Effects of Drinking Alcohol

It is incredibly important for everyone to recognize the effects of drinking alcohol. Whether you're not drinking, a beginner or an addicted drinker, all and sundry should know the result of taking booze. I assume the difficulty with alcohol addicts is that they are uninformed of the final result of their conduct. They were mistakenly made to suppose that alcohol will do them good. They were told that it will make them put aside their setback. In brief, all they were told were lies which they also accepted. They were never told of the incapacitating outcome of taking alcohol. The image given to them was that of having rapture on the universe. This piece of writing is written for every person to be acquainted with the deplorable ending of alcohol addiction, not only to the alcoholics but also to the family unit and employment of the person drinking.

One of the several depressing end result of drinking alcohol is that it affects your brain or that of an addict. It is better not to take alcohol than to take it and try to control the ending. When taken, your point of view and selection is affected negatively. In other language, you can't meditate usefully. You see things from the incorrect standpoint. It only becomes clearer to you or the addict after everything has died down. Your brain that is needed for maximum lifestyle in your job and family unit and in association with your friends and family members is adversely affected and you begin to think unreasonably. To you or an addict, every person is immoral and you are the right human being.

Not lots of folks are in the know of the weakening upshots of drinking alcohol on their everyday life. Alcohol is answerable for mental and moral changes in the person indulging in it. Unknown to countless persons drinking it, it opens the door for all forms of bananas and unintelligent spirits. Thence, it makes individuals, who are morally right and upright when they are not inebriated, to behave badly and behave unusually when they take either a little or much of it. These knotted behaviors repeatedly astound and shame the people that did it. They feel that they are not the one that did it but when shown the confirmation, they felt remorseful for their action and agree never to indulge in it again. But that obligation only last for a small number of minutes or hours.

The two effects of drinking alcohol spoke in this commentary are not exhaustive. We are yet to lay a hand on on how it has an effect on the relatives and how it is answerable for the various examples of estrangement we have in our community today. I will comment upon this in another expose for that purpose. Yet it suffice to you my dear reader to know that alcohol does more destruction to you and individuals around you than good. Therefore, the best thing you can do for yourself, your heath, your relatives and profession is keep away from all appearances of alcoholic drinks.

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Stop Drinking Alcohol

Having a desire to stop drinking alcohol is actually the first and right step to quitting. In other words, there is no one in the whole world that can stop you from doing what you love doing. So, winning the battle against booze starts from within you. However, I need to let you know that your desire must be very strong and you must have a strong will as well. This is because a mere wish to quit drinking will not help you. You will always find yourself going back to your old way of life. And there is nothing anyone out there can do about that. Once you have a burning desire to stop drinking alcoholic drinks, the following tips will help quit.

One primary sign of a burning desire that wants to quit drinking is staying away from all kinds of alcoholic drinks. Also, it is useless telling everybody that you want to quit and you still have bottles of alcohol around you. This is a mere wish that will take you no where. You need to get rid of the bottles and stay away from your alcoholic friends. The latter is very important. Without telling them to go, you will still find yourself drinking.

After getting rid of your alcoholic friends and alcohol in your home, it is really essential for you to replace these with useful and helpful materials and people. In other words, there is need to start taking drinks that will nourish your body. It is advisable to see your doctor about this issue so that you dot take drinks that will worsen your problem as your body needs some kinds of intakes that will make it adjust to your new way of life. Furthermore, there is need to get some new friends. You can get many of these people in social, community or religious groups in your area. Staying in the company of these people will help you lose appetite for alcohol as well as keep you away from gatherings that promote alcoholism.

If you still find yourself drinking once in while after observing the above mentioned tips, it is advisable for you to seek external help that is often available in a treatment center. look around for a good and reliable center close to you. Make sure they have good reputation and have helped lots of alcohol addicts like you to quit. Enroll for their program and get the help you need to say farewell to alcohol and begin a new way of life that you and all around you are proud of.

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Alcohol Dehydration

Alcohol dehydration - also known as a hangover - is a familiar morning after treat for anyone who has ever had too much to drink. Without even considering any of the long-term negative effects of excessive alcohol intake, the impact of a hangover is enough proof of the fact that drinking too much is not healthy.

Alcohol is what's known as a diuretic, which simply means that it causes an increase in urination. That means that the more alcohol a person drinks, the more they will feel the need to go to the bathroom. Need proof? Have a few beers. More urination means quicker water loss, and that is why we get dehydrated when we drink too much. And beer is not the only culprit. All alcoholic beverages have diuretic properties.

Besides boosting the desire to relieve ourselves, alcohol also depletes the body's vital stores of vitamins and minerals. The lack of these important nutrients can send many body functions out of balance. This causes uncomfortable symptoms on multiple levels: headache, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, irritability - all the basics of a hangover.

While there is no one cure for alcohol dehydration or a hangover, there are definitely a couple of things that can be done to decrease the severity of the symptoms. Of course, the best way to avoid a hangover is to avoid drinking alcohol in excess. Because it is not just the alcohol that causes the hangover, it is too much of the alcohol. A great way to reduce the amount you drink is to slow down your pace. In general, the faster we drink the more we drink, so keep that in mind the next time you go out.

Another way to lessen the effects of alcohol dehydration is to continue to hydrate the body while you are drinking. Every couple of drinks, take a break from the alcohol and have a glass of water. This will work to keep your body hydrated throughout a night of heavy drinking. The symptoms can also be held in check by drinking water before going to bed. If you know you had too much to drink, consume as much water as you can when you have finished drinking. It may not be comfortable, but it will replace at least some of the fluids that the alcohol has taken away.

When you wake up with a hangover, the best way to recover is to begin hydration quickly. Stay away from other diuretic beverages - like coffee and tea. Stick with water or Gatorade to replace the lost fluids, vitamins and minerals. And even if your stomach feels sick, you should eat. Food will also help to replenish the important nutrients that the alcohol has depleted from your body. Sleeping it off also works wonders when possible.

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Quit Drinking Alcohol

Whether you've just been hooked or a long time drinker, it does not matter. All it requires for you is to have the desire to quit. Without a desire, a strong one, overcoming your alcohol addiction problem will be a mere wish. You need to be determined to want to give up this way of life that has brought nothing good to your way. On the contrary, you've witnessed a lot of problems as a result of your uncontrollable cravings.

A strong desire is not the only thing that you need to win the fight against booze. You need to back it up with action. This means that you must take some steps that will show everyone around you that you're ready to stop drinking alcohol. One of the ways to show that is to get rid of alcoholic drinks from your home and offices. You need to stay away from all forms of alcoholic drinks. Announce your desire to your friends and get rid of the bottles. Also, you need to get rid of all your alcoholic friends. You know what I'm talking about. I'm referring to friends that cannot stay with you for few minutes without referring to or taking bottles of alcohol. If you can successfully do this, you've won the battle halfway.

The other thing you need to do now is to replace the drinks and friends with new ones. In other words, you need to change the type of drinks you're taking. This may require a visit to your doctor. You doctor will help you know the kinds of drinks that can help your body adjust to your new way of life. Also, it is very important to find new non-alcoholic friends to replace the former ones. If you join a community or religious group in your area, you will get lots of them. You need them. They will help you lose your appetite for alcohol.

Lastly, I urge you to get involved in worthwhile activities that will engage your attention. You need these activities to get you busy so that there will not be room for the return of alcohol cravings. Get involved in social or community project. You can visit online forums where you have the chance to help other people grappling with alcohol addiction. You can also write a book or start a blog where you write about how you quit drinking alcohol. When you do this, you will find it hard going back to your old way of life. Your conscience will tell you that you cannot afford to go back since you're telling people out there about quitting.

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Shoulder Pain Exercises

Shoulder Pain Exercises are the best and long lasting solution to get rid of shoulder pain, restore the rotator cuff to full functionality, and cut down on expensive anti inflammatories. Normally, the usual route taken from anyone afflicted by a shoulder condition is to resort to drugs, both steroidal or not, prescription or over the counter. This may be all right and well for the short term, however it is a fact that the shoulder joint, due to its complexity, usually takes a long time to recover spontaneously.

