Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Burn The Fat
"I used Tom's BURN THE FAT program to lose 137 pounds, but it also changed my entire life and the life of my family. BURN THE FAT has also helped me achieve emotional, physical and financial goals I never thought possible.
I believe that your success can be traced back to something as simple as desire. Answer one simple question - 'How Bad Do You Want It?' If you want it bad, the battle is on and you can win like I did, you just have to keep that desire fueled."
- Mike Ogorek
 "I'm a 40 year old mom with 3 children, ages 11, 6 and 4. Before, I was 85 kg and 36.5% body fat, size 40. I was fat, miserable, and my family life and relationship were suffering. I wasn't able to do anything with my kids, I was tired and constantly irritated. - Bonnie VanNiekerk |
"My body fat was pushing 30% and now it's 8% to 9%."  "When I started I weighed 246 pounds. Today I'm 172. My body fat was pushing 30% and now it's 8% to 9%. My waist was 40 inches and now it's 31. My cholesterol today is around 143. My blood pressure was 145/90, which is mild hypertension, and is now 118/60. My pulse was 81 and my resting heart rate today is around 48. I haven't had any illnesses in the last three years and I feel great." - Bob Phifer, Age 50 |
 "When I was turned down to become a bone marrow donor because I was so overweight and had sky-high blood pressure and cholesterol, it was a wake up call. It took time, but I lost 173 pounds and am now on the bone marrow registry. I'm currently working with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to raise money for blood cancer research by cycling 100 mile "Century" rides for Team In Training. - Ce Ce Evola |
 "Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle (BFFM) was exactly what I needed to break through and permanently burn off my unwanted fat. I picked up the program during a weight loss plateau - exactly the point where I usually quit. - Brian Nordberg |
 "One day, I came across a picture of me and I barely recognized myself! At 5' 1", 150 lbs I had to face the fact that I was 40 and Fat. I had no idea I had let myself go so much. Somehow, I happened upon Burn The Fat and ordered. It was the best money I ever spent. - Aida Miodus |
"Tom, I purchased your plan last year, and as of today I have lost 40 lbs, I went from a size 18 to a size 10. My daughter got married this past weekend and I was amazed that I reached my goal of wearing a size 10 to her wedding. I am a nurse, my patients all ask me what my secret is and I tell them, "Burn The Fat." I have even had a few patients ask me where "that other nurse" is, because I lost so much fat, they don't even recognize me! Linda Hyatt |
"I am not a bodybuilder, but your techniques have helped me to transform my body. The program worked like a charm. From the very beginning I started to lose fat. After the first 3-month period, I have dropped my body fat percentage from 20% down to 13%. I have lost 13.3 pounds of fat and gained 3.3 pounds of muscle. Another measurement I could not believe was this: my waist went down from 97 cm to 85 cm! I wrongly assumed that at 46 years old, I was going to have a really hard time reaching this goal, if ever. Getting into your program was one of the best investments I made in my life. Many thanks Tom... Roberto Paramo |
I like the nutrition program because I can customize it to my liking. I never get bored. Joanna Crowe, |
I've been using your program for 1 month. I've dropped 8 lbs., 4 inches on my waist and 2% on my body fat. I still have a way to go but I can't believe how quick my stomach is shrinking. You can actually see that I work out now. This program kicks ass. Matt Malena |
So far I have lost 37 pounds following your "Burn The Fat" guidelines. I was a tight size 18 and am now a loose 12. I weighed 202 pounds and now weigh 165. I feel great and I didn't feel deprived at all. I have changed my lifestyle and am thrilled with the results on every level. I am currently re-evaluating my goals because I BELIEVE I can do more than I ever thought possible. Nena Nerhan |
"Hey Tom, I just wanted to let you know that today I got my body fat tested using skinfolds, and I ended up hitting 4% bodyfat! Thank you for your guidance in your Burn The Fat manual, I feel like I owe you far more than I paid for the book. Eric Spring |
"I can now fit into a pair of jeans which I haven't fit in for years (38 European which is size 8 U.S. - I was a size 15 U.S.). The Salvation Army must love me these days, all the big clothes are placed in their recouperation dumpsters, bag upon bag of clothes. I've liberated 12 clothes hangers and two shelves full of oversized clothing since New Years! Sarah Cecile |
I started the program at 254 lbs and 36% body fat. I am now down to 214 lbs and 22% bodyfat, so I have lost 44 lbs of fat and gained 5 lbs of lean body mass." Dave Mullen, |
When I started Tom's Burn The Fat program in January, I weighed 317 pounds. As of Dec. 1st, (11 months later), I weigh 226 lbs. 91 pounds of fat gone forever is a pretty cool thing! And by the way... I turned 40 this year, so if anyone out there is thinking that you are "too old" - think again. Chris Brooke, |
Burn The Fat Feed the Muscle (BFFM) has changed my life. I have lost 3 dress sizes in 4 months and feel better than ever before. I now have my husband on the program. If we can do it with 4 kids and full time jobs -- anyone can. Lynn Ramirez, |
When I started the program in September, I was 248 pounds with 24% bodyfat. My Body fat is now 12%. With Tom's information, I have been able to lose 43 pounds - all of it fat. I also no longer spend $400 a month on supplements. Jerry McBride, |
I bought Burn The Fat last October and I'm now so low in body fat you can see the striations. I've often been lean in the past, but never like this. This is Brad Pitt in Fight Club low! I have a hip-bone skinfold pinch of 2.0 mm, which on the accumeasure chart = 4.5% body fat. I couldn't be more pleased. David Samuel |
Thank God for your program because I've only been on it for just over a week and I'm already seeing results. I'm fitting into pants that I couldn't get into a 7 days ago. It's a wonderful thing to finally find something that works. " Tracy Heptin, |
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Sample Workout To Get Your Fat Loss Engines Going
Multiplanar Movements are exercises that ensure you are moving in all dimensions (Forward and Back, Side to Side, and Rotation). Why do you want to do this? By choosing exercises that move your body in all directions you will be increasing your fat loss results exponentially. Let’s say you wanted to train your legs and butt. A typical Leg Press machine would just have you working in the Forward and Back direction. But what if you chose to do a Squat instead? Here’s how you could hit all directions:
- Basic Squat – Feet shoulder width apart and sit back as if you were going to sit on a bench and then use your legs and butt to come back up to a standing position. (Forward and Back)
- Side Squat – Perform the same squatting movement but now step out to the side, alternating left and right, with each squat. (Side to Side)
- Sumo Walk Squat – Go down into a squat position and walk forward and back like a sumo wrestler would. (Rotation)
As you can see, this will take A LOT more muscles than just a plain old leg press and give you much, much better results.
This is exactly what Dr. K does for all of his patients and includes these workouts in his incredible Double Edged Fat Loss Program.
I asked Dr. K if he could give my readers a sample workout so you can try this method out for yourself. You’ll not only see what a kick butt workout this is, but also, how quickly you’ll experience awesome results.
Try this Muiltiplanar Movement Workout to get your fat burning engines moving right now :More Details
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Weight Loss Facts
Low Fat Foods DON'T WORK.
You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. Low fat foods have been popular for more than 15 years, but yet our society is getting more overweight as each year passes. This fact alone should tell you that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to losing weight.
Low Calorie Diets DON'T WORK.
You won't lose weight using a Low Calorie Dieting Plan either. In fact, eating low calories is the worst thing that you can do to your body, since that will only slow down your body's fat burning engine and ruin all chances of losing weight (low calorie diets may allow a few pounds of weight loss for the first few days, but then after that all weight loss comes to a halt --- known as a dieting plateau). You can never get slim by starving yourself.
Low Carb Plans DON'T WORK.
You'll probably find it extremely difficult to get slim using a Low Carb Dieting Plan. Low carb diets have recently become popular over the last couple years, but the problem with low carb menus is that they are too strict and TOO HARD TO FOLLOW for average people. Low carb menus tend to rob your body of too much energy (carbohydrates) and make it nearly impossible to remain on the program for very long. This is why so many dieters find it difficult to follow a strict low carbohydrate menu.
