Tag Archives: natural health

Natural Health: Can We Really Reduce Our Chances of Cancer by Good Self Care?

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By Harriet Denz Penhey

 

Dr Harriet Denz-Penhey is an internationally recognized health researcher who has done groundbreaking research into patient self care in serious illness.

There is some really important research coming out in the biomedical journals that few people ever make the time and effort to read. This is a pity because it has a direct impact on how doctors should support you and treat you when you get sick.

You have to remember that doctors are very busy and have to make a living like any other single person or family out there in the community. Doctor’s aren’t paid for staying up to date with the medical literature and there are literally thousands of medically related articles being published each month. No self-respecting doctor could ever keep up. They have to rely on others to feed them with what is important. Most of the research feeders are the drug companies and they don’t pass on other important research which doesn’t improve their profits.

This new research includes a new understanding at what is happening at a molecular level in the cells of your body in the two areas of oxidation and inflammation.

Most people interested in health will have heard of antioxidants and how they help deal with the oxidized products from your cells. These can bounce around in the system and damage cell walls and DNA. However oxidation is needed. If your food wasn’t oxidized then all the cells would die of starvation and so would you! So oxidation is necessary and wonderful – we just need to manage the products well. This is why antioxidants like Vitamin’s A, C & E are needed.

The new finding I want to bring to your attention is that a large amount of damage done by inflammation. Again inflammation has a good purpose – it is the second very important way that the body deals with infections, poisons and trauma (the first being those white cells which engulf antigens without the need for inflammation). Inflammation is when you body reacts by swelling (providing blood and the immune system to deal with the problem), redness and pain. We need the inflammatory process.

However inflammation, like oxidation has some downsides to it that need to be managed. In most cases in our lives the inflammation leads to good outcomes, to healing. The paper cut on our finger self-heals, the influenza virus is defeated after a week or three, the acne spot clears up.

But when inflammation is overwhelming or has too many components to it other pathways can occur leading to chronic diseases like arthritis, to heart disease and to cancers.

Cancer starts as cells are transformed as DNA is changed (transformation). The transformed cells are left alive and are not killed by the immune system (survival). The new cancer cells can then reproduce and eventually invade other tissues, some far from the original site (proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis). The growths can become so strong they are resistant to chemo and radiotherapy (chemoresistance, radioresistance).

All of these pathways are known in the biomedical literature.

So what can we do to avoid the inflammation that causes this to happen? Well, frankly the biomedical journals are, for the most part, very hard to understand unless you are trained in that area but they do have some lovely gems of information in amongst the obscurities of their research.

Dr Aggarwal at the University of Texas says in one of his journal articles that inflammation is activated in response to tobacco, stress, some foods, obesity, alcohol under some circumstances, infections such as viruses and bacteria, radiation and other environmental stimuli – and I think by this he means poisons. He says that these agents account for as much as 95% of cancers.

Think about it – if those components cover some 95% of the cancers then we should be able to intervene to reduce the likelihood of the cancer occurring.

Sorry we can’t promise that we can totally stop cancer. It is rather more complex than that. However we have lots of pointers as to the bases we have to cover and the more bases we cover the less likely that the big nasty diseases creep through.

So to improve our chances of good health we need to eat nature’s natural immune enhancing foods such as the red cabbage and broccoli, onion and garlic, blueberries and other fresh vegetables and fruit. We need some of these at least a couple of times a day. We need to manage our lifestyle issues that cause stress through improved self and work management, exercise and learning good relaxation techniques. It also helps to avoid taking in poisons wherever possible. Stop smoking and avoid second hand smoke and vehicle pollution.

What it really comes down to is that we have to make a decision to take charge of our own lives and make as many little improvements as possible. Little bit by little bit they add up. And along the way we are improving our quality of life and health not just for now but for the long term as well.

Want to learn more about unexpected recovery from terminal illness? Claim Harriet’s popular free e-course, available at http://www.beatthemedicalodds.com

Health and Beauty Tips To Keep Your Body Youthful Looking!

