SECRETS TO BE HAPPY

   Usually during the clinical interview that is part of my hypnotherapy sessions, I will ask clients what they hope to have happen because they came to see me.  Often the answer is, "I just want to be happy."  Social scientists believe that though life circumstances and genetics play a big part in happiness, about 55% of happiness comes from personal choices.

    In 2011, Dan Buettner, a National Geographic author and explorer, released the book THRIVEbased on five years of research and talking to researchers in the areas identified as the world leaders in happiness - San Luis Obispo, California, the Jutland Peninsula of Denmark, Nuevo Leon, Mexico and Singapore.    In his books he identified the secrets of the happiest people in the world.

    Among the secrets were: 1) OWNING ONE TV.  Americans spend an average of more than four hours a day watching TV.  This is time not spent in real interaction with family and friends. 2) CREATING A "FLOW ROOM".  A flow room in Danish society is similar to the American family room.  But it has no television or computer screens.  3) EXPERIENCING WHAT BUETTNER CALLED "THE SUN BONUS".  Sun exposure produces Vitamin D, often called the "happiness vitamin" because it increases seratonin.  People in sunnier climates consistently indicate higher levels of happiness than those of us who live farther north.  So get out and enjoy the sun. 4) STOP SHOPPING.  Many people who get satisfaction from buying things take fewer vacations and work longer hours.  Americans are inundated by media and social expectations and to want more.  Make good memories through experiences with those you care about.  5)  BE SELF-EMPLOYED.  Business owners and self-employed workers report some of the highest levels of happiness perhaps because they are doing work they like or because they have more control and autonomy.  6) VOLUNTEER.  Research studies have shown that altruism creates feelings of well-being with an effect on the brain similar to addiction.  So get "hooked" on the rewardsof volunteering including better health and increased self-worth.  Buettner also recommends having some kind of 7) FAITH.  Whether through organized religion or spirituality, people of faith tend to be happier than those without.    If you would like to be happier, explore adding these recommendations to your life.

     Hypnotherapy can help you get motivated to make these changes.  A qualified hypnotherapist will guide you to identify your goals to dd changes so you can BE HAPPY.

FAST FOOD LINKED TO DEPRESSION

   If  you are a fast food junkie and suffer from depression, a 2012 study finds those two conditions  may be related.  The study of 8,964 people was done by researchers at the University of Las Palmas. Gran Canaria, and the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain and was published in PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION.

    The study findings indicated that those eating the most fast food during a six-year period were 37% more likely to become depressed than those who ate the least fast food.  Those who ate large amounts of commercially baked goods such as doughnuts and muffins also were more likely to be depressed.  

     The largest consumers of the commercially baked goods and fast food tended to be younger, less active and single.  So the depression might be caused by lifestyle rather than the specific foods studied.

     Poor eating habits, lack of exercise, depression are all things that can be helped with hypnotherapy.  Change bad habits with the help of hypnosis and BE WELL.

EXERCISE IMPROVES LIFE EXPECTANCY

     If you are at a healthy weight with a BMI between 20 and 25, you  may feel like that healthy weight ensures you of a long life.  But a 2012 study published in the journal PLoS gives a warning signal to couch potatoes who so far have managed to stay at a healthy weight.The study found that 30 minutes a day of exercise could add extra years of life and as much as 4.2 years could be added for those willing to spend as much as an hour a day of exercise.  

     The study participants who were sedentary and over the age of 40 were almost twice as likely to die during the course of the study.  The authors noted, "This finding may convince currently inactive persons that a modest level of physical activity is 'worth it' for health benefits, even if it may not result in weight control."

     Even those people who are severely obese can benefit from exercise. A Mayo Clinic cardiologist, Francisco Lopez-Jiminez, who was not involved in the study said, "We have to set priorities with patients.  First and foremost is to get sedentary obese people to become as active as they can and not to use their weight as a measure of their success.  Sometimes we tend to focus too much on the weight issue and to little on the exercise part of it."

     The enormous scale of the study which culled data from six major study groups totaling more than 632,000 people adds reaffirms a sedentary lifestyle is more dangerous than obesity in negatively influencing health.  You may not be able to lose weight today, but you can start moving today.  If you need motivation, hypnosis can help you get moving, improve your life expectancy and BE WELL.