What about Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig Dieting Plans?
Weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers (and Jenny Craig) usually involve slower dieting progress over a longer period of time, since such programs generally promise only 2-3 pounds of weight loss per week. Also, programs such as Jenny Craig usually involve buying special meals and/or dietary supplements during the initial phases of the program. While some people may like these types of dietary programs, we prefer a dieting plan which focuses on faster weight loss, such as the Accelerated Fat Burning Program shown below...
Pregnancy Miracle
I Thought I Was Infertile But Contrary To My Doctor's Prediction, I Got Pregnant Twice and Naturally Gave Birth To My Beautiful Healthy Children At Age 43, After Years of "Trying".
You Can Too! Here's How..."
Chinese Medicine Researcher, Alternative Health and Nutrition Specialist, Health Consultant and Former Infertility Sufferer Teaches You How To:  Get Pregnant Quickly and Naturally Within 2 Months Give Birth to Healthy Babies Reverse Both Female and Male Infertility Issues Improve the Quality of Your Life Dramatically! |
Discover How She Overcame Her Own Infertility and Taught Thousands Of Women Worldwide To Eliminate All Their Infertility Issues and Get Pregnant Quickly and Naturally You Are On Your Late 30's or 40's You Have Tubal Obstruction You Have High Levels of FSH You Have PCOS or Endometriosis You Have Uterine Fibroids or Uterus Scarring You Have Ovarian Cysts Or 'Lazy Ovaries' You Have A History of Miscarriages Your Male Partner Has Low Sperm Count Without Resorting To Drugs, IVF or IUI Procedures Faster and Easier than You Ever Thought Possible! |
Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Why I Choose to Live a Vegan Lifestyle
First, let me put this out there. I am using the word vegan to illustrate a point. I have more of a veganesque diet. Something like 95% vegan. I eat fish about once every two weeks. May have a milkshake or "real" chocolate every once in a while. Some of the faux meats I eat may have some milk ingredients (though really nothing significant). Basically, I'm not one of them strict vegans who frown upon anybody touching animal products.
Now that I got that out of the way.....
My family, when I was growing up, consumed the average "Black" Standard American Diet. Fried chicken, pork chops, fried fish, pig's feet, chitterlings and so on. There was no meal where meat (including fish & chicken) was not present. This is not rare in the U.S. so this is not hard to believe. I just want to show how my view is not a result of upbringing but just a simple practice of looking, listening and observing. Or paying attention to nature and its laws.
Why do I subscribe to a vegan diet? A better question would be "why not?" I have molars that are flat. Looking at the meat-eating animals, it's hard not to notice their very sharp teeth. Maybe they have those teeth so they can rip and tear into flesh. They also don't chew they way I do. They chomp, rip and tear while I am more of a grinder. Actually, I eat my food like a horse. Bite then grind. Stallions even have incisors. Do horses eat meat? It easy to see that my teeth are better built for chewing than ripping flesh.
I always ate my meats cooked. But, it's obvious that the carnivorous animals eat their meats raw. I'm certainly not planning on capturing a cow, slaughtering it, then proceeding to feast upon its decaying carcass. No haps! I must cook it. But, it seems more practical to eat a fruit or vegetable that doesn't even need heat. Is it a coincidence that fruits and vegetables grow naturally and I do not have to harm a living soul to obtain my nutritional needs?
There's been too many times that I can count when I ate so much meat that my stomach hurt. Actually it doesn't take too much to cause the pain. My gastric acid doesn't break down the animal flesh like it does natural foods. Carnivores have different stomach acids, that's why they can eat fur, nails and other stuff that I wouldn't. If I was wired to eat animals then why do I not have the same type of stomach acids as carnivorous animals?
Vegetarians live longer and are less prone to diseases. This is an example of cause and effect. Eat less meat, live longer and feel better. That really makes me question why I ever thought meat was the way to go.
Being a heavy meat-eater for the better part of my life and now living a vegan lifestyle, I feel better now. You truly are what you eat and eating soul-filled animals will have a detrimental effect on you. When the animal is stressed from their living conditions, you eat that stress. Whatever the animal feels, eats, and is exposed to, you assume it all. I am able to think clearer because I do not have those unwanted, external, non-organic feelings. Combine this holistic approach with meditation and other chakra opening practices, anyone can achieve enlightenment.
I made the choice for myself to eat the way that I do. It makes holistic sense and common sense. My mind, body and soul is alive so I must eat live, organic foods. No dead animal can nourish my holistic system. Why do I choose to live a vegan lifestyle? Because I choose life!
Peace Peace,
S. Ali Myers
Soulful Body & Mind
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Friday, August 20, 2010
Swallow Tattoos, Nautical Stars, and Cherry Tattoos are Hot Ideas for Rockabilly Girls
I have noticed recently that there are tons of Rockabilly girls getting some great tattoo work done. They are getting themes like swallow tattoos, or nautical stars, and even cherries. These are all very classic and great looking tattoo designs. Many of them will work wonderful in combination with each other. For example a large chest piece tattoo design that incorporates two swallows on either side of a sacred heart with some nautical star tattoos to round out the design!
These work so well and
have noticed recently that there are tons of Rockabilly girls getting some great tattoo work done. They are getting themes like swallow tattoos, or nautical stars, and even cherries. These are all very classic and great looking tattoo designs. Many of them will work wonderful in combination with each other. For example a large chest piece tattoo design that incorporates two swallows on either side of a sacred heart with some nautical star tattoos to round out the design!
These work so well and are becoming so popular among this group of rockabilly women because they hark back to the time period of the 1950s and especially have the look and feel of Sailor Jerry type of tattoo designs.
This trend of course started with the now very popular West Coast tattoo style that at it's heart takes older tattoo designs and recolors them with new vibrant splashes of brightly colored ink. So taking old Sailor Jerry tattoo designs and redoing them with new bright ink colors not only has a great retro look and theme but also are becoming very popular tattoo designs for women.
All three of these designs have great symbolism behind them also. Sailors are a very superstitious lot by nature and would do anything to come home alive. They often would look for signs or clues to help them navigate their way home. Over the years these signs have turned into symbols for luck, safe travel, and returning home! For example the swallow tattoo is a symbol for returning home safely. Swallow birds can not fly very far from land and so when a sailor at sea spots a swallow bird he knows that land is close by and therefore home. So the swallow and therefore the swallow tattoo is a symbolism for returning home. Stars were also used frequently by sailors to navigate their way home and a nautical star is a symbol of this.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Breast Cancer, Prevention, and Life After Hormone Replacement Therapy
The two words “breast cancer” shake all women to the core – more so than any other disease, even though heart disease takes far more lives than breast cancer.
The two words “breast cancer” shake all women to the core – more so than any other disease, even though heart disease takes far more lives than breast cancer.
Try your hand at these 24 true/false questions about breast cancer (mostly). The answer key is at the end. No peeking now until you answer all the questions. I’m watching you!
1. In 1970, 1 in 20 women were diagnosed with breast cancer; today, 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. T or F?
2. According to Dr. John McDougall, it takes 100 days for one breast cancer cell to divide into two cells; about 6 years for one breast cancer cell to divide into 1 million cells, which is only as big as the tip of a pencil and undetectable; and 10 years to multiply into 1 billion cells, the size of an eraser on a pencil. T or F?
3. There is no such thing as early detection of breast cancer. T or F?
4. Only 3% to 5% of breast cancer can be attributed to genes. T or F?
5. According to three major studies, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes increase of breast cancer, strokes, heart problems, and clots in lungs and legs. T or F?
6. The incidents of breast cancer decreased after the use of HRT decreased. T or F?
7. Clinical trials show that the extract from the plant, black cohosh, is just as effective as HRT (70 %) in reducing hot flashes without the dangerous side effects of HRT. T or F?
