You Really Are What You Eat

Recent dietary research has uncovered 14 different nutrient-dense foods that time and again promote good overall health. Coined “super-foods,” they tend to have fewer calories, higher levels of vitamins and minerals, and many disease-fighting antioxidants. Beans (legumes), berries (especially blueberries), broccoli, green tea, nuts (especially walnuts), oranges, pumpkin, salmon. soy, spinach, tomatoes, turkey, whole grains and oats, and yogurt can all help stop and even reverse diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and some forms of cancer. And where one might have an effect on a certain part of the body, it can also affect the health of other body functions and performance, since the whole body is connected. With these 14 foods as the base of a balanced, solid diet, weight loss gimmicks and other fly-by-night programs can become a thing of the past in your life. Conversely, the ill-effects of an unbalanced diet are several and varied. Low energy levels, mood swings, tired all the time, weight change, uncomfortable with body are just a few signs that your diet is unbalanced. An unbalanced diet can cause problems with maintenance of body tissues, growth and development, brain and nervous system function, as well as problems with bone and muscle systems. Symptoms of malnutrition include lack of energy, irritability, a weakened immune system leading to frequent colds or allergies, and mineral depletion that can trigger a variety of health concerns including anemia. And since the body is connected, realizing that an unhealthy body will result in an unhealthy spirit only makes sense. When we nourish our body with these super-foods and complement them with other nutrient-dense and healthy fresh foods, our spirit will be vitalized and healthy as a direct result. Many modern diets based on prepackaged convenience foods are sorely lacking in many vitamins and minerals, which can affect our mental capacities as well, and cause irritability, confusion, and the feeling of ‘being in a fog’ all the time. Super-foods can be the basis of a sound, healthy, nutritious solution to curing many of these ailments and more.

9 Stages of Trauma and 7 Steps to Overcome Trauma

There are many thoughts and feelings associated with a traumatic experience, trauma occurs when we are faced with any terrible situation, such as the loss of a spouse suddenly,a major car wreck, fire, witness to an accident, natural disaster, an attack on your person, war, e.t.c.

Many people who are recovering from a traumatic experience mentally block out the experience that caused distress while others will relive it time and time again. Trauma can bring many feelings such as.

1. Shock from the Trauma.

Shock is a normal reaction to any traumatic experience and the closer you were to the experience the more shock sets in. Your brain has to process the terrible images you have seen and this is when the feelings of shock set in and will take time to digest.

2. Disbelief that the trauma took place.

Disbelief happens to many people experiencing a shocking situation have strong belief that what they have witnessed cannot possibly have happened.

3. Denial that the traumatic event happened.

Many people deny that the event happened; they try to force it out of their mind.

4. Emotional pain from Trauma.

Even if you have not been hurt in the incident you will feel the pain of those around you who did.

5. Anger as a result of Trauma.

After shock, anger will set in, you will ask yourself “why has this happened to you” and you can feel anger towards anyone and everyone.

6.Placing Blame for the Traumatic event.

We very often blame ourselves or others for what has happened, we may even blame God for letting this happen.

7.Trauma can lead to Sadness.

When overcoming a particular traumatic experience you will feel waves of sadness suddenly overwhelming you.

8.Depression as a result of Trauma

For some time after the experience you may suddenly lapse into depression from time to time.

9. Anxiety from Trauma.

Anxiety often develops from fear and can continue for some time after the experience.

All of the above are the most common feelings and thoughts associated with having gone through trauma; these feelings can come in no particular order and at any time.

What you should realize is that these feelings are only natural and are your body and minds way of coping with what happened, the feelings and thoughts will eventually dissipate with time.

There are many ways you can cope with them and help yourself to overcome them, the best way for you of course will depend on the severity of the trauma you were exposed to.

There are however a number of coping skills which can be learnt in order to help you overcome trauma.

7 Methods of Overcoming Trauma.

1. Talking about what happened and letting it all out.

You do not want to keep the feelings about what happened bottled up inside of you. It is much better to talk with someone and express how you feel and perhaps let those feelings go.

2. Listening to and accepting advice from family, friends or a counselor.

Along with talking to others about how you feel it is good to seek out someone that has been through the same or a similar experience and listen to how they were able to deal with the experience.

