Health Diary

5 Reasons to Use Yoga to Battle Modern Day Stresses

2007-06-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

5 Reasons to Use Yoga to Battle Modern Day Stresses
By Barbara House By Barbara House

While many people have always thought of Yoga as some mystic Hindu practice, that image is rapidly disappearing – almost as fast as the stresses of our modern lives are increasing.

As an effective method of stress management, yoga is spreading into the business world, the helping professions, nursing and old age homes. It is also being used in the treatment of alcoholics, hyperactive children and youngsters with learning disabilities. Yoga centers are getting stiff competition from adult education classes of community colleges, boards of education and parks and recreation departments.

There are many kinds of yoga to study, and there can be endless years of practice for the willing student. Many of the problems suffered in modern life can be erased by following a regular yoga routine

Reasons to practice Yoga

1. Yoga can release the tense muscles caused by hours of sitting at a desk.
Yoga differs from other forms of exercise in that it involves motions that don't cause strain on the body. It isn’t an aerobic exercise, but it uses almost every muscle in your body. Over time, your limbs are strengthened – helping to combat the aches and pains caused by our sedentary lifestyles.

2. Mediation during Yoga can enhance concentration.
Breathing deeply can improve vitality by increasing the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain. All forms of yoga incorporate the practice of proper breathing techniques for relaxation, to rest the mind from its constant chatter, to experience an internal calm, and to energize and purify the body.

3. Yoga is fun an easy for children.
Yoga is great fun for children and teenagers and it's easy for them to do, as they are already flexible. Yoga can help them retain that flexibility. It can also help to develop their self-discipline. Practicing yoga is good for developing coordination and can help to improve concentration - which many children and teens find difficult.

4. Yoga is the ideal exercise during pregnancy.
Practicing yoga can improve backache and help to lift depression. Many women who practice yoga have said that it helped to make their labor easier and shorter. The meditation side of yoga is also calming and centering during pregnancy.

5. Yoga can combat feelings of anxiety and depression.
Practicing yoga can alter your brain chemistry. Some yoga positions in particular are effective in stimulating the pituitary gland to release endorphins and to reduce the level of cortisol (the stress hormone).

As stress levels in our society reach new heights, yoga can provide you with the means for handling stress, diffusing tension and increasing the quality of your life!

Barbara House is the founder of Really Busy People, http://www.reallybusypeople.com - a website dedicated to providing current news, informative articles, time-saving products & services to simplify your hectic, busy lifestyle. © 2006 Really Busy People. All Rights Reserved.

How to Meditate in 3 Easy Steps

2007-06-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, but we have just as much need for it today, with our busy lifestyles, as the mystics seeking enlightenment in ancient times.

Learning how to meditate is one of the best ways to learn to relax and eliminate stress and, unlike medication, there are no nasty side effects. There are many different types of meditation from the extremely complex to the relatively simple but I’m going to show you a quick and easy method which anybody can learn in a few minutes.

First, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for about 10 to 15 minutes and sit in a straight-backed chair.

Place your feet on the floor and rest your hands comfortably on your lap. Sit upright and imagine a thread pulling the top of your head up toward the ceiling (no slouching allowed!)

Now, imagine that your belly is a balloon - as you breathe in, the balloon expands and as you breathe out the balloon collapses in toward your spine. This breathing method ensures that you’ll be using your diaphragm, instead of your chest muscles, which promotes greater relaxation.

Concentrate on the movement of your belly, expanding and contracting, and also on the sound of your breath as it goes in and out of your mouth.

Continue for about ten to fifteen minutes, then open your eyes but don’t stand up straight away, wait for a few moments to re-orient yourself first. Congratulations! You now know how to meditate.

Try to do this technique twice a day for a week and you’ll be amazed at how more relaxed and less stressed you feel. In fact you may feel so good that you’ll want to make meditation a permanent part of your life.