HYPNOSIS FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

     Have you ever thought about hypnosis as a tool for weight management?  A University of Connecticut study conducted in 1997 found that hypnosis can play a significant role in managing weight.  The researchers reported that test subjects who used only weight-loss methods such as diet lost an average of six pounds during the testing period.  Those who also used hypnosis lost an average of fifteen pounds.  In addition, those who used hypnosis kept the pounds off for two years following the therapy.  

    I always tell my clients, hypnosis is not magic.  If you continue to do exactly the same things, you are going to get the same result.  But hypnosis can be a great tool to motivate behavioral changes to include exercise and eating and nutrition habits. The hypnotherapist's suggestions must be personalized to meet each individual client's needs.  Each hypnotherapist has there own way of establishing those needs.  I require an hour and a half clinical interview with the client to learn about personal and family behavior around eating and movement.  We discuss the client's motivation to make a change and create a plan of how they want to eat, drink and move that will allow goals to be met.

    The hypnosis session will include positive, beneficial suggestions based on the clinical interview and the client's plan.  If you want to get motivated to make changes in your weight or changes in your eating or exercise behaviors, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to BE WELL.

HYPNOSIS AND SOCIAL CONTAGION

   You may not have heard the term "social contagion" before.  But I expect you have observed its influence.  New scientific studies are identifying how our family and friends can influence the choices we make.  Some choices are quite obvious like choosing where we live or where we work.  But less obvious choices are also often the result of the impact of the people we are around .

     Choices like whether we stay married or divorce, whether we exercise and eat well or become obese, whether we have professional success or failure are often highly influenced by those around us. In fact, research indicates that behavior and emotions are extremely contagious.  This might help to explain why before the Great Recession millions of people bought houses they could not afford.

    Nicholas A, Christakis, MD, PhD, was named one of one hundred most influential people in the world by TIME magazine in 2009 for his work on social contagion.    With his colleague, political scientist, James Fowler, PhD, he researched the issue of overeating and obesity which has been identified at epidemic levels in the United States.  He found that nine states in the USA report that more than 30 percent of their residents are obese.  Christakis and Fowler used a study that had been done in Framingham, Massachusetts over thirty years.  This tracked the details of thousands of people and their connections and how they interacted.  The researchers found that the spread of obesity followed a pattern similar to the way the flu spread.  The Framingham study indicated that if you had a family member or friend who was obese, your risk of becoming obese was 45% higher.  Even if a friend of a friend was obese, it increased your risk of obesity by 25%.  So the health of your extended social network is a key factor in determining your health.

     The researchers went on to study other issues moving through human networks like suicide, sexual practices, back pain and suicide.  They found that there were "Three Degrees of Influence"  That choices and actions could be influenced clear out to friends' friends' friends. Issues like divorce are considered so personal but the ripple effect of social contagion found that if you have a friend divorcing, that increases the likelihood that you will divorce by around 147%.  

     Christakis and Fowler found that behaviors such as smoking and overeating, can be influenced by friends who live hundreds of miles away.  Obviously individual thinking, cultural upbringing and genetics all contribute to our behavior, but this research found that social contagion is also a power influence.  If you socialize with family and friends who are obese, it can change your idea of what is acceptable body size.  If you are around heavy smokers or drinkers, you may allow yourself those options as well.

    So what can you do with this information?  Do NOT abandon friends and family.  Know that the benefits of being connected are far more important than the costs.  The researchers found that the most consistently happy group of people were those who had lots of friends.  But  remember your actions and choices can influence others as well.  So ask what you can do for those in your group of family and friends.  When you quit smoking, start exercising or lose weight,  your influence will benefit not only you, but your friends and family as well.

      If you need help to make those changes, hypnosis can help you quit smoking, lose weight or get motivated to make some other positive change.  Use hypnosis and BE WELL.

HYPNOSIS FOR SOCIAL ISOLATION

    Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, and associate professor of psychology at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, reported on the findings of researchers who reviewed 148 studies that compared the frequency of social interaction and health over a period of 7.5 years.  They found that strong relationships with the people in their lives including family, friends and coworkers increased the likelihood of survival by 50%.  