8. A plant-based diet leads to gentler menopause. T or F?
9. Early menses (before 12) and late menopause (after 55) increase risk of breast cancer. T or F?
10. There is a high correlation between eating animal products and early menses and late menopause. T or F?
11. Walking 4 hours per week decreases breast cancer risk by 33%. T or F?
12. Fiber found in whole plants, not fiber by itself, reduces breast cancer risk. T or F?
13. Elevated cholesterol increases risk of breast cancer. T or F?
14. Increased body fat increases risk of breast cancer. T or F?
15. Increased dietary fat increases risk of breast cancer. T or F?
16. When diagnosed with breast cancer, women with near ideal body weight have greater chance for survival than women with higher body weights. T or F?
17. Breast cancer risk is 400% higher in the U.S. than it is in Japan. T or F?
18. The death rate from breast cancer is 5x higher in the U.S. than it is in rural China. T or F?
19. Increased estrogen levels significantly increase risk of breast cancer. T or F?
20. Estrogen levels significantly increase from eating the typical American diet, high in fat, animal protein, and low in dietary fiber. T or F?
21. According to T. Colin Campbell in “The China Study,” breast cancer can mostly be prevented by eating a plant-based diet and avoiding dietary fats and animal protein. T or F?
22. According to Dr. Campbell, the people around the world who eat the most animal protein have the most cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. T or F?
23. Okay, guys, you aren’t off the hook. In 2001 Harvard review of research, there is a significant correlation between prostate cancer and dairy products. T or F?
24. In the U.S., 1 in 10 men die from prostate cancer; in China, 1 in 100,000 die from prostate cancer. T or F?
Okay, you can now peek at the answer key and find out how much you know about your body and breast cancer.
Every statement is absolutely true! Great work, my friend!
Half of All Breast Cancers are Tied to Pollution
Breast cancer rates in the United States have been on the rise since the 1940s. Today, one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime -- a rate triple the number in the 1960s.
Breast cancer rates in the United States have been on the rise since the 1940s. Today, one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime -- a rate triple the number in the 1960s.
What is behind this significant rising trend that has made breast cancer the most common cancer among U.S. women? Conventional medical literature states that age (over 65), family history and lifestyle factors (including not exercising, being obese and drinking a lot of alcohol) all affect the risk.
But, says Nancy Evans, health science consultant for the Breast Cancer Fund and principle author of a new report "State of the Evidence," the cause of a large number of breast cancer cases remain unexplained.
"You just can't blame it on lifestyle factors, like when you have children, or if you have children," Evans said. "Half the cases are not explained by genetics or the so-called 'known risk factors.' There's something else going on."
50 Percent of Breast Cancer Cases Not Caused by Genetics, Lifestyle
The report, produced by the two groups Breast Cancer Fund and Breast Cancer Action, found that lifestyle factors and genetics were not involved in half of the breast cancer diagnoses in 2005. And with 211, 240 women diagnosed last year, this represents a hefty number -- and a grossly overlooked factor (or several of them).
After analyzing more than 350 studies on breast cancer, the researchers determined that only one in 10 breast cancer cases are due to genetics. The majority of cases arise, they say, from a combination of factors, including environmental pollution and exposure to low-dose radiation.
Why Plastics May Actually be Dangerous
Low-dose exposure to chemicals such as bisphenol-A (BPA) -- especially as a child -- may be having a profound effect on women.
Bisphenol-A is widely used in plastic containers, tin can and soda-can linings, baby bottles, children's toys and more. Close to 6 billion pounds are produced every year. However, studies find that it is far from an inert compound -- instead, it appears to be capable of altering cells.
One study, published in the journal Endocrinology, for instance, found that pregnant mice exposed to levels of the compound similar to what a human would typically be exposed to had alterations to the development of their mammary glands.
The mammary glands of their female offspring grew in a way that made them more susceptible to breast cancer development, and also responded unusually to estrogen, which promotes breast cancer in humans.
Further, due to the bisphenol-A exposure, the mice were less able to get rid of damaged cells that could be cancerous than mice that were not exposed.
"This is of tremendous concern because this is clearly a study that is relevant to human exposure levels to this chemical," said Professor Frederick vom Saal, of the University of Missouri-Columbia.
What does industry have to say of these findings? "When you look at this body of evidence in total, we didn't find any evidence that there is a marked, repeatable-across-laboratories effect that has any clear scientific standing," said Lorenz Romberg, a consultant and former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency scientist (who has testified before the government for the chemical industry).
Early Mammograms May Also Warrant Concern
The American Cancer Society recommends that women over the age of 40 get mammograms, despite the fact that research suggests they're not effective until age 50.
Now new research from the National Academy of Sciences suggests that even the lowest possible doses of radiation increase cancer risk.
"We have to have a replacement for mammography. It's so aggressively promoted, especially for young women," Evans said. "I'm not saying they should or shouldn't [have a mammogram]. They need to be aware of the risk. An additional 10 years of radiation is not insignificant."
It appears that a combination of factors is likely to blame for rising breast cancer rates. As of today, no one knows what happens when a person is exposed to low doses of chemicals, combined with low doses of radiation and other pollution.
Secondhand Smoke Officially a "Toxic Air Contaminant" in California
California regulators have recently ruled that secondhand smoke causes breast cancer in younger women. The first-of-its-kind ruling could lead to tougher measures to fight against smoking in the state.
The 1,200-page report from scientists at the California Environmental Protection Agency was unanimously approved by the state's Air Resources Board. It found that women under 50 who were exposed to secondhand smoke had an increased risk of breast cancer compared to those not exposed. State law in California will now list secondhand smoke as a "toxic air contaminant."
"There should be an even stronger effort to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure, particularly for our young girls," says Laura Esserman, a surgeon and researcher at the University of California-San Francisco.
Aside from avoiding exposure to environmental toxins as much as possible, there are also dietary measures you can take to help prevent breast cancer -- including consuming plenty of these eight key nutrients.
Scientific Study : 3 Simple Lifestyle Secrets to Improve Your Bone Density
So today, I’d like to focus on the “lifestyle” component of your bone health improvement. Bone health requires more than just eating the proper foods. There are many aspects of daily living, some of which we rarely think about, that can impact your health in general, and your bone health specifically. Here are three simple lifestyle changes that can have a profound effect on your bone health.
1. Get More Sleep
Did you know that how well you sleep can actually affect your bone health?
It’s true.
Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s most beloved Founders, had it right when he said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. “
He may not have had access to the scientific studies we have today, but he knew intuitively that good sleep patterns affect our well-being.
A 2004 study of 1,506 men and women from age 55-84 showed a correlation between osteoporosis and those who slept for less than six hours.1
You see, during sleep, cortisol levels, also known as the “stress hormone”, decrease to a healthy level. Without adequate sleep, the body’s natural ability to bring cortisol levels down is limited. And an increase in cortisol levels acidifies the body’s pH thereby leeching more calcium from the bones.
On a more practical level, you’re more likely to fall and fracture a bone when you’re sleep deprived.2
So for a restful sleep, here are a few tips you can try:
- If you’re in a noisy environment, try a “white noise” machine to block out extraneous sounds.
- Try not to eat at least two hours before your bedtime.
- Try to eliminate all light sources from your sleeping area. Even a small amount of light can interfere with your body’s time clock.
- Don’t drink anything with caffeine before you go to bed.
- Relax. I know, easier said than done, but work toward making it a bedtime habit to meditate, listen to a relaxation tape, write in your journal, do some deep breathing, or simply sit quietly and contemplate.
Also this is worth noting: In a study published August 1, 2010, researchers from the West Virginia University (WVU) School of Medicine have determined that getting seven hours of sleep is best for maintaining optimal heart health. 3
2. Keep Your Cell Phone Away
In our hurry-up culture, many of us couldn’t live without our cell phones. We’re so attached to them that we might as well have them grafted to our bodies. But you might want to think twice about where you keep your cell phone.
Researchers in Turkey studied a group of 150 men who all used clips to attach their cell phones to their belts. These men all had their phones attached to their belts for about 15 hours a day, and they had all been using their phones for about six years. The researchers used a special x-ray technique to measure pelvic bone density at the spot where the men carried the phone, and at the corresponding spot on the other side of their body. 4
The results showed a reduction in bone density on the side where the men carried their phones.