Mike Hughes has been practicing meditation for over 20 years and is the
author of "The Power of Stillness" which will teach you How to Meditate using a more powerful method.

Check out his site and download your FREE copy of "The Ultimate Secret" ebook at www.controlyourstress.com

Getting to Grips with and Understanding the Basics of High Blood Pressure.

2007-06-16T05:06:00.000-07:00

Hypertension means a great different things to different people. The Common definition refers to High Blood Pressure without alluding to any cause.

Because of the silent and insidious way it works in the background i.e. no symptoms it is referred to as the Silent Killer. If left uncontrolled or untreated then High Blood Pressure can cause a variety of illnesses all of which could kill if left to their own devices. In the United States of America alone their estimate to be 50 million sufferers of High Blood Pressure.

High blood pressure occurs more often in blacks—in 32% of black adults compared with 23% of whites and 23% of Mexican Americans. For blacks it would also appear the adverse consequences of high blood pressure were worse.

High blood pressure occurs more often in older people—in about three fourths of women and almost two thirds of men aged 75 or older, compared with only about one fourth of people aged 20 to 74. For those suffering with clinical obesity the incidences of high blood pressure rise by 200%.

It is a staggering figure that possibly only two thirds of the potential high blood pressure sufferers in the US have been diagnosed.Of these people, about 75% receive drug treatment, and of these, about 45% receive adequate treatment.

Hypertension is calculated by way of registering two figures. The first figure is the highest and reflects the highest pressure in the arteries upon contraction of the heart during the process known as systole. As would appear logical the second figure relates to the process of contraction within the heart known as diastole.

The traditional way of reporting blood pressure figures is calculated in millimetres of mercury and described as the systolic over the diastolic (120 over 80 etc). If the blood pressure readings were greater than a systolic pressure of 140 mm Hg and a diastolic pressure off greater than 90 mm Hg than to suffer was deemed to be suffering from high blood pressure.

However it has now been recognized that even these figures may be arbitrary as even the smallest increase in blood pressure is a risk.The limits were established because people with blood pressure above these levels are at increasing risk of complications.

Research has shown that it is not unusual for raised figures in both systolic and diastolic pressures for sufferers of high blood pressure. The one major exception to this widely accepted approach towards blood pressure is when it is arising through increased age whereby it is not uncommon to see a raised systolic pressure alongside a normal diastolic figure.

This disorder is called isolated systolic hypertension. Where the blood pressure is in excess of 180/110 mm Hg and there is an absence of associate symptoms then the entire condition is referred to as a hypertensive urgency.”

There has been an additional condition recognized as malignant hypertension and this occurs when blood pressure readings are in excess of 210/120 mm Hg.It occurs in only about 1 of 200 people who have high blood pressure.

Again the incidences of malignant hypertension is greater within the black community and amongst those people from the socioeconomic groups. Unlike hypertensive urgency, malignant hypertension may produce a variety of severe symptoms. If untreated, malignant hypertension usually leads to death in 3 to 6 months. Stephen Morgan writes regularly on High Blood Pressure issues and more information on the above can be found at High Blood Pressure,High Blood Pressure Symptom and also at www.livingwithhighbloodpressure.net/treatment.html

Aromatherapy Bathing. What Essential Oils Can Be Used.

2007-06-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

Aromatherapy Bathing. What Essential Oils Can Be Used.
by: Kerris Samson

Long before the term alternative medicine was being used, aromatherapy was being practiced by the Egyptians for over 5,000 years. When being used by the Egyptians oil was being extracted from the many aromatic plants around them through infusion and then used for their not only cosmetic and medicinal purposes but also for embalming as well. They then passed the knowledge they had gained on to the Greeks and it served as the beginning of their research into how to use the oils and fragrance of some flowers for their relaxing and stimulating effects. In fact when looking back further in history we find that ancient man depended very much on his environment for their basic needs and to survive which led them to discover the more natural ways of preserving food and how certain conditions could be treated using herbs and aromatics.

