Healthy Noise

As the holidays approach each year, more and more people suffer from Holiday Depression. Some experts blame it on factors relating to nutrition. Nutritional experts believe that depression is caused by the excessive sugar and fatty foods coursing through our bodies. Other experts believe that depression is caused by the lack of natural sunlight that promotes a condition called SAD. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) SAD reduces the amounts of endorphins distributed in our brains. Experts in psychology maintain that many people look back over the year and see themselves as failures. Another year is behind you and your personal goals have not been achieved. Whatever the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following 5 simple tips are guaranteed to help you reduce Holiday Depression.

1. Do not read newspapers.
Newspapers publish negative stories near the end of the year. Stories focused on death, destruction, doom and despair abound around the Holidays. During the week between Christmas and the New Year, stories highlighting the worst tragedies of the year appear daily until January.
Stop reading the newspaper during the holidays and reduce the negative input to your brain.

2. Turn off your television.
End of the year stories about hardship and violence overtake your senses during the Holidays. When visitors come to your home, make sure you turn off your television and keep it off. News television broadcasters are fighting for your holiday guests’ attention as they promote despair, war, death and destruction with many headline news interruptions. Television will diminish your festive holiday spirit.

3. Say good things about others
My Mother always says, “if you can’t say anything nice about others, don’t say anything at all.” However, when you find yourself in a conversation and a relative says, “Remember Uncle Phil?” ” He was an alcoholic” Respond with ” yes, Uncle Phil was an alcoholic and he was the most charitable person, I have ever met.” Connect your friend’s negative statement about Phil with a positive one.

4. Get physical exercise
People forget about exercise around the holidays. In most parts of the world, the weather is cold and the sky is dark. Make sure you are exercising daily and sending more oxygen to your brain cells. The result of exercise will improve your health as well as your attitude.

5. Breathe deep and relax.
Practice the following breathing exercise to relax your body and mind. Breathe deeply and relax. For 3 minutes each hour take a short mental vacation. You can engage in this exercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or purchasing holiday gifts. You can complete the exercise at home or at work. Take three deep breathes and relax. As you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. As you exhale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs.

Focus on positive images of the Holidays. Focus on laughter, love, excitement and hope.

Posted by under Mental Health | No Comments »

“Optimum health is not just the absence of disease but the presence of wellness in mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and social areas. Some would also include financial health.”

Introduction

Optimum health is essential at all levels, from the individual to the society we live in to the environment around us. We have to start thinking of wealth not just in terms of possession of money and properties but also the possession of mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being.

Mental Health

The truth is mind is the forerunner of all states.

With a proper mindset, a poor man can still be happy. Conversely, if the mindset is not right, no matter how much material possessions you may have, you may still be a very unhappy person. Thus, Gandhi said, “The world has enough for everyone’s needs, but not enough for even a single person’s greed.”

So a healthy mind is one that possesses a mindset that can lead to happiness and contentment with self and the world around us. It provides clarity of thoughts, good insight and the ability to see things through an unbiased mind.

To be able to see things through an unbiased mind is no small feat. It is extremely difficult to note or observe the unfolding of events and phenomena without judging. We habitually associate emotions or feelings to events, and allow such emotions to direct our actions. Our likes for certain things and dislikes for others are closely associated with our emotions.

Emotional Health

It is our emotions that lead us to act impulsively at times. Thus a high level of self-awareness in this area is extremely useful. In fact, it is essential to our well-being. After all, things and relationships that may take us years to build can be destroyed in a moment of anger.

There are positive and negative emotions. Positive emotions such as love, compassion and joy should be cultivated, while negative emotions such as fear, anger and hate need to be eradicated.

When asked about this, a wise sage of India once illustrated with a story:

An old man said to his grandson, “Boy, I have two tigers caged within me. One is love and compassion. The other is fear and anger.”

The young boy asked, “Which one will win, grandfather?”

The old man replied, “The one I feed.”

At times, it may seem that we have no control over our emotions. This is not true. The truth is how well we manage our emotions depends on how aware we are of our emotions, particularly on the arising of our emotions. The earlier we are able to note the arising of our emotions, we better we can manage them.

More and more researches are showing that our well-being is closely linked to our emotional and mental health. Our body’s immune system is generally enhanced by positive mental outlook and emotion. Conversely, it is depressed by negative mental and emotional states. Thus, stress, worry, anger and fear are some states that may lead to physical illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac diseases, peptic ulcers, depression and a host of other ailments.