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By John Russell

Your body is your most important asset. Without a healthy body, you will not be able to enjoy your life. For this reason, you need to take care of your body. In these times when everybody is chasing a career, it’s easy to neglect caring for the body. However, it is never too late to make changes in your daily routine and seek ways to achieve a healthy lifestyle. All too often, people don’t realize that the proper maintenance of the body is the key to good health and beauty.

Taking control of your body will also lead to a more youthful appearance. There are many ways to achieve this. Trying to follow some health and beauty tips in the magazines is a great place to start. One of the best tips is to plan a regular exercise routine. The more you exercise, the healthier you will be. If you don’t really have the time for a full exercise routine, you should know that even the slightest physical movement can make a huge difference. For instance, you can choose to use the stairs instead of elevator. Even walking your dog or doing some gardening is some form of exercise. As far as possible, try to add some physical activities in your daily routine. This will keep your body in good shape and reduce the risk of illnesses or diseases.

A good exercise routine does not necessarily mean that you have to join an expensive gym. The most effective way is to set aside at least 30 minutes to perform some form of exercise to burn fat and tone your body. There are exercise DVDs and simple home equipment that you can use. After sometime, you will notice a change in your body and overall health.


Exercise also has an effect on your skin, giving it luster and glow. To maximize the effects of exercise, it’s best that you accompany it with a good healthy eating habit.

Eating healthy food and acquiring proper nutrition plays an important role when it comes to caring for your body. It is best to avoid junk food as well as foods that contain a high level of fat and oil. Healthy food lessens the risk of illness and other health issues. As a result, you will feel better as your energy increases. Regular consumption of healthy food helps to slow down the aging process.

If you want to reduce the process of aging, then it is best to abstain from smoking. Tobacco contains substances that can cause the skin to age. Perpetual smoking will make your skin look dull, thus, increasing your chances of developing wrinkles even if you are not in the stage yet. Quitting smoking has a lot of positive implications. It includes reducing risks of acquiring cancer, lung, and cardiovascular diseases.

Remember that taking care of body will bring positive results. By following good health and beauty tips, you are taking good care of your body. The end result is a healthier and younger body. Start by making changes today and you will feel the difference right away.

John Russell of IH Distribution, LLC brings you health, anti-aging and skin care products from around the world. Find fabulous skin care tips and great articles on a wide range of topics for women at our Skin Care Blog and http://www.hormones-beauty-health.com. In addition to skin care, they are also a great source for As Seen On TV Products. Don’t forget to check out their newly re-launched newsletter – filled with information you won’t find anywhere else.

Women, Listen to your Body… It Might Save your Life!

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By Katt Mollar

It’s so common – you’re exhausted as usual and your stomach is a bit upset but that’s no surprise with the high pressure schedule you’ve been keeping up all day. You’re also feeling a little bloated so maybe your period’s going to start early and naturally, you have to empty your bladder again. Although this may sound pretty normal for all of us who are juggling marriage, career, motherhood and some community service… and it probably is in fact pretty normal, these are also some of the symptoms of two problems that can kill you, HEART ATTACK and OVARIAN CANCER.

Heart disease is the number one killer of both women and men and diseases of the heart have become the leading killer of women in the United States. Since 1984, heart disease has claimed more women than men. Approximately 500,000 women die each year from cardiovascular disease in the United States alone. In fact, women account for nearly half of all heart attack deaths. Cardiovascular disease claims more female lives than breast cancer, accidents and diabetes combined.

Ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women in the United States. One in 72 women will develop ovarian cancer (lifetime risk) and one in 95 women will die from ovarian cancer. Do you know one hundred women? This statistic means you should expect one of them to die from ovarian cancer. Each year, approximately 20,000 American women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and about 15,000 women die of the disease. Approximately 174,236 women living in the United States have ovarian cancer or have a history of ovarian cancer.

There are many diseases that are “silent” or whose symptoms mimic lesser problems. People can be unaware of diabetes or hypertension, for example. Left untreated, both chronic medical problems can slowly destroy your quality of life or take your life. Other disorders are sneaky – their symptoms mimic lesser problems, allowing the underlying issue to go undetected until there’s a crisis. Gallbladder problems for example, can lead to gas, indigestion, heartburn and fatigue, nuisance symptoms that most people accept as part of living and manage with over-the-counter medications or benign neglect. A malfunctioning gall bladder often doesn’t get diagnosed until there is a classic gall bladder attack.