First of all we will look at Eastern Roots. The use of aromatics are shown in a Chinese Herbal Book by Shen Nung dated 2,700 BC and which provides specific details on over 300 plants and how they can be used. Also the ancient Chinese would burn incense and wood as part of their religious beliefs and practices and even in today’s modern society many Chinese still observe these practices today. You will also discover that the Chinese used aromatics in relation to the acupressure, massage and other therapies that they used.

Whilst now in modern society many people place a very high premium on their health and well being but due to the high cost of traditional and conventional medicines available (surgery and Medicare) more and more people are turning to aromatherapy and essential oil therapy as well as other forms of alternative medicine.

The basics of using essential oils in an aromatherapy bath are as follows:-

1. It facilitates equilibrium of both the physical, mental and spiritual health of a person through natural means.

2. In some cases it has been found that alternative treatments are considered as strong and effective as complementary treatments to regular medical practices.

3. The main component of aromatherapy is the essential oils and are highly concentrated essences which are known for their healing effects.

Essentials oils are aroma producing oils which come from flowers such as the rose, from leaves such as basil, twig, bark, fruit rind and many other parts of plants. Although experts say that extracting the oils can be quite time consuming and complex and requires a large amount of patience on behalf of the person carrying out the work the benefits at the end are great. Certainly you need to recognize and accept that if you want to get about 5 tsp of oil from rose petals it will take about 220lbs of petals to do it and this is why pure essential oils are so expensive. Although the effectiveness of the oils is not comprised as it only takes a few drops to generate the effect required. However there is a cheaper alternative namely synthetic oil, however they do not offer the person the same healing properties as their natural counterparts.

Essential oils work by stimulating a person’s olfactory system and later on the brain or limbic system. The fragrance along with other properties and effects relating to the oils will determine how a person’s body system and its parts are stimulated. Whilst having a massage using these oils they are not only absorbed by the body but are inhaled at the same time and eventually when being absorbed through the skin they will reach the organs and body system of the person being treated. The time it takes for the oils to absorb through the skin can be from as little as 20 minutes and take as long as 2 hours or more and there it is wise to avoid taking a shower or bath straight after any massage so that the maximum effect is received from the massage therapy.

The time that the effect lasts on a person can vary from 3-24 hours to 2-3 days or even as long as week. Oils that have a short live time span in regard to their scent are Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Thyme and Bergamot whilst Hyssop, Lavender, Balm and various other oils can last between 2 to 3 days. The oils that take as long as a week to completely evaporate are Jasmine, Sandalwood, Ginger and Cedar Wood.

Many people when using aromatherapy are looking to achieve a sense of calm in their lives and these people will look to using a combination of three types of oils to help with this and they will base them on how long they last. They can be used by mixing them into a warm bath and will help the person to become relaxed and calm, they will help to eliminate the stress and depression that they are feeling as well as both energizing and soothing the body of any aches that they are feeling. Certainly by using essential oils during a massage will help increase the healing and calming effect that the person is feeling. However any massage carried out using essential oils must also include a carrier oil to help prevent irritation and skin reactions on the person being treated. Such carrier oils that are used to help dilute the essential oils are avocado oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, wheat germ oil, almond oil, soya oil and hazelnut oil.

About The Author

Kerris Samson a work from home mum who has carried out extensive research in all forms of alternative medicines, treatments and therapies over the last year. She has now set up a site dealing with all aspects of baths and if you would like to learn more please visit http://www.bath.letsgetpampered.com.

Laptops giving chronic back pain to millions

2007-06-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

Laptops giving chronic back pain to millions by subhash

Booming sales of laptops have led to a surge in the number of computer users with back and muscle problems, experts have warned. Girls as young as 12 are being diagnosed with nerve damage caused by slouching over screens, a group of leading chiropractors said.