The authors of the study conclude that “It would be better to keep mobile phones as far as possible from our body during our daily lives.”
These are preliminary findings and still considered anecdotal, but they do raise interesting questions about the effects of electromagnetic fields on bone health. Yes, these findings are not conclusive, but do you want to take a chance with your bone health?
So here are some important tips for when you’re not using your cell phone:
- Whenever possible, carry your cell phone in your purse or briefcase
- When you’re in your car, take the phone out of your pocket or off your belt and place it on the seat as far away from you as possible
- When you’re at the movies, put the cell phone in your cup holder
- When you go to bed, don’t keep the cell phone right next to your bed
- When you’re at work, put the cell phone in a drawer, or at least move it to the back of your desk, away from your body
3. Be Curious
Curiosity may have killed the cat… but it could save your bones!
When Douglas, my oldest son, was about six, we were returning from a fun day at a water park. I was tired after trying to keep up with him all day, and all I wanted was to get into the house and start dinner.
To digress, let me tell you a little bit about Douglas. As a young child, he was insatiably curious. I’m pretty sure “What’s that?” was his first full sentence. It was always, “What’s this,” “What’s that?” to the point that it would have been very easy to tune him out. But I thought it was important to nurture his inquisitive spirit, so I always tried to answer his often non-stop questions.
On this particular day, just as we approached the front door, Douglas did his usual “What’s that?” routine. It would have been so easy to brush him aside, to say, “It’s time for dinner, I’ll look at it later.” But I stifled my instinctive response and glanced over to where he was pointing.
Not wanting to unduly alarm Douglas, I barely managed to contain a shriek. His “what’s that” turned out to be a Cottonmouth snake, one of the most dangerous and venomous snakes in Florida. If I hadn’t paid attention to Douglas, we could have stepped right into its path.
Fortunately, I was able to contact one of the maintenance workers for our housing complex, and he quickly caught and relocated the snake, so all was well in the end.
The rather obvious object lesson here is: be curious. Ask questions. Explore. Remember that knowledge is power. There are many “snakes” in our path: from doctors who use scare tactics to “scholarly” articles touting the benefits of the new “miracle” osteoporosis drug.
Don’t allow anyone or anything to have power over you, especially when it concerns your health. Yes, it can be confusing, yes, there are many “experts” all feeding you seemingly conflicting information. But you can take charge by learning and becoming better-informed.
You’re already doing that. The wonderful members of the Save Our Bones community are indeed an inquisitive lot. Your curiosity and willingness to gather knowledge are what brought you here. Use that curiosity to remain in charge. Seek out studies and the latest information.
Your doctor’s office is an extremely important place to flex your curiosity muscles. Don’t take whatever your doctor says as gospel.
On a lighter note, why do you think they say that doctors are “practicing” medicine?
So don’t let fear of what your doctor might say or think keep you from getting the truth. As Thomas Jefferson, another American Founder, declared: “Question with boldness.”
References
1 Foley D, Ancoli-Israel S, Britz P et al. “Sleep disturbances and chronic disease in older adults”. National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Survey. 2003.
2 “Importance of Sleep : Six reasons not to scrimp on sleep”. The Harvard Women’s Health Watch. 2006.
3 Sabanayagam C; Shankar A. “Sleep duration and cardiovascular disease: results from the National Health Interview Survey”. SLEEP. 2010.
4 “Effect of electromagnetic field induced by radio frequency waves at 900 to 1800 MHz on bone mineral density of iliac bone wings.” Journal of Craniofacial Surgery Sept. 2009.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Think Yourself Thin - How your thoughts and self-perception affect your waistline
Why we establish our eating habits and why it’s so difficult to change them isn’t understood yet by medical and nutrition researchers, nor by the multitude of diet plan purveyors. A true understanding of that complex bundle of psychological issues is decades away, at least.
Why we establish our eating habits and why it’s so difficult to change them isn’t understood yet by medical and nutrition researchers, nor by the multitude of diet plan purveyors. A true understanding of that complex bundle of psychological issues is decades away, at least.
However, what we do know for certain about successful weight loss is that it occurs only when an individual has the proper mental attitude. Some people are lucky and already have that attitude, while others need professional help to get there. But most people have to take a DIY approach and construct that successful mindset themselves.
The mental steps that ensure successful weight loss can be simply stated but difficult to follow. “It’s basically helping people change their thoughts, which leads to less intensive emotional reactions, which leads to better behavior,” says psychologist Gretchen Ames, Ph.D., who uses cognitive behavioral therapy when counseling patients at the Mayo Clinic Bariatric Center in Jacksonville. “But that is tough to do, because people’s eating habits are ingrained for years and years and years. If they are not ready to make a life change, they probably are not going to make it. They have to make the commitment to themselves in their own mind. It can’t come from external sources.”
Seize the A-ha! Moment
If you can’t make that commitment, don’t try weight loss, says Dr. Ames. Come back later. But don’t waste your time with half-hearted attempts. Your failures tend to scuttle your self-esteem, which is the basic mental building block of a winning approach.
Your self-esteem can also trigger that moment when it clicks in your mind that you are ready to make a lifestyle change. You might see yourself in a photo and think “Who is that? I’ve got to change.” At that point it’s a lifestyle change, not a diet.
“What people don’t recognize is that most diets recommend changes that are not sustainable,” says Dr. Ames, adding that most people want immediate results, which is not realistic. “I always tell my clients don’t make any changes that you can’t see yourself doing for the rest of your life, otherwise it’s not worth it.”
Robert Marema, M.D., director of Bariatric Surgery at Flagler Hospital, says a person’s medical condition or change in health can also trigger a commitment to change. This is particularly true for people who undergo bariatric surgery, as Dr. Marema did.
“Everybody has an A-ha! moment, or an acceptance, that other alternatives are not getting me to where I want to be,” says Dr. Marema, who has performed about 7,000 bariatric surgeries. “I was already a bariatric surgeon; I knew its benefits. But I continued to go through a period of my life when I tried alternatives. I finally accepted the fact that I was going to have to go down that path.”
Dr. Marema, a tall athletic man, lost 130 pounds. He keeps it off by following his commitment to change his eating habits, which all successful bariatric surgery patients must do, as does someone who only needs to shed 20 pounds.
The following mental aspects of making the big picture commitment can help you succeed:
•Feed your mind the right information. Dr. Ames says many people aren’t prepared for a long-term commitment because their sense of portion size has been distorted by a bombardment of media images and eating so many restaurant meals (50% of most families’ meals). You have to get the proper idea of portions in your mind before you start. Stephanie Perry, a clinical dietitian at Nemours Children Clinic, says she uses a nine-and-a-half inch plate to make a mental impression of proper portion size. “Most plates are much bigger these days,” says Perry, who works with children and their parents to change eating habits. “Half the plate should be fruits and vegetables, a fourth should be starch or a starchy vegetable, and the other fourth a lean protein or meat.” Using that mental prop prepares you to select proper portions. You also need to learn the recommendations for your calorie and exercise requirements. Many people try to lose weight without arming themselves with this very basic knowledge.
•Adapt your culture of eating. Too many people eat out too often, and they eat like they are treating themselves. Our culture provides lots of other opportunities to use food as a treat – holidays, family get-togethers, office parties. You have to alter your attitude about those situations. “Food functions in a variety of roles for a person – it’s comfort, social, even an expression of creativity,” says Dr. Marema. “It’s important to recognize what role food plays in your life going in.”
•Analyze your ability to put in the time and effort. “People have to take an honest look: Do I really have time to keep a food journal, look up calories, manage portions and be physically active?” says Dr. Ames. “When people get busy or stressed, the first thing to go is health behaviors.”
Think Long Term, Act Short Term
You’ve made the big commitment, but that long-term goal seems dispiritingly far off. How do you turn that commitment into the proper eating choices for the rest of your life? By mentally cutting the challenge down to size. Set yourself up to succeed by setting small goals and meeting them. This gives you immediate successes, which immediately motivates you. Your long-term goal, still vital, is simply too far off to motivate you on the daily basis needed for success.