So why do we want to shine a special light on heart attack and ovarian cancer? Both can be fatal without early detection. Both have sneaky symptoms, mimic lesser disorders, physicians and other health care providers tend to dismiss or misdiagnose these symptoms, and there are no simple screening tools.

Heart attack is often fatal without early detection whereas ovarian cancer frequently goes undetected until it is advanced and then it is usually fatal. There is often a delay between the time a person begins experiencing symptoms and when they seek medical care.

More than 50% of the 1.2 million people who suffer a heart attack each year in the United States die in an emergency department or before reaching a hospital, within an hour of symptom onset. Survival rates are improved by up to 50% if treatment is started within one hour of symptom onset and by 23% if it is achieved within three hours of symptom onset. Researchers discovered that old age, being a woman, having less education, less money or being black, and symptoms which aren’t severe or don’t fit “classic” heart attack symptoms are associated with increased delays in seeking treatment.

Ovarian cancer is also not easily diagnosed because its initial symptoms are mild, often attributed to other causes and there is no specific diagnostic test for ovarian cancer. There is an 85-93% survival rate if ovarian cancer is diagnosed at Stage I – contained within the ovary (or ovaries). However, less than 20% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed at this early stage and if discovered at Stage IV, survival is only 18% after 5 years.

Both heart attack and ovarian cancer have “sneaky” symptoms and can also be very nonspecific and mimic other problems. You can probably recite the classic heart attack symptoms, i.e., chest pain radiating down the left arm, crushing sensation, shortness of breath, sweating. That’s absolutely correct, if you’re a man! Unfortunately, researchers have only recently discovered that women’s heart attack symptoms are often very different from those classic symptoms. In a ground breaking study of female heart attack victims, 95% of women studied said they knew their symptoms were new or different a month or more before experiencing their heart attack. The symptoms most commonly reported were unusual fatigue, sleep disturbance and shortness of breath. Fewer than 30% reported having chest pain or discomfort prior to their heart attacks, and 43% reported no chest pain during any phase of the attack.
Here’s what every woman needs to know. Women’s major symptoms prior to their heart attack (a month or so earlier) are non-specific and include unusual fatigue, sleep disturbance, shortness of breath, indigestion and anxiety.

Similarly, ovarian cancer symptoms are often very mild in its early, most easily curable stages. A 2004 study of women with ovarian cancer discovered that crampy abdominal pain and urinary urgency, frequency or incontinence were the most commonly documented symptoms in women who had Stage I and II ovarian cancer. In patients with Stages III and IV cancer, abdominal pain and increased abdominal girth were the most commonly documented symptoms. These rather non-specific symptoms are often shrugged off or attributed to something else. Common misdiagnoses include irritable bowel syndrome, stress and depression.


So how do you pinpoint when your abdominal cramps are simple constipation or a passing virus versus early cancer? The key seems to be recognizing whether the symptoms continue or get worse. With most digestive disorders, symptoms tend to come and go, or they occur in certain situations or after eating certain foods. With ovarian cancer, there’s typically little fluctuation — symptoms are constant and gradually worsen.

To add insult to injury, there is no simple screening test for identifying women who may develop a heart attack or ovarian cancer. Both require time consuming workups. Specialized ‘stress the heart’ tests such as the treadmill stress test or cardiac scans are usually required to sort out women who have the potential to have a heart attack whereas the diagnosis of ovarian cancer is made by a combination of symptoms, blood tests, manual examination and special studies including pelvic ultrasound. The manual exam relies on the doctor to physically feel masses. If masses are felt, the cancer is typically advanced. The pelvic ultrasound is the most reliable way to evaluate the ovaries for cancer. This procedure, in conjunction with the other tests, creates a diagnostic tool kit for ovarian cancer. The blood test, CA-125, measures a protein associated with cancer. If the CA-125 is elevated there’s a good chance that cancer is present, although since other situations such as being premenopausal can also elevate CA-125, there are many false positives. On the other hand, the CA-125 is only elevated about half the time, even when ovarian cancer is present, leading to many false negatives as well. As a result, the CA-125 blood test is used together with other tests.

