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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Stress Relief What Is Important

By: drrony

Stress is a state when a person feel more anxious, threatened, angry or often tense. It is somewhat frequently experienced at work (work-related stress) and from time to time at home. There are very wide effects of stress on the body and they can obvious such both physically and mentally. Some effects of stress on the body are more easier to notice than others. The variety of effects of stress on the body are that now and then easy to cope with others, especially long-term belongings of stress can be debilitating.

Although stress is a usual part of our lives and then we still experience over the years, we know how to deal with what is imperative with herbal stress relief
. The physical effects of stress on the body are more easier to detect that compared to the mental effects. Stress is often that seen as a negative aspect in our lives herbal stress relief , but in fact it can have a positive effect on us. Stress affects us negatively when it does not have to release or respite. A body under continuous stress will eventually fall and then are struggling to find balance for herbal stress relief.

Ashwagandha for Stress Relief

The shoots of the Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera shrub are used in food and in India seeds of the Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera are used to thicken milk herbal stress relief . African tribes also use Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera to treat fevers, and other inflammations for herbal stress relief.
Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is usually crushed and used in a traditional Ayurvedic formula called Shilajit or shilajatu. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera has comparable properties as Chinese ginseng herbal stress relief . Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is heat neutral which means it has no warming or cooling properties. Unlike ginseng which is a warming herb.
The active components in Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera are alkaloids and withanoloids which provides it with the properties it possesses herbal stress relief. Withanoloids within Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera provides it all its medicinal character. Withanoloids consist of steroidal molecules which act to fight inflammation. Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera is frequently compared to Chinese ginsengs which contain molecules like withanoloids called ginsenosides. For this reason Ashwagandha is frequently called Indian ginseng. Therefore, both ginseng and Ashwagandha or Withania Somnifera kindle the immune system, stop inflammation, increase memory, and helps maintain general healthy and wellness. Also it is known to augment the production of bone marrow, semen, and inhibits the aging process.

Learn how to relieve stress with some stress relief products on this site.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
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You may be interested in reading Increase Memory and Relieve Stress. Also visit Natural Stress Reliever

How Can I Reduce My Workload Stress?


By: Karen Cynowa

Today we come across a lot of people who keep complaining that their work is getting to them and they are too stressed. Almost everyone is on the lookout for help in how to handle their workload stress and improve their productivity.

One of the first things to realize is the amount of time people waste in trying to manage time. We have to effectively learn how to manage the task that we want to complete within a particular time frame. There are various reasons why a person may experience workload stress.

These include unclear goals, disorganization, procrastination, poor planning, absence of a set routine, processes that are disjointed and vague, wasting too much time on personal phone calls, unnecessary web surfing, wasting time on junk e-mail, a lack of training and lack of focus.

As we analyze why we do not have enough time to complete the task on hand, all we have to do is go through this list and see which of these is stealing our time from us. All the above factors create the perfect environment which fosters stress and misery.

For example, one of the worst things you can do is to allow your emails to pile up for days. Email organization is something that can eliminate most of the stress factor. As you keep looking at the piled up mails, your frustration increases and you start procrastinating. With piled up emails at the back of your mind, it is impossible for you to focus on anything else on hand and your stress starts skyrocketing.

With slight modifications and process changes in the way you handle emails, it is possible to eliminate this major stress factor. Emails can be categorized and moved into folders you create in "My Documents", making it easy to prioritize them and getting them out of your inbox.

Are you organized yourself but still experience work load stress? Maybe it's due to disorganized subordinates or bosses. Identifying the problem and getting your colleagues or your boss to understand the reason for the stress may take some time and patience.

Consulting with a productivity and organizational professional can gently point out the reason for not having enough time and show them simple and powerful techniques on how it is possible to organize, work and still have free time on hand.

As you learn how to organize your time, you must realize that it is important to establish routines. However, it is not good to be too rigid. You must be prepared to be flexible enough to handle any unexpected interruptions and changes in your schedule. This attitude will reduce your workload stress to a great extent enhancing your productivity.

Remember that it is not the amount of work that stresses you but the way you go about doing it. By being focused in the present moment and organizing your work into segments, it is possible to complete any amount of work in the stipulated time. Work in such a manner that you have only today and this moment to complete it. Do not get into the habit of carrying over today's work to the following day.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Karen Cynowa, is a professional organizer, productivity consultant, national trainer and author. I teach increased productivity workshops such as E-mail Efficiency and Etiquette, Filing and Finding it fast. This training has been successful in over 15% of fortune 500 companies. Let Time's Up assist you in finding the time to take your business or self to the next level. http://www.thetimesup.com 866-906-7767

Friday, October 30, 2009

Stress At Work And Its Symptoms


By: Ludwig Reithofer

Do you believe that the Reflexology techniques reduce stress? Well I do. Reflexology techniques reduce stress in the most effective way. Whenever I am feeling stressed out or whenever I have a terrible day at work, Reflexology techniques reduce stress and bring my spirits back to their normal cheerful levels. Yes, the way you feel and your mood are largely reflective of what is going on in your body. Reflexology techniques reduce stress by addressing the problems in different parts of your body.

Reflexology techniques reduce stress through the concept of Reflexology, which is an alternative medicine practice which revolves around the idea that certain points on body parts like feet and hands are associated with different organs and glands in the body, from brains to the genitals. Reflexology techniques reduce stress through massaging and applying pressure to certain areas of the body parts, mostly feet and hands to soothe other organs of the body and the problems related to them. Obviously, as you can't access every organ of your body, so the easiest way to affect those parts is to stimulate and excite the reflexes that lead to them. This is how Reflexology techniques reduce stress. You can experiment with them, and can see for yourself that Reflexology techniques reduce stress.

Your hands are the busiest parts of your body and perform numerous tasks for you all day long. With such a huge workload and tension, your hands ask for the perfect hand massage. And what could be better for your hands if you know how to give that perfect hand massage?

My hands used to kill me with pain each day as I used to get back home from work, and I craved the perfect hand massage. It was not until I received probably the perfect hand massage that I discovered how the pain in your hands can be healed. I also learned that hands feature reflex points that connect different parts of hands to different organs of the body, so you can be sure that when you learn to giving someone the perfect hand massage, not only are you relieving them of the pain in their hands, but would also be benefiting their internal organs and functions of the body. You can find the key to your health with the perfect hand massage.

But doesn't everyone instinctively know how to massage their hands? You simply grab one by the other hand and start massaging it.

I wish giving the perfect hand massage was that simple. You need to work a bit more to find how to give the perfect hand massage. Although the techniques for the perfect hand massage are very easy to learn, your hand massages will not even be close to be effective unless you used the right techniques for the perfect hand massage used by massage experts. Although you cannot expect to be as good as them, but what if you could learn their secrets to give the perfect hand massage to your recipient? You need to learn about the right strokes and pressure points to be able to deliver the perfect hand massage to your recipient.

Moreover, for delivering the perfect hand massage, you also must explore the secrets of reflex points on the hands, which hold the key to the health and well being of the entire body. The concept of Reflexology is that your body organs and glands are connected with certain reflex points on your hands and feet. If you massage these reflex points, then you can fix a number of problems related to various parts of your body. The person giving the perfect hand massage should be putting these reflex points into consideration.