During this time the person affected keeps on spending on expensive drugs that come together with side effects along with alleviating the pain. Most shoulder joint conditions show up with pain, be it Tendonitis, Bursitis, Impingement, a Frozen Shoulder or a Torn Rotator Cuff. All of them imply a disorder of the rotator cuff tendons proper or adjacent parts such as the Bursa or the Capsule surrounding the cuff.

The best and most effective way to help speed up recovery times for a shoulder is by implementing specific shoulder pain exercises for the rotator cuff, getting rid of the inflammation at the root of the problem. These exercises should not be confused with generic shoulder exercises such as the military presses or lateral raises found in gym workouts. Those are exercises for the big shoulder muscles only, the Deltoid and the Trapezius, not the 4 rotator cuff muscles and tendons beneath it. For these, a completely different program of specific and targeted movements with very light resistance is needed.

This way, the rotator cuff can accelerate the natural self healing process and return to the supple and strong mechanism that stabilizes the shoulder in a full range of motion, with no pain anymore. However, given the complexity of the shoulder joint and the fact that we use it every day, it is no use picking exercises here and there to concoct a self devised program. This could do more harm than good and exacerbate the situation even further.

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Knee Pain - Causes and Treatments

Do you have knee pain? Or are you interested in learning about it? This article goes through what protects your knee, what can go wrong, and what common treatments are.

How are our bones connected?

The body's bones are connected to each other at many spots. If the bone itself touched the other bone directly, when you moved you would slowly grind them together. Not only would the pain be excruciating, your bone would eventually disintegrate. Thankfully, there is specialized that reduces the friction and wear between bones.

This tissue is called cartilage. When it is damaged, however, by time, mechanical injury or genetic defect, the bone starts to rub against things it shouldn't. This causes arthritis, a very painful inflammation and swelling at joints.

How does the cartilage get damaged?

When you play sports or engage in rigorous physical activity, you start to damage your cartilage. Your knees experience particularly severe strain. Imagine the force that your knee experiences when you kick a ball, or worse, trip and land on your leg.

This continuous pressure is what your body is built to absorb and deal with. But at the same time, we used to live a lot shorter. If you were going to die at age 40, it wouldn't matter how healthy your knee is.

In fact, just one traumatic experience can by itself tear the cartilage.

Types of damage

There are two primary types of damage. Partial damage, which does not go down to the bone, and full damage which does. How your body responds to the damage is very different depending whether or not the bone is exposed.

If you experience full damage, blood seeps into the wound, carrying with it cell populations such as mesenchymal stem cells. These cells can grow and regenerate the wound. While the damage itself is greater, that your body does try to heal itself is very important. Unfortunately, the tissue that it does form does not perform as well as the old, and will often degenerate with time.

Partial tearing or damage of the cartilage, however, has a limited healing response. This damage very often contributes to premature arthritis.

Medical Intervention

Arthroscopy is one of the more common medical procedures in the USA for knee pain and consists of various mechanical interventions. A doctor inserts instruments into your knees and may conduct various operations. One common procedure is to simply removed pieces that are damaged and causing pain. This is called debridment. Another method is to wash the knee with water. Combined with debridement, this procedure may reduce pain significantly and help prevent arthritis.

Other options include microfracture and transplantation

Transplantation consists of taking live tissue and implanting it into the damaged area. The tissue used may be derived from the patient himself - and so called autologus - or taken from another patient - allogeneic. The exact properties of the transplant tissue is an area of intense medical exploration.

A serious problem in transplantation is tissue failure. While you might be able to insert into my knee perfectly healthy cartilage, it takes cellular ingrowth and other biochemical events to be properly maintained. Even the most successful transplants suffer from some degree of degeneration and early failure.

Microfracture and similar procedures attempt to use the body to heal itself. We know that certain types of cartilage wounds do in fact heal to some degree. What if we artificially drilled holes into the tissue and let the blood flow to the damaged areas? While seemingly counterproductive, such drilling does indeed improve patients.

Transplantation

In the worst case scenario, you may need a knee or hip replacement. While a very common procedure with excellent results, the surgery is traumatic and takes months to recover from properly. While most implants perform well, eventual failure is an issue along with degradation and wear. Most implants tend not to elicit severe immunological response as they are made from metals, ceramics and polymers.

Future Treatments

A future venue for research is inserting matrixes into the damaged area. A matrix, in addition to being a hit film, is a specially designed microstructure that allows for cellular ingrowth. Inserting a matrix may help cells grow and repair the damaged tissue. Also, the matrix could be seeded with materials or even cells that will promote proper regrowth.

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Leg Cramps

Anyone can suffer from leg cramps, and most of us do at some time or another. When you get one, you want a treatment for it now! Not later.

When you have a cramping muscle in your leg, it can be agonizing and you want relief fast. Your leg muscles need an adequate supply of oxygenated blood and the proper amount of electrolytes to prevent painful spasms. If you stay hydrated by drinking water, and eat a balanced, nutritious diet, you can go a long way in preventing leg cramps.

Doctors and scientists have not yet been able to discover the exact reason why people suffer with leg cramps. In fact, perhaps your doctor has prescribed conventional medications for you that may cause them, or increase your chances of having them.

There are some people who are more likely to have leg cramps:

* Athletes or triathletes because of their extreme muscle use
* Sportsmen such as hunters, who have high exertion during their activity
* If you are pregnant, your chances increase
* The elderly
* Those who are overweight
* Those who are ill

There is a natural, safe, and alternative remedy that is a very effective treatment for leg cramps or lessening their symptoms. Did you know that natural remedies are available for just about any malady you might have?

A natural remedy is a natural substance or herb that is prepared, processed, or formulated for its medicinal properties using only natural substances. In contrast, most Western health systems are based on synthetically produced medicines. Sometimes these often used conventional methods and medicines for treating our ailments are not the best choices. Alternative, natural treatments can work as well and very often without as high a cost.

My BIO: I'm a software developer who has developed two applications that help people manage their health. I have successfully sold this software over the Internet for over ten years. Health and wellness are passions of mine. I hope this information has been useful to you. -- Jake Hickory

Leg Cramp Away by Native Remedies is an alternative, natural, and safe treatment for leg cramps. It is a safe, non-addictive, FDA registered natural remedy containing 100% homeopathic ingredients selected to temporarily relieve leg cramp pain.

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Fibromyalgia Pressure Points

Fibromyalgia is a frequently seen disorder with the characteristics of long time widespread muscle and skeletal pain, rigidity, paresthesia, sleep disturbance, and easy fatigability. It mostly affects women compared to men in a ratio of 9:1.

Some patients might complain about the pain they feel at the lower back area which continues to the buttocks and legs. Some complain of aches and tightness in the neck area and across their upper posterior shoulders. Some may start to feel shoulder pain, neck pain/lower back pain before it eventually spreads throughout the whole body. Some may think that their joints are actually inflamed. Some may have lack of sensation on the hands and feet. These complain may be not stop and may only be due to mild effort.

The fibromyalgia pressure points are the characteristic features in the diagnosis of the said disorder. On physical examination, the specific sites that are more tender compared to same sites in normal individuals are demonstrated. With that, it is also called tender points. These areas are palpated using the hands with a modest and consistent amount of pressure. Ideally, the force applied should be 4 kilograms or approximately 9 pounds, the same degree of force to just blanch the thumbnail of the examiner. In eliciting tenderness, some may do a rolling motion palpation while some may use a spring-loaded pressure gauge called dolorimeter. The former may be more effective and accurate. The degree of tenderness or pain can be quantified but the number of tender point sites is more diagnostic.

As specified by the American College of Rheumatology criteria, the 18 fibromyalgia pressure points exist at nine locations in the muscle that are oppositely placed in the body. These include the following:
1. Area of the neck in front at lower cervical spine
2. Area of the chest in front at or around the most prominent bone
3. Area of the neck at the back just below the head
4. Area in the upper back
5. Area in the junction of the shoulders and neck
6. Area of the elbow
7. Area of the upper buttocks at the outer quadrant
8. Area of the hip under the buttock
9. Area of the knee above the joint

Each of these areas is about the size of a coin/penny. It requires the skills of a trained professional to accurately locate each point. When tested, you should only feel a slight pressure in these areas if you don't have fibromyalgia. On the contrary, an individual with fibromyalgia would feel pain at the manipulation site and an increase in overall body pain sensitivity.