We now know that there are clusters of symptoms that can help to identify these disorders in their earliest stages. Many women ignore their heart attack symptoms because they are too minor or don’t fit the classic pattern of symptoms. Unfortunately, doctors also fail to recognize these symptoms as heart attack red flags for the same reasons.

Both healthcare providers and women need to change their thinking about women and heart attacks. If your gradual shortness of breath, fatigue, sleep disturbance or indigestion seems to be continuing, see your doctor right away and ask to be evaluated for heart disease, even if it’s not suggested. If you start to feel sweaty, more short of breath and dizzy, call 911. Better a false alarm than a funeral.

Follow the same thinking for ovarian cancer. Recognize that if you have a family history of ovarian cancer, you are at much higher risk for developing the disease. If you have abdominal symptoms like cramping or urinary symptoms such as frequency or urgency almost daily for more than a few weeks, you should see your doctor, preferably your gynecologist.

Listen to your body…and get help for suspicious symptoms. Learn how to identify early symptoms of heart attack and ovarian cancer. Tell every woman you know. If your doctor seems willing to dismiss the symptoms as something else without testing to rule out impending heart attack or early stage ovarian cancer, stop and have a discussion.

Heart attack and ovarian cancer no longer need to be such aggressive killers of women. You know yourself and your body better than anyone else. When your body produces warning symptoms, listen to it. You may find that you are stressed, depressed, have digestive problems or are perimenopausal…and that’s good to know so you can work on helping yourself reduce or eliminate those problems. Or, you may discover that your body is telling you to take action and save your own life.

The article “Women, Listen to your body… It might save your life!” may be found in its entirety on http://HealthWorldNet.com

Stress Can Rob Us of Vitamins and Nutrients Needed for Good Health

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By John Bradstreet

Stress is the body’s way of responding to any demand put on it. The body reacts to stress by producing chemicals that find their way into the blood steam. This gives people more energy and strength. This can actually be a good thing if the stress is caused by danger. It gives us the ability to react to that danger quickly. Stress can also have negative effects if it is caused by something emotional such as family problems, overwork or financial issues. It becomes a problem when there is no outlet for this increased energy and strength. This is the type of stress that causes so many problems to our medical and physical heath.

Identifying what is causing our stress is the first step to dealing effectively with it. There are several common types of stress which can be identified. The two main areas are physical and emotional. Let’s look at some of the more common types of stress:

* Survival Stress – This happens when you are physically threatened. It goes to the “fight” or “flight” reaction to that danger that is common in all animals and people. The body responds with a burst of extra energy which allows you to react to that danger. This manifests itself as fighting to survive or removing yourself from the danger.

* Internal Stress – Have you ever found yourself worrying over something that you have little or no control over? Or maybe you find yourself worrying over nothing at all. This type of stress is the hardest to understand and control. Some people may even put themselves in stressful situations or actually become addicted to a lifestyle which is so frantic and hectic that is it a continuous source of stress.

* Environmental Stress – This is the type of stress that occurs from factors around you. This may be from family members or people that we work and come in contact with, from being in a noisy situation or an overcrowded room. Leaning to avoid these situations will do a lot to reduce stress levels.

* Fatigue and Overwork – Stress caused by these two factors is the type that can build up over time and have a negative effect on our health. Maybe you work to many hours or to hard, maybe you don’t always know how to manage your time effectively or just don’t take the time you need for rest or vacation. People tend to believe that these are things that are out of their control and make it the hardest form of stress to control.


When you are under stress there are many stress related hormones that your body releases. Being under stress occasionally is not a problem, but if the situation persists these hormones can rob us of nutrients that are essential to our bodies. One of the problems with prolonged stress and the hormones associated with it can be a depletion of zinc, potassium and B-complex vitamins. Stress hormones being secreted over long periods of time can also interfere with insulin functioning and promote insulin resistance. These increased hormone levels can also change our blood sugar levels opening us up to a variety of medical problems brought on by the fact that our cells are not able to nourish themselves by the glucose in our diets.