In a 150-family weight loss research study pediatric psychologist Amanda Lochrie, Ph.D., is working on at Nemours Children Clinic, participants set long-term general goals but work through short-term specific goals to get there. “It’s about giving people the tools they need to really feel like they can do this, to gain some confidence, so they can eventually get to long-term goals,” says Dr. Lochrie. “Just setting these very small manageable goals can actually help to change their self-esteem, their sense of accomplishment. These things go hand-in-hand with them changing the way they feel about themselves and refocusing on the positive things they are doing rather than the negative.”
Much of the focus of Dr. Lochrie’s research study and work with families in the Shape Up R Families (SURF) support groups is helping them set goals and change their behaviors. Families and children fill out a form together each week that includes specific exercise goals, behavior goals and dietary goals. Dr. Lochrie says the behavior aspect is most critical because it makes the exercise and dietary goals happen.
Dr. Ames also encourages her clients to set short-term calorie and exercise goals on a weekly basis. “I tell them, ‘You have to pretty much do these behaviors seven days a week to see the scales move, so let’s figure out some short-term goals that will keep you doing these things this week,’” says Dr. Ames. Then she finds out what specific things are going to motivate them, which depends on the individual.
One thing it can’t be is food. If you’re having to reward yourself with a food that you like, that shows that your eating plan isn’t sustainable, says Dr. Ames. Not everyone needs rewards. Perry says some of the children she counsels get their reward from seeing results, and adds that what works with children also applies to adults. “Maybe their clothes are fitting better and they get excited; they feel good about having met their goals,” says Perry.
That’s a good place to be, where doing what you set out to do motivates you. Everyone has different needs according to their situation, and weight loss can be much harder for some people than for others. The following mental techniques recommended by local weight loss experts can help anyone keep their mind on track:
•Know your support group. “And utilize it,” says Dr. Marema. “You tend to behave like those you associate with. If you’re looking to be more positive and you look at your associates, and you think, ‘Wow, they’re really not very positive,’ you need to get around some different people.” Family is a critical source of support, because if a family member isn’t helpful, that’s going to be a tougher mental obstacle for you. Get a walking buddy, join a gym, weigh in weekly with a friend – find people who will encourage you.
•Rethink stress and food. The longer you’ve been trying to use food to relieve stress, the harder it’s going to be for you to keep the proper mindset. “What people don’t realize is that eating is a very short-term fix. It really only helps them cope with stress for the time that they are eating, then they feel worse afterward,” says Dr. Ames. Identify the triggers for your stress and change your method of coping.
•Use mental cues. Write down the five reasons you want to lose weight and carry them around with you, or post them on your refrigerator. Constantly referring to this visual cue links your mind to your goals and helps you stay motivated. Similarly, Perry says they use the slogan “5,2,1, Almost None” at Nemours to keep children and their parents focused by simplifying the daily goal into a memory rhyme: five servings of fruit and vegetables, two hours max of screen time (computer or TV), one hour of exercise, almost no sugars and treats. Perry also has children use a pen as a pretend fork and shows them how to take at least 20 minutes to eat a meal, because that’s how long it takes the brain to learn that the stomach is getting food.
•Refuse to negotiate with yourself. Your mind harbors an inherent expectation of failure in dieting that you need to consciously keep in check, says Dr. Marema. “I think the mind is constantly in negotiation with itself. That’s the biggest initial move toward self-sabotage. People think, ‘Gosh, I lost five pounds this week. That means I can have a doughnut.’ That negotiation right there is the step toward lack of long-term success. And once off the path,” he explains, “you usually have trouble getting back on it.”
•Learn how to recover. Many people are what Dr. Ames calls “all or nothing” dieters: they’re either perfectly on their plan, or completely off it. They think, ‘I’ve already strayed. I’ll keep eating what I want today and get back on track tomorrow.’ That mindset won’t work. “It’s a process of allowing yourself to make mistakes, but trying to recover immediately, like at the very next meal,” says Dr. Ames. “How many times have you said, ‘Oh, I’m going to start my diet again on Monday.’ No. It starts the very next meal. You don’t have to be perfect at it, but 90% of the time you should be doing what you are supposed to be doing in order to keep the weight off.”
Why we establish our Eating Habits and why it’s so difficult to change them isn’t understood yet by medical and nutrition researchers, nor by the multitude of diet plan purveyors. A true understanding of that complex bundle of psychological issues is decades away, at least. For details visithttp://www.healthsourcemag.com
Boost Brain Power With These Brain "Super" Foods-The top 10 foods that make you smarter...and healthier
When it comes to food, you have a wealth of delicious choices. And each one not only tastes good but also supplies unique health benefits. From blueberries to dark chocolate, leading nutritionists and physicians are pointing to certain foods that enhance brain power and, they say, a heart-healthy lifestyle.
When it comes to food, you have a wealth of delicious choices. And each one not only tastes good but also supplies unique health benefits. From blueberries to dark chocolate, leading nutritionists and physicians are pointing to certain foods that enhance brain power and, they say, a heart-healthy lifestyle.
Although there’s no conclusive research about the healthful brain benefits of particular supplements, food sources rich in vitamin E and Omega 3 fatty acids may provide benefit, says Jillian McMullen, R.D., LD/N, Outpatient Clinical Dietician with Mayo Clinic.
Vitamin E-rich foods include vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, and whole grains. Omega 3-rich foods include fish, walnuts and flax seeds.
“We also know that adequate amounts of B vitamins are essential for brain function,” says McMullen. “Some studies suggest a protective role of vitamins B9 (folic acid) and B12, but more research is needed before we can recommend these supplements. It doesn’t hurt to eat foods rich in folic acid such as green, leafy vegetables, fortified breads and cereals, and dried beans, as well as those chocked full of vitamin B12 like fish, meat, eggs, cheese and chicken.”
It’s All About Balance
There’s no denying that as we age, our body (and brain) ages right along with us. Getting older brings some risk of cognitive problems such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. There’s also increased brain function risk from certain diseases like hypertension, diabetes and obesity that can cause damage to the brain.
“Theoretically, we can control these diseases and keep our brain healthy unlike old age or genetic factors that we can’t control,” says Floyd Willis, M.D., family medicine practitioner and creator of Mayo Clinic’s “LiveWell. ThinkWell.” program.
It all ties together, Willis says. People who have the most risk of strokes are those with hypertension, diabetes and obesity. “Often, people don’t associate the truism that as goes the heart, so goes the brain (and kidney). The impetus of the Mayo ‘LiveWell. ThinkWell.’ healthy brain program is about maintaining a healthy balance and healthy lifestyle.”
Dr. Willis created the community outreach program offered through Mayo’s Memory Disorder Clinic to educate African-Americans about healthy brain aging and memory disorders. African-Americans may have higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease because they have a higher incidence of some medical conditions associated with dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The program provides information to seniors and their families about memory disorders and brain aging, including tips on how to keep the mind healthy.
Research is showing that you can increase your chances of maintaining a healthy brain well into old age if you add “super” foods to your daily diet. Blueberries have been found to help protect the brain and animal studies have shown that diets rich in blueberries significantly improved both the learning capacity and motor skills of aging rats, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats.
“But, we can’t conclude that antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries, strawberries and spinach will have the same age-related reversal of brain deficits in humans as those they found in rats. The American Dietetic Association is currently studying the effect of strawberries, blueberries, prunes, spinach and fatty fish, and may find positive benefits to short term memory,” says McMullen.
Whether or not the foods are brain super foods, they’re heart healthy and a great part of a balanced diet, she says. “A diet rich in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy is essential to overall health and energy.”
Healthy Food for a Healthy Life
Carol Albanesi, Director of Food Services and a registered nurse for Flagler Hospital, agrees. “The foods we’re talking about are foods that are necessary and appropriate for a healthy diet. There’s not any true super food. A healthy diet has to be part of a healthy lifestyle that includes getting enough sleep (six to eight hours a day) and eating right. By that I also mean eating breakfast, not skipping meals and adding several small snacks during the day.”