Currently, doctors rely on the medical history of patient, observed symptoms and chief complaints, physical examination, and a precise manual assessment of tender points because there are no existing laboratory tests for diagnosing fibromyalgia. Tenderness pointed in eleven or more out of all above mentioned fibromyalgia pressure points with all over pain in all areas of the body (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) for a duration of three months or more is the diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia.

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Prevent Painful Hemorrhoids

Hemorrhoids are inflammation of veins on the lower rectum or around the anus. This condition can give you great pain and discomfort. This condition is very common on pregnant women and people aged 50 and above. If you are at risk, it is important to know how to prevent painful hemorrhoids to save yourself from the dilemma brought by this condition.

Here are some tips to prevent painful hemorrhoids:

Drink plenty of water. One cause of hemorrhoids is constipation and drinking water is important to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. To prevent hard to pass stool, drink 8-10 glasses of water daily. Water is also good to your overall health.

Lose weight if you are overweight. Obesity will increase your chance to develop this condition. Hemorrhoid is a condition where the veins in the anus are swollen. Being overweight can put too much pressure on the veins and can lead to varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Lose your extra pounds to prevent painful hemorrhoids and of course, it is also healthy to maintain an ideal weight.

Exercise regularly. Since hemorrhoids have something to do with swelling of the veins, it is not good to remain inactive because lack of movement can increase the risk of varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Prolong sitting and standing can increase your chance of hemorrhoid. To prevent painful hemorrhoids, exercise regularly. Walking is a good exercise that you can do even during breaks at work.

Plenty of fiber on your diet. Straining during bowel movement can lead to hemorrhoids. To prevent difficult bowel movement, include plenty of fiber-rich foods on your diet like vegetables and fruits. A bulky and softer stool will prevent painful hemorrhoids

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4 Unbeatable Tricks to stop smoking

Are you addicted to the death stick? The present day world does not suffer as much from genocidal wars or global warming or even the food shortage as much as it suffers from the vice of smoking. For, which other vice can silently kill over millions of people each year and still have people hankering for more of it? The most ironical thing here is that every chain smoker knows of at least one person who has died or is on the verge of death due to smoking, and still they will be stubborn about not giving up their habit. But, how to quit smoking cigarettes? This is seemingly the most daunting task for someone who inhales packs of them in a day.

However, the following tricks should help you. Yes, it is very much possible to give up smoking. Here are seven different ways in which you can do it in almost no time at all.

1. Check out your local magazine or newspaper for quit smoking exhibitions. These are organized all the time in all parts of the world. If one is coming up near you, do make a point to visit you. There's not going to be any hard sell here. But you will see pictures. A lot of pictures! These pictures will be of people who have smoked their way to death and disease. One picture of someone suffering from oral cancer is enough to put you off cigarettes for life. This really works!

2. You can also check out pictures of people suffering from smoking perils over the Internet. Remove the 'safe filter' from your search engine and do an image search. The horrors of their conditions will scare you away from smoking... permanently.

3. Educate yourself on the perils of smoking. There are several ways described on how to quit smoking cigarettes on the Internet. Read through them and zero in on one method that you would like to use. You need to have faith in this method or it won't work for you, even if it has worked for hundreds of others.

4. Who is the dearest person in your life? Is it your child or your loved one? Whoever it is, go hold their hand right now. Silently, say that you will be there for them forever and mean it. When you say that with conviction, each time you want to light up, you will be reminded of that. You will find yourself pushing the pack away just because you really love someone.

No, it is not difficult to quit. If you are really sincere about knowing how to quit smoking cigarettes, there is a lot of help available and you can certainly get something that will work for you. The real trick is in working up the determination and striving for success in your method.

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Smoking Diseases

Mouth cancer is a deadly cancer that strikes thousands of people every year in the United States. While many cancers are not avoidable, mouth cancer is one where you can definitely reduce your risk of developing it by not smoking. It has been shown that when a person drinks alcohol and uses tobacco then increase their odds of getting oral cancer even more. Oral cancer is not as widely talked about as say breast cancer, or colon cancer and therefore people are not aware of what signs to look for.

What are the Symptoms and Warning Signs of Mouth Cancer?

First off, if you are a smoker you are at a much higher risk of developing cancer than a non-smoker. The same is true for someone that uses chewing tobacco. Some of the symptoms to be aware of are:

* Mouth sores
* Bleeding gums
* White patches in mouth
* Stiff jaw
* Difficulty swallowing
* Numbness inside the mouth

While none of these is generally anything to be alarmed about in and of itself, if you are at risk for mouth cancer it is suggested that if you experience any of these symptoms that you see your Doctor as soon as possible. Oral cancers have a very high survival rate if caught early enough. The problem is that most cases are not caught until the latter stages and therefore it has a much higher chance of having already spread to other tissues.

What Are the Treatments Available for Mouth Cancer?

Depending on when it is caught, generally surgery is a first option. If the cancer has already spread to the throat and lymph nodes then radiation and or chemotherapy are also options.

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Effects of Smoking Cigarettes

There are so many different areas in health that can be affected in short term and long term from smoking. Understanding and learning what can happen to your health is knowledge that should be considered extremely important and should be taken seriously. What can be a simple smoke will eventually turn into a lifelong amount of health problems. Quitting should be considered the easy part! Dealing with the aftermath of its effects on the body is the hardest.

Here are some ways that smoking will and can affect you and your health:

• What happens when you become sick? Your illnesses become a much longer process in trying to get rid of it. This is due to the immune system becoming weak from the nicotine within the bloodstream. You are able to sustain any type of illness when your immune system is at its weakest state. All bacteria, germs and viruses are able to multiply and become stronger while you get weaker. Never underestimate the strength of your immune system; it is by far the most important part of your health in being able to fight off illnesses.

• The survival rate for smoking post surgery is very low compared to nonsmokers. This is due to the body not being able to heal itself at the normal rate. Wounds don't heal as easily, infections are contracted and respiratory problems can become complicated.

• Peptic Ulcer: This is yet another reason smoking cigarettes is harmful to the body. Smoking not necessarily causes peptic ulcers but it does cause irritation making it difficult for proper recovery. This leads back to a weaken immune system and slow recovery due to the toxins in cigarettes.

• Your ability to work out becomes effected due to the Your ability to work out becomes effected due to the deterioration brought on by smoking and the damage taken to the red blood cells. You will find that your endurance levels are much lower with trouble breathing from simple endurance training.

• Brain damage is also shown to occur. This is because of the lack of oxygen supplied and the exposure of toxins to the brain.

A personal experience:

There are a couple of people in which I personally have seen and see that have the ill effects of long term smoking. There are a handful of guys that meet up in the morning for a decent tennis work out. To keep a long story short, during one of these mornings, one of the guys (a friend) had a heart attack on the court and suffered pretty bad respiratory problems. A short while later, a triple bypass was done and now his heart is working at a max of 60%. All indications of the heart attack pointed straight to smoking.

So why risk all the health effects of cigarette smoking? Is it worth it? Of course not! It never has been and never will be. Something to always remember is that this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as your health goes. There are so many related issues which branch off one another creating a plethora of health problems. Is this a valid enough reason to quit smoking? Everyone has their own views and the decision is ultimately your own, but logic easily would suggest... YES it is!

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Quit Smoking With Self-Hypnosis

Why Is It So Hard To Quit?

Smoking is an irascible curse that continues to scar the entire world. Everywhere people keep trying to quit smoking but they just haven't found the trick that works for them. As a result they continue to be chained to their smoking habit.

Many people have never considered using hypnosis to stop smoking; it just hasn't been in the realm of consideration because most of what people think they know about hypnosis is unsubstantiated information and preconceptions based on media information. Some people have a fear of hypnosis or a fear of losing control over their decisions. While a hypnotic trance is utterly relaxing and can allow us to put down our inhibitions we do retain complete control over decision-making.

So What Is Hypnosis, Really?

There are different ways to describe hypnosis. One of the phrases I like is 'psychological deepening technique', meaning that. The hypnotic trance is really just a state of complete relaxation that allows us to be uninhibited. While sometimes this is used by a stage hypnotic for entertainment purposes, it can also be used therapeutically in a way that allows the subconscious brain to focus on memories, thoughts, or suggestions without the clutter of daily life intruding.