I have found out expert advice from the professional massage experts about giving the perfect hand massage to my recipients. With all the tips in my head, I often get complimented for giving the perfect hand massage. Once you get to learn them, the techniques for the perfect hand massage are so simple and easy that you will be amazed. But when I had no clue about them like most of the people out there, the techniques for the perfect hand massage seemed to be almost impossible. I used to believe that the key to a perfect hand massage was something which only the professional experts held. It is true, they do possess the knowledge to the perfect hand massage, but with a little effort you can discover all their secrets to delivering the perfect hand massage that your recipient will never forget.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Ludwig Reithofer is a certified massage therapist, consultant, speaker and author. You can learn more about how Reflexology techniques reduce stress by reading his monthly workshop. Ludwig is giving free access to his private site, but exclusively while charter memberships last. Join today at http://www.secret-massage.com

The Effects Of Stress On The Body


By: Alex Wilson

Stress is something every individual has most likely faced at some point in their lifetime. This condition can cause an individual to suffer from physical, mental and emotional ailments simply as a result of being stressed. There are various effects of stress on the body which some individuals may experience as a result thereof.

Physical Symptoms

Individuals who experience stress may experience some physical symptoms due to their stressed out condition. Symptoms such as stomach aches, headaches, chest pain and problems sleeping are all physical symptoms which can be attributed to stress. Since one can experience symptoms of this type when they feel stressed, it is important to learn to avoid stress whenever possible.

Mental and Emotional Symptoms

One may also find that they experience symptoms related to their mental or emotional well-being. Those who experience stress may find themselves worried, sad or angry as a result of the stressful situation. In addition, one who is stressed may find themselves getting tearful or moody from time to time and unable to control it. These types of symptoms may also lead to physical symptoms as well.

Detrimental Effects of Stress

When one experiences stress, that feeling can have various detrimental effects on the individual and the individual's body. Those who experience stress on a frequent basis may find themselves turning to substances as they feel it will help to conquer the stress. This can have detrimental effects on the individual and their body.

In addition, those who experience stress may suffer from sleep difficulties which make them tired during their work hours and daily routines. This tiredness can have a detrimental effect as it may lead to work-related incidents and other accidents. Stress tends to be a facilitator of various things which makes it detrimental to some individuals.

How to Prevent Stress

There are a few tips on how best to prevent stress from ruling one's life. The first way to do so is to try and not procrastinate when it comes to engaging in various tasks and duties. Those who wait to finish certain details and duties may find themselves stressed and rushing to complete the task. Therefore, if one wishes to take one step towards combating stress, getting things done ahead of time might just do the trick.

Another way to prevent stress is to engage in relaxing activities in one's free time. One can read books, go for walks, exercise or watch a movie, to name just a few stress-relieving activities. So long as the activity is relaxing and provides an individual with a healthy outlet for stress, engaging in the activity might just do the trick of relieving stress as well as preventing it from occurring in the first place.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Alex Wilson is currently one of the article writers and editors for http://www.help-with-sleep-problems.com where you will find lots of useful sleep related information, reports, articles and tips.

Stress At Work And Its Symptoms


By: Bertil Hjert

Stress at work is not a new phenomenon. These days, in modern lifestyles, the nature of work has gone really stressful. One needs to do a lot in order to stay ahead in competition.

Most people dont even realize that they are undergoing a lot of stress in their life. They dont have time to realize that they are under stress.

Work stress is a type of chronic disease. It is caused by different conditions in the workplace that negatively affect an individuals performance. This also affect overall well being of body and mind of the person.

In certain cases, job stress can even be quite disabling. According to a study, one must go for psychiatric consultation. This will let him or her validate the reason and degree of stress related to work.

Sometimes working on a project also causes a lot of stress. The early stages of job stress are not much irritating as it can enhance the performance due to the efforts put in to the whole thing.

However, in case, the condition goes unchecked the body faces stress on a regular basis the body tends to get affected adversely.

If you want to know whether you suffer from work stress, here are certain symptoms you need to look for:

Insomnia or sleeplessness

Family conflict or constant dispute

Lack of mental concentration

Anxiety; Depression; Extreme anger

Frustration

Physical illnesses such as migraine, stomach problems, headaches, heart disease and back problems.

Substance abuse

Absenteeism on a frequent basis without any regular reason

There are several causes of work stress. Here are some of the visible ones that would let you know how to handle work stress.

1) Insecurity at work place

These days, one requires to do a lot at job in order to survive the tough competition. There is a lot of reorganization, mergers, takeovers, and downsizing. All these situations lead to stress for employees. They need to work hard to survive and let their organization survive the competition.

2) Demand for performance

Today, employers, managers and team leaders keep unrealistic expectations and set unrealistic goals for their employees. This results in unhealthy and unreasonable pressures on the employee.

Now, this can be really tremendous and the person may suffer from serious depression. Big targets make employees work for long hours and physically stressed out. They may also require to travel a lot and too much time away from family results in emotional stress.

3) Balance

For woman, it becomes really difficult to strike a balance between work and home. After spending stressful work hours, it becomes difficult to work at home. There may be situations where women face sexual harassment at work place.

It is easy to cope up with stress at work if you want to. You can do a lot of things to keep yourself away from stress. Here are some tips:

Dont give in to alcohol

Dont cheat on your spouse

Develop positive attitude towards stress

Find time to refresh yourself whenever you get time

Take a short leave and enjoy with your family.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about STRESS please visit STRESS TIPS and FREE FROM STRESS

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Reduce Stress With A Natural Vanilla Bath And Vanilla Milk


By: Peter Nisbet


A natural vanilla bath with vanilla milk can reduce stress, help to reduce high blood pressure and also help with problems associated with irregular menstrual periods. Vanilla natural bath products not only offer you the delicious aroma of the vanilla plant, but also the benefits of its essential vanilla oil.

Most people associate vanilla with ice cream, or use it as a baking flavor, but it is much more than that. Health experts know that vanilla milk and vanilla oil not only act as a sedative, but also reduce stress and are believed to possess aphrodisiac properties. In men it can help to overcome erectile dysfunction, so what better gift to give yourself and the man in your life than a spa gift basket consisting of vanilla milk, vanilla shower gel and a lovely sponge to pamper yourself and wash away all of your stresses during those difficult times of the month.

All those problems that life brings can be washed away with an exquisitely gorgeous natural vanilla bath, and if you use it with your partner, then what better way to relax and regain that lost energy you tend to lose in times of stress, or when working hard.

That's not to say that vanilla milk is only useful for personal problems brought on by stress and hard work, because apart from stimulating the production of hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, it is also a strong antioxidant. What this means is that when smoothed over your skin it can destroy those free radicals that destroy your skin cells and bring on the appearance of premature aging.

It can also act as a sedative and help you sleep. That's why many men and women use natural vanilla bath products to soothe these aches and pains after a hard day at work, and if combined with the dreamily sedating effects of lavender oil, you will have the ideal remedy for insomnia from which many people suffer after working hard under highly stressful conditions. In fact, there are many such natural bath products that can offer similar effects.

Stress and high blood pressure can be a pretty lethal combination, and if you combine that with the feeling of inadequacy that many men and women experience when they feel too stressed out to relax at night, then you definitely need some help. That help can come in the form of a beautifully soothing bath, following by gently rubbing an essential oil into your skin that kills off the damaging free radicals, the result of exposure to strong sunlight and the pollutants of modern living.

There are several natural herbal products that can offer what you need, and vanilla oil is one of those that many people are less aware of than they are of their more famous cousins. Natural skin bath products such as jasmine, spearmint and ylang ylang are likely better known that the common vanilla. Yet vanilla is an orchid, an exotic plant that deserves better praise than it gets, and its health-giving properties are much underestimated by most people.

However, those that use it will swear by the effects of a natural vanilla bath, and how vanilla milk rubbed over their skin gives them a sensual and soothing sensation that promises a relaxing night free of any of the stresses that modern living can bring.