3. Accepting the trauma and continuing on with your life.

After many forms of life changing trauma our first method of dealing with it is to deny that it ever took place. We bury it inside of ourselves. The problem with this is that the memories and feelings associated with the trauma are still with us only buried. And these memories and feelings do not really go away, they just eat at us from inside and affect our view of the world in ways we have no control over. The best way to deal with any trauma is to accept what happened and deal with it openly in the best manner you can, and then move on in your life.

4. Changing your environment after trauma.

Sometimes the best way to put the trauma you have gone through is by getting away from the environment it happened in. This is probably best if the trauma that happened involved a physical attack or a robbery.

If the trauma involved the loss of a loved one it might be best to wait awhile before you make any major decisions about life changing environment changes.

5. Recreational activities as a means of coping with Trauma.

When recovering from a traumatic event there are times when you need relief from your day to day activities and distract yourself from the thoughts and feelings you are going through.

Diving into some type of recreational activity can help with this. Find something that you enjoy doing, running, walking, playing cards, volunteering some place that helps others. These activities can help get you outside of yourself and help in overcoming the trauma that you have gone through,

6. Going back to your daily routine after a Traumatic event.

After a traumatic event you will need a period of time to recover emotionally. When you feel up to it taking up your previous daily routine and can help you to recover from the trauma.

This may be difficult at first, and you may have to fake it until you make it. If you start by taking it a minute at a time or an hour at a time then this will help you to eventually take your life back to a some what normal level, where the trauma does not control you and functioning close to where you were before becomes possible.

7. Seminars as a means of Trauma Recovery.

Many people have experienced some form of trauma in their lives, and there are people that have studied trauma and the methods of trauma recovery. Some of these people have decided to use their experience and studies to present seminars on trauma recovery.

By passing on their own experiences that helped them in recovery from trauma they may help you in your recovery from your traumatic experience. Making use of these seminars in your own life can aid in speeding your recovery from your traumatic event.

How To Change The Shape of Your Self-Image

While we all understand the importance of eating healthy, exercising and dieting, very few realize that changing our self-image is just as important to leading a healthy lifestyle.

How you think and feel about yourself goes a long way to bringing happiness and success into your life and in order to change your self-image - just as you give your body a workout - you need to give your mind a work-out too.

The first step you need to take is to determine what exactly it is you would like to be and what you are already good at or enjoy doing. You might say you are good at sports, poetry and spending time with friends.

The one thing you don’t want to do is create a list of things that you don’t like about yourself. This would only make you feel inadequate and hinder your ability to change yourself and your self-image.

By focusing on the good in yourself, you will be able to quickly change your self-image into something that you are proud of.

Visualization and affirmations can help you to realize just how great you already are. See yourself doing and becoming everything that you originally wrote down.

Repeat positive affirmations throughout the day to help the new way of thinking sink in and develop your new positive outlook. By vividly imagining this new you, your mind will retrain until you understand that all the things you visualize are true.

Consider Keeping a Journal

During this process you will benefit from keeping a journal about your transformation, you will be able to look back on it and this will help to strengthen your self-image and reinforce the new you.

It is important that you let your past go and think only about the future and the new you, you will develop your new self-image more rapidly by focusing on what you are achieving and have yet to achieve.

Goals Will Get You There

You can help yourself mold a positive self-image if you set attainable goals for yourself and then strive to reach them. Giving yourself something to work towards creates success in your life – a vital part of reshaping your self-image.

Set goals for yourself in any area you wish, work, personal, health, fitness and then go for it. Set yourself a realistic time in which to accomplish each goal and give yourself praise when you get there.

How you choose to change your self-image is entirely up to you, there are no limitations to what you are able to achieve if you set your mind to it and are determined to work towards reaching the desired goal.

If you stray from the path leading you there, then don’t be put off and discouraged, get back on track and carry on with determination.

You are committing yourself to working hard to achieve what you want. Plan on what you will do when you finally reach your ultimate goal, you should aim to give yourself a special treat, you deserve it.

Make sure that it is something which you can set your mind on during the tough times, keeping it in mind will give you an incentive that it will completely worthwhile.

6 Quick Ways to Reduce Anxiety

One of the biggest obstacles for those who struggle with anxiety is dealing with sudden bouts of anxiety while in public. Simple, everyday activities such as working, shopping and social activity become fraught because of the constant possibility of an anxiety attack.