It is in this state of being completely relaxed and uninhibited that hypnosis works. Suggestions are given to the patient in this 'trance' that sink into the subconscious mind and they soon becomes something the subconscious begins to work out. Suddenly people who have smoked for years and have tried every possible way to quit, have quit and never have a desire to smoke again.

Have You Tried Everything Yet?

If you have tried every other method to quit smoking and you're still picking up that cigarette then perhaps it is time to give hypnosis a try. Hypnosis enjoys a high success rate in helping people quit smoking. Do not dismiss hypnosis as nothing more than a ruse used for entertainment. It is one of the least expensive options to help you break that habit.

There are many self-hypnosis programs that you can use in the privacy of your own home with the bonus that you can listen to the recording as many times as you would like. Most of them have a money-back guarantee, and that is a really great thing. No office hypnotist will guarantee his or her work. Try it today; you have nothing to lose but an expensive habit and everything to gain, including your health.

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Naturally Stop Cigarettes

If you are a smoker wishing to quit smoking cigarettes, good for you! You have luckily found this article and will learn which steps you should take to naturally drop your habit!

Why should you use natural methods instead of what we see on TV?

There are no Reoccurring Costs! The thing with using products you see on television or at the store that claims they will help you quit smoking are all trying to bring in the cash. Cigarette companies want you to buy the gums, patches, and invest in other costly methods of quitting. Why do you think they sell the smoking products as well as the quitting products? It's a win- win situation!

Give yourself something else to do besides smoke cigarettes.

I am sure you have hobbies, indulge in them! Smoking cigarettes is something you do when you are bored. DO NOT let yourself get bored when trying to quit smoking! You will notice, if you occupy your time better, quitting smoking will be a breeze. Do not buy into the hype that quitting smoking is so hard. The world has been brainwashed by the whole "nicotine is so extremely addictive". Maybe it is addictive, but the psychological addiction outweighs the physical one!

Exercise regularly. You will notice the urge to smoke decrease!

This is proven. If you are a smoker, drop your cancer stick, and go for a 10 minute jog. You will immediately want to change how you live. Most people take this realization and make something of it! It is the perfect opportunity to quit! Once you begin exercising, smoking will begin to disgust you! From that point on, if you have the urge to smoke, go on a run instead! Problem solved!

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Quit Smoking Plan

Young people do all sorts of stupid things in their lives and I must admit that I was no exception. I did so many stupid things. One of the worst things I ever did to myself was to accept the idea that cigarette smoking was cool. Before I knew it, I was up to a pack-a-day habit that burned my lungs for 10 years. Since cigarettes were so inexpensive when I was in the navy I would smoke two and three packs a day. I had a real cigarette addiction. That was until 1978.

In 1978 I left the Navy with my 2 pack a day habit. Then one day about six months after I got out, I smartened up and realized that compromising my health wasn't worth the few minutes of pleasure that a cigarette gave me. Even though I ran and worked out, I could tell my stamina and strength were compromised. I decided that I wanted a quit smoking plan that would once and for all get rid of this disgusting habit.

Today there are lots of ways to quit, but for me back then there was only willpower and hypnotherapy for smoking cessation. I ended up using a variation of both these methods.

Before we go on let's discuss using willpower. One thing is certain, willpower can work if you have the right mindset but it usually takes a lot of it and many attempts to quit. So if you decide to white knuckle it, prepare yourself for what could be a long hard ride.

Today if you want to quit smoking you have many choices. One is by gradually reducing nicotine intake with the help of patches and gum. These aids came out in the early 90's, and can be ideal for those who are scared at the prospect of going through smoking withdrawal. Read any book on how to stop smoking and you'll see numerous warnings about the likely withdrawal symptoms you'll experience. With patches and gums you can still get your daily dose of nicotine without having to smoke. The theory behind this is that it gives you a chance to wean yourself from the rituals of lighting up and handling a cigarette without having to deal with smoking withdrawal right away.

Experts agree that the nicotine patch therapy should be part of an overall quit smoking plan that also includes some type of behavior modification, counseling, and support. The goal of the therapy should be to quit completely, not just "cutting down."

If you ask your doctor for a quit smoking plan, there is a good chance that they'll recommend a prescription drug. There are a few on the market, including Zyban or Wellbutrin. This is essentially an antidepressant that has been effective for some people who want to stop smoking. Again, if you are serious about quitting you should use a quit smoking plan that includes support for your change.

Many smokers don't want to use any drugs at all, and would prefer an all-natural method instead. This is understandable, as patches, gums, and prescription pills can be a lot more expensive than natural techniques. If you want to try going the all-natural route, then stock up on St. John's wort or make an appointment with a hypnotherapist.

Hypnotherapy for smoking cessation has been shown to be successful for many people. Like I mentioned before, I used a variation of it in my quit smoking plan. I used a combination of affirmations and visualization to relax and overcome my smoking withdrawal symptoms. While it wasn't quite hypnotherapy for smoking cessation, it used many of the element that hypnotists use. I know this because I now help people stop smoking with hypnosis and NLP almost daily.

Remember, as the surgeon general has pointed out, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health. So develop a quit smoking plan that works for you. Discovering the different options available to you is the first step in the quitting process. From here, you have to figure out how to stop smoking in a way that fits your personality and lifestyle so that you have the best chance at long-term success.

If you really want to quit smoking the key is to decide. After you decide start on your plan today!

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Asthma Symptoms

Wheezing is an asthma symptom common to everyone who suffers from this respiratory problem. Inflamed airways usually cause muscles in the area to tighten, so breathing becomes difficult and wheezing is produced while breathing. Wheezing is usually the first asthma symptom that parents notice when their children are having flare-ups or asthma attacks. The hissing sound is usually more prominent during exhalation, but in some cases it can also occur during inhalation. It is quite important for people who have asthma to bring their medication, especially quick relief drugs, wherever they go because attacks can manifest slowly (taking hours or even days) or suddenly.

Another asthma symptom that should alert you of an impending attack is breathlessness. It is important for parents to regularly check on their kids who have asthma because shortness of breath is more common in asthma sufferers that have narrow airways. Another asthma symptom that is quite common is chest tightness. Some adults who are also suffering from hypertension and other cardiac-related diseases might want to be more careful with chest tightening because they might think that they are only having an asthma attack but in reality they might already be experiencing a heart attack.

Coughing is also a common asthma symptom as well as having difficulty speaking. However, these symptoms are also common in other diseases. Adults who have asthma since childhood usually know whenever they are already suffering from an asthma attack. Through years of suffering from this chronic disease, lifelong sufferers can sense whenever they are experiencing any flare-up. The case with children is quite different. Small children cannot really understand that what they are experiencing is already an asthma symptom. Thus, it is worth mentioning that parents, guardians, and caregivers of both young children and adults who have asthma should be a little more observant of the people they care for.

Another important aspect that you need to look into is the severity of an asthma symptom. You can characterize an asthma attack as mild intermittent, which means that asthma flare-ups are limited to twice a week, while nighttime attacks just twice a month. Mild persistent asthma means that symptoms are not severe but the attacks happen quite often. Moderate persistent brings about asthma flare-ups every day. And severe persistent is a type of asthma that severely attacks during the day and even at nights. Usually people with a severe persistent asthma symptom can no longer perform their everyday activities because of their condition.

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Asthma Attack - What to Do When it Comes

An asthma attack can be severe and it can happen when you least expect it. For people who are caring for children or older folks, knowing what to do in case of an asthma attack, especially at night is of utmost importance. Although majority of asthma flare-ups are mild, there are also some attacks that are quite severe, turning patients blue due to the difficulty of getting proper amount of oxygen into the body.

The first thing that you need to keep in mind if you or your kid has asthma is to be always prepared. Make sure that you teach your child what to do during an asthma attack. Also, you have to make sure that an inhaler is always available. It is hard to predict when an asthma attack will take place so it is better to be sure than sorry. Aside from carrying an inhaler with you all the time, you also need to make sure that the inhaler you have has not expired yet or that it still has enough contents. An inhaler that is empty (or expired) will not be able to help in easing the tightening of the muscles around your air passageways.