There are no doubts whatsoever that if you sometimes feel overcome by what life throws at you, or even feel terribly down at certain times of the month, that you will feel a lot better and more relaxed if you soak yourself in a natural vanilla bath and rub yourself with vanilla milk. Vanilla oil is a fabulously sensual essential oil, and products made from it, such as vanilla bath products, are equally sensual. Why not introduce your partner to natural bath products? You both might be glad of it!
Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Buy yourself a vanilla spa gift basket as a treat just for you from you: you will thank yourself, as would anyone else you gave one to. Visit Spa Gift Baskets and choose the right gift for yourself to reduce your stress and keep your skin looking young in spite of the years.

Three Effective Ways To Reduce Stress And Depressed Mood During The Holidays


By: Mark Lakewood, CEO

The holiday season is quickly approaching and many of us are preparing for this joyous time of the year. Some may embrace the holidays with cheer, hope, and thanksgiving while others may embrace the season with burden, anxiety, and personal failure. This article addresses three ways you can overcome anxiety and depressed mood during the holidays.

The first and most effective way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to recognize unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that you may subscribe to. Our thoughts have a direct bearing over our emotional disposition and the consequences that occur in the aftermath. We often cannot change circumstances (situations, events, and the behavior of others) that occur in our lives but we do have the power to alter the way we feel and react to them by simply changing the way we think. If we would like to avoid experiencing anxiety and depressed mood during the holidays, we must take ownership and control over our own thoughts by identifying unhealthy thoughts that we may subscribe to that might be contributing to a negative emotional disposition and replace them with healthier ones.

Some may fear social rejection and judgment from others. Though others may choose to judge negatively, pondering on this thought can ultimately rob you of experiencing joy and happiness. The following are six common unachievable and unrealistic expectations (unhealthy thoughts) that are often pondered on during the holidays:

1. "I need to spend a lot of money on gifts otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - It is a shame that so much worry is attributed from the issue of money especially during the holidays. We should not feel or be made to feel that the holidays are all about external/physical gifts. The most precious gift that we can give to one another is our fellowship and love (internal gifts). No external/physical gift can replace this. Internal gifts have a longer shelf life and increase our self-esteem more than external/physical gifts. We must keep this issue in the proper perspective otherwise we can inadvertently teach others that external/physical gifts are more precious and desirable than our fellowship and love.

2. "For gatherings, my home must always be clean and tidy otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - It is never okay to invite guests to a filthy home. But expecting your home to be constantly tidy might be an unrealistic expectation, especially when children are present. Expecting such would only cause you anxiety and depressed mood. Do not worry about the cleanliness of your home but rather focus on fellowship as this is much more important and significant.

3. "I must prepare a flawless meal for my gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - The quality of meals should not be the main focus of the holidays. If food preparation is an issue, there is nothing wrong with purchasing meals from a restaurant. To go one step further, having a potluck might be a better and less expensive idea as your guests would be directly involved with the food preparation by offering a variety of foods at your gathering freeing up time for fellowship.

4. "My physical appearance must be acceptable and appropriate otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - Aside from daily hygiene, do not worry about your physical appearance. The fellowship that you can give to one another is much more important than your physical appearance. More times than not, our own anxiety over our physical appearance has more to do with how we feel about ourselves rather than how others may perceive us.

5. "I need to bring a mate to the gathering otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - If you are single, sometimes attending a gathering by yourself where couples are present might make you feel uncomfortable as you might feel that you do not fit in. Keep in mind that you are not alone as there are many people that are divorced, separated, or single. If having a mate was a prerequisite for gatherings, I guarantee you that there would be a lot less gatherings! In addition, avoiding gatherings would only rob you of the experience of possibly meeting a potential mate.

6. "I need to pretend that I am happy during gatherings otherwise I might be perceived negatively by others" - Experiencing happiness is not a prerequisite for attending gatherings. Oftentimes, life events and experiences that have nothing to do with the holidays may play a direct role in your emotional disposition. The wonderful thing about gatherings is that there are plenty of people that you can talk with. If someone asks you how you are doing or feeling, be honest with them and let them know. Do not tell them that everything is fine when it is not. Oftentimes, having someone to discuss your problems with might actually help you resolve them as well as make you feel better. Take advantage of this opportunity.

If there are any other unhealthy thoughts that you might be dealing with that are not discussed in this article, I encourage you to write those thoughts down on a piece of paper writing a healthier thought (one that you would like to subscribe to) next to it. It would also be a good idea for you to review these thoughts daily so that it becomes easier to recognize and replace unhealthy thoughts.

The second way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to establish personal and professional goals for yourself. There is a lot to be said for New Year's resolutions. Establishing short and long-term goals is a healthy idea because they can provide you with structure by giving you something to look forward to. Goals oftentimes give meaning to our lives. Those who do not have goals often feel hopeless and helpless. Just make sure that the goals that you establish are significant and achievable otherwise they will not be effective or worth your while to achieve.

And finally, the third way to avoid anxiety and depressed mood is to work at giving to others. Sometimes we are fooled into believing that happiness is achieved through the gifts that we receive or the items that we purchase. Just the opposite is true. You can achieve true happiness by helping others in need, volunteering your services, holding the hand of one in despair, or just simply being there when one experiences a low moment in his/her life. Oftentimes, it is not the words that we say that lifts one's spirit or gives one hope. But rather, it is just being there that makes all the difference in the world. At times, we feel uncomfortable because we do not know the right words to say to those who are hurting. Words are not always important. The fellowship and the love that you can provide is what the holidays are all about. Let's not lose this perspective and let's not give unhealthy thoughts, with all the anxiety and depressed mood that goes along with them, the ability to rob us from experiencing the joy and the happiness that we all deserve to experience during the holidays. Happy holidays to all!

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Mark Lakewood, CEO of Building Strong Families National Seminars, is an author, and speaker with over 20 years of clinical experience as a family therapist. He facilitates national seminars on family and school-related issues. He facilitates The "Standing Up To Bullying" Conference and The Sudden Compliance Program Webinar Series.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Treating Anxiety Disorders Without Medication


By: Christoffer X Altesino

Today, the number of anxiety treatments available is many. For treating anxiety disorders without medication, the most commonly used therapies are-

a) Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
b) Breathing power/control techniques
c) Relaxation therapy
d) Exercise
e) Caffeine reduction
f) Complementary therapies, and
g) Medication

The foremost remedies for fighting back anxiety are to use education as well as information concerning anxiety disordersare.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT has some basic principles to use for healing anxiety. One of those principles holds that human beings usually develop negative and surrendering thinking patterns that amount to emotional distresses like anxiety and/or depression. This can be coupled with maladaptive and unhealthy behavior.

CBT is usually executed by professional therapists (like a counselor, psychologist, or a psychiatrist). Usually, CBT involves some successive sessions that take place over some weeks/months. Studies found that in terms of effectiveness CBT is no less effective than conventional medications. It also costs less and produces longer lasting results.

Breathing control therapies
There are lots of patients who hyperventilate when they feel anxious. Such things amount to strong feelings of anxiousness that are coupled with symptoms of wooziness or tingling. Do you have any idea about the impacts or benefits of controlled breathing rates?

Take for instance the case when the rate kept under the range of 8 to 12 breaths each minute. If however this breathing is kept in a smooth and light way, there are high chances that this'll cut short your panic or acute anxiety. Well, that's basics of this technique; applications may involve more and sophisticated operations.