Physical Health

To maintain an optimum physical well-being, therefore, requires us to focus not only on our body but also our mind and emotions.

On a physical level, our body can be kept healthy through adequate sleep and rest, proper nutrition, regular exercises and a healthy environment that is free from pollution.

Spiritual Health

Throughout the ages, wise men have consistently informed and taught us that we are essentially spiritual beings.

Although medical science has not been able to reveal to us our spiritual nature, there are many indirect evidence that we would be foolish to ignore. Stories from people who had gone through a near death experience (NDE), or dying people with heightened nearing death awareness, or simply a cure from an ‘incurable’ disease all suggest that there is more to life than just the physical state.

Major religions of the world all based their teachings on the belief that we are essentially spiritual beings. According to these teachings, our physical existence is secondary.

While it may be true that we should focus our life more on our spiritual nature than our physical nature, it would be difficult for the majority of people to do so, at least not immediately. Things cannot change overnight. Mindset, however, can, and that is perhaps the best place to start.

Financial Health

However, on a more mundane level, most people are still stuck on how to survive from day to day, where to get the next cheque to pay for the house installment, so on and so forth.

Practically, therefore, we need to look into ways to achieve a financial state that would theoretically free us from the constrain of ‘forced’ work. This is where the concept of financial freedom is so attractive. According to this concept, one should strive for a state where we have one or more than one source of income that can be generated passively, that is, even when we don’t work.

This is what Robert Kiyosaki termed as ‘passive income’.

According to him, passive income can only be achieved by becoming an investor or a business owner, not a sole proprietor or an employee. To become an investor or a business owner, you must spend the time and money to acquire financial intelligence. Unlike IQ or EQ, you can acquire financial intelligence through self education.

To get a financial health check-up, consult an accountant, a banker or a financial planner you can trust.

Healthy Relationship

“No man is an island, entire by itself.”

As a medical doctor, I am in a unique position to confront and comfort dying patients. One of the most important thing that I have observed is that dying people do not ask about their money or possessions. Instead, they focus their remaining energy and strength on trying to heal wounded relationships. It is as though there is an inherent need to get a proper closure to a relationship.

Thus, forming and cultivating a healthy relationship is important for our well-being. Unfortunately, this is something we often ignored until it is too late. If there is any forgiving to be done, or the need to be forgiven, leaving things to the last minutes may end up with an unfulfilled desire for a closure.

Knowing this now, shouldn’t we spend more time and effort in improving our relationship with our loved ones, especially with our parents, spouse, children and siblings?

About The Author
Tim Ong is a medical doctor and author of the online “Build From Within” newsletter series. He is also the webmaster of The Self Improvement Site (http://www.theselfimprovementsite.com), Klinik Ong (http://www.klinikong.com) and Caring For The Terminally Ill (http://www.caring-terminally-ill.com). You may sign up for his free newsletter at http://www.theselfimprovementsite.com/signup.html.

Posted by under Mental Health & Fitness | 2 Comments »

What do we know about the Common Cold?

• No Cure. Antibiotics, designed to knock out bacterial infections, do nothing when it comes to treating a cold.
• None of us are safe! No matter how strong and healthy we are, an occasional cold will reduce us to whimpering, sneezing, coughing versions of our former selves.

So, what do we do? Lay back with a box of tissue, pop a couple of cold tabs and wait it out? Not necessarily! Doctors who specialize in self-care medicine say that there is a lot more that we can do to get through a cold comfortably, and possibly more quickly! Here is some of the best advice that experts have to offer on the subject.

• Vitamin C - “Vitamin C works in the body as a scavenger, picking up all sorts of trash - including virus trash,” Says Keith W. Sehnert, M.D., a physician with Trinity Health Care in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “It can shorten the length of a cold from seven days to maybe two or three.”Studies conducted at the University of Wisconsin found that cold sufferers taking 500 milligrams of vitamin C four times a day suffered from about half as many symptoms (coughing, sneezing. etc) as those not taking the vitamin.

  Best way to get it? Drink it! Orange, grapefruit, and cranberry juices are excellent sources of vitamin C.