Millions of others are at risk of "irretrievable damage" to their spines, necks and shoulders because of poor posture when using laptops, it was claimed. Back specialists say as many as four in five patients have chronic nerve damage caused by working on portable PCs.

The problem is being driven by falling prices and the increasing availability of wireless technology, which makes portable computers more attractive. Laptop sales in PC World went up by more than 25% last year.

In addition, laptops used at work are not subject to the same health and safety regulations as desktop computers. This makes it more likely they will be used incorrectly. A common problem is perching a laptop on the legs so users stare down at the screen and put strain on their necks, spines and legs.

London-based chiropractor Michael Durntall was among those calling for more research into the issue. He said he had seen dozens of Xrays showing signs of degeneration in the joints of regular laptop users. Durntall added: "Mothers bring in their 12-year-old daughters suffering back pain and when they arrive I can see their slumped posture straight away.

"I also see many people in their twenties and thirties with a dowager's hump -- a rounding at the base of the neck -- after only a few years of looking down at a small screen while sitting slumped on a chair for long periods."

Rishi Loatey, a chiropractor from Wembley, North-West London, said he often treated back and neck pain caused by using a laptop on the move, such as on a train.

Nicola Hunter, a physiotherapist and occupational health specialist, said that hand and arm pain similar to repetitive strain injury was easily induced by resting wrists against the edge of a laptop.

For more details on Laptop chronic back pain visit www.halfvalue.com and
For more information on books visit www.Lookbookstores.com

Lower your Blood Sugar - Step Up Your Exercise, A Bit

2007-06-05T07:58:00.000-07:00

Lower your Blood Sugar - Step Up Your Exercise, A Bit by John H Markus

People, who have diabetes, hear the same question almost every time they visit the doctor's office. How is your diet and are you exercising? Those of you afflicted with this disease know that diet and exercise are essential to controlling blood sugar levels. Applying that knowledge is key in control. Self discipline is needed to stay on track. Let's say, you have this self discipline,and are on track.

What can you do to get better blood sugar readings. Just step it up a bit, not much, just a little bit. The Canadian Public Health system, recently conducted an experiment on overweight diabetics. The people involved were on a walking program. The experiment was officially called "Picking Up The Pace." In it, some subjects were chosen to increase their walking by 10%. The experiment lasted 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, the results were as most would expect. The people walking the extra 10% lost a significantly higher amount of weight and showed healthier levels of blood sugar Ten percent of what you are doing now, is not much. If you are walking 1,000 steps in 3 minutes, step it up to 1,100 steps. If you are bench pressing 10 repetitions step it up to 11 repetitions, or put a few more pound on the bar.

This concept relates to any type of exercise you are performing. Just step it up a little. You will find your blood sugar levels to be better. There are many other areas of your health that will also improve. Your heart will work a little harder. This makes it stronger. Your circulation will be more efficient. Your internal organs will function better because of increased blood flow. This will help increase bone density. All of the body's functions will profit form this small increase in intensity. You will see evidence in your blood sugar readings. You will start to lose a few pounds. You will look better. You will feel better about yourself. You will feel better.
About the Author

John Has been a pharmacist since 1973. His wife of 32 years has Type I diabetes. John's mother-in-law and 8 year old granddaughter also have diabetes. There were some challenging times. With knowledge and single-eyedness they were able to get this disease under control. John also has been studying exercise and nutrition, and their effect on the body for more than 30 years.

Tea: Varieties And Grades Of Green Tea

2007-06-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

Tea: Varieties And Grades Of Green Tea by Marcus Stout

If you've ever shopped for green tea, no doubt you're aware that there are a vast number of choices. There are green teas from many regions of the world, and many varieties, grades and flavors from each region.

Green tea was likely the first kind of tea. About 3000 years ago in China, people plucked fresh tea leaves and let them dry in the sun before storing them. In the 8th century, tea processors began using the evaporation process, and by the 12th century, they began sautéing the leaves. Basically, green tea came about before tea processors learned the methods associated with processing black tea.