If you are prone to long periods of stress or have a history of depression there are certain things you can do to get the nutrients in your body back to optimal levels. Nutrients that become depleted by stress include foliate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, choline, protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Being aware of this, one may want to adjust their diets or supplement for these nutrients. A common situation associated with stress is called “leaky gut”. This is associated with increased permeability of the intestinal wall. It compromises nutrient absorption in the digestive tract, and the intestinal walls can no longer regulate the movement of nutrients in and out of the digestive tract.

Stress is something that we need to find a way to control before it starts to negatively affect the quality of life and our heath in general. Being aware of the reasons why stress has such a negative effect on our health is a good start. Adjusting diet or using supplementation to allow our body to make up for the nutrients being lost will counteract some of these negative effects. A change in lifestyle or attitude can relieve the problem going forward.

John Bradstreet is an experienced Biochemist with extensive knowledge in nutritional supplementation. He has more than 25 years of increasing responsibility in his field. To learn more about the depletion of nutrients due to stress we have included additional links at the bottom of the page to help educate you on the subject. Or you can subscribe to our Vitamin and Supplement blog where you will find information on many topics concerning natural supplementation.

The Top 10 Reasons To Exercise

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Here are the top 10 reasons to exercise. These will explain the major benefits to exercise and hopefully help you create the motivation necessary to make exercise a permanent part of your lifestyle.

1. Elevates your metabolism.

Any exercise will substantially elevate your metabolism, which means you burn more calories (and more body fat) every day. By keeping your metabolism elevated you slow down the natural physical decline that normally starts to occur around the age of 30.

2. Increases your aerobic capacity (fitness level) and muscular endurance.

This will enable you to go through the day with more energy and enthusiasm and you will achieve more because your body is more ‘fatigue-resistant’.

3. Maintains, tones, and strengthens your muscles.

This prevents muscle atrophy (wasting), which is considered a typical part of aging. Not only does a toned, strong body look great but it also gives you greater confidence, makes daily physical tasks easier and improves your health.

4. Reduces heart disease risk.

As little as one hour of walking each week can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease risk. The more vigorous the exercise, however, the greater the reduction in heart disease risk. Exactly how exercise reduces heart disease risk is not completely understood. However, there is evidence that exercise has a vasodilating effect on blood vessels (and hence reducing blood pressure) by promoting the production of prostacyclin and nitric oxide.

5. Reduces diabetes risk.

Exercise promotes the uptake of glucose by body cells as well as increasing the sensitivity of cell receptors to insulin. This means there is a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. For those people who have Type 2 diabetes already, exercise is a great way to control their symptoms and lower their risk of developing serious complications.

6. Improves mental health.

People often say that exercise makes them feel good and there is evidence to suggest that it may even fight clinical depression better than drugs. It probably has this effect by increasing the production of natural opiates in the body (these are endorphins – the ‘feel good’ hormones).

7. Slows some effects of aging.

People are constantly searching for the ‘fountain of youth’, and now there is strong evidence to suggest that exercise is part of the answer.

8. Increases the level of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) ‘good cholesterol’.

Regular exercise increases the level of HDL in the blood stream, particularly if combined with a sound nutritional plan.

9. Reduces the risk of death from leading causes.

There is an inverse correlation between physical fitness and premature death from leading causes. Finnish researchers reported that poor physical fitness is as serious a risk factor as other well-known causes such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.

10. Improves sleep patterns.

People who exercise regularly report sleeping more soundly and restfully.

There you have it! The top 10 reasons to exercise. Of course there are dozens of reasons why you should exercise on a regular basis and this is just a sample so make an effort to incorporate exercise into your life and all these benefits can be yours!

Copyright © 2009 Stephen Smith

To discover the ’7 Most Effective Weight Loss Tips’ to help you lose weight fast , click here. To find out more about the author of this article, Stephen Smith, and to get free access to all of his articles and useful weight-loss information, click here.

Size DOES Matter! Motivation Lessons From A Mosquito

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1197436_gods_bug1It is a frailty of the human condition that many people have. Perhaps it is lack of self worth, or a lack of self esteem that drives it – that “I’m just not good enough” persona. For example, how many times have you been to a party, social event or restaurant and felt that you were not up to the same level as all of the “beautiful people” there?

Maybe their suits or dresses were flashier.

Or they were slimmer.

Or their hair was less gray.