• Zinc - Suck on zinc lozenges and cut your cold short, to an average of just 4 days! It also can help reduce symptoms such as dry, irritated throat. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for everyone, but when it works, it works!
• R and R - Take a day or two off of work, or at least slow down! Extra rest enables your body to focus it’s energy on getting you well.
• Stay Warm - Keep your immune system cozy by bundling up against the cold. This way your body can use energy to fight your cold instead of protecting you from the cold.
• Eat Lightly - Eat, but steer clear of foods that put a strain on your body’s metabolism. Eat fewer fatty foods, meat and milk products, and eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Chicken Soup - A silly folk remedy? No! Researchers at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach have found that hot chicken soup, either because of its aroma or its taste, “appears to possess an additional substance for increasing the flow of nasal mucus.” Researchers say that this mucus serves as a first line of defense in removing germs from your system, so eat up!
• Liquids - Drink six to eight glasses of water, juice, tea, and other mostly clear liquids daily to keep the body hydrated and to flush out impurities.
• NO Smoking! - Smoking aggravates the throat and interferes with the infection-fighting activity of the cilia, the microscopic “fingers” that sweep bacteria out of your lungs and throat. Even if you don’t quit for good, at least stop for the duration of your cold.
• Salty Gargle - Dr. Van Ert of San Francisco advises mixing 1 teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water and gargling away whenever your throat hurts.
• Hot Toddy - Get a good night’s sleep and clear a stuffed-up nose by sipping a “hot toddy” or a half a glass of wine before bedtime, suggests Dr. Caughron, a family practitioner specializing in preventive medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia. But don’t go overboard! More alcohol than that can stress out your system and make recovery more difficult.
• Get Steamed - Clear congestion and relieve a dry cough by taking a hot steamy shower. Or make a steam tent by draping a towel over your head above a bowl of boiling water.
• Keep Your Germs to Yourself - Cough and blow away, but do it into a disposable tissue instead of sharing them! Then promptly throw the tissue away and wash your hands.
• Medicate - If you decide to take over the counter medication, follow the instructions carefully and only take medication that addresses the symptoms that you are suffering from.

Looking for alternatives to drugs? Try these herbs and teas that contain special properties that are natural antagonists against colds!

• Goldenseal and Echinacea - “I recommend herb capsules such as goldenseal and echinacea at the early onset of a cold,” says Elson Haas, M.D. He says that goldenseal stimulates your liver, which helps to clear up infections. Echinacia clean your blood and lymph glands, helping circulate infection-fighting antibodies and removing toxic substances from the body. Try one or two capsules twice a day for up to two weeks.
• Garlic - Garlic is known for its antibiotic effect and “can actually kill germs and clear up your cold symptoms more rapidly,” says Dr. Haas. He recommends two or three oil-free garlic capsules three times a day.
• Licorice Root Tea - Dr Van Ert recommends this teas for it’s anesthetizing effects for soothing irritated throats and relieving coughs.
• Other Teas - Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea, or tea brewed with hops or valarian her, have natural tranquilizing effects that will help you rest. Add a teaspoon of honey, a simple carbohydrate that has a sedative effect.
• Monolaurian - Dr. Van Ert also recommends this fatty acid (available in capsule form) for it’s antiviral effect. He recommends taking two capsules three times a day with some food, for helping the immune system stay fit to battle the cold virus.

A cold may be something that we have to live with, and through, but finding ways to make the best of it will help you get back on your feet in record time.

About The Author

© Mari Peckham

Mari Peckham is the President of Peckham Enterprises and webmistress of PowerPromoPlus, your online advertising solution at: http://www.powerpromoplus.com

To subscribe to her online advertising tips, tools and techniques ezine, Advertise_Online, send any Email to: advertise_online-subscribe@egroups.com or visit: http://www.powerpromoplus.com/advertise_online.htm

Posted by under Mental Health | No Comments »

While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed. Whatever the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following five simple tips guarantee you reduce it significantly.

1. Do not read newspapers.

Newspapers publish negative stories most of the time. Even in peaceful periods, newspapers will find the worst in humanity and place negative stories on display in order to promote sales and subscribers. Stories focused on War, rebellion, death, destruction, doom and despair abound in the newspapers.

Stop reading the newspaper and reduce the negative input to your brain.

2. Turn off your television.

Watching and listening about the horrible economy and the losses associated with War will add to depression. In fact, you guarantee the feeling of helplessness. Helplessness allows depression to nurture. If you really need to watch or listen to these kinds of news stories, promise yourself you will bury yourself in the documentaries that are sure to follow in the next 5 or 10 years. A way you can eliminate most of the negative input to your brain is by setting it aside for a date somewhere in the future. I guarantee in the future, you will not find it very interesting.