Relaxation therapy
Relaxation therapies involve a number of techniques that are molded to assist patients in reaching a fully relaxed state through controlled breathing, progressive resting of muscles and meditation. Progressive resting of muscle can involve tensing, which is followed by relaxation of your body muscles (working at a time with 1 muscle group). In due course, relaxation provides you with a visible reduction in your anxiety/tension level.

Exercise

As you can presume, exercise involves working out in a precise routine and order. Nevertheless, even most common forms of exercise are helpful for treating anxiety disorders without medication, since they get the body to release endorphins and other chemicals making you feel better-off and calmer.

Caffeine reduction

Caffeine is one of the most commonly used stimulants that increase your body's adrenaline secretions. So at times cutting back from high consumption of caffeine can help you out.

For treating anxiety disorders without medication, all these remedies are prescribed and executed by therapists.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
About the Author:
Read my blog about panic anxiety disorders. I also share my how to stop panic attacks reviews.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

A Natural Remedy For Depression Using Herbs


By Jake Hickory
There is a natural remedy for depression that can help you when your mood is low and you are feeling down. Being human, you are probably not going to be in a good mood all the time. We all naturally have our ups and downs. This is normal and part of life, but when your lows and downs start to take over and become an everyday situation for you, then you need to be concerned. There are treatments that can help you when you are depressed or sad. A doctor can help you, and there also are ways of treatment that are natural and do not require a consultation with a doctor.
A low mood can be caused by a number of things, such as:
  • bipolar disorder
  • depression
  • lack of sleep
  • lack of exercise
  • poor eating and nutrition
  • premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
  • fluctuations of hormones during pregnancy
  • emotional upheaval
Your times of suffering from a bad mood can cause other trouble in your life, besides the pain of feeling down. Your relationships with family and friends can be damaged by your low mood, and your work or school performance can decline.
If your low mood is actually depression, then you should seek professional help. Depression is a serious condition that can be treated successfully. If you feel yourself becoming more and more depressed and are unable to function as you should, if you feel and think that you cannot ever feel good about life, then please see a doctor. A doctor can help you feel better if you have depression and not just a low mood.
Do not ignore suicidal thoughts, words, or acts. Seek professional help immediately. You can be helped. Tomorrow will be better for you, so ask for help. Alternatively, a low mood can be improved by using a natural, safe, herbal antidepressant remedy.
Native Remedies makes a natural remedy for depression called MindSoothe, and many satisfied customers have used it as a treatment for a low mood and feeling sad. MindSoothe is an alternative, natural, and safe treatment for low mood. It is a safe, non-addictive, FDA registered natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients selected to help you feel better.
If you want to know more about how to use a natural remedy for depression, then I recommend learning more at either:
http://www.squidoo.com/natural-remedy-for-depression or http://www.squidoo.com/herbal-remedies-for-depression.
I'm a software developer who has developed two applications that help people manage their health. Health and wellness are passions of mine. I hope this information has been useful to you. -- Jake Hickory

Monday, October 26, 2009

Minimize Stress in Your Life


by: Kim Beardsmore

Use these simple tips to minimize stress in your day to day living.

Lower your expectations and you will suffer less disappointment. Try seeing everything as already perfect and accept things as they are, then you can strive less and relax more.

Learn to say NO. Next time someone asks you to do something, before the word ‘yes’ slips out, pause, say you can’t give an answer just yet – you’ll get back to them. This technique gives you time to think. Now you can choose to say NO, calmly, politely and kindly.

Do one thing at a time. SLOW DOWN! If you are racing, so is your heart! Write yourself a list, prioritize your tasks and work through your list methodically. You need to enjoy what you are doing, not just the results of your efforts.

Stop trying to fall asleep. So many people go to bed desperate to fall asleep as quickly as possible, and then suffer the frustration of wakefulness. Quit struggling – you need to relax before you can sleep! Be thankful that you are warm, safe and cozy, be glad that your body is resting. Breathe deeply, slowly, gently and listen to your heart beating peacefully.

Laugh more! Get serious an about humor. Laughter is seriously healing. The special chemicals released when we laugh are nature’s finest form of natural medicine. When you’ve suffered a stressful day, make sure you ‘suffer’ some serious humor in the evening. Watch a comedy show or film, one you know will produce copious laughter, to counter the stress you’ve endured. If you want to take a 30 second 'holiday' here is a funny video to watch: http://www.netjoke.ws

Treat yourself to a catnap and don’t feel guilty. When your body is pleading for rest, “40 winks” works wonders but only if you don’t feel guilty about this.

Get out in the fresh air! Drab office, the whir of computer hard drives the drone of your boss’s demands. Get outside during your lunch break, find a patch of green, some flowers, even wander around a garden center! Lose yourself in nature and feel your tensions dissipate, for a while at least.

Live in the now. The past is gone, you can’t change it. The future is mysterious and seductive, but only with you in your dreams. What you need is with you NOW so make the most of it. Be creative and give everything you’ve got to NOW.

(c) Copyright Kim Beardsmore


About the author:
Kim is a successful weight loss coach who will cut through the diet-hype and help you reach your goal weight. No public 'weigh-ins', meetings that cost you money or fads...simply results you will love! Free consultations. Visit: http://tinyurl.com/5krlhAre you interested in earning money from home? We can help you grow a profitable home business: http://tinyurl.com/5bnor

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Dealing With Parental Stress


By: Trevor Dumbleton
One of the biggest problems with having children is the remarkable fact that they tend to be the source of parental stress. This is, obviously, the unique stress that comes from being a parent and having to worry about the fact that your kids are growing up, learning new things, living their lives their own way, and -- all too often -- figuring out things the hard way. In addition, you have to worry about your kids making the right decisions, staying out of trouble, and just generally turning into human beings just like you. Needless to say, this tends to create a lot of parental stress.
Being a parent isn't easy. After all, you are responsible for raising, instructing, and helping children as they work their way from an infant into adulthood. And even when they go off on their own, you still worry about them as they make their way through the world. Despite the fact that they move on into adulthood, you never stop being a parent and you want to make sure that they are doing okay. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done and it is not easy to let them go. Thus, you find yourself both trying to give them freedom and trying to hang on to them as they go out into the world.
The problem becomes one of both trying to keep a hold of your children and trying to let them be their own people. Thus, in order to allow you children to move on, you need to learn to let them go. That's right, in order to ease parental stress, you need to learn how to be less of a parent. In fact, you need to learn how to let them make their own mistakes. This is very difficult, since you will have to watch them as they go through the process of growing up, largely without your help. This can be very difficult, since you will want to protect them from the world. But the world will show up sometime and you will need to let them learn to deal with it. Needless to say, this will only make parental stress worse for a while, since you will be essentially standing on the sidelines as they make errors that you could have warned them against. Just remember that it will do them good in the long run and they will be better for it.
However, this does not mean that you shouldn't keep an eye on your children. Let's face it, you are still a parent and you need to watch over your children. Trying to cope with parental stress will not be improved by being completely ignorant of your children. Instead, let them be themselves as you try to keep an eye on them. They will find their own way, even if you do not always enjoy the path that they have to go down to get there. Just allow them to be imperfect and they will learn what they need to know in the process.
But when the stress of child-raising gets to be too much, don't be afraid to get help. There are plenty of support groups, books, and websites out there that want to help you through your parental stress. Don't be afraid to give them a try, if for no other reason than to stay informed. Nobody said it was going to be easy, so try to keep your stress under control. Then, by keeping it under control, you can survive a lot of difficult situations and a lot of difficult years and prevent yourself from going crazy with worry.
Just remember that your children will, eventually, become rebellious and they will probably try to act in a way that may shock you. It is well-known that parental stress can be fairly severe during the teenage years, since teenagers are always eager to go their own way. And if that doesn't increase parental stress, nothing will. You will often find yourself on the sideline, trying to figure out what is going on in their heads, but try to remember that you were their age once. Teenagers aren't perfect. Neither are adults. Keep both of those items in mind and you may be able to keep your parental stress to a minimum.
No, parental stress is not easy. No, it is not simple to solve. No, there is no point where you can just let your children go completely. However, by managing your own parental stress, allowing your children to grow up, and understanding that your children need to make their own mistakes sometimes, you can keep your emotions under control and allow your children to be themselves. So, rather than allowing parental stress to take over your life, let parental stress take a backseat to keeping an eye on your children, making sure that they are doing fine, and enjoying the years when they are growing from youth to adulthood and beyond.
Author Bio
LowerYourStress.com: for everything to do with stress. Get a free ebook to help with your stress levels: http://www.loweryourstress.com/stress-book.html

