Healthy Living Tips

MikeA May 10th, 2010

Foreword By The Author

Statistics show that the western world is experiencing a huge increase in rates of obesity and that this is true among all age groups and both sexes. It is now realized that this is mainly because people are more inclined than ever to over-eat on ‘junk food’ and, despite knowing better, neglect to ensure they have the recommended intake of fruit and vegetables. Additionally, the irresistible lure of television and computer games is promoting an indolent lifestyle that is exacerbating the problem, particularly among the young.

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

Discrimination

It has been reported that airline carriers are thinking about weighing individuals when they buy their tickets and charging for their services by the pound. They’ve even suggested that people who do not fit in one seat should pay for two tickets.

Many would look upon these extreme measures as discrimination, plain and simple. Nevertheless, many people happily denigrate the overweight through taunts and name-calling and by dwelling on other comparitively trivial areas such as the dilemma they must have of finding super-sized clothes etc. The truth is that some people are naturally slim while others are not. In the case of the latter, fighting against obesity is an ongoing battle that some win and some don’t. They need encouragement, not ridicule.

Fashion And The Media

One of the great ironies of modern life is that the fashion industry, supported by the celebrity media, promote being super slim as the ideal body shape. This only helps to keep the social stigma of being overweight alive. At the same time, it is very difficult for people who have excess body fat to aspire to the accepted norm they are constantly bombarded with on television and in magazines. The truth is that the desire to possess an excessively thin body is not normal and certainly does not help those who often see it as an unattainable goal.

Excess weight is a medical problem and should be treated as such, not for the shallow self-gratifying purposes the media would have us support, but for the severe health difficulties associated with not having a balanced diet and an active life. Discriminating against the overweight and obese is cruel, but not encouraging them to lose weight is worse.

The Correct Approach

The correct approach to obesity should involve eliminating consumption of ‘junk’ foods, increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, more exercise, and a lot less time spent in front of the television and computer or playing video games.

Ideally, severely overweight people, if they can, ought to talk to a nutritionist about their recommendations regarding a balanced diet. They also need to keep themselves informed about what is healthy and what is not, because a lot just do not know what is best for them. They should be encouraged to only have nutritious foods available in the house or at work. Keeping junk foods around and seeing them all the time only makes the desire to eat them all the harder to resist.

Dealing With The Stigma

The best way to deal with the social stigma of being overweight is for people to accept themselves for who they are; that it doesn’t matter what they look like to others, but to try harder to overcome their eating problems with a more balanced diet for health reasons alone. Obesity must not be considered just a pounds issue but, more importantly, a health issue.

And they should keep trying. It’s an ongoing procedure. There may be obstacles sometimes, but they ought to stress in their own minds the successes they’ve had and the ways they’ve performed well. It’s a form of positive thinking to achieve goals and share them with others if they help along the way.

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Tags: childhood, diet, exercise, nutrition, obesity, positive thinking, stigma, stress

• 3. Healthy Minds
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MikeA May 5th, 2010

Foreword By The Author

The mental effects of being obese or carrying excess weight are often devastating. People with weight issues are often ridiculed by others who have normal weights. Jokes poking fun at overweight and obese people are familiar to us all in today’s society. Heavy people are forced to suffer a tirade of psychological barbs and social denigrations. As a result, they suffer low self-esteem, can feel inadequate and are frequently considered as the source of their own problems.

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

Social Isolation

Everyday social situations are , or can be, embarrassing for overweight people. Spending a day at the beach or public swimming pools, where they wear clothes that are more revealing, is a socially awkward time. Those who decide to play competitive sports find they often undergo the degradation of being the least wanted. In school, obese or overweight children tend to perform poorer when measured academically than ‘normal’ weight peers and have lower grade point averages. Leaving school as young adults, they often have more difficulty gaining acceptance into college and securing jobs and future promotions. It is no wonder then, that over time, these experiences tend to lead to poor self esteem and a lack of confidence. Thus an unfortunate cycle of social isolation, emotional withdrawal, more overeating, depression, inactivity and further weight gain, begins.

Body Image

The distortion of body image and overall body discontent experienced by obese and overweight people are often implicated in the growth of negative self-worth, and can serve as a risk factor leading to depression as well as further abnormal eating behaviours. Body image can be affected and partly shaped by such things as cultural beliefs and ‘norms’ to do with attractiveness.

