Everyone experiences anxiety. In fact, being unable
to do so can be a sign of a serious psychological
problem. In our hazardous world, anxiety is a
strategy the body uses to help the mind recognize
danger and keep well out of its way. As with most
mental illnesses, it's not the presence of anxiety
alone that creates problems. It is more about how
severe it is and how much it gets in one’s way of
life or quality of living.
Most people feel anxious at some time in their lives.
However, only about five per cent of people
experience severe anxiety and rarely seek
professional help. Anxiety is a mixture of physical
and mental symptoms. They are part of what
psychologists call the “fight or flight” response.
When the body is under threat it automatically
prepares either to defend itself or run.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one
deal with a tense situation in the office, study
harder for an exam, or remain focused on an important
speech. In general, it helps one cope with the tasks
and demands of everyday life. But when anxiety
becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday
situations, it can become a disabling disorder.
Fortunately, effective treatments for anxiety
disorders are available, and research is yielding new
and improved therapies that can help most people with
anxiety disorders lead productive and fulfilling
lives.
However, studies have shown that having a healthy
diet may reduce signs and symptoms of anxiety.
Although food can't cure an anxiety disorder,
consider some diet changes and that would benefit a
severely anxious person:
• Avoid or limit caffeine intake as much as
possible. Caffeine is present in many soft drinks,
not just in tea and coffee and it can set up its own
vicious cycle. It can speed up heart rate and disrupt
sleep --- which later on become prevailing signs of
anxiety. Trying to overcome tiredness by drinking
more caffeine only makes the long-term problem worse.
• Avoid too much alcohol. Similarly, alcohol
can worsen the symptoms of anxiety, and disrupt
sleep. Many people reach for a drink to calm their
nerves, but the consequences of overindulgence can
outweigh the benefits of initial relaxation. For
some, a hangover, insomnia, and dehydration make one
feel worse than before one had a drink. In excessive
amounts, alcohol can actually act as a depressant,
making the drinker feel sluggish or more anxious.
Alcohol, like a simple sugar, is rapidly absorbed by
the body. Like other sugars, alcohol increases
hypoglycemia symptoms. It also causes mood swings.
• Eat complex carbohydrates, also known as
carbs. During anxious times, turn to comforting
carbs. These foods act as a mild tranquilizer by
increasing the amount of serotonin, a calming
neurotransmitter in the brain. Complex carbs such as
potatoes, wholewheat bread, and pasta take longer to
digest than sugary simple carbs like white bread.
That way, one can stay fuller longer and blood sugar
is likely to stay steady, eliminating stress and
anxiety.
• Be sure to drink eight or more glasses of
water a day. Dehydration can lead to fatigue,
headaches and stress. One should be well-hydrated and
drinking lots of water a day can decrease symptoms of
anxiety.
• Take multivitamins and mineral supplements. B
vitamins, whose role is to unlock the energy in food,
are crucial. Vitamin B-6 helps manufacture serotonin
in the brain. Choose a daily supplement that supplies
100 per cent of the daily recommendation of all
vitamins and minerals.
Although tension and daily stresses are unavoidable,
one can relieve tension and manage stress and anxiety
better by watching out for what one eats and what one
does not eat. Remember that a healthy body and a
healthy mind are often one and the same thing.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
12 Ways To Make You Healthy
Want to loose weight, sleep better and boost your immune system?
1 Have a lie down
Back pain can be avoided and the damage repaired with one easy exercise, which is lie down on the floor with your knees bent, hip width apart, feet on the floor. Do this daily for about five to fifteen minutes to release and lengthen your spine.
2 Note your nibbles
Crash diets don't work for long enough; instead maintain a food dairy to note your daily eating habits. With this you'll be conscious of what you eat, and make healthier choices.
3 10 deep breaths
Our breath power our lymphatic system, which removes waste from cells. By taking 10 deep breaths, three times a day, you'll clear more toxins and boost your thinking power by getting 20% more oxygen to your brain.
4 Put your fork down
Put your fork down between every mouthful of food, it makes you chew your food properly, preventing digestive problems, and also prevents you from over- eating.
5 Make a list
The most effective stress buster is to make a list. Your short term memory can only remember, on an average, seven things. So when you overload it , your stress level escalate. Making a list clears out all the stress from your brain you feel tension free. This saves you from headaches, depression and high blood pressure.