Another important step to do, if you are having an asthma attack is to sit down and loosen the parts of your clothes that are tight around your neck area. Make sure to loosen neckties and scarves and unbutton your shirt or blouse. Sometimes, one puff of inhaler cannot allay a severe attack. If you did not experience relief with one puff, do not be afraid to continue taking one more puff per minute for the next five minutes until you find some relief. If you find that your symptoms are not improving after five minutes, then it is time for you to dial 911 or call your physician immediately. It is important that you continue to take a puff at your inhaler every minute until the doctor or emergency specialists arrive.

In most cases, an inhaler is just what you need to relieve an attack. However, there are also some instances when asthma flare-ups are a matter of life and death. If you think that your symptoms, which include breathlessness, tightening of the chest, wheezing, and coughing, are getting worse do not be afraid to go to the doctor or a hospital, even during the wee hours in the morning. Also, once you have an asthma attack, be prepared for another bout of flare-ups to come in the next hours or days.

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Asthma Management

Asthma management is as important as taking medication for this chronic disease that involves the inflammation of the air passageways. Although inhalers are crucial in reducing the tightening of the muscles in the bronchial areas and minimizing symptoms of asthma, they are not really helpful in preventing further attacks. It is vital that people suffering from this disease realize that asthma does not really have any cure. If you are interested in living a healthy life sans flare-ups of this chronic respiratory problem, you have to come up with an asthma management plan. Below are some of the things that you might want to include in your plan to manage asthma properly.

When it comes to asthma management, prevention should be on top of your list. To ensure that you no longer experience wheezing and other annoying asthma symptoms, it would help if you know what triggers your attacks. If sudden climate changes cause your flare-ups, then it might be better if you check out the weather channel every now and then. However, if cat dander or tobacco smoke leaves you gasping for air, then stay away from furry pets and quit smoking. It is also important to note that food and airborne allergies as well as upper respiratory infections can trigger asthma. So, in your asthma management plan, you have to determine your allergic reactions to certain food and airborne substances and try to keep your body strong and healthy.

Exercise, meditation and breathing classes should also be included in your asthma management strategy. Although some experience asthma due to severe exercises, this does not mean that you have to stay away from all physical activities. In fact, it would be quite helpful if you begin your exercise regimen slowly to build up your resistance to asthma attacks. Furthermore, exercise can also keep your lungs and heart in tiptop shape. Again, staying healthy is a crucial part of your asthma management.

Lifestyle changes should also be included in your asthma management program. Studies have shown that too much stress, deep emotional feelings, and even lack of sleep can also increase your risk of getting asthma attacks. So, make sure that you are well-rested and relaxed for most of the time. Whenever your job, studies, or family life is causing stress, you better start finding a way to de-stress. Include all of these tips in your asthma management plan and you will see a remarkable improvement in your respiratory health in no time.

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Steps to Cope With Asthma Effectively

Despite the fact that asthma is quite common, many are still baffled on how to find ways to effectively cope with this condition. To protect anyone you know who is suffering from this condition, it is best to come up with an asthma action plan, so you'll know exactly what you need to do at the next attack.

Here are important guidelines you need to always keep in mind, especially when you have an asthmatic person at home.

Establish an Asthma Action Plan

An asthma action plan is basically a written outline of all the important details regarding the patient's condition. It also details the medications that is prescribed for the patient. This is one method suggested by health experts to enable a person to regain control over his/her condition, especially when the symptoms begin to show. Without this action plan in hand, it would be easy for one to administer medications that is not suitable for an asthmatic individual, particularly those with existing health complications.

Keep Medications Ready

There are several different types of medication available in the market for those with asthmatic problems. However, most doctors would suggest using the albuterol inhaler. They are often referred to as "rescue inhalers" because they provide immediate relief during an attack, wherein an individual have difficulty breathing.

Identify Potential Triggers

An asthma attack is often triggered by environmental factors. Hence, you need to make sure to keep your environment as healthy as possible to avoid triggering an attack. Whether indoors or outdoors, environmental triggers are present everywhere and substantial knowledge of them will help create that awareness and improve your preventive efforts.

These factors include dust particles, flakes from pet's skin or fur, smoke, air pollution, mold, and many other irritants to the respiratory system. Make sure to properly clean the inside and backyard of your home to keep an asthmatic individual well-protected at all times.

Provide Assistance in Monitoring Condition

A great majority of those suffering from asthma are young children. Hence, parents play an important role in monitoring their children's condition and properly control symptoms. Always bring with you a device known as peak flow meter, wherein your child has to blow into so they can get immediate relief. This device will also assess and provide accurate comparison against your child's normal breathing as soon as the attack ensues.

Maintain a Healthy Well-being

When a person has this condition, s/he must take the necessary measures to prevent further complications. One of the most obvious tip to consider is to keep your body healthy at all times. Since obesity has been long considered as a symptom of asthma, try to maintain a healthy weight to avoid potential risks and dangers entailed with this condition. Also, take proper precautionary measures when exercising or engaging in other highly intense physical activities.

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Natural Ways to Ease Asthma

1. Stay away from cigarette smoke and do not smoke. Do not smoke around children or babies, especially if they have asthma.

2. Stay away from log fires, open fireplaces, and wood stoves. They may be romantic but they will aggravate your asthma.

3. Do not go to sleep on a full stomach. Stomach reflux can aggravate your asthma.

4. When exercising, keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose. If you breathe through your mouth, it dries your throat and can trigger an attack. Swimming is great exercise and will not dry out your throat.

5. Try to avoid extra salt and be careful of food additives. Most asthma is brought on by allergies and if you are allergic to food additives, you can trigger an attack.

6. Aspirin and ibuprofen can be deadly to asthma sufferers. A sensitivity can develop without notice so it is best to avoid these products completely

7. If you do not have your inhaler and feel an attack coming on you can try two cups of strong coffee or a couple of chocolate bars. The caffeine can help in an emergency.

8. Talk to your doctor about vitamin B6. It is dangerous in large doses but it has been noted that many asthma sufferers are also low in B6.

9. A warm dry climate with little pollution is the best climate for an asthma sufferer.

10. Listen to your body. Learn your warning signs and do not ignore them. If you start to have more attacks or more severe attacks, see your doctor. People die unnecessarily from asthma. Look after your condition and you will be able to live a totally normal life.

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Asthma Natural Treatments

When an individual's lungs become chronically inflamed and the airways narrow asthma likely is the cause. There are various strains of asthma. With steady-state asthma and individual may experiencing some coughing especially at night, constant throat clearing, feeling of tightness in the chest and upon exertion some shortness of breath. These symptoms can gradually worsen into acute asthma exacerbation if not properly diagnosed and treated. Treatment can include over-the-counter medication, prescription medication and even asthma natural treatment.

Is it a common misconception that everyone that has an asthmatic condition has wheezing, whereas often an asthmatic will never wheeze. If wheezing does occur with an asthmatic, it likely is due to an asthma attack. This is an acute exacerbation of asthma that has the symptomatology of tightness in the chest, possible wheezing and shortness of breath. If air is restricted greatly, there is no room for wheezing.

Causes of asthma include genetic and environmental factors, as well as interaction of the two. Research is still ongoing on what genes are actually involved within the genetic factor of asthma causes. Environmental issues include tobacco smoke, poor air quality and stressors. Asthma natural treatment can lessen the prevalence of asthma attacks.

Asthma can result from a preexisting condition such as allergies. Often if the allergies are aggressively treated, asthma will not become a factor. Adverse affects are suffered by those individuals that smoke. These include the symptoms becoming more severe due to increased inflammation causing lung function to decline and a lessening response to medications designed to prevent flair ups.

As with any illness, a proper diet is one asthma natural treatment that can easily be followed. The minerals magnesium and selenium are said to be helpful to asthmatics as magnesium tends to dilate the airways, and selenium provides important antioxidants. Vitamin C also has been said to be an important antioxidant for the lungs' liquid lining. An asthma natural treatment includes recognizing what triggers the symptoms and limiting or eliminating them. Triggers can include certain over-the-counter pain relievers and pets. If it is not possible to avoid triggers, then desensitization and other medical avenues can be taken along with other asthma natural treatment.

