the water supply system, and you get a dangerous mix of substances that can harm your health permanently.

Now, let's see what an RO system can do about these contaminants. The way these systems work is - there is a semi permeable membrane inside the filter through which water is forced to pass. The pores of the membrane do not allow contaminants to pass through. The only caveat is - the molecular size of the impurity should be greater than that of water.

So, theoretically, only water passes through this membrane and all contaminants are left behind.

The problem is - the molecular size of chemicals like chlorine or prescription drugs is smaller than that of water. So they also pass through undetected along with the water.

The other problem is of de-mineralization. Water in its natural state contains some minerals like calcium and magnesium which play an important role in our well being.

The molecules of these metals are big in size and are blocked by the membrane in your RO filter. Drinking this de-mineralized water can lead to health problems due to mineral deficiency in the long run.

Some home reverse osmosis systems try to remedy this by adding a separate unit to add minerals in the water after filtering, and then jack up the costs of the filter accordingly. It doesn't really make sense to first remove minerals from the water and then later add them - and that too at a higher cost!

Your best option is to use a filter that uses the advanced techniques of sub micron filtration, ion exchange, and carbon filtration. Together, these techniques remove the dirt, chemicals and heavy metals and give you really pure water - without de-mineralizing it.

So there you have it. A home reverse osmosis filter may not be the ideal choice for your health. Do some research and find out a better filter now.

Home Reverse Osmosis Systems - Are They Really Effective?

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Are Reverse Osmosis Water Systems Really Healthy For Home Use?

Have you ever wondered if reverse osmosis water systems make a good choice for protecting your family's health from the contaminants found in the tap water in our homes?

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Well this information may be useful to you in making your decision.

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Reverse osmosis water systems are used by some large scale treatment facilities and other industries as their primary means of removing minerals, metals and other contaminants that are "heavy". These facilities also use disinfectants like chlorine to protect us from diseases such as cholera.

But you may have heard a number of claims from companies touting these water systems for home use. Can they be trusted or is it advertising hype?

Let's find out by looking at a couple of these common claims made by the manufacturers of reverse osmosis water systems.

1. Reverse osmosis water systems can protect us from the contaminants that treatment facilities cannot. - This is untrue. There is only so much that the reverse osmosis process can do to protect us. It is not a catch all system and in fact in some cases, such as bacterial contamination, reverse osmosis systems must be teamed with other filtration systems to combat the contaminants.

2. Reverse osmosis water systems protect us from chlorine and its by-products (THMs) released when the chemical is used for disinfection. - Again, this is not true. Chlorine and THMs are too small and light to be trapped by the porous membrane. They pass right through, along with the liquid. You would have to have additional steps to block these contaminants, something like a carbon block, for example.

This may seem like an unimportant point to you and you may be asking why should we care about chlorine and THMs? Doesn't the government regulate them? Aren't they safe?

No, they are not safe.

Studies over the years have shown that the consumption of chlorine over a period of time causes long range chronic health problems and increases your risk of cancer. THMs have also been linked to cancer. The allowable "parts per million" content limit is the amount that is deemed safe for one time exposure in a 175 pound adult. No government agency has ever taken into account the fact that many of us weigh less. Nor, have they considered the effect of repeated constant exposure over the course of a lifetime.

When inhaled as vapors in your shower these contaminants aggravate various respiratory problems and can cause asthma attacks. Claims that a whole house reverse osmosis water system will prevent these problems are not true. Only an activated carbon shower head filter will block chlorine and only the best will remove THMs.

For the whole house, some effective units are available to remove these contaminants , but reverse osmosis water systems are not among them.

There are other disadvantages to the reverse osmosis water system. For instance, it is largely inefficient. It works by forcing pressurized liquids through a porous membrane. The size of the pores determines what contaminants will be removed. It is only semi-effective.

Also extra electricity is needed to run the reverse osmosis water system unit and pump. In addition this type of filter system is very wasteful, for every one gallon of water that is cleaned, several gallons end up as wastewater that gets flushed down a waste drain. And "clean" is used loosely, here. Reverse osmosis water systems also reduce the pressure throughout your home because they are inherently slow. It may never be possible for you to take a pulsating shower again.

The last disadvantage of reverse osmosis water systems, but not the least by far, is that the process removes nearly all of the minerals that naturally occur in ground-water. Even if you have the "hardest" water on earth, you do not want to drink de-mineralized water. It does not taste very fresh and is bad for your long term health, causing vitamin deficiencies and stomach ailments.

There are better options for your home than a reverse osmosis water system. The choice is yours; hopefully you'll make the right one.

Are Reverse Osmosis Water Systems Really Healthy For Home Use?

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