3. Two Socks to Success.

Surgeons call it double gloving - one latex glove over another for extra protection in difficult or potentially dangerous procedures. Though not for the same reasons, scientists have now discovered that “double socking” - wearing two layers of socks could change your life... here's why. Red blood corpuscles transport oxygen to every cell and organ in your body. More corpuscles mean more available oxygen, which is the most essential ingredient for optimal functioning, thus resulting in better performance on a mental and physical level. Fewer erythrocytes (corpuscles) mean less oxygenation in the blood, which leads to a condition known as hypoxaemia. Although the body adapts to this insufficient supply of oxygen over time, it can’t possibly operate to its full potential. The normal lifespan of an erythrocyte is about 120 days, after which it undergoes natural haemolysis or breakdown. That haemolysis happens prematurely for damaged corpuscles – and that’s where the socks come in handy (or is it footy?) Most damage related haemolysis occurs in the soles of our feet – due to the pressures exerted by walking, standing and exercising (no other part of the body takes the sort of beating our soles do). According to researchers, not only does the dual sock layer decrease the pressure effects on the feet, but also provides a layer of insulation that maintains a higher temperature in our extremities, resulting in an increased blood flow, with lower vascular resistance and ultimately less damage to erythrocytes. It’s a simple equation - more socks, mean less damage to blood corpuscles and more available oxygen, resulting in greater performance overall. No “sole searching” required – just do it.

There is one word of warning though ... be careful what you read and believe. What has just been served up is a load of hogwash! Balderdash! A foot farce! Sucked from my big toe...

So what’s the point of this foot in mouth sham? We live in the information age; knowledge is no longer a commodity, because it’s freely available – just about anything you need to know is a mouse click away. We have more information available at our fingertips today than most countries had ten years ago. But that’s all good isn’t it!? Before you whip out your “knowledge is power” banner with a big hurrah, remember that with this overload of data comes with a price ... a failure to police it – anything goes. Opinions are a dime a dozen, conspiracy theories abound; it’s an open forum without a watchdog, and it’s in this state of surplus “bytes & pieces” that knowledge pales in comparison to wisdom. Wisdom simply defined is soundness of judgment. Judge what you read, before you count it truth. Where does it come from? Who’s the author? What credibility or track record does the author have? Is it a peer reviewed text? Are the technical references real or do the phrases “according to researchers” or “scientists have now discovered” blot the copy? Who wrote the foreword – if any? Test the text before you taste the rest.

Imagine if the following people had paid attention to everything they read without judging the validity of the literature for themselves, in this case it was some way off the mark astrology (er, not that astrology’s ever on the mark!)

Ted Turner (founder, CNN and TNT)
Born: November 19, 1938
"You tend to get involved in the helping professions or in activities where your efforts are hidden, behind the scenes. . . . Asserting yourself or getting up in front of an audience may be exceedingly uncomfortable."

Richard Branson (CEO, Virgin Group)
Born: July 19, 1950
"Serious and emotionally reserved, you were probably never an exuberant, playful child, and you rarely express yourself in a spontaneous, childlike manner. . . .You avoid extremism and favor a . . . moderate approach to living."

Rupert Murdoch (CEO, News Corp. Ltd.)
Born: March 11, 1931
"You sympathize with the needy, the disadvantaged, the misfits of society. You are capable of giving selflessly, living a life of . . . compassionate service to others, as a healer, physician, social worker, or minister."

Bill Gates (Chairman, Microsoft)
Born: October 28, 1955
"You tend to feel out of place in the world, with no solid sense of security. You often live in the private world of your imagination and though you may have a very rich inner life, you tend not to actualize or do anything productive with it.”

If you’ve gotten this far without disregarding this prose, you’re probably hoping for some take home value – so here it is:
  • Talk to people who read a lot (we do), and read what they recommend. If you don’t know any bookworms, then visit our suggested reading page at: w
  • If you enjoyed an author, find out what he or she was reading at the time of writing - it’ll be noted in the bibliography.
  • The bibliography’s also a good acid test. How extensive is it? What are the major sources? Who are the chief contributors, and do you recognize their names?
  • Learn to speed read. Not through a 12 week course, but a simple plan to go cover to cover in 10min as you browse around a bookstore, trying to determine what you really need to read. Try this ...
    - Start by reading the introduction - possibly the most important chapter in a book as it sets out what   the author is trying to accomplish.
    - Thumb through the contents for a subject overview, then read the opening paragraph under all
      major headings.
    - Combine that with a spot read or two and if you find nothing new or exiting – don’t bother.
  • The same could be said for a magazine. Don’t set out to read the whole mag, rather pick it up with the purpose of gaining something specific, and cherry pick through the opening paragraphs before you delve any deeper.
  • Don’t feel guilty about putting a book down or not finishing it – if you got what you wanted, that’s enough.
  • Lastly, don’t try to keep up with the information economy. Know what you want, and go in with a surgeon’s knife to get it ... and in this instance won’t need double gloves to do it – nor socks!

Dr. Michael Mol | 2004