Or perhaps these people drove up to the front door and left the keys to their expensive, new Mercedes, BMWs and Cadillacs with the valet attendant while you “self parked” your tired, 10-year-old car w-a-a-a-a-y in the back of the lot so that no one would notice.

Does this mean they are any better or successful than you are?

Of course not!

It all comes down to what I call – THE ATTITUDE OF YOUR MIND. The attitude of your mind affects many things including the expressions of your face, determines the actions you make, impacts your physical health and regulates your life.

At this point many of you, especially those who are “set” in your ways, may ask: “How can I change the attitude of my mind? How can I, after months and years of discouragement and of going through the motions, suddenly conceive and carry out a plan for doing something that will change my current situation and make my life more rewarding?”

The answer is that it can be done, and others just like you have done it.

Even if you consider yourself of AVERAGE ability, you can be successful, independent, free of worry, and be your own master, from this point forward, if you can commit to do these two things.

1) Einstein once defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. How about what you are doing? If you are not getting what you want, when you want it become AND remain forever dissatisfied with what you are doing and your situation today. In other words, shoot for the moon.

2) Develop in your mind a belief that the word IMPOSSIBLE was not intended for you. Build up in your mind the confidence and courage that enables the mind to use its power.

Bette Reese once said, “If you think you are too small to make an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room”.

So in conclusion, here’s the moral of my story to you…

Size DOES matter. Within you, even at this very moment you have the power to take action and make an impact.

It is up to you…

Copyright © 2009 Mind Body Spirit Central, LLC

Keith A. Shaw, President of http://www.MindBodySpiritCentral.com is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, Keith is an authority on motivation, success, self improvement, health and wellness.

Stress and the Brain’s Response to It

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If you have been suffering the effects of stress over a continuous period, then there are definite physical consequences such as damage to the gastrointestinal tract, glandular system, skin or cardiovascular system as the body tries to cope with the incessant demands made on it. But it is not just in our body that stress manifests; prolonged stress also causes physical changes in the brain and these too can have profound effects.

Some of the more common symptoms of stress such as depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, fatigue and outbursts of crying for no reason are caused by a chemical malfunction in the brain. It can help to look at the way our brain chemicals function and are affected by stress so you know exactly what is happening to you.

Chemical Messengers: Since 1977 scientists have been able to find out about the inner workings of the brain through being able to penetrate into the very interior of single nerve cells. This work revealed that vital chemicals carry messages between brain cells which allow them to communicate with each other. Every day billions of such messages are being sent back and forth between the cells in the brain. There are two different kinds of messengers and the messages they carry are the complete opposite of each other.

Their function is to either encourage or inhibit our feelings and behaviour, the ‘positive’ messengers and the ‘negative’ messengers if you will. The positive ones send happy, uplifting and joyful messages and the negative messengers carry the less positive, less stimulating and sadder messages. The majority of our nerve centres receive input from both types of messengers and as long as this input is balanced between the two then everything runs along on an even keel. There are three positive messengers in the brain: serotonin, noradrenalin and dopamine and it is these brain chemicals that begin to malfunction when stress levels become more than we can handle comfortably. They each have quite different functions:

Serotonin is essential for ensuring you get a good night’s sleep and when we are stressed this is often the first change we notice. If serotonin is out of balance then restful sleep will elude you because it is responsible for the regulation of our internal body clock that makes sure the body is ready and receptive for sleep. The body clock lives at the very centre of the brain in the Pineal Gland and it is in there that serotonin is stored ready for use by the body. It is actually converted by the body into melatonin every day and then converted back again to serotonin over a 24 hour period and that is what decides your body clock.

This daily cycle is how your body chemistry is adjusted to a sleep and wake pattern so that when it is working optimally, the serotonin will make sure that each night you are drowsy and ready to sleep and maintains the sleep cycle throughout the night so that your sleep is deep and restful. It is the switch to melatonin each morning that means you wake up rested and refreshed.

Our Internal body clock: As well as regulating our sleep patterns, our body clock is also responsible for co-ordinating body temperature. Every 24 hours, your body temperature cycles from high to low, varying by as much as one degree. When it is time to wake up and be active, your body temperature rises slightly and when it is time to fall asleep it drops a little and again it is your body clock that regulates that temperature difference. Another vital element in sleep regulation is the hormone Cortisol, which is the body’s chief stress fighting hormone.