6 Massage your feet
Poor circulation could be robbing you of much needed sleep. Your temperature needs to drop slightly before you fall asleep, so your body dispels heat via your face, hands and feet. But many women have poor circulation, which constricts the blood vessels in their hands and feet and prevents them from dispelling heat. A hot bath before sleeping or a hand and foot massage will increase your circulation.
7 An organic apple a day
If you buy one organic item a day, make it an apple. Research found that pesticide residues in 71% of apples- the highest in fruits and vegetables.
8 Change your tea bag
When it comes to tea white is the new green. White tea comes from the same plant as green and black but is harvested earlier and undergoes less processing, which means it contains more cancer fighting anti- oxidants.
9 Eat dried apricots
The most common nutritional deficiency is iron. Tiredness, irritability and lack of concentration. Prevent it by having two helpings of lean red meat a week, or three dried apricots a day.
10 Stop skipping meals
Eating three meals a day is very important for a healthy body. It's the simplest way to balance blood sugar levels, which will keep your mood, energy and concentration balanced and strengthen your stress tolerance.
11 Keep it crunchy
Include some raw vegetables in every meal. Many of the vitamins and minerals are in vegetables are lost through cooking, so raw food is as good as it gets.
12 Focus on your feeling
Take two minutes to boost your resolve to do walk, jog or aerobics class. The instant gratification of that exercise high is far more motivating than the promise of thinner thighs two months down the line.
1 Have a lie down
Back pain can be avoided and the damage repaired with one easy exercise, which is lie down on the floor with your knees bent, hip width apart, feet on the floor. Do this daily for about five to fifteen minutes to release and lengthen your spine.
2 Note your nibbles
Crash diets don't work for long enough; instead maintain a food dairy to note your daily eating habits. With this you'll be conscious of what you eat, and make healthier choices.
3 10 deep breaths
Our breath power our lymphatic system, which removes waste from cells. By taking 10 deep breaths, three times a day, you'll clear more toxins and boost your thinking power by getting 20% more oxygen to your brain.
4 Put your fork down
Put your fork down between every mouthful of food, it makes you chew your food properly, preventing digestive problems, and also prevents you from over- eating.
5 Make a list
The most effective stress buster is to make a list. Your short term memory can only remember, on an average, seven things. So when you overload it , your stress level escalate. Making a list clears out all the stress from your brain you feel tension free. This saves you from headaches, depression and high blood pressure.
6 Massage your feet
Poor circulation could be robbing you of much needed sleep. Your temperature needs to drop slightly before you fall asleep, so your body dispels heat via your face, hands and feet. But many women have poor circulation, which constricts the blood vessels in their hands and feet and prevents them from dispelling heat. A hot bath before sleeping or a hand and foot massage will increase your circulation.
7 An organic apple a day
If you buy one organic item a day, make it an apple. Research found that pesticide residues in 71% of apples- the highest in fruits and vegetables.
8 Change your tea bag
When it comes to tea white is the new green. White tea comes from the same plant as green and black but is harvested earlier and undergoes less processing, which means it contains more cancer fighting anti- oxidants.
9 Eat dried apricots
The most common nutritional deficiency is iron. Tiredness, irritability and lack of concentration. Prevent it by having two helpings of lean red meat a week, or three dried apricots a day.
10 Stop skipping meals
Eating three meals a day is very important for a healthy body. It's the simplest way to balance blood sugar levels, which will keep your mood, energy and concentration balanced and strengthen your stress tolerance.
11 Keep it crunchy
Include some raw vegetables in every meal. Many of the vitamins and minerals are in vegetables are lost through cooking, so raw food is as good as it gets.
12 Focus on your feeling
Take two minutes to boost your resolve to do walk, jog or aerobics class. The instant gratification of that exercise high is far more motivating than the promise of thinner thighs two months down the line.
A Health Talk From Heart
Almost 14 million Americans have a history of heart attack or angina. It is now one of the leading causes of death in the United States. More than 1 million Americans have heart attacks each year. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is permanent damage to the heart muscle. “Myo” means muscle, “cardial” refers to the heart and “infarction” means death of tissue due to lack of blood supply.
Nutrition and energy are delivered to the entire body by blood from the pumping heart. The heart itself requires constant energy in the form of oxygen and nutrients, which all come from the blood that delivered through the coronary arteries. A blockage in the coronary arteries prevents blood flow and causes the heart muscle to starve. The medical term for such starvation is ischemia, a condition that is accompanied by a chest discomfort called angina. If the blockage is severe, some of the heart muscle actually dies. When heart muscle dies, this is called a heart attack or myocardial infarction.