Stress & Self Esteem, 4: Reaching out for Help


By: Tanja Gardner

THE FINAL STEP

The final step in the model of building self-esteem can be the hardest. Why? Because everything up till now has involved things we could do alone. Reaching out for help, however, means involving other people - which brings with it a whole host of new challenges. Reaching out to someone requires someone you trust to reach out to - not always easy when your self-esteem is low. Not only this, but for those with over-active Inner Critics, it's easy to tell ourselves it's selfish to bother other people with our problems - that we should be able to deal with it on our own - that reaching out for help shows weakness (or is only for those far worse off than we are).
So why reach out? Well, as John Donne so wisely observed back in the 16th Century, 'no man is an island'. However independent we like to see ourselves, none of us are born with all the skills we will ever need. Additionally, other people can provide feedback - offering perspective and helping us to see which thoughts are realistic, and which are totally unfounded. And if that's not enough, support networks can sometimes prevent problems. The seeds that create low self-esteem find their most fertile ground in people who feel isolated and unable to connect.

OVERCOMING INNER OBJECTIONS

Often, the first step in reaching out is dealing with our own objections. If your immediate reaction is 'I couldn't do that', or 'That's all very well, but...', give yourself a moment to just listen. Start a conversation with the part of you that's objecting, and ask it why. Treat it just as you would your Inner Critic. Your initial aim is not to argue - it's just to learn. Once you understand what your internal objections are, th! en you can evaluate and argue with them.
We'd suggest that before you start evaluating, you re-read the previous parts of this article series (see links above). In particular, we suggest you remind your inner objector that:
  • You can't give to other people what you don't already have yourself
  • True friends prefer we talk to them, rather than pretending that everything's fine
  • Recognising the resources you need that you don't currently have, then asking for them, is a sign of good planning, not weakness
  • If your objector believes your problem is 'not yet bad enough to involve someone else', how bad do things have to get before it *is* OK to get help? And won't you need even more help when things get to that stage than you do now?
Let's assume that you've spoken with your inner objector, and come to the conclusion that asking for help really does make more sense than trying to go it alone. Where can you go from here?

WHO TO REACH OUT TO

The first, most obvious port of call is among the people you already know. Look at your friends and family. Is there someone you can trust to listen without judging you? Someone you feel comfortable asking for ideas? In an ideal situation, this would be someone who has fairly high self-esteem themselves - someone you can learn from. Although your initial response might be that there's no-one you can think of, we'd encourage you to look hard before assuming you don't know anyone - sometimes support can come from the most unlikely places.
If there's genuinely nobody you feel comfortable trusting in real-life, however, a great alternative is to look for support online. Discussion groups like Yahoo groups, and online journalling communities like Live Journal both have a wide range of communities that exist specifically to share support, encouragement and feedback between members. Most of these allow you to 'lurk' for a while before you need to post - something that can help you build up your trust over time. Additionally, many of the self-help sites that offer self-help res ources (e.g. selfesteem4women.org, uncommon knowledge), also provide discussion forums that allow you to connect with other people with similar problems.
Finally, if neither of these seem like possibilities (or if you've tried both and they're not enough), you may want to consider reaching out to someone who's trained to help - generally a coach or counsellor. Unlike the above two options this will usually involve some kind of payment, although if you're still at school / university, or lucky enough to work in a company with an EAP (Employee Assistance Programme), you may have free counselling available. Your local library or Citizen's Advice Bureau should have suggestions for counsellors / coaches, or you could try online coaching.
It's important to remember that different professionals will have different approaches to helping you work on your self-esteem, and not every approach works for everyone. It's OK if the first person you speak to doesn't feel quite right for you - just keep looking until you find someone you feel comfortable with. Bear in mind that if you're paying someone your hard-earned money, you have a right to feel happy with whatever you're getting in return.

THE FINAL WORD

Whatever you do, the most important thing for you to take from this article is that you don't need to do it alone! And remember too that, although we've explored the three steps to building self-esteem (i.e. Rebutting your inner critic, Nurturing yourself, and Reaching out for help) in order, there's no reason that you can't work on them in a different order (or all at the same time!)
This brings us to the end of our four-part article series on Stress and Self-esteem. If you have any feedback, suggestions, questions or comments about the advice or resources (or you'd like to suggest any websites, groups or products), please contact us on optimumlife@xtra.co.nz. We'll have a new article topic in the next issue - until then, may every day bring you closer to your Optimum Life.

Author Bio

2005 Tanja Gardner, Optimum Life Ltd. You can reprint this article in its entirety, as long as you include this resource box. Optimum Life Ltd (optimumlife.co.nz) is dedicated to providing balanced fitness and stress management services that help clients all over the world achieve their optimum lives. For more information on how we can help you move closer to living your optimum life, please check out our website. For a copy of our free Stress Audit Questionnaire, please send an e-mail to optimumlife@xtra.co.nz with 'Stress Audit Questionnaire' in the subject header. Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com

Depression and Anxiety



by: Sara Jenkins
are two different forms emotional disorders in human beings.. Depression is caused due to chemical imbalance in the nervous system of a person. Anxiety, on the other hand, is caused due to imbalance in the body system of a person. Basically, Depression is concerned with psychology, while Anxiety is concerned with emotional behavior of the patient.

Depression and Anxiety are quite common among people. Usually, these types of disorders are seen in adults above 50 years of age. Depression and Anxiety is more common in women than men. But they cast adverse effects on both. Women suffering from Depression and Anxiety can even become disabled. While, men suffering from Depression and Anxiety feels like committing suicide.

Depression and Anxiety are forms of phobias which are described as psychological phenomenon in the medical science. Though Depression and Anxiety are disorders of same category, they have different symptoms. Feeling of hopelessness, negativity, lack of concentration, feeling of guilt and decrease in energy are some of the symptoms of Depression. On the other hand tension about day to day works, dizziness, nausea, difficulty in breathing and light headedness are the common symptoms of Anxiety.

There are many forms of Depression and Anxiety. Panic Attacks, Social Disorders, Specific Phobias, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome are various types of Anxiety. Psychological Predisposition and Environmental Stresses are the types of Depressions. All these symptoms can cause hazardous diseases in the long run.

Depression and Anxiety can not be fully cured, but can be treated with a proper sort of medication and therapies. The medical practitioners are required to hold sessions to understand the mental condition of the patients and suggest appropriate medical aid there after the sessions.