Even today, green tea is one of the teas left in its most natural state. Unlike black tea, green tea is unfermented. This lack of fermentation leaves the chlorophyll in the leaves, so that they retain their green color. Green tea also retains more of its natural anti-oxidants as a result of being unfermented. This makes green tea a far healthier choice than black tea.

The natural anti-oxidants in green tea hold a great deal of power for protecting our health and preventing disease. Anti-oxidants are important to our health because they neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are created in our bodies as a by product of digestion. These oxygen containing molecules damage our cells and DNA if left unchecked.

A diet rich in foods such as fruits, vegetables and other plant products like tea, helps rid our bodies of free radicals before they can damage our bodies.

In recent years, there has been an abundance of research showing that long term drinking of green tea can protect our bodies from many forms of disease, including cancer, heart disease and high cholesterol. Green tea has also been shown to be an effective weight loss supplement as well as a natural way to help regulate insulin levels. More research is needed, but it's very likely that as time goes on we'll find more and more health reasons for making green tea part of our everyday lives.

Classifying Green Tea

The many different varieties of green tea are classified, in part, by the method in which they are dried. The five methods of drying green tea include:

*Stir Frying - Fresh tea leaves are sauteed in a pan. This process is mainly used for export teas. Stir frying gives green a strong fragrance and taste. Some common varieties of green tea that are stir fried include gunpowder teas and Dragonwell teas.

*Roasting - Tea leaves are dried in a roast basket or roast chest. In most cases roasted teas are used as the basis for flower scented teas. Roasting keeps the leaves intact and makes them appear as though covered in a white fluff. Monkey king teas are roasted.

*Semi-roast and semi fry - Sometimes the stir frying and roasting methods are combined. This method is used in order to retain the beautiful look of a roasted leaf combined with the strong fragrance and taste of stir fried tea.

*Solar drying - This is the age old method, whereby leaves are dried in the sun. Today these leaves are typically used as the basis for compressed teas. These are the "green tea cakes" you sometimes see.

*Steaming - The leaves are steamed at a very high temperature to dry them. The most famous steamed green tea is Sencha.

Within each of these varieties of green tea, there are also quality grades. It can be very difficult to determine, however, the quality of tea you're buying, because each country has different grading methods. China, which produces more green tea than any other country in the world, grades their green tea something like this.

First, teas for export are graded according to the age of the leaf and the finished shape of the leaf. These categories include gunpowder, imperial, young hyson, hyson, twankay, hyson skin, and dust. Within each of these categories there are several quality grades; sometimes as many as nine grades within one leaf shape.

With all the complicated categories of green tea, it can be difficult to know which ones to dry. Understanding the different drying methods and how they affect the flavor of the tea will give you a good start, as you can select varieties dried in the method that produces the taste you prefer. However, when it comes to selecting the best quality of this variety, you have little to go on. There are a couple of ways to spot good quality tea:

*Form - Loose tea is higher quality than bagged tea. Whether it's black tea, green tea or white tea, you can bet that the lowest quality leaves are the ones used in tea bags. For good tea, always buy loose tea.

*Price - If loose green tea is really inexpensive, it's probably not very good quality. Shop around to get a good idea of a fair price for good loose green tea so that you can accurately judge prices.

*Reputation of Tea Company - One of the best ways to ensure that you get good tea is to buy from a tea company with a reputation for selling only the highest quality teas. This is particularly important when shopping online.

It's true that there are many varieties of green tea. But, that's what makes trying green tea so much fun! There's almost no end to the many flavors and nuances you can find in the different varieties of green tea. You're sure to want to try them all!