Albanesi suggests that by eating healthy food, getting enough sleep and exercising three to five times a week you’ll increase your optimum health. All of these activities, including eating brain boosting super foods, bring oxygen to the brain by expanding blood vessels for increased blood flow to the brain.
“Your circulatory system feeds your cells and pulls away toxins,” she says. “That’s why you need to increase blood flow with these activities. Exercise is particularly good because it increases blood flow, lowers blood pressure and keeps your body healthy.”
Beans, she says, are a great food source because they’re a good carbohydrate and protein source, they’re inexpensive and they stabilize your glucose during the day. Drinking water is also important. Albanesi also suggests six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.
The Top Ten Brain Boosting Foods
Sally Clifton, MSH, RD, LD/N, at Shands Hospital, offers her top ten brain super food picks:
1. Coffee – The caffeine and the coffee bean itself have been shown to have some antioxidant properties, she says. Most of the benefits for boosting brain power come from the caffeine. Suggested serving: no more than two or three cups a day.
2. Tea – Freshly brewed green and black tea have antioxidant properties and some caffeine that dilates blood vessels and increases the blood flow to the brain, enhancing memory focus and mood. “It’s temporary so everyone should judge the amount,” Clifton says. “The tea contains catechines that are the antioxidant properties; flavored tea doesn’t have caffeine.” Suggested serving: no more than two or three cups a day.
3. Blueberries – Blueberries are one food that really stands out, she says, because they have a certain antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress to help reduce age-related diseases. “Over time, because you’re exposed to the environment, you’re more exposed to free radicals. That’s why it’s so important that athletes take in fruits and vegetables.”
She advises adding a variety of fruits to your diet. An easy way to add them is putting a cup in your smoothie, shake, yogurt or on cereal. Suggested serving: 1 cup a day.
4. Wild or farm-raised salmon – Wild salmon tends to be leaner and purer than farm-raised but both are good, she says. Salmon is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and contains anti-inflammatory substances that ultimately aid in blood flow and brain activity, lowering dementia and stroke risk and enhancing memory. “Salmon even keeps the blood flowing in the very small capillaries in the brain,” she says. Suggested serving: 4-ounces two or three times a week grilled, baked or broiled.
5. Nuts and seeds – Nuts and seeds are rich in vitamin E that boosts brain function and corresponds with less cognitive decline. Nuts and seeds also offer a large dose of monounsaturated fat that is heart healthy and promotes blood flow. A caveat is that nuts and seeds are very high in good fat, so limit the amount. Choose unsalted if you have hypertension. “Almonds, walnuts and peanuts are very good but choose a variety,” she says. Suggested serving: about one-fourth cup or one ounce a day.
6. Avocados – Although avocados got a bad rap for having a lot of fat several years ago, the green fruit is actually very healthy all around. They’re packed with monounsaturated fat but it’s good fat. Avocados also have a lot of antioxidants and some amino acids (protein), help lower blood pressure and help reduce inflammation. “I suggest putting them on a sandwich, in a salad or on your salmon for a double brain boost.” Suggested serving: one-quarter to one-half of an avocado daily.
7. Whole grains – Whole grains like whole wheat bread, pasta, cereals, wheat germ and brown rice create good blood flow because they have more intact nutrients including vitamin E, antioxidants, fiber and some have Omega 3 fatty acids. “Blood flow is crucial because it helps keep the integrity of cells in the brain,” says Clifton.
8. Pomegranate juice – Although juice has been maligned because it’s packed with sugar, pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants and a small amount of sugar helps with immediate energy. “Stick to about 2 ounces of natural fruit juice per serving. A way to do that is to mix the juice with sparkling water or sprite for a flavor boost. You can add it to water several times a day and eat a piece of fruit,” she says. Suggested serving: about 6 to 8 ounces a day.
9. Beans – All kinds of beans including black beans, kidney beans and lentils offer a lot of fiber and help stabilize your glucose levels throughout the day, allowing your brain to better use the food for fuel. Suggested serving: one-half cup a day.
10. Dark chocolate – This decadent food has powerful antioxidant properties and also has a small amount of caffeine, a natural stimulant that aids with focus and concentration. Dark chocolate also stimulates production of endorphins that help improve mood. For a double health surge, try chocolate covered blueberries. Suggested serving: one-half to one ounce a day.
Back to Basics
“The key is a healthy diet and eating small meals throughout the day to boost brain power because the food is giving you small energy boosts,” says Clifton. “I most often work with people to establish balance. Some people will drink coffee all day long. The unhealthy aspect of drinking this much coffee is that the caffeine suppresses appetite. So they deprive their body during the day and then overeat at night. That’s not a balanced, healthy way of eating.”
Almost all of the super foods can easily be incorporated into one meal such as a salad or wrap. You may be thinking diet, but by adding these foods you’re also sharpening your thinking. Clifton agrees that getting back to basics with exercise, getting eight hours of sleep a night (eight is more beneficial than less) and using meditation and relaxation exercises like yoga all help increase your body awareness and health.
“With meditation and relaxation, you’re breathing better and relieving tension and stress. It all goes together, but eating right does take some planning. The bonus to taking time to plan your meals is that you’ll gain more health benefits. A good idea is to get your spouse and children involved. It’s more fun and motivating if you and your family cook together. Online resources for healthy recipes include eatright.org, the official website of the American Dietetic Association, and cookinglight.com,” she says.
Boost Brain Power With These Brain Super Foods -This health article written by Jillian McMullen of Health Source Magazine gives you the knowledge you need to stay healthy and tells you the top 10 foods that make you smarter...and healthier. For details visithttp://www.healthsourcemag.com
You Don't Need a Vacation to Eliminate Stress!
Let’s face it, when you run a way from a stressful lifestyle to a beautiful island, you are simply not dealing with the stress, instead you are just escaping from all those responsibilities you need to deal with sooner or later.Let’s face it, when you run a way from a stressful lifestyle to a beautiful island, you are simply not dealing with the stress, instead you are just escaping from all those responsibilities you need to deal with sooner or later. Dear readers, I am here to “wake you up” and say, “Vacations are really a Temporary Escape unless you take a vacation to add more joy into your life. Wake up people and smell the roses... You don’t really need a vacation on a warm, sunny, beautiful Caribbean Island or in some tropical country for weeks or months when just the thought of traveling can help you melt down all of your worries to eliminate stress!!” The reality is that we can eliminate stress right now, right at this moment, without going way too far and adding up more stress.
Think about it! How many of your vacations actually added more stress in the planning, or as soon as you came back home back to reality? None of your problems were gone, and you were left with the realization that you spent the rent money to escape instead of paying those bills that are now still there, but with interest?
I am sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Misery loves company,” right? And that makes total sense, because people who suffer miserably just love taking some comfort in the reality that other people are sharing and suffering from the same end result known to our society as STRESS. So why do you attract many of the same people who continue crying, complaining and dragging you down with them, feeling negative? Because you let it happen, because "Misery loves company." So what can you do to change that negative behavior? Simple: Do Something About It (and I’m going to remind you what you can do, and it is really very simple!!)
Here are some facts about Stress
72% percent of people have daily stress and anxiety that interfere with their lives.
40% percent experience persistent stress or excessive anxiety in their daily lives.
24% percent have taken prescription medication to manage stress, nervousness, emotional problems or lack of sleep.
28% percent have had an anxiety or panic attack.
However, only 9% have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
In this article I am not going to concentrate on what causes stress, because we all know that every thing that is negative can cause stress, so what is this article about?
This article is to remind you of The Power of your Mind. Trust me, this power is your Divine gift from the Universe and it isn’t complicated at all, you can feel good by applying so many different and simple techniques to eliminate stress.
So lets take a shortcut to your vacation without spending any money, or at least a lot less than going on a vacation.
Stress and Anxiety can be eliminated without the actual vacation.
You’re probably wondering, how? And I am going to tell you: hypnosis, meditation, massage, yoga, deep breathing and much more.