    Holt-Lunstad suggested that to live longer open your life to more social interactions like volunteer work, joining a club or hosting events in your home.  If you feel you are naturally shy or anti-social and want to get motivated to make those changes, hypnotherapy can help you no longer be socially isolated and BE WELL.

HYPNOSIS FOR BEREAVEMENT

    If you have recently lost someone you love, you are at increased risk for heart damage.  Thomas Buckley, PhD, and senior lecturer at the University of Sydney Nursing School, in Australia, has reported on a 2010 study on bereavement.  The researchers tracked the heart health of 78 adults who within the previous two months had lost a child or spouse.  This was compared to the heart health of adults who had not been recently bereaved.   They found that during the six-month period after the loss, the bereaved had nearly twice as many rapid-heartbeat episodes as those who had not had such a loss, increasing the heart attack risk.

     The researchers theorized that bereavement and mourning is a highly stressful time for sufferers and that the stress may damage the heart.  It is believed the changes usually settle down after six months.

    So what can you do if you have suffered a recent loss?  Buckley suggests that those who are recently bereaved have a physical which includes a heart checkup within the first month after the loss.  In addition, working with a therapist or hypnotherapist to deal with the loss and to build stress coping skills can be of great value.  Even in times of loss, hypnosis can help you to BE WELL.

THE RISKS OF SITTING

   If you are like me, you may spend many hours each day just sitting.  As a hypnotherapist, I  spend hours in session while sitting.  In the time I am not with clients, I am sitting at my desk checking email or posting on this blog.  I am not alone.  New statistics report that Americans spend more than half their waking hours sitting.  Besides working, watching TV and driving add more hours to our couch potato lifestyle.

    Often when people hear the term "couch potato", they think of someone sitting in front of a television set.  Australian researchers tracked 8,800 men and women whose average age was 53 for over six year.  They reported that the risk for death due to cardiovascular disease increased by 18% for every hour of daily TV viewing.  Those who watched TV four or more hours a day, had a risk of dying from cardiovascular disease that was 80% higher than those who reported watching less than two hours a day.

     Even those who are physically fit with a normal body weight have increased health risks due to sitting.  A Canadian study of around 17,000 adults found that sitting for long periods of time may cancel out some of the health benefits of a normal weight and regular exercise.

     There are a number of health problems with extended periods of time sitting,  There is increased heart risk because prolonged sitting periods can have negative effects on blood sugar and blood fat levels which could cause diabetes and heart disease.  Prolonged sitting can also affect the central nervous system which will slow down and can lead to fatigue.  Sitting often and for long periods of time causes poor fat burning.  Lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that lines  the walls of your capillaries, breaks down fats in the bloodstream.  When we sit for a few hours, these enzymes, start shutting down and if you sit all day, their activity can drop by fifty percent.

     So what can we do to counteract the sitting habit at work?  Some people now stand at their desks or have added a treadmill for a "walking desk".  Perhaps you are not ready to go that far, but some small changes in habits can be productive .  Follow the "ten minute" rule and get up to stretch your legs for ten minutes every hour when you are on the computer.  You can stretch, make a phone call or any other task that you can do standing up.  Instead of emailing a co-worker, walk down the hall and have a real conversation.  Avoid the elevator and take the stairs,  park at the end of the parking lot instead of in front of the door   Remember, we burn five calories an hour while sitting and 15 while standing.  Change habits - when the phone rings, stand up for the conversation.  And rather than eating lunch at your desk, take a mid-day walk. In other words, find ways to cut back on all the hours you sit at work.

    The big traps to sitting at home are the television and the computer.  You may just want to cut back on those long television or computer binges. Or if you are not ready to give up your shows,  play a game with yourself, just stand up and walk around any time an ad comes on the TV.  There are twenty minutes of ads in every hour of programming. That is plenty of time to get up and move. Or keep exercise equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer or stationary bike where you can exercise instead of sitting.  Instead of slouching on your favorite chair, use a stability  ball which engages muscles in your abdomen and back.  