Aa a result, a lot of overweight people blame their excess weight on personal medical problems like thyroid disease. The simple fact is that less than one percent of those who are overweight have any real hormonal imbalance, or any other causative condition. While there is rarely one single reason for the condition, likely causes are poor nutrition, bad eating habits and lack of exercise.

Solutions

Needless to say, there are things an obese or overweight person might do to improve his or her self-esteem. For starters they should consult their physician to determine just how serious the problem is, or if there is really a problem. Everyone is different and some of those who might appear fat compared to their family or friends really are sometimes just slightly overweight, or not at all.

Cutting down on watching TV would be beneficial. There’s a link to being overweight and watching television. Most people watch an average of 3 hours of TV every day, and guess what is the item most commonly advertised product on TV? Food! What are people most likely to do when watching television? They eat! Watching television should be limited to just a couple of hours every day. Better yet, TV viewing can be done while riding an exercise bike or walking on a treadmill.

Summary

People with too much body fat bear the responsibility of defending themselves from the harm, pyschological and physical, that can be suffered from being overweight. By establishing a healthy eating regime and regular exercise patterns, they can conquer the challenge they face to live and enjoy life without the burden of being weighed down because they are bigger than average.

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• 3. Healthy Minds
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MikeA April 1st, 2010

Foreword By The Author

This is the sixth and final article in this series about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and is centered around the theory that, in many cases, IBS might be strongly influenced by a sufferer’s state of mind. It is now well recognized that the brain, or the mind if you prefer, can have a very definite effect on bodily functions. In order to achieve a degree of ‘balance’, for want of a better term, the brain can cause the release of certain chemicals which might initiate, or at least exacerbate, some of the symptoms of IBS.

Mike Alexander
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The Immune System

Although the exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has yet to be identified, many medical practitioners believe that the disorder has a connection to the body’s immune system (which fights infection within the body). Psychological pressures can negatively affect the immune system and may also cause the symptoms and episodes of IBS to worsen. Stress might increase the frequency of symptom episodes, amplify the severity of these episodes and interfere with the results of an IBS treatment plan.

Stress Chemicals

Strain can stimulate colon spasms in people with IBS. Whenever the mind gets stressed or overwhelmed by an occurrence or idea, it releases chemicals. These chemicals work on the nerves within the colon and can cause the intestines to contract, or spasm, too fast or too slow. Just like the heart and lungs, the colon is partly controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which responds to mental pressure. These nerves control the regular contractions in the colon and can bring about abdominal distress at times of mental stress. Many people experience occasional cramping or ‘butterflies in the stomach’ when they are nervous or upset but in men and women with IBS, the colon may be overly receptive to even minor conflict or pressure. Strain also tends to make the mind more aware of the feelings that occur within the colon, making the individual responding to these feelings more uncomfortable.

In an attempt to uncover efficient treatments for the symptoms of IBS, researchers have investigated the different substances which get released during a stress response. One substance that appears to have key significance at this time is the corticotrophin-releasing-factor (CRF). CRF is really a family of peptides, which are molecules that link amino acids found in both the brain and the gut. Within the brain, CRF receptors are discovered inside areas associated with digestion, emotions and also the autonomic nervous system. In the gut, CRF acts within the colon to boost mucous and water secretion, influences the rate of colon contractions, and seems to be associated with the sensation of abdominal pain. It is hoped that a much better understanding of the role of CRF could lead to refinements in the development of medications which focus on IBS symptoms.

Should you eat whilst feeling burdened, these spasms could speed up or slow down the digestive process to the point where you begin getting symptoms such as looseness of the bowels or perhaps constipation. An overactive digestive system may also generate an excess of gas when a person is under pressure. This gas may lead to bloating, cramping or even severe abdominal discomfort.

IBS Personality Types

Persons with an elevated need to achieve may also put themselves, as well as their digestive systems, under undue pressure and are likely candidates for IBS. In fact, there is some intriguing research which suggests that IBS sufferers tend to fall into one of two personality types: those who constantly put others before themselves, and those who drive themselves too hard.

For all these reasons, stress management is an essential component of treatment for IBS and choices might include:

• stress reduction training
• relaxation therapies (e.g. meditation)
• counselling and support
• regular exercise (walking, yoga etc)
• palliation of psychological tensions
• adequate sleep

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MikeA February 16th, 2010

Foreword By The Editor

This article by Vincent Roumou is a little different to the usual sort that we publish here so I thought an explanation might be helpful. You need to remember that, here at Healthy Living Tips, we believe in promoting healthy living for the enjoyment of a long and happy life. Most people manage to get along with little need for ‘cosmetic embellishment’ but some people need this sort of physical ‘improvement’ before they can really enjoy a healthy self-image.