We have very high cortisol levels when we are in ‘fight or flight’ mode, but they normally drop dramatically at night as we relax and prepare for sleep. As with body temperature, the natural rise and fall of cortisol in the body must continue on it’s usual course throughout every 24 hours.

However, if you are constantly stressed then this cycle is disrupted and it becomes very difficult to get a proper restful night’s sleep.

Noradrenalin is responsible for setting the energy levels in the body, and is related to adrenalin. Noradrenalin is one of the positive messengers and is vital to a healthy nervous system. If levels of noradrenalin drop, we don’t have enough energy and feel tired and exhausted, with no enthusiasm to do anything. If you feel constantly exhausted and lethargic when stressed, it may be that your level of noradrenalin that is out of balance.

Dopamine is the third positive brain messenger and is responsible for both our pleasurable and painful feelings. We produce natural morphine-like molecules in our brains that are known as endorphins and they regulate our awareness of both pain and pleasure. Dopamine is found in the area of the brain next to where endorphins are released so if our dopamine messengers fail then our production of endorphins is also threatened.

It is stress that causes dopamine failure and if you notice that you are more sensitive to pain than usual that could be a signal that your dopamine messengers are not functioning fully. Dopamine is also responsible for the area of your brain that allows you to enjoy life. When stress interferes with dopamine function the pleasurable messages are no longer being transmitted and things that normally you find enjoyable become dull and uninteresting to you.

So we can see that when life is running according to plan the positive messages are able to keep up with our needs, but when we are under stress it appears that too many demands are placed on the positive messengers and their ability to keep up with the flow of messages to other cells seems to slow down.

If the stress continues, then the positive messages begin to fail. If this happens, then the important nerve centres receive more negative than positive messages and a state of brain chemical imbalance is present. This shift over to more negative than positive brain messengers being sent can result in a sense of being overwhelmed by life, anxious and unable to cope.

A common complaint in this situation is a lack of energy and enjoyment of life and often great problems in sleeping.

AnnA is the author of the practical ebook full of tips and resources called ‘How To Handle Stress.’ For more information and news of her special bonus report on Attitude and Illness, visit http://www.sortingstressout.com If your stress comes from procrastination, then email AnnA for your free resource of 52 Ways to deal with a habit that can damage your health, and happinesss. Contact AnnA via her main website at http://www.catalystonline.co.uk

Mental Relaxation and Your Mental Health

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658899_lemonRelaxation is important to both physical and mental health. Mental relaxation benefits not just your mind but also your body.

Stress is part of life; it is almost impossible to avoid stress. In fact, attempting to avoid stress is enough to create stress. Stress is what you experience emotionally and internally in response to a given situation with which you are incapable of coping. However, stress, ironically enough, may also be beneficial in that it teaches you about how to handle difficult situations in life. Learning to deal with demands in life keeps your mentally healthy, just as exercise keeps you physically fit.

Stress is related to your feelings, which signal that “something is not in order.” Stress, therefore, requires expression of these emotions in an appropriate way – in the form of mental relaxation.

Mental relaxation is possible only when you have a plan for a balanced lifestyle, including regular bedtime, even on weekends and holidays. The reason is that your body’s biological clock plays an important role in regulating your sleep patterns, which are critical to your mental well-being. Plan your daily routine and pace your life.

Take full responsibility for you own stress. This is the key to managing stress in your life. Never say, “You give me stress!” Nobody gives you stress but yourself. You are responsible for your own feelings. Otherwise, you would be passing the responsibility to others – that does not work in real life.

Change your attitudes and perceptions of what you experience in your life. Events that happen to you remain the same, but your perceptions may vary. Change your attitudes and perceptions to change the way you think about your experiences. Learn to laugh at others as well as at yourself. According to studies, children laugh 40 to 50 times a day, and that is why they are happy; adults, on the other hand, laugh only 10 to 15 times at the most. Do not take life too seriously, develop and nurture a sense of humor, which is a component of mental relaxation.