The severity and frequency of each individual asthma case dictates the overall treatment regime for each case. Overall the choice of treatment for asthma includes pharmaceutical and non-medical arenas. Bronchodilators relieve shortness of breath and wheezing and most often utilized within an inhaler. Much of the asthma natural treatment choices are frowned upon as unconventional therapies, but they are still used by about 50% of asthma suffers. Such therapeutic strategies include chiropractic, acupuncture, osteopathic, respiratory and physiotherapeutic.

The noted asthma natural treatment is used to improve rib cage movement in attempt to improve circulation and lungs. Additionally, tapping of the chest, shaking and vibration can often loosen up phlegm in order for it to be rid of.

When an individual's lungs become chronically inflamed and the airways narrow asthma likely is the cause. There are various strains of asthma, but no matter the severity there are choices for asthma natural treatment.

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The Common Asthma

The chronic inflammation of the lungs in which the airways (bronchi) are reversibly narrowed is called asthma.

Asthma affects seven percent of the population, and 300 million people worldwide. During the attacks of asthma, the smooth muscle cells in the bronchi constrict, and the airways become inflamed and swollen. In the U.S. asthma causes nearly four thousand deaths when breathing becomes difficult.

Asthma attacks can be prevented by avoiding triggering factors and by drug treatment. Asthma drugs are used for acute attacks and are commonly inhaled.

In more serious asthma cases, drugs are used for long-term prevention, starting with inhaled corticosteroids. The prognosis of asthma is good with treatment.

The public has taken attention in the world and has recently focused on asthma because of its rapidly increasing prevalence, affecting up to one in four urban children.

Some people with asthma only rarely experience symptoms, it's usually in response to triggers, where as other more severe cases may have marked airflow obstruction at all times. Asthmatic symptoms exist in two states which are the steady state of chronic asthma, and the acute state of an acute asthma exacerbation.

Common symptoms of asthma steadily include night time coughing, shortness of breath, a chronic 'throat-clearing' type cough, and complaints of a tight feeling in the chest.

These symptoms can worsen gradually and rather insidiously, up to the point of an acute exacerbation of asthma. It commonly misconstrued that all people with asthma or a wheeze; their disease may be confused with another chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

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Asthma and Allergies

Understanding of Mold and Moisture are two very important facets of controlling your Asthma and Allergies. It is impossible to stop your health problems associated with Microbial Growth unless you control moisture. Our saying is "No Moisture, No Mold." If you can get control of any form of moisture intrusion, you have the upper hand in your mission to stop your Allergic Reactions.

Mold is a member of the Fungi Kingdom, thus they are not plants. Their growth looks like plants if you look at them under a microscope. They reproduce by making spores that are very light and designed to float in the air currents. This happens indoors as well as outdoors. The reproductive cycle begins when they encounter moisture. After they encounter moisture, germination begins and continues till the water is stopped. During the reproductive cycle, the spores become airborne. If this is inside your home, it can affect the members of your family depending upon the levels of microbial spores. The higher the count of spores, the more your health can be impacted.

Damp Buildings or Homes have been linked to respiratory problems or allergies such as itchy eyes, runny nose, coughing and sneezing. These environments can cause Asthma problems in Asthmatics. This can cause tightness of chest and difficulties in breathing. Not all symptoms are the same. Asthma is serious and the cause of the Asthmatic attack must be remedied quickly.

Recently, we did an inspection for a client with Asthma. She was looking for a new rental place in Aventura, Fl. This is an upscale community in NE Dade County. The house looked fine, till we started looking closer at the structure. The back exterior wall had multiple cracks along the foundation but there was no moisture on the interior wall. We recommended that several Microbial Sampling tests be done on the interior wall to be sure before signing the lease. Got the test results back in 24 hours and told the client that the wall had high levels of Stachybotrys and Chaetomium Mold. These are two of the really bad toxic molds. She decided not to lease the place and we found another place for her that was safe for her Asthma.

In conclusion, people with Asthma and Allergies must be very careful when they look for a place to buy or rent. The Fungi Kingdom requires moisture to grow to release microbial spores that can affect your health if the levels are high enough. Damp Buildings and homes have been linked to respiratory problems. When looking for a place to rent or buy, it is always wise to have Microbial Sampling done in areas that look suspicious for possible hidden mold growth. If you feel that you health has been impacted by Mold, call your Doctor immediately.

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Yoga and Meditation

Different Styles of Meditation

Nothing is impervious to change and so is not meditation. While the fundamental focus of meditation has not shifted from what it had started with, there have been several other changes that have led to different styles being followed at different places of the earth over different periods. It helps to know what styles are in practice today so that you can make an informed choice when you plan to undertake meditation yourself.

Watching Your Breathing

One of the very basic forms of meditation is to just control the way you breathe. All you are supposed to do is to sit in an upright position, close your eyes and just concentrate on the way you breathe. While this sounds pretty simple and is actually not that hard to practice, it can make a world of difference. During our day-to-day life we hardly have the time to settle down for a few minutes. That means irregular breathing. Allowing our body some time to actually stay calm and carry on the processes quietly can make a significant difference to how our body performs. With more fresh air in our lungs the heart performs at its best and our body feels rejuvenated.

Watching Your Thoughts

This is one of the tougher practices of meditation. Though physically not that demanding, it is an emotional challenge. The idea is to clear your mind of any thoughts and just let it be. You can sit in the normal upright posture and with your legs crossed. But the trick is to let go of your mind, because, at least initially, the more you will try this, the harder will it get.

Walking Meditation

One of the more innovative versions of meditation, this not only helps you at the level of the mind but you also get some exercise as you pace up and down. You can practice this in a room or outdoors, as long as there are no distractions. Don't try it in a room where the television is on or in a park with children playing. Again the process is to maintain a relatively brisk pace as you focus on your breathing and walking. Concentrate only on these two things and let go of your other concerns. Staying focused here is the real challenge.

Meditating While Chanting

This is a good style of meditation for the beginners. It has often been a problem for the ones who are starting off on meditation to actually stay focused and not let thoughts wander into their heads. Chanting a mantra can be of much help for them. This helps to keep away other thoughts and lets you focus more. The chant should be chosen carefully so that it is easy for you to remember and say. You need not say it aloud and can just repeat it in your head. As long as you are able to stay focused you know it is working right for you.

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Health Benefits of Yoga

Yoga In Dealing With Stress

The only silver lining to the dark and gloomy clouds of stress and stress induced other problems is that we have a tool with us, which, if we use properly can effectively deal with the problems of stress. The tool obviously is yoga.

Yoga helps us in developing better control of our breathing habits. It also teaches us what the right posture for the body should be. Knowledge of both these things is critical to keep the stress levels down. A regulated breathing ensures that all parts of the body receive the required amount of blood flow and along with it the necessary levels of oxygen. The brain therefore is never deprived of what it needs most - oxygen. A steady supply of oxygen and nutrients, also carried by our blood through the veins, ensures that the brain is always stays at its prime level and performs how it is supposed to. With better performance of our brain not only is it better able to tackle stress, but there are also fewer chances of being stressed as the work you are doing will be of a better quality.

The posture of your body ensures that there are reduced levels of stress on your body. Often because our sitting and standing positions at work or at home are not quite right, there is a negative effect not only on the body but also on our minds. When the body starts to send problem signals to the brain, it gets more involved in tackling those problems than deal with the issues that are already there. With a better sitting and standing posture we can negate such problems.

Beyond the Mind

The positive effects of yoga are not only restricted to the mind but also helps our body. However, yoga as a discipline is not meant to treat particular diseases. It must be appreciated that yoga is not a form of medicine. It is more of a way of living. Hence yoga has a more holistic approach to the way it treats our body. It focuses on the improvement of all our bodily functions rather than concentrating on a few individual areas.

However, continued practice of yoga and following a lifestyle that yoga advocates can mean that there is an overall improvement in the state of your health. Some of your particular diseases and ailments can also be tackled through a sustained practice of yoga.

Yoga has been known to be particularly effective in problems associated with breathing such as bronchitis. With a better control over breathing, the respiratory passage performs much better. Hence many who suffered from bronchitis and had later taken to yoga have claimed that much of their problems have been fixed.