About the author:
Online entrepreneur Sara Jenkins, is dedicated to helping others and their needs to succeed in life by offering free tips everyday. To learn more about her free tips program, and to sign up for her FREE how-to articles and FREE bonus how-to books and resources, visit www.TipsEveryDay.com

Friday, October 23, 2009

Bipolar Disorder Causes - Genetic, Stress and Personal Causes That Many Don't Know


Because bipolar disorder looks, at some point, like so many of the other types of depression that there are, it is easy to mistake it for any of them. This is a critical error that you are going to have to do everything in your power to avoid because the wrong treatments for this disorder can very well be fatal.
There are those that made the mistake of taking wrong medications and treatments - they ended up worse off than they were before the treatments. You want to ensure you don't fall into such traps.
There is a strong genetic link in the cause of bipolar disorder, as proven by various experiments that have been done in the course of research on the condition. It has been proven that children tend to inherit depressive traits from their parents, which could eventually cause them to have the disorder.
By Condrad Wemult
However, there is more than just genetics that causes bipolar disorder. For a fact, certain environmental factors such as stress and social conditions tend to have a strong influence on the incidence of the disease.
Added to that there are personal factors such as experiences, which you may have had at some point in your life that could cause you to have this bipolar type of disorder. For instance, you may have experienced a horrible failure at some time in your life, you may have suffered the loss of a loved one at a time when you were emotionally vulnerable, or you may have been bullied or abused at a time when you could not protect yourself.
For BEST Treatment Bipolar Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Therapy, click the 2 links right now!

Exercise Bikes vs. Treadmills


by: Michael Walker
You’ve decided you want to exercise at home. There are hundreds of pieces of home cardio equipment available. The most popular are treadmills and exercise bikes. In deciding between the two, you should compare long-term sustainability, the effectiveness of the workouts, and safety.

Overcoming Boredom

The biggest obstacle to a home exercise routine is sticking with it. You don’t have to drive to a gym, so your home fitness equipment is more convenient. The problem is that other distractions are just as convenient at home. The key is to make your routine fun. You want to look forward to your daily workout. You have to be realistic. Playing with the heart rate monitor or watching the calorie counter go up will only be fun the first couple of times you exercise.

About the author:

Michael Walker is a freelance author providing useful information about exercise bikes, recumbent exercise bikes and mini exercise bikes. His numerous articles offer comprehensive tips and solutions for the fitness enthusiast.


• Treadmill vs. Boredom

On a treadmill, you walk. Walking isn’t that fun. You can walk at different speeds, but that isn’t really much more fun. If you get a treadmill that offers an incline, that keeps it a bit more interesting. Walking uphill isn’t exactly fun, but it’s different. It presents a challenge.

You can’t really read on a treadmill because you are bouncing up and down. You can’t keep your eyes on the same sentence, and you usually end up with a headache. Basically, the only thing fun to do on a treadmill is watch television or movies. If you are really into TV or movies and are able to put your treadmill in front of a television, you can probably keep your treadmill workout from becoming too boring. Problems consist of commercials, the noise coming from the machine, and again, the bouncing.

• Exercise Bikes vs. Boredom

Exercise bikes are unique in that many of them come programmed with various biking routines. You simulate different courses that require you to sprint, pedal uphill, and perform at different levels within one workout without having to keep pressing buttons and changing everything. You can even select random programs so you don’t know what’s coming, which really keeps you on your toes. Some exercise bikes can even be plugged into televisions and video games to let you interactively pedal through visual courses.

On upright exercise bikes, you run into some of the same problems as treadmills as far as reading is concerned. Recumbent bikes, however, allow your hands to be free to hold a book or magazine, video game controller, or phone. Multi-tasking during an exercise bike workout keeps it from becoming boring and allows your workout to more easily fit into a busy schedule.

Defeating boredom to successfully keep up a long-term exercise routine is much easier with an exercise bike than a treadmill.

The Calorie Factor

In a study conducted by Nordic Track, young, healthy people used various exercise machines and did cardio workouts. Although they felt they used the same intensity on all machines, they burned the most calories on treadmills and ski machines.

On average, most people burn about 750 calories per hour on a treadmill. The same people are likely to burn about 550 calories per hour on an exercise bike. So it’s a no-brainer, right? You should get a treadmill because they burn more calories.

Well, not exactly. You can’t get so caught up in which machine burns the most calories. You have to take a lot of other factors into consideration. How likely are you to sustain a treadmill routine as opposed to an exercise bike routine?

Because exercise bikes are usually more fun than treadmills, you are much more likely to stick with it long-term. This means that even though you can burn more calories on a treadmill, you are also more likely to stop using it altogether.

You might also find it difficult to use it long enough per workout session to get the full benefits. Most people find it easier to workout for 20 minutes on an exercise bike than 20 minutes on a treadmill. You have to think about that. If you are likely to only do 10 minutes on a treadmill but can easily do 20 minutes on an exercise bike, you will burn more calories per session on an exercise bike.

So just going strictly by the numbers, treadmills burn more calories. If you easily get bored or have tried and failed to stick with exercise routines in the past, you might want to consider burning less calories per hour in favor of a sustainable long-term exercise bike regimen.

Your Safety

The biggest difference between exercise bikes and treadmills is overall safety to your body.

The first case of safety is the most basic. You can fall off of a treadmill. It’s very difficult, however, to fall off of an exercise bike. In fact, you would probably have to try to fall when riding an exercise bike. While you might be thinking you’d have to be pretty clumsy to fall while walking, it happens more than you’d think. People get involved with watching television or the beat of music. One wrong step and you can seriously injure yourself. It’s also possible to spill water or sweat on the treadmill track, causing a safety hazard you might not notice until after you’ve slipped.

Another safety hazard is injury from the activity itself. A treadmill puts quite a bit of stress on your joints, especially your knees and ankles. Even if you invest in a treadmill with some degree of shock absorption, when you eventually get to a jogging or running point, you can put severe orthopedic stress on your body, even up to three times your body weight. People with existing conditions such as arthritis will find a treadmill painful at times due to this stress. Otherwise healthy individuals can sustain injury and possible long-term damage over time.

Exercise bikes put much less stress on your joints. A properly positioned exercise bike supports your weight and still allows you to receive the benefits of a higher impact cardio workout. Upright bikes can sometimes stress your back in the way you have to bend to reach the handlebars. Recumbent exercise bikes, however, can actually improve existing back pain by forcing proper posture and giving support as you exercise. On any exercise bike properly used, your knees and ankles are not stressed as they are on a treadmill.

The less you stress joints, the less likely you are to sustain an injury during your workout. You are also less likely to be sore afterwards. Most importantly, a non-workout injury doesn’t always have to halt your exercise routine on an exercise bike. If you hurt your back or neck, you will find the support of a recumbent exercise bike will keep you from having to stop your exercise regimen altogether. Let’s face it – if you have to stop, you are less likely to start again.