I am going to share with you the stress-free formula that was always available to you. And it’s so simple! We always hear about this magic formula that helps with relaxation, de-stressing and other stress cures that are proven and accepted in our society as different therapy and modalities, not only that it is actually used in hospitals all over the countries. Researchers have been able to determine what effects these techniques and methods have on the human mind and body.
We always hear about miracles such as healing from cancer, eliminating chronic pain, natural child birth and I can go on and on with the absolute results and the facts . . . So this is what you really owe to yourself to remain stress free. Make a commitment with yourself to Live The Stress-Free Lifestyle by giving yourself some time each and every day to feel positive and good about yourself.
Apply self-hypnosis. Hypnosis is a trance, a daydreaming body-mind connection. It is a state in which a person becomes more aware and focused to accept positive suggestions that will allow you to go anywhere you wish to vacation. Do you want to re-visit a vacation you enjoyed? How about a place you’ve never been? A beautiful garden, or a temple? Yes, just by using the power of your mind, you can take yourself to any wonderful place you wish to go. This consciousness, induced by your self using self-hypnosis or by another person who is a Certified Hypnotherapist, allows you to let go of unnecessary inhibitions and re-program a pattern that works effortlessly to relieve stress, anxiety, pain, and much more.
All you have to do is to find yourself a comfortable place where you can dim the lights, and concentrate on your breathing. Inhale slowly and exhale all tension and stress away from your thoughts and physical body, just letting go, allow all worries to change and shift by traveling to your imaginary vacation place, feeling wonderful and energized. You can also have a beautiful CD playing in the background – perhaps nature sounds or your favorite music – while you are letting yourself be loose and limp like soft cotton candy, or silky clouds.. You can be creative in any way you wish to be, by simply using your imagination to create that peaceful, relaxing environment you deserve to have…
Apply Deep Breathing. You breathe all the time, so why not use the breath to properly stimulate the brain natural endorphins (your natural relaxant hormone that creates a great sense of peace). It is really simple. Start by being aware of your breathing patterns. Then continue by repeating a positive phrase as you breath in and out slowly. For example you might breath and think, “I AM CALM, I AM RELAXED, I FEEL GOOD." By doing these two simple steps, your mind trusts what you deliver to it, and therefore doesn’t trigger the fight-flight stress response as easily in the future.
Apply Meditation. Meditation is as easy as breathing in and out, and can be easily adopted into your daily busy lifestyle. When you meditate, different parts of your brain turn on and off, slowing down your autonomic nervous system, short-circuiting your stress response. You can apply meditation by using a few positive phrases or affirmations, repeated to yourself before going to a job interview, or a date, etc.
Apply Body Massage. This one is a straight-up stress release, trust me. It will not only relax your muscles but your entire mind as well. Massage allows you to enjoy the natural stress release of endorphins (like breathing, mentioned above) Remember touch is therapy, not only for stress and anxiety, but also for pain management. It also corresponds with improved sleep, the lifting of depression, and lowering blood pressure. Massage can be used by your self, simply by rubbing your muscles every morning or whenever you take a shower (you can even use a natural body brush and scrub your body limb by limb in long sweeping motions) or you can hire a professional massage therapist. Remember, hand, foot and back rubs from a loved one are also recommended...
What else you can apply to eliminate Stress? How about dancing, singing, yoga, drawing, painting, writing, gardening – anything that you enjoy is a Stress Release . . .
It is so simple to reduce stress in our lives. So simple, in fact, that many people overlook it and think they have to live with it! You can be free from stress, so why not do it every day? Free yourself – you can do it as quick as 30 seconds or as long as 20 minutes to a one hour, using guided imagery to go on vacation, breathing along, thinking affirmations... Just do it!
Tell yourself, "I am calm", "I am capable", "I am happy", "I am energetic", "I am smart.” You can just pick whatever you truly desire, and say it over and over until your mind says, “I’ve got it.” And then Live it... Feel It… Become It...
Now, I know some of you will say, “I can’t Visualize,” or, “I fall asleep every time I try to meditate, so how am I going to benefit from hypnosis and this type of stress-relief?” My response to you is, “Let me teach you how to experience the power of your mind one on one.” When you contact me and refer to this article when booking your first private session with me, you will receive and enjoy the step-by-step Self Hypnosis CD entitled, “Eliminating Stress,” yours to keep.
http://www.adaa.org/stressoutweek/stress_anxiety_disorders_survey_highlights.asp
http://apahelpcenter.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=press_releases&item=23
© 2007 Doreen Cohanim - All Rights Reserved.
Doreen Cohanim MM, C.Ht, HBCE
HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator
http://www.EnterYourMind.com
Doreen has conducted lectures on Past Life Regression and Energy Healing classes at various places and countries such as Israel, Mexico and Canada. As a Certified Hypnotherapist and Energy Healer, Doreen draws to her practice a great experience in working with psychologists, family therapists, sexual assault therapists and physicians since 1999. Doreen is also assisting therapeutic personal growth workshops for Chakra balancing that is called "The Dance Chakra," as well her experience as a Certified Massage Therapist for six years.
Complete Career with Lifestyle
Successful businesses and organizations know how to balance their employee's careers with an enhanced lifestyle to create positive attitudes throughout the workforce. AXACT Inc is the poster child for companies that know how to offer their employees lifestyle benefits that serve to enhance both their personal and professional lives.
Successful businesses and organizations know how to balance their employee's careers with an enhanced lifestyle to create positive attitudes throughout the workforce. AXACT Inc is the poster child for companies that know how to offer their employees lifestyle benefits that serve to enhance both their personal and professional lives. For example, employees can partake in a huge database of music they're free to listen to as they work, creating playlists that are only accessible to them. They can even create their own music CD's from the songs they listen to the most, or download them to their iPOD, cell phone or other portable music device.
A company that prides itself on offering lifestyle benefits to their employees, AXACT Inc knows that positive attitudes in the workplace directly stem from how a company treats their employees. Offering excellent lifestyle benefits enhances an employees attitude towards their work and can increase productivity and market value for both the company and the individual dramatically. In addition to the variety of in-house activities AXACT Inc offers to their employees (such as a movie theater, live music and a swimming pool, just to name a few,) the company also allows workers to take advantage of a gorgeous seaside hut to take their families to on vacation. The hut is also used for various workplace meetings and company picnics, as well.
The world's best companies earned the title for their innovative blend of balancing a full-time career with lifestyle benefits for their employees. Work isn't all fun and games, but the best companies know that happy employees are productive employees, and they take measures to ensure their workers are satisfied with their job. To minimize downtime and lost productivity due to ill workers, AXACT Inc offers all of their employees amazing lifestyle benefits that include a fully equipped fitness center, onsite clinic, a salon, and a 5-star cafeteria that tastes like a meal you cooked from scratch at your own home. Employees can also ensure they're never strapped for a snack by visiting one of the kiosks on each floor.
By merging personal development with professional goals, companies can improve their chances of success. By creating an atmosphere where both the business and the employees benefit, increased product yield and higher market values are byproducts of positive employee attitudes. Because work is such a large part of many people's lives, balancing a profession with essential lifestyle benefits everyone needs to take advantage of at some point is a surefire way to keep employees healthy, happy, and satisfied with both their personal and work lives. A satisfied employee means a productive employee, and this means their work performance will not suffer.
In addition to recreational lifestyle benefits, AXACT Inc offers employees true growth potential to enhance their abilities and ensure they never get bored doing the same old thing time and time again. By enriching an employee's professional potential, companies create an environment where learning takes center stage and growth opportunities abound. From state of the art training programs to a fully stocked library, AXACT employees can take advantage of a full range of learning materials to ensure their potential is put to good use. AXACT even offers excellent financial support services to ensure their employees needs are being met. From home loans to medical insurance to retirement benefits and everything in between, the company cares about the well-being of its employees and their families and strive to create an atmosphere where workers are taken care of even after their careers with the company have come to an end.