    Action-oriented video games like the Wii can be good for entertainment without sitting.  If you've been on a computer all day, don't sit at it all night.  And by putting your computer on a shelf or stand that is elevated you can stand while using your electronics.  Better yet, take a stroll with your family around the neighborhood.

   If you need help motivating yourself to quit sitting and start moving, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  Avoid those risks of sitting and BE WELL.

TEMPTED TO TAN

    Are you a person who considers a trip to a tanning salon a part of your routine?  Perhaps you are getting ready for a trip to the beach or hope to raise blood levels of vitamin D by using indoor tanning.  Resist the temptation!

     Just know that evidence continues to come in about the dangers of using a tanning salon.  The International Journal of Cancer reported on an analysis of data compiled from nineteen studies on indoor tanning and the risk of developing skin cancer.  The results reported were that people who used artificial tanning equipment before the age of 35 had double the risk for developing squamous cell skin cancer which is potentially disfiguring and had a seventy-five percent greater risk for the deadliest skin cancer, melanoma.

     Be aware that the UV intensity of tanning beds may be as much as ten to fifteen times greater than the exposure of the midday sun.  You are being endangered by those trips to the tanning salon.  If you want the look of a tan, use tanning creams.  If you are outside less than an hour a week without sunscreen, you are likely getting enough vitamin D from the sun.  If you seldom go outside or always use sunscreen and keep completely covered, a supplementation of 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D through supplementation is much safer than using a tanning salon.

    I've had clients tell me they are "addicted" to tanning salons.  If you have this bad habit and want to stop, hypnotherapy can be a great tool.  Stop artificial tanning and BE WELL.

REMOVING NEGATIVE LABELS WITH HYPNOSIS

    Too often when things don't go to suit us, we find blame in  things outside our control.  We find myriad reasons to make excuses for our faults and bad habits.  Our bad luck, our genes, our parents all get blamed for the problems in our lives.  Unfortunately, as we avoid responsibility we begin to use those excuses as truths about who we are.  Theses excuses become limitations to making changes and overcoming old labels.

    How often have you labeled yourself?  If you identify yourself as "lazy", "fat",  having a poor memory: being"a shopaholic", a klutz or any other negative label, you are limiting yourself.  These limiting labels can be the basis to self-actualize that belief.  Soon you don't move because you are "lazy, don't lose weight because you are "fat" or over-spend because you are a "shopaholic".  

   So what can you do to change this pattern?   It's time to stop accepting negative labels.  If you want to change old habits that are holding you back,  consciously remove the old negative label and give yourself a positive affirmation.  Create a positive affirmation that resonates for you.  For the negative label of laziness perhaps you could create a positive label like "  I am capable and accomplish my goals."  For the negative label of being fat, a new label could be: "I make good choices to create a strong, healthy body."  For the negative label of poor memory, a positive affirmation could be "I live mindfully and remember well."

    Know that how you think creates who you become.  So work on removing negative labels and create positive affirmations to create a more positive life.  A qualified hypnotherapist could help guide you through this process and do a hypnotherapy session to reinforce the new positive labels.  Remove negative labels, create new positive labels and BE WELL.

TINNITUS - TREATMENTS FOR RINGING IN THE EARS

     Are you often bothered by unwanted sounds like hissing, roaring, buzzing or ringing in your ears?  If no one else seems to be hearing that unwanted sound, you likely have tinnitus.  In fact as many as fifty million Americans are suffering with this condition.

    Some of the latest research and thinking about tinnitus believes that it is likely more of a brain issue than an ear issue.  Although tinnitus may begin with age-related hearing loss, the brain may begin to compensate for the sensory input it expected by activating neurons to create a perception of a sound.  Tinnitus may also happen because of long-term exposure to very loud noises.  This may change brain function as well.  

   So what can you do if you suffer from tinnitus?  First of all, see your medical doctor.  Your doctor will make sure you do not have a physical problem such as excess earwax which can be a common reason for tinnitus.  By reviewing your medications, your doctor may identify a prescription drug or over-the-counter medication such as aspirin or Motrin which can cause tinnitus in some people,  Diuretics, cancer medications and some antibiotics can sometimes trigger tinnitus.  Always consult your doctor before decreasing the dose or stopping the use of a particular prescription.  If medication is behind the tinnitus, your doctor can change your drug prescription to eliminate the symptom.