An Exercise Bike is Better for Your Health than a Treadmill

As you can see, both pieces of home fitness equipment have advantages. While the treadmill continues to be the most popular piece of home gym equipment, most people are more likely to faithfully use an exercise bike. This means you’re more likely to have to dust a treadmill until it gets the garage sale sticker.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Social Phobia Disorder and Blushing in Public


By Noel Thomas
Social phobia disorder is also known as social anxiety. This is a condition in which people have a fear of social interactions and being negatively judged by other people. Social anxiety usually starts in early childhood but may not be recognized until adolescence. It can cause a person to start avoiding social situations all together and put major limitations on the sufferer. Some people with social anxiousness also have problems with blushing in front of others or sweating excessively when nervous.
If you struggle with social phobia disorder and blushing you know how embarrassing these moments can be. You fear interacting with other people because you feel as though you may do something you perceive as stupid. Then when faced with the situation, you light up like a tomato for no apparent reason and your mind races as to how you are going to escape the embarrassing moment. The truth is, other people who witness you blush often think it's endearing. I know this is little help if you are the one blushing...
If you blush excessively and also have social phobia disorder, you should seek help sooner than later. If you let your anxiety persist and start limiting your actions, you may grow to fear human contact completely and never want to leave your home. Social anxiety disorder is very curable and there are numerous treatments to help.
A few treatments for blushing and social phobia disorder include: cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, group therapy, self esteem training, and natural methods to relieve anxiety. Yoga, meditation, progressive relaxation, exercise, and a proper diet all help to get you better in tune with your body so you can have better control over your anxiety and blushing. Social phobia disorder can be cured completely. You only need to find the solution which works best for you.
Blushing Treatment for People With Social Phobia - If you struggle with blushing in public and would like to learn how to stop, there is a great natural method which I highly recommend. Click here: STOP BLUSHING NOW
This method was designed by an ex-blusher and social phobic and has helped thousands of people overcome their blushing episodes. Visit http://Stop-Blushing.us to learn how to get started today.
I wish you great success!

Do you have arthritis?


by: Lambert Klein

Do you have arthritis? If so you are not alone. 66,000,000 people do almost 1 in 3 adults.

Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability. Besides limiting daily activities arthritis can cause many lifestyle problems. You may assume there's nothing you can do that will help. Don't believe that. There are steps including supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to significantly improve your life.

Your doctor may ask a few of these questions:

• Where is your pain
• When does it hurt
• How long have you had it
• Any swelling or redness
• Family history of arthritis

He may wish to perform a movement test and have some x-rays taken.

Inflammation from your arthritis is a significant source of pain. Your physician may recommend OTC medicines or a prescription.

You should be aware of alternatives such as natural supplements and physical exercise.

Nettle Leaf Extract This supplement appears to suppress TNF-alpha and IL-1-beta. Nettle leaf may inhibit inflammatory cascade in rheumatoid arthritis. Also joint protection is assisted with nettle leaf.

MSM: Msm contain Sulfur and anti-inflammatory properties

Glucosamine Sulfate/Chondroitin: Reduces joint pain and may substantially rebuild cartilage. This may take a while to see results.

Fish Oil: DHA, EPA and Omega 3 found in quality fish oil. Reduces painful inflammation and may promote joint lubrication. Look for a high quality, low mercury supplements like Carlson's fish oils. Flax seed is another practical choice.

Try high quality multivitamins such as Purity's Perfect Multi Super Greens.

Vitamin E: Use a natural product like Vitamin E-8 daily.

Cherries: Recent research has shown that tart cherries contain powerful antioxidants that may help relieve the pain of arthritis and gout and also protect the body against cardiovascular disease and inhibit cancer tumors.

There is also a cherry capsule that is very good named Fruit Advantage.

Exercise: Exercise is important not only for arthritis but your overall health.

Weight Control: Even modest weight loss will bring healthy results. Start slow if you need to, and then try to reach your target weight.

Stress: Ah Stress. This one unnecessarily causes us so many health concerns. It practically seems to be the source of most health problems.

There are many options to help deal with excess stress. Exercise is one of these. Even if you begin by walking to the corner and back, then around the block pretty soon you will be walking a mile or more.

Other things you may consider are Yoga, Meditation, Music and a new hobby.

There is a rather unique procedure I came across a while back called Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT for short. This works on the principles of Acupressure and Acupuncture.

Wait! Don't let that intimidate you. Even though EFT is a remarkable tool it is actually easy to grasp. I personally have seen significant results. You won't have to poke yourself at all. It just basically requires limited number of words and some tapping on certain key points.

So don't give up. There are many options for you to vastly improve your health.


About the author:
Lambert Klein is the owner of Think Healthy supplements and products. Arthritis supplements can be found at Think Healthy. http://www.coral-cure.com/Arthritis-Supplements.html

How YOU Can Make the Change to a Healthy Lifestyle


by: Kathi MacNaughton
It's never too late to take steps towards a healthy lifestyle, even if you've had terrible health habits for many years. And it's never too late to enjoy the benefits either. If you live healthier, getting fit will be easier too.

Getting healthier CAN be a challege. But having a plan and finding the motivation can make a real difference. Like any change you decide to make in your life, the best approach is to just take it one step at a time. Start with small changes and move on from there.

The areas you should focus on when taking steps toward a healthy lifestyle include:

==> Be as active as you can & add exercise to your life. Most experts recommend that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, at least 3 to 5 days a week. (It's OK to split the 30 minutes into 3 10-minute segments if that's the only way you can fit it in, or tolerate it.)


==>Make healthy food choices. You can learn more about this at our Healthy Eating website. But in a nutshell, healthy eating means drinking lots of water, limiting your fat intake, and eating a balanced diet of 3 meals a day, plus between-meal healthy snacks.


==>Limit your alcohol intake. Experts believe there may be some health benefit from drinking a glass of red wine a day, but for the most part, men should drink no more than 2 alcohol drinks per day and women no more than 1 alcohol drink per day.


==>Stop smoking if you are a smoker. It is NEVER too late to enjoy the benefits of quitting smoking. It's a hard addiction to shake, but your body will love you for doing so.


==>Manage your stress. High levels of stress over a long period can wear on your body, mind, and spirit. Stress is inevitable in life, but it can—and should—be managed and reduced to some extent.


==>Nourish your spirit. There are many ways to do this, and for each person it's different. Some people find that prayer and religion nourish their spirits. For others, it's being surrounded by friends and family. For me, it's enjoying nature in the wildnerness, especially in the mountains. Meditation can be uplifting as well. You need to explore and find what nourishes your spirit.


==>Get enough sleep and rest each day. It's not an old wive's tale that we need 8 hours of sound sleep a night. It's a necessity ... for good health. Studies show that we stay healthier, have more energy, and perform better at work when we are well-rested. Make sure you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.

About the author:
Kathi MacNaughton is a registered nurse and consumer health writer. Visit her popular fitness site at: http://www.reliable-health.info/fitness/

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

How to Eliminate Your Acne and HAVE FUN at the Same Time!


by: Kenny Goh Jern Yue
Have you ever wondered why we have acne and even more on how we can get rid of acne? Like a lousy tenant, acne doesn’t pay you rent, nor contribute anything beneficial to your life. It does however do the opposite by destroying your skin and worst of all, your self esteem and social life!

Well, before embarking on this simple method to destroy your acne for good, we need to know thy enemy. There are two major causes of acne and the rest are just secondary. Before we can tackle them, we need to understand what they are and how they affect us.

Firstly, acne is caused by imbalanced hormone production. When you were a teenager, your body began to produce a hormone known as androgens, which activates and stimulates the oil glands in your skin, thus increasing oil and sebum production.

Logically, with the limited size of each pore and the constant influx of sebum, your pores get clogged and you may notice the presence of blackheads and pimples. As that spreads across the skin, it becomes known as acne vulgaris.

Stress in this case acts more like a catalyst rather than a cause. But do not underestimate the damages of stress. It can potentially worsen the acne a person has.

Our secret weapon in eliminating acne lies in the sea water. The sea water is formed with a balance of the salts in minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride and bromides. These forms of minerals are vital in their respective ways for acne treatment.