When visitors come to your home, make sure you turn off your television and keep it off. News television broadcasters are fighting for your guests’ attention as they promote despair, war, death, and destruction with many headline news interruptions. Those little banners that run across the bottom of the screen grab your attention and they take hold of your consciousness. Television will diminish your positive spirit.

3. Say good things about others

My mother always says, “if you can’t say anything nice about others, don’t say anything at all.” However, when you find yourself in a conversation and a relative says, “Remember Uncle Phil?” ” He was an alcoholic”; respond with ” Yes, Uncle Phil was an alcoholic and he was the most charitable person, I have ever met.”

Connect your relative’s negative statement about Phil with a positive one. Set yourself up to find the positive in anyone’s statement and you will keep negative thoughts and depression from overtaking your life.

4. Get physical exercise

Adults forget about exercise when suffering from depression. Make sure you are exercising daily and sending more oxygen to your brain cells. The result of exercise will improve your health as well as your attitude.

5. Breathe deep and relax.

Breathe deeply and relax. For 3 minutes each hour take a short mental vacation.

Practice the following breathing exercise to relax your body and mind. You can engage in this exercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or when listening to others talking on a telephone. You can complete the exercise at home or at work.

Take three deep breathes and relax. As you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. You may think about relaxing by a mountain, by the ocean or comfortably in your favorite room at home.

As you exhale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs. Focus on positive images in your life. Focus on laughter, love, excitement, and hope.

Keep breathing in and out in this pattern until you feel better. If you practice the exercise often, you will notice wonderful changes in your outlook and in other aspects of your life.

Let yourself feel great now!

Enjoy your family, your friends, and your life.

Posted by under Mental Health | 3 Comments »

Experiencing anger is extremely dangerous to your health. It causes your adrenaline and blood pressure to rise up at above normal levels. Moreover, you could end up hurting someone or doing something that you will regret later on.

Here are 7 fantastic tips to help you be the one in control of yourself, and not the hazardous madman called “Anger.”

1) Relax and visualize.

Calm yourself down. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, imagine all those bottled-up fury come out of your nose and mouth. Release it and be free. Repeat this step over and over until you feel peace inside.

Then visualize being in a place where you feel most happy, calm, and relaxed. It may be a place like a beach, garden, scenic locations, or anywhere else you might think of. Just imagine being there and inhaling the essence of your serene environment. By doing this, you will not find it hard to attain inner peace.

2) Pour out your anger to safe outlets.

You had a big quarrel with your former friend. He betrayed your trust. You want vengeance and you’re raving mad.

Hold it. Restrain yourself.

Try your best to get away from him as far as you can. You don’t want to hurt anyone. Anger can possess your brain into doing something that you wouldn’t dare do before.

How do you then release your anger if you can’t restrict it anymore?

Buy a punching bag, then pour out all your rage in it. Punch it, kick it, strangle it. Imagine the punching bag is your enemy. When you’re done, you will feel a sense of satisfaction. You may even punch and kick through thin air if you desire.

Another way to release it is “SHOUT!” Find a distant place where you can be alone - a place where no one can hear you. At the top of your voice, yell out loud “Aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh.” You can choose any word you like as long as you release all those angry demons out of your chest.

3) Forgive and forget.

Nothing could ease your mental and emotional pains better than by forgiving someone that has hurt you in the past. It is very unhealthy to burden yourself with unnecessary torture brought about by unpleasant memories of other people’s demeaning acts.

Moreover, if they have taken something important away from you, would it make sense to also sacrifice your health and lifestyle? Of course not.

4) Exercise.

Engaging in exercises increases your endorphins. Your angry mood could miraculously change to a happy one if you get involved in exercises that you enjoy doing.

5) Have a circle of “sponge” friends.

Do you feel relieved when you voice out all your problems to close friends and relatives? That’s the power of voicing out your inner feelings.

Always have someone to talk to when you’re down, when you’re depressed, when you’re mad, or in any other occasion when you feel you have to get the thorns out of your chest.

6) Listen to soothing music.

It calms your soul. A 20 minute session of listening to relaxing music while resting comfortably could soothe the upset spirit. Take deep breaths often.

7) Pray.

Deadly consequences arise when people could not hold back their fury. Ask for guidance that you will be able to control your temper. Prayers bring inner peace to those who ask for it.

There you have it - 7 essential rules to release yourself from the treacherous killer known as “Anger.” Manage your anger, save your life.