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

The Cost

Teeth whitening is definitely affordable in today’s society. Used to be it was only the elite who could afford the beautifully white teeth. Now there are tons of products being sold that will do an almost professional job in whitening your teeth. Even the cost of having it done by a dentist isn’t what it once was.

People need to know how affordable whitening is now. They also need to know that it works really well. But they shouldn’t think that the procedure is a permanent one. It requires more applications later on in order to keep your level of brightness. Touch-ups are a common thing with teeth whitening. So keep this in mind—maintenance is required.

Cosmetic Dentistry

Almost all cosmetic dentists will tell you that whitening is the number one thing that’s sought after. And while it used to be for the people with lots of money, it now can be had by the average Joe. They can offer procedures to fit anyone’s budget, and you can have that smile you always wanted. All you need to do is look around and you’ll find lots of different ways to go about it. You can get your whitening in a series of sessions for only one hour per session.

Home Treatment

If you want to do your own procedure at home, they have many new whitening kits on the market today. Home bleaching has become a big trend. But many still believe it’s something unaffordable and so they don’t pursue it. They’re missing out on what can potentially make a big difference in their lives.

Summary

We all begin life with nice pretty white teeth. This is due to our enamel being at it’s beginning stage. But after years of wear and tear, it begins to thin out and reveal the yellow core beneath it called ‘dentin‘. This discoloring is a source of embarrassment for some, and for others just a fact of life.

But teeth whitening is definitely affordable. Especially now that there’s plenty of competition for business. So let go of the old days and step into the new, where you most certainly can afford to have your teeth whitened and be proud of your smile.

About The Author

Desire immaculate, dazzling teeth in an instant? Teeth Whitening is just the solution. Added whitening certitude now available on http://www.healthyproducts20.com/

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MikeA December 12th, 2009

Foreword By The Editor

This article by Rhys Jones is full of good advice for those whose mental health is going through a crisis period and who have not yet realized the link between anger and depression. He outlines the first steps that need to be taken to regain control. Thank you Rhys, for your contribution.

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

Taking Control Of Your Emotions

Anxiety and depression are almost certainly the causes of uncontrolled anger. When a person is constantly worried about problems they have no control over or even problems they do have control over, it often results in depression. If you feel that, there is no hope then your depression can impact on your life and cause you to drift down into a spiral of despair.

Taking control of your emotions produces good results. If you feel that the world is crumbling down then you are almost definitely thinking in a negative way, which instigates depression and anxiety. In this article, we will discuss some techniques to help you cope with anxiety and depression, thus relieving uncontrollable anger.

Examining The Symptoms

First of all, let us examine the symptoms. Do you feel like you are going out of your mind? Do you shout in your head: “I can’t take it any more?”. Do you feel like someone is out to get you? Do you think people see you as mad? If you are suffering any or all of these symptoms then you are probably suffering from some form of anxiety and depression.

Reviewing Your Problems

If you cannot find a way to think differently, then you will probably explode when your emotions start to soar and your anger bursts forth. Instead of telling yourself that you are going mad, why not tell yourself that you are only having a temporary emotional problem and that you need to resolve the situation. Review all your problem areas carefully and search your memory to see if there are answers there. Reviewing like this, often opens doors to resources you may have overlooked.

Tricks Of The Mind

If you feel like someone is out to get you then you might have a chemical imbalance or a mental illness. Why not visit your doctor or a mental health expert to learn more about your symptoms and find a way to gain control of your life. Anxiety and depression will play tricks with your mind and sometimes the thoughts are a result of a chemical imbalance.

If you believe that people think you are crazy, you might care to remember that most people have their own problems and have no time to analyze you as a person. When you walk into a room and think that people are staring at you, you might want to remember that people observe things around them, making sure everything is OK, and then return to their own lives.

If you feel that you cannot take it any more, just bite your lip and walk another mile. When times are difficult, it does not mean it is the end of the world, although sometimes it may seem this way. If you are struggling to pay bills, fighting to hold a family together, or having difficulty with your children, then remember that we all have problems like these at some time or another in our lives.

Are your children driving you bonkers? If they are, take time out. Go and do something entertaining or some exercise. This very often relieves the stresses that lead to anxiety, depression and anger. Life is just too short to worry about the things in life that you do not have control over. If you have problems, the answers lie within you, so it pays to look into your head.