There are several techniques that a person can use to quickly reduce anxiety, wherever and whenever it strikes. Here are several quick acting techniques for conquering anxiety and panic attacks.

1. Go for a quick walk

The physical effects of a panic attack; racing heart, shallow breathing, upset stomach, trembling and shaking, are all the result of adrenaline racing through the body. A brisk walk will help to burn off excess adrenaline and bring the body back to baseline.

2. Accept the symptoms

Understanding that the sensations are not dangerous and are only a symptom of panic helps a person to deal with them. Acknowledging the sensations of panic and allowing them to run their course helps the symptoms to clear up more quickly. It also helps to stay away from anxiety inducing substances such as caffeine and sugar, especially during an episode of panic.

3. Imagine a peaceful place

This has become a bit of a cliche, but it really does work. The idea is to create a safe place within the mind. Try to find memories of places that felt safe and happy, be as specific as possible. When panic starts to take over, retreat to that place mentally.

4. Fight back

Look at a panic attack as the enemy and determine not to let it win. People with a competitive streak may find this approach very helpful.

5. Find a hobby

Find a hobby that is relaxing such as crossword puzzles, drawing, knitting, gardening or sports activity. Whenever anxiety starts to rise, find distraction by turning to a favorite hobby or activity. This works especially well if the hobby requires some mental concentration such as puzzle solving. Stick with it for a few minutes, ten at the least, to give the distraction time to begin working.

6. Focus on and control breathing

During a panic episode, a person's breathing usually becomes quick and shallow. This has the effect of heightening the effect of panic. To combat this, concentrate on breathing deeply. Here are some steps to follow. Make sure to sit up straight. Exhale slowly and completely. Breathe in through the nose slowly. Hold the breath for a count of two to five. Let the breath out slowly, exhaling through the mouth until all air has been let out of the lungs. This should take a little longer than breathing in. Repeat until the panic attack has subsided.

Depression is often brought on by Dealing with Anxiety

Close to half of patients who are diagnosed with anxiety disorder are further diagnosed with depression. Feeling sad is at times a normal part of everyone’s life. Especially if recent events in your life are things that can lead to sadness, for instance losing your job or having to deal with an illness. These types of life events often times can lead to anxiety about the things taking place in your life and what actions to take in order to correct the problems.

Sadness has turned to depression when a person begins to experience feelings of hopelessness, emptiness and a profound sadness about your life. When a person is suffering from depression they will lose interest in all the things that used to bring joy to their lives. Their relationships will be ignored they will no longer show interest in their career, any hobbies they used to participate in will be set aside.If these feelings continue everyday for a long period of time and are disrupting your daily life, them more than likely you are suffering from depression.

Dealing with ongoing anxiety leads to stress and pressure in your life which can lead to depression. This is a leading factor in the link between anxiety and depression occurring together. Neurotransmitters play a role in the linking of anxiety and depression. A number of the same neurotransmitters that affect anxiety levels affect your mood. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain. Neurons communicate with each other using these chemical messengers.

The neurotransmitter serotonin plays an important role in the regulation of bodily functions such as, sleep, appetite, sexual behavior, aggression levels and mood. Scientific research on neurotransmitters suggests that a decrease in the production of serotonin by neurons can cause depression. Many prescription medications for depression work by acting on serotonin neurotransmitters and receptors.

Serotonin

The type of anxiety that a person has will have some bearing on whether or not they also have depression. A person with a specific phobia is less likely to have depression than a person who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia or panic disorder.

When anxiety and depression occur together, they can be harder to treat than when they occur alone. Treatment for anxiety and depression may take longer and may need to be more intensive than ordinary treatment for one condition. There is a silver lining; however, many treatments that work for anxiety also work for depression. The right course of treatment can relieve both conditions.

There are many effective treatments and solutions available to people who suffer from anxiety and depression. In addition to therapy and medications, there are several steps that anxiety/depression sufferers can take. Some easy lifestyle changes can help to reinforce treatment and maximize its effectiveness. Deep breathing exercises and muscle relaxation techniques can be effective tools to use to combat anxiety. Yoga instruction is a good way to learn basic breathing and muscle relaxation methods. Eating a balanced diet, regular exercise and getting enough sleep all help to alleviate depression symptoms.