About the Author

Marcus Stout is President of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, wholesale tea and black tea go to www.goldenmoontea.com

Women's Mental Health

2007-06-01T06:39:00.000-07:00

Women's Mental Health by Alexander Holle

Does so-called "positive thinking" have any real effect on a woman's mental health and physical health? Can a change in your thinking actually change your health? The answer is yes, according to a scientific study at the University of Pennsylvania.

The study found that those who responded optimistically to adversity lived longer those who responded pessimistically to adversity. Adversity and stress visit us all on a regular basis. A quick test of your own current state of optimism is the reaction you have when reading the above paragraphs. Some people gain hope and confidence from the news. Others feel helpless and shake their heads while muttering something negative. We all see both reactions in life and unfortunately the negative thinking seems to be more common. Parade magazine reports that in a recent survey, 250,000 women said the number one problem they face every day is stress. One way to face stressful challenges and overcome them is to think optimistic thoughts about how you plan to rise above the situation and solve the problem.

Imagine yourself victorious. Some women say "But I don't have any imagination." Sure you do. Every time you worry about something that doesn't happen you have imagined the worst. You are using your imagination to visualize your worries. Use this same process but imagine the best and visualize things going right instead of things going wrong. As You Think, So Shall You Become Author James Allen wrote the following poetic advice over 100 years ago: "Strong, pure and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and pliable instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it. Thought is the fount of action, life and manifestations; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure. If you would perfect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind. As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome home unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene face can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and good will and serenity.

There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with good will for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all --such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor." What makes a healthy personality? According to Emerson, "An individual has a healthy personality to the exact degree to which they have the propensity to look for the good in every situation." Try that for one day. Look for the good in every situation. Find the silver lining in every cloud. See if you don't have a better day than usual. When you meet up with someone who is thinking negative, remember this little joke and smile: When a grouch was given this advice he said, "I was going to try positive thinking once... but then I figured what the heck is the use in trying." Look for the good in every situation today and keep smiling.

About the Author
Author writes articles on different topics. To know more, visit:acne exposed system treatment www.womens-health-questions.com

Balance Is Firing Stress

2007-05-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

Balance Is Firing Stress by Amanda Young

Have you ever felt real stressed out and pressed down emotionally, drained, and burned out? Your life is a blur? The days seem to rush. You rush to work. You rush to run errands on your lunch break or after work. You put more projects onto your calendar. What if you could have more time? Time to be with friends and family. Time to do what you want to do for once. However lately does it seem impossible to fit in a social life? A social life seems like a crazy idea right now?

People are working more and more, working harder,and having less time for a social life. It is a fact. Many people put a lot on their plates. They think they are superman or superwoman. Many people are getting burned out and end up sick. How much is on your plate right now? Having less social life is actually a danger. Do you suffer from migraines, frequent headaches, problems with concentration, being over tired, or isolated from friends and family? Theses are a few common symptoms of stress. Being aware of your stress levels is a great indicator that you need more balance in your life especially in the social area. Our bodies and minds thrive on a healthy balance between our work and social life.

So how can you get more social life back into your life? Where do you start? Here are a few ways to put social life back on your calendar. Mark it with an "S" (social).
1. Get a calendar of some sort. Whatever kind of calendar that works for you. Start planning social events onto your calendar. Ask yourself what do you like to do for fun. Ask yourself who do you like to spend time with. Once you know what and whom you want to socialize with, start planning events.
2. Some social events you can do are going out to dinner, go dancing, do drive go-carts, or go to a concert. Join a health club with a friend. Exercise is a great way to restore your physical and emotional stress. Grab a friend and go shopping. These are some things you can do. The list is endless.
It is time to start socializing. Parents push their kids to socialize with others. They put them in all kinds of activities. However many adults don't do it themselves. It is time for you to live a balance between your career and fun. You can only maximize today and tomorrow.

About the Author
Amanda Young, founder of The Time Mastery, specializes in helping people get more done in less time in their career and personal life. To learn more on how you can get more done and gain balance in your life today. Grab your free simpleology course at www.thetimemastery.com