     According to the American Tinnitus Association, some people have gotten relief from tinnitus by using supplements.  The ATA recommends the B vitamins particularly B-12 and the minerals, magnesium or zinc.  Again, these should be taken on the advice of your doctor.

    Some medical doctors also prescribe drugs to reduce tinnitus symptoms.  These medications are created to treat other symptoms but are prescribed "off label" for tinnitus.  They include Alprazolam (Xanax), an anti-anxiety medication, which seems to give temporary relief in some patients, SSRI antidepressent, and Acamprosate, Campral, which is designed to treat alcohol addiction but has helped some tinnitus sufferers.

    Many people with tinnitus are hoping to get relief without using drugs.  Masking sounds with background noise such as a fan or a white-noise device helps some people.  Sound therapy called tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is provided by audiologists and has a reported success rate of about 80%.  Acupuncture, biofeedback and hypnosis are also used in treating tinnitus.

     Research conducted at the University of Liege in Belgium  found that among 49 tinnitus patients who had hypnosis and were  taught basic self-hypnosis, 35 completed the training and reported relief from tinnitus symptoms after five to ten sessions.  If you are ready to get relief from that ringing in your ears, hypnotherapy can be another tool in your tool box.  Relieve the ringing and BE WELL. 

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND DIABETES

    Stress management is important for everyone but can become critical if you have diabetes.   When a person is stressed, the body releases the "fight or flight" hormone cortisol.  This is particularly significant for diabetics because cortisol also increases blood glucose to produce a quick surge in adrenalin.  Cortisol can be released in an emergency situation or in the chronic stress people often feel in their daily life.  Diabetes can become more difficult to control with chronic stress.

    So what can you do to manage your stress?  At least a few times a day, do something you find relaxing - read a chapter, work on a craft or hobby, call a friend.  Get up and move.  Simply taking a walk can help calm you and relieve stress.  Practice yoga or learn to meditate.  Get away from stresses by getting outside for a few minutes.  Remember, hypnotherapy can be a great way to relieve stress.  If you have diabetes or are concerned about the stress has on your body, begin to manage your stress and BE WELL.

SECONDHAND SMOKE AND CANCER RISK

    Perhaps you have had heard the old saying "Where there's smoke, there's fire".    Where there's smoke, there may also be health risks.  A study of 4,400 women found that those who were exposed to secondhand smoke were 70 percent more likely to have irregular Pap tests.  Kristy Ward, M.D. and lead author of the study noted, "The cervix has rapid cell turnover, so it's vulnerable to carcinogens.  Try to avoid the smoke - but if you can't, be conscientious about Paps, to detect abnormalities early."  If you are being exposed to cigarette smoke, share this information.  It may become just the motivator for your smoker to become a nonsmoker.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool for quitting smoking which could save not only the smoker's life but that of those exposed to the second smoke.  Encourage the smokers in your life to quit smoking and BE WELL.

TECHNIQUES FOR MINDFULNESS

    Dealing with stress and learning to relax are two reasons I often see clients in my hypnotherapy practice.  From daily life stresses like work issues and family relationships to dealing with major traumas like sexual assault, car wrecks and returning from war,  people need tools to manage the stresses they are experiencing in their lives.

     Amishi Jha, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, who studies stress-fighting techniques to help military personnel has said that "The mind needs support - we call it 'mental armor" - just as much as the body does" She notes that "Research shows it's possible to cushion yourself against stress and the tactics we're using with soldiers also apply to real folks and more common types of anxiety."  

    Stress is dangerous.  Stress over time causes anxiety and persistent anxiety can actually kill neurons in the brain dealing with decision-making and memory.  This destruction is so damaging it is even visible on brain scans.

     Among the coping techniques new PTSD science is teaching is how to deal with stress.  The researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are using the practice of mindfulness meditation with military personnel to help stress resilience.  Results have shown that Marines were more alert, exhibited better memory and less reactive to stressors after just eight weeks of meditation training.