If you are really struggling to reach your goals then you might want to break them down into smaller segments and work patiently to achieve them. If you set goals that are within reason, you will not need to get stressed finding a way to achieve them.

Learning To Relax

It is important to pamper yourself every day. Learn some coping responses that will benefit both your mind and your body. If you feel snowed under, you might want to take deep breaths 10 times.

Curling up on a couch and watching a favorite movie can benefit your mind and body, if you want to let your thoughts wander. Learn to focus on what you are doing instead of worrying about what you are not doing. This often clears the mind and helps you to relax.

If you are subject to unbridled anger, you will most likely have problems for the rest of your life unless you learn to take control of your emotions. Remember that depression leads to uncontrollable anger.

About the Author

The relationship between anger and depression is clear. If you want to learn more, please visit http://anger-management.the-real-way.com. By the way, you can get a totally unique version of this article to publish on your own site from our article submission service.

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MikeA November 24th, 2009

Foreword By The Editor

In this article, Paul Smith discusses the age-old problem of men failing to remember dates and events important to their relationships. It can cause many problems and is often a bone of contention between spouses. Perhaps he has the answer for some forgetful souls (and hey… why shouldn’t it be just as useful for older women with failing memories too?).

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

Gender Gap

Women appear to be more organized than men because they they write things down. An email reminder might be the solution to this because it creates a visual memory aid. Men could be as organized as women if they took the time and copied this simple technique.

High Tech Answers

Take for instance birthdays, anniversaries, appointments or any other important date that you need to remember. In today’s high-tech age it’s easy to deal with these by using several of the free tools available on the World Wide Web. On average you will need to remember in excess of thirty important days (based on multiple family members birthdays and wedding anniversaries) every year! This of course doesn’t include dates such as insurance policy expiration dates, dental appointments, social events etc.

Recommended Solution

Tellmewhen.com is a free email reminder service that sends out email reminders to your personal email addresses. For us memory-challenged male individuals, help is at hand. It is one of those websites that can make us appear as organized as your average woman. All you need is an email account and an internet connection (and you’ve already got one of those because you’re reading this article).

Registration is simple and free. After registration you simply enter the appointments that you need to remember and the SQL database stores these for you and sends you an email reminder before the due date. You also have the option to select up to two reminders and how many days in advance you would like your reminder emails to arrive.

Gift Ideas

If you’re one of those people that struggle with gift ideas and what to by for your family members then there is a gifts ideas and gift specials section. In addition to sending out reminder emails for birthdays, anniversaries, mother’s day, father’s day and social events, it contains links to multiple Internet retailers. What could be more simple? You get the email reminder and straight away you have the option of finding the perfect present. Cards, flowers, chocolates, wines, gifts and gadgets, personalized gifts and toys for the kids, are all listed on easy-to-view pages that link directly to the suppliers.

Conclusion

So there we have it, with not much imagination and taking advantage of the free web tools that are available, you can make yourself as organized as the average woman. Get an email reminder sent to your personal email address. Now you won’t ever have to say “sorry I forgot your birthday” ever again. It’s your perfect solution.

About the Author

Never forget your wife’s birthday again! An email reminder from www.tellmewhen.com will keep you out of trouble ! Read Paul Smith’s article and get free email reminders and hopefully save your marriage.

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MikeA September 19th, 2009

Foreword By The Editor

This article by Stephanie Morris discusses anxiety and panic attacks from the standpoint of someone who was once a sufferer herself but who found that, through self-help, she was able to overcome them. If you find her article helpful, may I suggest that you visit her site (you’ll find details in her ‘bio’ at the end of the article). Thank you Stephanie, for your insight.

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

The Role Of Stress

A lot of money is made by doctors and drug companies off people who unfairly have to suffer with panic and anxiety attacks. Unfortunately, of course, life isn’t fair. However, there is new research being conducted all the time and it is now recognized that one of the main reasons why panic attacks continue to pop up in life is due to unhealthy levels of stress.

Other factors like mental genetics and chemical imbalances are there as well but many times unhealthy stress can activate these too. That said, panic and anxiety attacks are something you probably should be able to control most of the time, if you know how.

What Are The Causes?

Anxiety attacks usually begin in the brain and cause all the affects from there. You might be wondering what, at that point, is going on in the brain. One answer is that oxygen, which is carried to the brain in the blood supply, is responsible for the stability of the levels of different chemicals. That’s why exercise is one of the best ways to fight anxiety. It increases the amount of oxygen delivered to your brain.