Magnesium reduces stress and water retention, hampering aging and soothes the nervous system. Calcium prevents water retention while increasing circulation.
Potassium balances skin moisture level and replenishes minerals lost in vigorous activities. Bromides ease muscle stiffness and tensions, thus eliminating stress, which is a major contributing factor to acne. Finally, sodium is a booster for immune system function. All these act as a natural defense for your body against any acne breakouts.

So how can we apply the power of sea water and exercise to your acne condition, the answer is simple. Just head down to the nearest beach and have a swim! The only thing you need to be careful of is sunburn. Therefore, only go on early mornings: 9am-11am or evenings at 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

You may begin to notice the effects of this treatment after your FIRST SWIM! And you will be amazed on how smooth your skin has become. The more vigorous your swim and the more you sweat, the more your skin will be cleansed. This is a double action cleansing as your sweat pushes the impurities off your skin, which by the way is no longer clogged after the sea water washes away the debris! Additionally, the minerals in the seawater penetrate the pores to do some deep skin cleansing, all while you’re having fun swimming!


About the author:
My name is Kenny and I am a web published of www.1st-natural-acne-treatment.comFighting acne has been my passion since it was a constant problem in my youth. This site is built to share acne treatment products I have personally used in my life and have worked for me. I can't give them for free but I can show you what they are and save you from all the trials and errors which are not just monetary. Some errors in acne treatments lead to scarring which is totally unnecessary if you know how to prevent them. Wish you luck and may you be well always.

Do Cellulite Creams Actually Work?


by: Burke Jones
No cellulite cream can counteract the effects of a sedentary lifestyle, for instance. Neither can a cream magically restore circulation or drop excess weight from a body that does very little and takes in more than it needs.

The best lotions, the most evolved lotions, cannot make up for diets composed of fast foods eaten on the run and deep fried fatty concoctions with little or no nutritional value.

Neither can lotions reduce stress for a body rigid with it and stress is often an element in the problem of cellulite. Stress does not have to be physical to have very physical effects.

No lotion exists that can reverse genetic inheritances or balance hormones reliably. These are all factors in the formation of cellulite.

So, now that we are clear on exactly what cellulite creams cannot do, we can move on to what they may be useful for. Now you have them in perspective you may be less likely to believe advertising that tells you that you needn't move off the sofa. That all you have to do is languidly stretch out your hand and apply this miracle lotion and you will look like the model in the picture who is often impossibly beautiful, prepubescent and photographed in a good light.

What some cellulite creams can do rather nicely is supplement your treatment program. In this support capacity they can even be quite impressive. Some creams will ardently claim to be all things to all women with cellulite. Personally, I'd still watch the diet, do the exercise and keep the stress levels down.

Broadly speaking the creams on the market can be divided into those whose ingredients are botanical and those that are chemical. Caffeine, and its derivatives, are natural tissue decongestants used in a number of cellulite creams. Many prefer the "decaffeinated" versions that use potent herbs like horse chestnut, gotu kola, ivy and seaweeds to achieve the same results. Many ingredients not only assist in the sloughing off of toxins but also in the stimulation of circulation. Not, of course, as much as a good run around the block would do.

Many cellulite creams claim to contain patented transport systems that facilitate the delivery of ingredients through the outer layers and into the actual site of the damage. This, they say-- and it makes sense--is a principal reason for the success of their particular product.

How a cellulite cream is applied is also an important factor. Methods of application vary from the quick rub at home to high tech patented processes that use light frequencies along with specially designed rollers and suctions that help to mobilize the tissue and transport the good stuff deep down into the cellulite stricken areas.

About the author:
Burke Jones is a frequent contributor to the Cellulite Free Zone, an online resource for Cellulite Treatments and reviews of the best cellulite creams.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

9 Tips to Stop Food Cravings and Help You With Your Diet


by: Emily Clark

Most of us are "regular" people. We don't eat the perfect diet
all the time and have our struggles with food, same as everyone
else. But having an awareness of this fact and knowing a little
bit about our health and food nutrition can help when it comes to
making wise decisions.

Many people struggle with food "cravings." Studies tell us that
it's fairly common for food cravings to happen at certain times,
quite often at around bedtime. Your guard may be down, you may
have had an unusually hard day, and off you go on your
not-so-merry way to find that tasty treat. Fatigue and stress
often combine to take their toll on the best of intentions.

When food cravings are unconstrained, what starts out as a
bedtime snack quickly turns into a full blown feeding
frenzy...not something most of us fully understand or appreciate.
We head to kitchen and every other place where food can hide,
clearing a path as we go.

Most food cravings are not about satisfying a nutritional need or
imbalance. They seem to be more emotionally related, or God
forbid, are caused by plain old gluttony. Exactly why we
over-indulge is not completely understood, however our knowledge
about this subject continues to grow.

Listed below are some thoughts and ideas about food cravings:

- If the food isn't available, you can't eat it! Empty the cookie
jar and keep it that way! Keep healthy food choices on-hand.

- Recognize the feelings and emotions that lead-up to a food
craving. Do you have food cravings when you’re bored, lonely, or
stressed? If you can identify a trigger, you can deal with the
emotion that’s making you desire a certain food. Try to deal with
the triggers in the best way you can.

- Sometimes, even recognizing that a craving is about to happen
doesn't seem to help. Don't beat yourself-up. There is always
tomorrow. Call a friend, make good use of your support network
and share your feelings with someone.

- Get enough sleep. When you’re tired, you’re more likely to
crave things.

- Never give-up. When you "slip", press-in, bear-down, get a
grip, do whatever is necessary to re-gain control. Try to
practice restraint most of the time, but don't get legalistic and
un-balanced in your weight loss approach. Think moderation and
not abstinence at all times!

- Understand that self-control and discipline by themselves,
won't cut it! If you depend totally on yourself for control, you
will fail. Forming caring and supportive relationships is
required. If you do not currently have a support network, start
building one TODAY.

- Exercise. It increases feel-good endorphins that cut down on
your cravings. Try to get at least 30 minutes of physical
activity every day.

- Use moderation. Instead of stuffing yourself with every kind of
food hoping that your craving will go away, eat 100 to 200
calories of your "craved" food.

- Substitute with low-fat foods and complex carbs. If you’re
hungry for chocolate, eat non-fat chocolate yogurt. Try fig bars
or raisins for a sweet craving.

- Never skip a meal. Eat every three to five hours. Try six
smaller meals or regular meals with nutritious snacks.

- Understand that hunger craving are oftentimes stress related.
Practice other ways to treat chronic stress – a walk in the park,
spiritual connections, a cozy fireplace, baths...all these
stimulate neurochemicals that activate regions of the brain that
stimulate pleasure. Relaxation techniques may work by reducing
the psychological drives on stress output, which can be the root
causes of stress. Bottom line, substitute pleasurable experiences
for comfort foods.

- Beware of certain medications. They can stimulate appetite.
Drugs used for the treatment of depression and bipolar disorder
can be appetite stimulants. Other drugs, both prescription and
over the counter, may influence appetite as well. If you are on a
medication, and troubled by food cravings, discuss this with your
doctor or pharmacist. You may be able to find an alternative that
doesn't send your cravings out of control.

- Distract Yourself. What's that old expression...idle hands are
the devils workshop? Get busy. Do anything other than cave-in to
your desire for food, and keep doing it until the cravings
subside.

- One final thought, take a look inside your refrigerator and
kitchen cabinets and do some general "house cleaning." Throw-out
all that unhealthy stuff that is waiting to sabotage your diet,
and start shopping more wisely. A little forethought and careful
planning will go a long way for improving your chances of
success.

Eat wisely, be happy, and live long!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.


About the author:
Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News
where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.