    If you have tried meditation before and found you could not do it or felt too busy to meditate, here is a simple technique the Marines use even in a war zone.  Sit upright while focusing on your breathing.  Then begin to pay to attention to a physical sensation such as the feel of your chest moving or air in your nostrils.  When your mind wanders, just note the disruption and then return your attention to the physical sensation.  Some people meditate for half an hour or more each day, others find that it is easier to simply meditate for five to ten minutes at a time for a number of times a day.

    Hypnotherapy is another great tool to deal with stress and help you relax.  A qualified hypnotherapist can help you learn techniques for mindfulness so you can BE WELL.

SMOKING AND PROSTATE CANCER

     Did you know that about one in six men in the United States will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime?  It is the most common cancer in men and is only behind lung cancer as the second leading cause of male cancer deaths. 

    A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed data on 5,366 men who were treated for prostate cancer. The study was trying to address the question of whether smoking might make a difference in how a man's health progresses after receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The researchers found that men who were smokers when they were diagnosed with prostate cancer were about 60 percent more likely to have died from the cancer or have had a recurrence than those who had never smoked.  In fact, smokers were more than twice as likely to have died for any reason.

     The good news is that men who had quit smoking at least ten years before being diagnosed with prostate cancer had comparable risks to those who had never smoked.  About 270,000 deaths each year are attributed to U.S. men who smoke cigarettes.  If you are smoking, it's time to stop.  If you need help smoking, call a hypnotherapist to help you become a non-smoker and BE WELL.

TOOLS TO OVERCOME ANXIETY

    Almost everyone will occasionally experience anxiety.  Dealing with a difficult person, speaking in front of a group or even making a challenging phone call can be the kind of situations that may make us have a moment of anxiety.  But one in ten adults overage 60 suffers with the worry, obsessive thoughts, fear and perhaps the nameless dread of anxiety that has become chronic.

   If you are suffering from anxiety,  seeing your physician is the first step to overcoming this challenge.  Most doctors will prescribe medication which many patients will find very helpful.  But I often see clients who feel that the medicines are not the answer for them.  Some feel the medications are just not working while others are fearful of side effects or dependency.  

    If you suffer from anxiety and do not wish to take medications, what else can you do?  If you would like to tame anxiety without drugs, there are other tools to overcome anxiety and help prevent future occurrences.  Making healthy diet and lifestyle changes can strengthen your body and conquer anxiety.

    What you consume in eat and drink has a tremendous effect on how your body reacts to the stresses in your life.  Eating to tame anxiety includes eating complex carbohydrates while avoiding simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates include brightly colored vegetables and fruits.  A good goal is at least two servings with each meal.  The protective phytonutrients in these foods help prevent the destructiveness of high stress hormones . Avoid simple carbs like white bread, crackers, white potatoes and white pasta elevate blood sugars.  They causes a quick uplift where you feel better before crashing into even greater anxiety. Be sure to get 60 g to 70 g of protein daily.  Proteins are important in moving the amino acid tryptophan to the brain.  This increases the calming neurotramsmitter, serotonin. Protein foods include, beef, chicken and fish,  Nonanimal proteins include soy, beans, seeds and nuts.  Don't forget alcohol is a concentrated sugar so limiting alcoholic drinks is recommended to overcome anxiety. And avoid caffeine which elevates the stress hormone norepinephrine.  Limit or at least avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and caffeinated soft-drinks.

    Many experts in the field of anxiety believe that certain vitamins, minerals  and other supplements will help control chronic anxiety. I highly recommend that you consult your medical doctor before beginning a supplement regimen especially if you are taking any prescription medications.  Among the vitamins recommended by experts are the B-complex which include folic acid, B-6 and B-12, Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids available in a fish oil supplement.  Minerals such as calcium and magnesium can help as a mild muscle relaxant.  Herbal supplements are also recommended including Saint-John's wort, Passionflower and L-theanine.  Before you use these be sure and discuss dosages with your doctor.

     Exercise can be a great way to deal with anxiety.  Get up and move.  If you are anxious about being outside, climb the stairs inside your home.  If you haven't been exercising at all, start slowly - walk outside to the mailbox or down to the corner.  Challenge yourself to do a little more each day until you are moving regularly for about half an hour.