But different forms of unhealthy stress can be very hard to manage when they are thrown on you at multiple times in the day. It’s like an evil circle; stress causes anxiety, and anxiety causes yet more anxiety, which leads to panic and then it can just snowball from there.

That’s why medication is not necessarily the best way to go about fighting anxiety. Once you stop taking it you will continue to suffer.

Two Main Treatments

There are two ways that I think are best: self-help or hire a doctor for some therapy. Personally I think the self-help way is better because you can be more honest (not to mention that there are some great tools out there to help you).

Hiring a doctor can actually work against you. You will have to bend to their personal and professional schedules. You may be left with questions unanswered and that can just put you into a greater state of anxiety.

Not going the doctor and therapy route leaves you with self-help. That is the best way for most people because there are so many tools that lead you in the right direction. During that process you will get to know yourself a lot better and that will breed ever more confidence. That confidence will then help you become the master of your anxiety and panic.

About the Author

Stephanie, until recently, was a sufferer of panic and anxiety. Through a lot of trial and error, she learned with success about how to treat anxiety attacks. You can learn about the exact tools she herself used to stop panic attacks.

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MikeA April 2nd, 2009

Our product reviews, or mini-reviews if you prefer, are an important part of ‘Healthy Living Tips’ and new ones are reported here as they are added to the site. (For more information, read the ‘Product Reviews’ paragraph in the Welcome To Healthy Living Tips article, which you will find in the Categories menu under Site Admin.)

The following reviews were added today (simply click a link to read a review):

• ‘Anxiety Relief‘, for people who suffer from general anxiety or who get panic attacks.
• ‘The Magic Of Making Up‘, which is for anyone who has been through a break up, a lover’s rejection or even a divorce.

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MikeA March 31st, 2009

Foreword By The Author

Almost everyone in the western world suffers from stress to a certain degree. It’s the curse of modern living. Unfortunately, feeling stressed out, worn out by fatigue or simply by ‘getting out the wrong side of the bed’ can affect our thinking and sometimes badly cloud our judgment. It can also extract a heavy toll on our emotions, our minds and our bodies.

It should be no surprise then, that relaxation as a therapy can be very effective in overcoming stress. Anything from fifteen minutes to an hour every day, or every two or three days, can be extraordinarily beneficial over time.

Mike Alexander
For all your content needs go to ClipCopy Content Solutions

What Is Meant By Relaxation Therapy?

Watching television is a form of relaxation for some, but it is not recommended as therapy by experts. Why? Because watching TV means being subjected to commercials, sudden loud sounds, rapid flashing images etc. Mostly, the whole tenor is one of excitement rather than relaxation. Relaxation as a therapy should be the opposite.

Achieving Relaxation

So how do we achieve this kind of relaxation? Mainly by turning off the outside world. For example, one of the most effective ways known is a form of hydrotherapy. This is where the subject floats in a special tub of warm water with a lid which insulates him/her from all outside interference such as noise, images, and even light. A supply of air is provided so that the person is completely comfortable but, effectively, in a world of their own.

Of course, it is not necessary to go to this extreme. Another alternative, for example, is to lie on your own bed wearing a face mask and earplugs to gain the same effect. The fewer the number of sensations related to outside activity the better. Instead of earplugs, it might be preferable to provide stereo sound in the form of soothing music or something similar like the sound of running water or tinkling bells.

Proper Breathing

Proper breathing is an important part of any kind of relaxation therapy and it is one of the easiest ways to help you to totally relax. Our breathing can influence many aspects of our being. It can affect our mind, our mood and our body. Simply focus on deep breathing (in through the nose and out through the mouth), and after some time you will feel its beneficial effects, especially if you’ve taken care to ensure the minimum of interruption from outside influences as discussed above.

The Benefits Of Relaxation Therapy

Recent studies have determined that heart disease is often linked to anger and irritability and that these characteristics are just as strongly linked to mental stress. An excess of stress brings about ischemia and can lead to, or even cause a heart attack or stroke. Relaxation takes on added importance in light of this knowledge. Managing your stress levels can significantly help you to manage your anger and attitudes and thereby lead to a healthier heart, among other benefits.

Relaxation therapy is a also a necessary precurser to a number of somewhat deeper forms of meditation and other techniques, such as yoga, acupuncture, transcendental meditation, relaxation massage and hypnosis, all of which (and more) will be covered in later articles.

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