Enhance your physical capabilities to cope with difficulties encountered. These capabilities include physical fitness, good nutrition, and deep sleep without sleeping aids.

Change the environment that gives you stress. If your job gives you stress, change the job or take a vacation to de-stress yourself, although this may be a passive way of dealing with your stress.

Life is full of problems. Understanding yourself and the things that trouble you most is an important step in solving your life’s problems, thereby eliminating much of the stress. Your mental health is determined by the way you work with and relate to others. In other words, you may have behavioral problems that create stress for you at work and in relationships. Isolating yourself in order to avoid these behavioral problems only makes you more difficult to enjoy good mental health.

To deal with any behavioral problem, you must learn how to communicate easily and clearly with others. You must be a good listener. You must be assertive without being critical or aggressive. You must learn to trust others, and see the good, instead of the bad, in others.

Eliminating stress is not equivalent to producing mental relaxation. To help your mind relax, you need to give it “a break.” When you are asleep, your mind remains very active and does not “rest.” When you are awake, your mind is preoccupied with mostly past and future thoughts. Nearly all your thoughts, including your desires and fears, are based on either the past or the future. Your desires are no more than recollection of the past pleasure and hope of repeating them in the future. Fears are also memories of past pain, and your desire to avoid them in the future. To give your mind the rest it rightfully deserves, help your mind focus on the present moment. Meditation does just that: it enables your mind to focus only on the present moment to the exclusion of past and future thoughts.

In meditation, you focus on your breathing, noticing your inhalation and exhalation, directing your mind to the present, thereby shutting off wandering thoughts of the past and future. In meditation, you are essentially giving your mind a period of relaxation. There is no other way as effective as meditation in giving your mind total relaxation. Modern medicine is beginning to use meditation to cure mental disorders because it works at your subconscious level. In Buddhist meditation, you experience “nirvana” only through meditation, in which you empty your mind of impure thoughts to arrive at a mental state of enlightenment.

Meditation, in conjunction with self-effort in changing attitudes and lifestyle, provides the best mental relaxation for your mental health.

Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing synopses of medical research for scientists. His publications include “NO MIRACLE CURES” a book on healing and wellness. He has also created several websites on health and healing. http://www.longevityforyou.com http://www.zenhealthylifestyle.com http://www.chinesenaturalhealing.com

Make Positive Changes For Your Health

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1210241_cyclingA Positive Attitude Can Lead To Positive Changes

I was browsing through an online magazine the other day and came upon a story that I thought truly illustrated how much our own positive thinking can lead to positive changes here .

The story goes like this:

Positive Thought- A Strong Tool Of Success

Once upon a time there was bunch of tiny frogs that arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants.

The race began. Honestly, no one in the crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of tower. You heard statements such as, “They will NEVER make it to the top. Or: Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!”

The tiny frogs began collapsing, one by one, except for those, who in fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher.

The crowd continued to yell, “Its too difficult! No one will make it!”

More tiny frogs got tired and gave up, but one continued higher and higher and higher. This one wouldn’t give up!

At the end, everyone else had given up climbing the tower, except for one tiny frog. After a big effort, he was the only one who reached the top! THEN all the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?

A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal. It turned out…. that the winner was deaf!

Ignore Negative Opinions To Achieve Positive Changes. We all would like to think that we are above allowing others to influence our daily lives, including our goals and aspirations, whatever they may be. When it comes to getting fit , positive changes are the first line of defense.

Here are some great ways to begin to change your thinking:

Make a list of what you want to achieve and keep a journal of your successes. Allow for mistakes, if you slip behind, don’t procrastinate or worry, get up and fix it Listen to yourself, are you giving yourself thoughts that will hinder your goals? Get inspired, read books or watch encouraging stories of people who had similar goals and take inspiration from them. Surround yourself with people who will not bring you down, misery loves company and you could get consumed by that.

Don’t allow yourself to believe that the goals you have set to lose weight or get in shape are out of reach. Close your ears to those that want to bring you down, think positive and positive changes will follow.

Zach Hunt is a Positive Changes Spokane expert and the owner of Physzique, a personal fitness coaching company in Spokane, WA helping people to look and feel great. Go here: Spokane personal trainer for more info on these services and more great fitness tips.