     Learning breathing techniques can be a great way to deal with the stresses that can foster anxiety.  If you have ever watched a baby asleep on its back, its little belly will go up and down.  We're born knowing how to breathe.  As we age, we get more uptight and tend to inhale much more shallowly.  To release the tension which can cause anxiety, put your hands on your belly, breathe down through your lungs and into your abdominal cavity. You should be holding air  so your tummy will go out rather than such in.  I suggest you breathe in to a count of four.  Hold your breath for two counts and exhale for seven counts.  Do this for about a minute at least three times a day.  Some people do it as often as every 90 minutes to two hours.  By doing this, you are training your body to release stress and tension automatically.

    Hypnotherapy is an excellent tool for relieving anxiety.  It will help you relax.  I always suggest to my clients that they may want to record the session on their smart phone for a time when they would like that level of relaxation again.  In addition, hypnotherapy can be a great way to motivate yourself to eat better, avoid caffeine or alcohol, and exercise more.  Hope you can use these tips to overcome anxiety and BE WELL.

STRESS, DEPRESSION AND STROKE RISK

    When I ask my clients, on a scale of one to ten where there daily stress level is, the numbers I hear more than any others are seven and eight.  Sometimes an acute event such as a family hospitalization or a wedding has run the numbers up.  But often the number reflects the chronic stress of a busy and demanding work and family life.  This chronic stress in turn can lead to depression and health risks including stroke.

     In the United States, the Number 3 cause of death is stroke and is a leading cause of disability.  Speech problems, paralysis and weakness in the limbs are all complications that can be experienced by those who have suffered a stroke.  Researchers studied 1200 people.  Six hundred of these people had recently had a stroke while the other 600 had not.  The study reported that people who had experienced stress for a year or more were at 3.5 times greater risk for ischemic stroke .  Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year.  About 87% of those have an ischemic stroke where a clot blocks blood flow to the brain.  The other 13% have a hemorrhagic stroke where a blood vessel ruptures in the brain.

       Physicians and researchers believe chronic stress raises stroke risk by triggering the secretion of cortisol.  This hormone can increase inflammation, raise blood pressure,  and destabilize blood sugar. All of these can elevate stroke risk.  If you feel like you are dealing with unrelieved stress or depression or are having symptoms like changes in sleep habits or weight, it's time to see your physician.

     You doctor my prescribe an antidepressant and may also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy.  Changes in life style such as a healthful diet, regular and sufficient sleep and regular exercise will help deal with both stress and depression.  If you need motivation to make those life style changes, see a hypnotherapist to get motivated and BE WELL>

WALKING TO IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH

    In the past few months, I have had four different clients talk about their fear of developing Alzheimer's disease.  In each case, the client had one or both parents who had the disease.  Even those who do not have a family history of Alzheimer's can become fearful of cognitive impairment as they age.   A study by Cyrus Raji, MD, PhD, at the department of radiology at the University if Pittsburgh  of 426 adults some with and some without cognitive decline found that those who walked six miles a week were half as likely over the next 13 years to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who did not walk.  Walking five miles a  week reduced cognitive decline by more than half in those with cognitive impairment.

   Researchers speculate that the walking improves blood flow to the brain which in turn keeps neurons healthy.  If you are concerned about preserving brain health, try to walk three-quarters to a mile most days.  If you need help to get motivated to start walking, see a board certified hypnotherapist.  Get walking and BE WELL.

INCREASED STROKE RISK WITH MENTHOLATED CIGARETTES

   You may know that smoking cigarettes puts the smoker at increased stroke risk.  But a study published in ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada, of some 5,167 smokers found something of special interest to smokers of mentholated cigarettes.  The researchers reported that smokers of mentholated cigarettes are at more than double the risk for stroke, compared to smokers who smoke non-mentholated cigarettes.

     If you have been thinking about quitting smokers please check out my website at www.BeaHealthyNonSmoker.com to get lots of information about the risks of smoking and what you can do to quit.  Or check out the posts on this blog which also have information about quitting smoking particularly with hypnotherapy.  If you are discouraged about being able to stop smoking,  find a hypnotherapist to give you a valuable tool to Be a Healthy NonSmoker and BE WELL.