With better sitting and standing postures, there is also a marked improvement when it comes to backache and other niggles in the body.

A peaceful and stress free mind also leads to better sleeping habits and many people have claimed that there problems with insomnia have been reduced after taking up yoga.

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Control Diabetes Through Yoga

Diabetes is a disorder that is normally caused by the incapability of the body to control the quantity of sugar in the blood. An individual who suffer from diabetes is not capable to use blood glucose due to inadequate amounts of insulin produced by the pancreas in the body. In simple terms, it can be defined as a problem of the metabolism that can damage the nerves, kidneys, and eyes. It can even cause gangrene, stroke, and heart disease.

In last few years different diabetic treatment methods have been used to control diabetes. While many nutritionists suggested for different techniques for dieting, many doctors also recommended for regular exercise to control sugar level. However, recent studies have shown that yoga too can produce major health benefits for diabetics. Yoga has shown some beneficial results in controlling diabetes. Not long ago, many people were familiar with yoga as a succession of movements or poses. But, today it has emerged as one of the most convenient options to control diabetes.

Yoga as Diabetes Treatment Method

The yoga exercises that are prescribed for curing diabetes are different from hatha yoga exercise. It usually involves positions tailored to treat certain conditions, as well as meditation and relaxation. Yoga can stimulate the pancreas and stimulate insulin production. Regular practice of yoga actually reduces the blood sugar levels, the blood pressure, and the rate of progression to the complications. While most diabetics need to lose or at least maintain a certain weight limit, yoga is an excellent choice to accomplish these twin goals. The symptoms are also reduced to a large extent, and so is the number of diabetes related hospital admissions. Apart from this, some studies have also shown that certain yoga poses have the effect of massaging or stretching certain internal organs which actually led to the increased insulin production.

How Yoga works?

Generally glucagons secretion is enhanced by stress. Now when we perform yoga, it effectively reduces adrenaline, noradrenalin in blood, which is termed as 'stress hormones' and this in turn helps in reducing glucagons and possibly improving insulin action. In addition to this, recent studies have also shown that blood pressure also plays a vital role in the development of diabetic and related complications, which is proven to be benefited by yoga. When we perform yoga, it helps in muscular relaxation and improves blood supply to muscles which further increase insulin receptor expression on muscles causing increased glucose uptake by muscles and thus reducing blood sugar.

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Benefits of Yoga For Pregnant Women

Yoga originated in ancient India, and it has become a very popular way of increasing flexibility, decreasing stress, and building strength, even for pregnant women. Yoga for pregnant women is an excellent way to address not only your body's physical need for exercise, but also the emotional and mental stress of pregnancy, as well.

Prenatal yoga classes are very popular, and if you incorporate yoga with a cardiovascular exercise, like walking, it provides a perfect means of staying in shape during and after the pregnancy months. This gentle art can keep you limber and flexible. It also tones your muscles. Improvement in balance and circulation is another benefit of yoga, and there is little or no impact on your joints.

With yoga, you will learn how to breathe deeply and relax. Indeed, one of the first things you learn in a yoga class is how to breathe deeply and fully. The breathing technique is called ujjayi, and you take air in slowly through your nose, making sure to fill your lungs. When you release the breath, you will want to make sure you exhale until your stomach compresses. This relaxation technique is something that helps many women through the ups and downs of pregnancy, as well as the stress of labor, delivery, and even motherhood.

Learning to relax is a key component in yoga, and it is something that can serve you very well during labor. When you're in pain, or when you are afraid, your body generates adrenaline. This will decrease the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is something you need to make the labor progress. Consequently, an art such as yoga helps to prepare you for labor and childbirth by training you to remain calm when you are anxious, frightened, or in pain.

Of course, everyone knows that a woman goes through a great many physical, mental and emotional changes during pregnancy. Yoga for pregnant woman can provide an ideal way to deal with all these changes. Prenatal yoga can help relieve the mental stress of pregnancy, and it also allows your body to remain fit and limber. It can even aid with such complaints as fatigue, mood swings, excess weight gain, swelling and cramping.

Many women wonder if exercises during pregnancy are safe and that is a valid concern. Yoga, however, is quite adaptable to a prenatal workout, so exercise and pregnancy really do go together. Exercises during pregnancy are generally very safe, but you do need to take some precautions. Just as with any workout program, it is best to consult your physician before starting. Every woman is unique, and only your physician can help you know if an exercise program is right for you. Once you have the go ahead, then look for a yoga for pregnant women class. They are extremely popular right now, and these classes will provide you with a trained instructor to guide you through the learning process and help you set up a safe, effective exercise program.

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Try Yoga to Enhance Your Body

I instructed a yoga class for a high school football team last week. A bunch of the teens didn't want anything to do with yoga. I guess they thought it would have no benefit to them and I think they felt embarrassed to be out on the field in plain view practicing yoga.

The guys that stayed had an open mind to a point, but mainly had the idea that this was an easy workout and they were humoring the captain by taking part.

We started with some sun salutations. It was a steamy hot day with the sun blaring, but from what I could see during the warm-up these guys weren't very flexible. I wanted to warm up their muscles so we could get into some stretching. We worked on standing poses and upper body strengthening, balancing and then some core work. Then we went into some deep muscle stretching and finished with relaxation ~ lying on the field and watching the white puffy clouds float by.

Being sport specific, these guys need it all. It is just the beginning of their season and I am sure they will be working hard. My goal was to give them an exercise practice that would help them recover from their workouts, gain some flexibility and strengthen their core to help avoid injuries.

The complaints began.... This isn't easy....wait, which foot? .... I can't reach my toes....and then the realization started....look, I can reach my toes now.... Is this right? As we worked through the practice they paid closer attention and complained less. At the end of relaxation I told them we could practice again if they liked it and I heard... let's do this every Friday.... let's do it before every game.

The point here, I guess, is that they gave Yoga a chance and it helped them. They realized it wasn't a girlie thing that they should be embarrassed by. I know, they are teenagers. So as adults what benefit will yoga have for you?

Do you golf? Then you are probably out of balance from swinging that golf club the same way all the time. Yoga can help with lower back strengthening. Repetitive motion of swinging the same way all day puts your body out of balance. Balancing poses help to correct that imbalance, as do the standing poses. Side stretching and twisting (both ways) also helps with the imbalance while keeping your torso flexible enough to follow through with your swing.

Do you play baseball or softball? Those explosive runs can be hard on your body. Again, swinging the bat in the same direction and throwing with the same arm over and over. Are you the catcher? You need some core strength to squat down and up so many times. You think about the leg strength but if you don't have core strength you are not taking care of your lower back.

Tennis? Side to side, explosive reaction; one shoulder gets more repetition. Volleyball? Jumping; explosive running short distances.

Are you a runner or a biker? Your continually work the front side of your body but the back side is left out. Usually runners are tight in the hamstrings and sometimes in the calves. You need to stretch those body parts out to bring some balance back into your body.

The flexibility and the core strength that yoga provides can help with all of these sports. Many people are tight in the shoulders - especially athletes. More flexibility means more safe range of motion. With any sport and for any person yoga promotes muscle recovery. We always feel better after we stretch out those sore muscles.

Are you open to trying something that will enhance your sport? Take a yoga class. Have an open mind and tune in to your body to see if you gained any benefit, during the practice and after. Many professional athletes practice yoga - maybe you should too...

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Simple Meditation Technique

In this busy and hectic world full of noise and haste, learning a simple meditation technique can bring a sense of calm and inner peace that most of us never have the chance to experience. The practice of meditation is a gateway into your inner and higher self, resulting in an enhanced understanding and awareness of your own existence and your overall relationship with the Universe.

Whether you are looking for an answer to the meaning of life, or just to implement simple meditation techniques to help you achieve your full potential and appreciate and enjoy life more, meditation may just be the answer for you.

Although there are many well established methods, you will need to see what works best for you. You can pick and choose amongst different schools of thought and find a technique that best suits your personality. However, although meditation has many different cultural contexts, there are certain general similarities which are common to all cultures.