A successful balance between personal lifestyle and a career is essential to creating productive, happy employees. Most of the world's recognized companies have received such status because of their innovative ideas and how they treat their employees. Successful organizations will realize that positive workplace attitudes are the foundation to building a productive business. To achieve these results, AXACT Inc offers their employees a full range of extensive lifestyle benefits to ensure they're kept satisfied in both their personal and professional lives, which results in improved performance for the company. Almost all successful businesses have succeeded because they value their employees skills and talents and offer them benefits that only serve to enhance their performance levels for as long as they stay with the business.
Leaving The "Distinctive" Lifestyle -- Regaining Farm-Family Values In A High-Tech World
In a world of lengthening commutes, longer workweeks, and high-stress, gridlocked suburban sprawl, we may often wonder about the undeclared "values" that are motivating us to live the way we do (and how to get back on the right track).
In a world of lengthening commutes, longer workweeks, and high-stress, gridlocked suburban sprawl, we may often wonder about the undeclared "values" that are motivating us to live the way we do (and how to get back on the right track).
When we find ourselves envying the gleaming new SUV in the next lane over, or the larger home a friend has just bought, or the private university tuition the neighbors can afford, it may help us to stand back and ask ourselves about the "distinctive" lifestyles that so many of us seem to yearn for, and the sacrifices in family togetherness, joy, and satisfaction that the "distinctive" lifestyle demands.
Indeed, after some thought on the trade-offs -- pollution, rampant materialism, rootless waves of people ebbing and flowing around us and our children -- you may well conclude that the "distinctive suburban way of life" everyone is chasing is actually what we have come to call the DISTINCTIVE suburban way of life: Dual Income Striving to Impress Neighbors and Co-workers yet Tormented by Increasing Vexation and Emptiness.
With this in mind, maybe instead of trying to live the distinctive lifestyle, we should be trying to leave the distinctive lifestyle.
TELEWORK & FARM-FAMILY VALUES It's one of the great ironies of the high-tech world: We leave our small towns and farms -- sacrificing family life, roots, and healthy values -- to settle in sprawling suburbs close to technology-enabled jobs, and now technology is allowing us to return to small towns and farms, and rediscover the joy and strength of family and neighborhood bonds.
How is this happening? Virtual work. With the spread of the Internet and broadband communications, coinciding with the strong growth of outsourcing, it's becoming easier and easier to stay at home and earn a decent living doing interesting, legitimate work. No longer must both parents in a family commute to an office. (It may help put things in perspective by considering that work is no longer a "place," but an activity.) Indeed, as far-fetched as it sounds, it's now possible for both parents -- depending on their qualifications, of course -- to get off the "gerbil wheel" of suburban living altogether, and work at home pretty much wherever they choose.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS, VIRTUAL PROFESSIONALS, and JETBLUE AIRWAYS The virtual work movement has come a long way since the birth of the Virtual Assistant industry in the mid-1990s. (Virtual Assistants, if you're unfamiliar with the term, are independent contractors who provide business-support services to other small businesses and independent professionals via email, phone, fax and courier.) In those days, it was highly unusual to find someone working from home exclusively, and using email and other electronic tools to handle workflow from faraway clients. It was also unusual to find anyone handling other than administrative-oriented projects.
Today, however, virtual workers under many guises -- Virtual Assistants, Virtual Professionals, Virtual Service Providers, Virtual Freelancers, etc. -- offer well over 80 areas of expertise, ranging from word processing and bookkeeping to high-end corporate consulting, psychotherapy and even surgical assistance. And while most of these workers are independent contractors, companies such as JetBlue, AIG and Travelers now actually require that many of their employees (primarily "call center" personnel) work from home almost all the time.
WHO HIRES "VIRTUAL HELP"? Because smaller businesses are usually more ready to innovate and embrace change than are their larger, Fortune 500 brethren (whose processes and outlook become rigid through custom and age), the majority of Virtual Assistants work with young companies and solo professionals, such as Realtors, smaller law firms, import-export firms, and professional speakers. VAs may also provide one-to-one support to senior management in larger companies (i.e., as a virtual "executive administrative assistant" to a Vice President).
Similarly, virtual workers with advanced degrees (aka Virtual Professionals) often offer consulting services to smaller outfits and soloists (think of a marketing consultant, for example, advising a company on its marketing or advertising strategies), and virtual workers in a professional niche such as medicine (e.g., an RN or MD) may also consult to insurance firms, malpractice law firms, and hospitals.
A WIDENING TREND As we enter our ninth year of research in this field, most exciting to us is the broadening we see in virtual, legitimate work opportunities overall, which coincides with the spread of broadband Internet and the outsourcing phenomenon. Now, we're encountering a wider variety of "virtual employee" positions (full-time, home-based work from a fixed employer), freelance work (e.g., proofreading, editing, graphic artwork, and help desk specialists, along with the conventional Website design projects), and virtual teaching positions (community colleges and distance learning institutions, for example), as well as the online tutoring of individuals (elementary school and up).
Equally impressive is the emergence of the Ebay "mompreneurs," as detailed in an article in the June 7, 2004, issue of Business Week ("The Rise of the Mompreneurs"). The article, which is available at the Business Week site (www.businessweek.com), contains the following eye-opening statistics:
"Today, upwards of 430,000 people in the U.S. alone -- more than are employed worldwide by General Electric Co. (GE ) and Procter & Gamble combined -- earn a full- or part-time living on eBay selling everything from fashion to farm equipment, with the highest-sellers grossing up to $1 million a month."
HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE FAMILY? As you might guess, these trends have significant potential consequences for the family, and not only in the realm of homeschooling and other preferences. First, if at least one parent has a skill that is "virtually marketable," then
* that parent may now stay home with the children; * the family may now be free to move to a more family-friendly location; * the stresses of the two-commuter life -- and their toll on the couple and the family -- will be significantly reduced; and * the children will be able to learn valuable work-related lessons firsthand, from the best teacher of all -- a parent.
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD? Although no one can predict the future -- and working from home, be it as a freelancer or an employee, is certainly not for everyone -- these trends do indicate that the old-style concept of "telecommuting" (an employee working at home a few days per month) is steadily being overtaken by a radically different model: full-time, home-based virtual careers, founded on a steadily-growing supply of legitimate virtual-work opportunities. Moreover, additional progress in communication technologies will soon enable real-time, high-definition interviews between virtual workers and their hirers (even cell phones can already transmit and receive videos), which will further accelerate these trends.
Since virtual workers can be based anywhere, these trends carry obvious potential consequences for rural areas and small-town life, and again by extension, the family. The transient, anonymous suburban "communities" that now house over 80% of Americans (essentially, ghost towns by day, motels by night) no longer need be the only alternative for working parents and their families. A virtual worker can operate from a town in rural Kansas, an island off Maine, a farm in Nebraska, or even a houseboat on a Minnesota lake.
Moreover, in addition to the mobility, the virtual worker enjoys several significant advantages, not the least of which is savings on auto-related expenses. Perhaps most important is that he or she is not locked in to local wages or other economic conditions. The small town in Kansas (whose three-bedroom homes, with emigration, have fallen to rock-bottom prices), can be a lovely place for a family whose employer or clients live in Manhattan, or London, or Los Angeles, or even Kansas City, where hourly fees for business services are much higher than they would be locally.
WHERE TO LEARN MORE The best place to learn more about virtual opportunities is (of course) online. A few Google searches using such terms as "telework," "virtual assistant" and "freelance" will point you in the right direction. A visit to such organizations as Staffcentrix (www.staffcentrix.com), the International Virtual Assistants Association (the industry association for VAs, at www.ivaa.org) and the International Telework Association & Council (www.workingfromanywhere.org) will also help fill in the gaps.
Although it may feel like a "brave new world" at first, the world of virtual work is already populated with a host of potential friends, supporters, and erstwhile pioneers, who long ago settled the frontier. Although not without its risks, you may very well discover that it holds the keys to a lifestyle you and your family always thought might only be a dream. But regardless of your path, we wish success to you and to those who take so many cues from how you live and what you choose to do -- your children.