Deprssion Help

Carpal Tunnel Preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The bones and other tissues in your wrist help to protect your median nerve; together they form a narrow tunnel that is known as the carpel tunnel.

Your median nerve is what gives you feeling in your fingers but occasionally ligaments and tendons get swollen and become painful as they press against the median nerve.

When this happens your hand hurts or even becomes numb and you develop an extremely painful condition know as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome most commonly affects people who do the same movements with their hands continually.

Those who more at risk include typists, carpenters, grocery packers and assembly line workers, people with hobbies such as gardening, needlework, golfing and canoeing are also more at risk of developing the syndrome.

It has also been linked with illnesses such as diabetes, arthritis and thyroid disease and women in the last few months of pregnancy can develop it.

The first signs that indicate you might be suffering from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include:

* Tingling or numbness felt in your hands and fingers, especially around the index, middle fingers and thumb.

* Pain in the palm of your hand, forearm or wrist.

* The pain or numbness is worse at night than it is during the day.

* The pain gets worse the more you use your hands.

* You have trouble gripping things and drop them more often.

* Your thumb feels particularly weak.

Your doctor will perform an examination of your hand, fingers and wrist to help determine whether you have carpal tunnel syndrome and may include a nerve conduction test to help the diagnosis.

If carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed, treatment will usually consist of you having to wear a splint, and give your wrist a rest and change the way you use your wrist.

The splint can help to alleviate the pain felt, particularly at night. Massaging the area of pain and putting ice onto the area can all help, as can performing stretching exercises.

With treatment it is a condition that will improve, but there are some things you can do to help prevent the onset of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

* Increasing your awareness of how you use your hands and equipment throughout the day can make a change.

* Centering your work directly in front of you, your forearms should be parallel to the floor or slightly lowered.

* If you stand up to work then have your work bench at waist height.

* Make sure your hands and wrists are in line with your forearms.

* Use proper hand and wrist movements when using a mouse and trackball.

* Make sure you hold your elbows in close to your sides.

* Never rest of the heel of your hand or wrist especially if you have them bent at an angle.

* Make sure that you take a slight break every 20 minutes.

* Do some stretching or flexing exercises every 20 minutes.

Diabetes Living and Coping with Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can increase the risk of developing other problems with the health. However there are many ways you can help to keep your diabetes under control and lead a relatively normal life.

Living a healthy lifestyle, attending check up appointments and managing your blood sugar levels successfully, go a long way to your success in dealing with this illness.

Monitoring blood sugars

In order to maintain your diabetes successfully it is essential that you are able to monitor your own blood sugar levels. There are a variety of home machines that you are able to buy to give you accurate indications of the level.

Self monitoring has the advantages of letting you be aware when your level is too low, will allow you to monitor your level during times of sickness and gives you confidence in the ability to successful keep your diabetes under control.

The best way to get accurate readings is to monitor your levels at different times during the day or week. The small machines designed to be used in the home are very easy to use and include everything you need to stay on top of the disease and help you to control it.

Get a regular check-up

Attending regular check ups is also a necessity, check ups are usually made every 3-months, 6-months or yearly and help to prevent complications from diabetes and make sure you are controlling it successfully during the absence of check-ups.

During a check-up you will have blood tests to monitor your glucose level, test your level of cholesterol, and have your blood pressure checked and your feet and nerves.

You should also schedule an eye examination to check for any damage to the back of your eyes.

Diabetes Other risks

You are more at risk of developing other illnesses along with your diabetes, such as heart disease and problems with your circulation so it is imperative that you look after your overall health.

Maintaining a healthy diet can go a long way to helping you keep your condition under control; you should eat at regular intervals and include low in fat while being high in fiber content.

It is very important that you watch the amount of sugar you eat in your diet and also restrict the amount of salt you use in cooking and on food.

Developing an exercise routine is also good for your condition, not only will it help to keep your blood sugar level stable, but will also help you to maintain a healthy weight.

If you have diabetes then you shouldn’t smoke or drink alcohol, smoking increases the risk of developing many other illnesses. If you do drink then keep it to a minimum and never drink alcohol on an empty stomach as this could lead to hypoglycemia.

You should also buy home kits for testing your level of cholesterol and blood pressure, the ideal for blood pressure is around 130/80 and your cholesterol level should be below 4.0 if you suffer from diabetes.