According to Eastern philosophy, to meditate means to think on the eternal, or rather to expand your consciousness until you are at one with the Universe as a whole. Powerful emotions like grief, euphoria or even love can fade away, but the universe is eternal. In time, with practice, learning to meditate can bring you in closer alignment with the very root and purpose of existence itself.

If you are like me, and find it difficult to quiet your mind, and perhaps you are also impatient for success with meditation, then you will find that Binaural Beats are the answer. They will safely and gently train your mind to the required state to achieve maximum benefit from your meditation in the shortest possible time. In fact the vast majority of people succeed and reap the benefits on first use. With Binaural beats you will achieve meditative states that would normally take you months or even years to achieve through conventional practise.

I am sure you will be aware that meditating has undeniable health benefits. Learning to meditate will have calming and positive effects on stress induced illness such as heart disease and high blood pressure. You will find that your focus, concentration, intuition and perception are improved, you will relax and sleep better, and you may expect an overall improvement in mental and physical health. There are also specific binaural beats meditation recordings for boosting the immune system and improving memory function together with overall health improvements.

Learning how to meditate with Binaural Beats is simplicity itself - No extensive practise is required. You just relax and listen with a decent pair of headphones, and you will reach the optimum meditative state within minutes. This technology has now been mastered so that we all can enjoy the life enhancing benefits of deep trance meditation which were once exclusive to the fortunate few.

I trust that this is helpful and that you may be able to rlax and enjoy life more with the help of binaural beats technology.

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Meditation For Anxiety Relief

Over stressed? There will be no doubt you need an effortless stress meditation. Indeed, meditation can seem intimidating, and finding the time daily may be tough at first. The solution to both problems is a meditation you can be taught right now, that will take a little to perform every day.

A simple Stress Meditation
You breath through your mouth, it expands your chest. Breath through your nose and you'll notice how your belly extends. Nose-breathing causes the diaphragm to pull air to the base of your lungs. This delivers a generous dose of oxygen into your bloodstream and brain, and it also tends to relax you. Breathing through your nose is healthier, and it's the basis of this one-minute meditation.

Here's how it works.
Close your eyes, sigh, and allow the tension to leave your muscles. First you should tense up your muscles at first, then let loose that tension. At that time release all of your thoughts, as much as possible, and take four or five slow, deep breaths through your nose, paying attention to your breathing.

Can Meditation Be This uncomplicated?
The short answer is, of course. No, you're not likely to move you into a deep meditative state with this effortless stess meditation. However, there will be no doubt you will get benefits, together with a clearer mind and a reduction in stress. It helps to develop a "trigger" for your meditation.

For instance, do your four breaths when you get into the car, or else immediately after lunch each day. These triggers are places or times that remind you, so your meditation becomes a practice. You can say this isn't "real" meditation, but there's nothing wrong with enjoying the relaxation you'll acquire from this practice. If you want, you can always pursue deeper meditation later.

Meanwhile, remember that not everything has to be complicated to be of value. Why not try this painless one-minute stress meditation? Breathing through your nose is healthier, and it's the basis of this one-minute meditation.

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Meditation and Exercise

Stress relief - Meditation

Even a complete beginner can use mediation for stress relief, and with some practice meditation can become an essential tool for completely releasing stress as well.

What exactly is meditation? Depending on who you ask, meditation can be anything from a breathing exercise, visualization exercise, relaxation exercise, emotional introspection, deep thought to even faking meditation by assuming a stereotypical posture (this one is not recommended).

The most basic form of meditation is simply to pay attention to your thoughts. You will notice that thinking is not linear - thoughts are jumping all over the place. Noticing that and 'pruning' unnecessary thoughts is a basic meditation technique. If you combine this kind of calming of the mind with taking deep regular breaths, you got yourself a nice tool for stress relief.

Advanced forms of meditation against stress include visualizing stress (as a way of giving form to your tension and fears), and then imagining a way of releasing it. This kind of visualization exercise establishes a connection between your emotions and your mind, and can show you ways you can use to deal with the stressful situation.

Stress relief - Exercise

Physical exercise contributes to keeping your body healthy, but how can it provide stress relief?

Many times stress is caused by having too much energy and no outlet - the mind then decides to spend that energy on worrying over something and converts it into stress. In this case, physical exercise channels that energy into a constructive activity, and exercise becomes something akin to meditation which helps prune away dangling thoughts.

In case there is a lack of energy (maybe if stress lasted too long and resulted in a state of depression), exercise can help build up motivation and focus.

Exercise is about reconnecting with your body, becoming more aware of your rhythms, limitation and capabilities. It puts your mind back into HERE and NOW, this point in space-time where you are yourself (and not the things you stress about).

Exercise also makes other forms of stress relief easier: after exercise it is easier to relax, meditate, or at least have a good night's sleep. Mens sana in corpore sano - it is much more wholesome, natural and easier to have a healthy mind in a healthy body than to have only either one.

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The Power of Meditation

"Self-actualizing people must be what they can be"

Rather than starting at the beginning, I think it will be beneficial to start at the end. Let me describe what meditation will do for you.

Have you ever noticed the people who go through life as the lucky ones? They get all of the breaks. When you talk to them you realize how different they are compared to people living at ordinary levels of awareness. These people are connected to the genesis, the universal source of energy from which we all came. We all have that connection but some learn to control that connection better than others. Meditation will teach you how to control that connection.

People who have learned to use this universal source of energy have made themselves available for success. It is impossible to get them to be pessimistic about achieving what they desire in their lives. Rather than using language that indicates that their desires may not materialize, they speak from an inner conviction that communicates their profound and simple knowing that the universal source supplies everything.

Genesis people who are totally connected know that they will attract what ever they think about. So, they only think about what they want to happen and not what can go wrong. Genesis people know there is an infinite supply of what ever you think about. The universal source energy cannot relate to scarcity, or things not working out because it makes no judgment about good or bad. If I say to the source, things probably will not work out; I will receive back exactly what I sent to it.

This may sound like a fantasy world but if it is, why has meditation been here for thousands of years? If you choose to listen and learn, meditation can teach you to get connected to the universal source energy from which we all emanated. You can learn the power of attraction, but first and foremost you must discard your ego. You cannot make yourself available for success with an ego.

Meditation will teach you how to keep your thoughts on what you intend to create in your life. Meditation will keep a clean connection to the universal source energy and then watch for the clues that what you have summoned from the source is arriving in your life. We are ALL connected to the universal source energy; meditation will give you the best possible connection.

The 'Power of Meditation' can get you attached to the genesis where there are no accidents and nothing can go wrong!

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The Health Benefits

The Health Benefits of Meditation

The health applications and clinical studies of meditation are products of the field of interest within the medical community to study the physiological effects of meditation.

Meditation concepts have been applied to clinical settings in order to measure effects on somatic motor function as well as cardiovascular and respiratory function. Also the hermeneutic and phenomenological aspects of meditation are areas of growing interest. Meditation has entered the mainstream of health care as a method of stress and pain reduction. For example, in an early study in 1972, Meditation was shown to affect the human metabolism by lowering the biochemical byproducts of stress, such as lactate, decreasing heart rate and blood pressure and inducing favorable brain waves. In 1976, the Australian psychiatrist Ainslie Meares reported the regression of cancer following intensive meditation (published in the Medical Journal of Australia). Meares would go on to write a number of books, including his best-seller Relief Without Drugs.

As a method of stress reduction, meditation has been used in hospitals in cases of chronic or terminal illness to reduce complications associated with increased stress that include depressed immune systems. There is growing agreement in the medical community that mental factors such as stress significantly contribute to a lack of physical health, and there is a growing movement in mainstream science to fund research in this area. Dr. James Austin, a neurophysiologist at the University of Colorado, reported that meditation in Zen rewires the circuitry of the brain in his book Zen and the Brain (Austin, 1999). This has been confirmed using functional MRI imaging, a brain scanning technique that measures blood flow in the brain.

Dr. Herbert Benson of the Mind-Body Medical Institute, which is affiliated with Harvard and several Boston hospitals, reports that meditation induces a host of biochemical and physical changes in the body collectively referred to as the "relaxation response." The relaxation response includes changes in metabolism, heart rate, respiration, blood pressure and brain chemistry. Benson and his team have also done clinical studies at Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains.

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