Fortunately, modern medicine already offers medical treatment acute heart attack. Preventive measures have been identified and are now being taught to prevent such an attack from occurring or recurring. Beta blockers are medications used to decrease heart rate and blood pressure. These can be given through an intravenous (IV) line or by mouth. Oxygen is used via nose plugs or a facemask if a person is having a heart attack. This is useful if breathing is difficult or the amount of oxygen in the blood is low.
Aspirin is used to decrease blood clotting. It works by preventing platelets from sticking together. Plavix (clopidogrel) is an additional platelet blocker given to those having a heart attack. Both aspirin and plavix are pills given by mouth. Clotting inhibitors called heparin, lovenox, and 2B3A are given via the IV and can help prevent the blockage from getting worse. A statin, or cholesterol pill, is often given to those having a heart attack. This too can stabilize a blockage and prevent it from getting worse. Chest pain can be decreased with nitroglycerine. This is given in a variety of ways, a dissolving pill under the tongue, a paste on the chest, or via the IV. Nitroglycerine helps dilate the coronary arteries allowing more blood to flow through. Morphine is another medication to control chest discomfort and ease anxiety. These medications mentioned work to stabilize a blockage, however, they are not very effective in removing one that has already formed. This job is done by “clot buster” medications or thrombolytics. T-PA (tissue plasminogen activator) and similar medicines can break apart a blockage and restore blood flow. Alternatively, this can be done with a balloon and stent procedure by a cardiologist.
However, there are practical ways that can lessen the chances of having a heart attack. Consuming at least five fruits and vegetables daily, exercising at least 2.5 hours per week, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking can decrease your chances of heart trouble by 35 percent, and the risk of dying by 40 percent, compared to people with less healthy lifestyles. Research have shown that people who eat a balanced diet and exercise more can substantially reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease and death even if they're in their 50s or 60s. Most experts agree that a health-promoting lifestyle such as eating well, being active, and not smoking can cut overall risk of heart disease by 80 percent. Indeed, adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle makes a difference.
Nutrition and energy are delivered to the entire body by blood from the pumping heart. The heart itself requires constant energy in the form of oxygen and nutrients, which all come from the blood that delivered through the coronary arteries. A blockage in the coronary arteries prevents blood flow and causes the heart muscle to starve. The medical term for such starvation is ischemia, a condition that is accompanied by a chest discomfort called angina. If the blockage is severe, some of the heart muscle actually dies. When heart muscle dies, this is called a heart attack or myocardial infarction.
Fortunately, modern medicine already offers medical treatment acute heart attack. Preventive measures have been identified and are now being taught to prevent such an attack from occurring or recurring. Beta blockers are medications used to decrease heart rate and blood pressure. These can be given through an intravenous (IV) line or by mouth. Oxygen is used via nose plugs or a facemask if a person is having a heart attack. This is useful if breathing is difficult or the amount of oxygen in the blood is low.
Aspirin is used to decrease blood clotting. It works by preventing platelets from sticking together. Plavix (clopidogrel) is an additional platelet blocker given to those having a heart attack. Both aspirin and plavix are pills given by mouth. Clotting inhibitors called heparin, lovenox, and 2B3A are given via the IV and can help prevent the blockage from getting worse. A statin, or cholesterol pill, is often given to those having a heart attack. This too can stabilize a blockage and prevent it from getting worse. Chest pain can be decreased with nitroglycerine. This is given in a variety of ways, a dissolving pill under the tongue, a paste on the chest, or via the IV. Nitroglycerine helps dilate the coronary arteries allowing more blood to flow through. Morphine is another medication to control chest discomfort and ease anxiety. These medications mentioned work to stabilize a blockage, however, they are not very effective in removing one that has already formed. This job is done by “clot buster” medications or thrombolytics. T-PA (tissue plasminogen activator) and similar medicines can break apart a blockage and restore blood flow. Alternatively, this can be done with a balloon and stent procedure by a cardiologist.
However, there are practical ways that can lessen the chances of having a heart attack. Consuming at least five fruits and vegetables daily, exercising at least 2.5 hours per week, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking can decrease your chances of heart trouble by 35 percent, and the risk of dying by 40 percent, compared to people with less healthy lifestyles. Research have shown that people who eat a balanced diet and exercise more can substantially reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease and death even if they're in their 50s or 60s. Most experts agree that a health-promoting lifestyle such as eating well, being active, and not smoking can cut overall risk of heart disease by 80 percent. Indeed, adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle makes a difference.
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