I suppose it was only a matter of time before the mass marketing about diet and fitness and weight loss caught up with Yoga.
After all, Yoga is certainly going through a period of resurgence - not the first, as these things typically movein cycles as does most of the market.
Typically though, when you read about Yoga, the topic ispeace of mind, spirituality, relaxation, meditation, perhaps physical conditioning and strength (both physical and mental).
This time though, the debate rests squarely on yoga's ability to shed pounds in a society that is struggling with record levels of obesity on the one hand, and a severe "thin" image problem held by popular celebrities on the other.
A recent study started the heated debate by claiming a link between yoga and weight loss.
Specifically, the study found that middle-age people who practice yoga tended to experience gradual weight loss over a 10 - year period, while those that did not practice yoga seemed to experience fairly substantial weight gain over the same period.
Since the study was released, a constant barrage of skeptic shave pointed out flaws in the research that range from self-reported results to missing many other factors that may lead people to both practice yoga and have reduced weight.
As usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle, at least based on my own experiences.
It is much more likely that the positive factors of yoga and meditation have on your mind and body impact your self-image,nutrition choices, and overall stress level which are major factors in weight control. We point to many of the benefits of practicing yoga over at: http://www.yogasuccess.com
Stress not only results in unhealthy binge eating and poor nutritional choices, but actually has physiological impacts on your body that often result in craving foods that can result in greater weight gain such as sugars, starches and carbohydrates.
In the end, what is important is that you are becoming healthier,happier, experience less stress in your life and enjoy your life to the maximum possible.
Let the journalists fight it out over who is technically right, after all, they are likely all fighting to meet deadlines and beat each other's coverage of the story.
It's time I took a break and go practice some meditation.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Tips To Relieve Tension
Or, here's the next best thing to do. Fool your body into thinking you're feeling great
* First, we're going to slowly ease that tension out of the body. Sit on a chair with legs crossed. Pretend that your ankle is a pen and use it to write the alphabet. Repeat with the other ankle.
* Next, place your thumbs at the edge of your eyebrows, on each side of our head. Slide them up, stopping at the corner of the head, almost into the hairline. Press the thumbs into each side of the forehead; hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat five times. By doing this, you release emotional stress because these pressure points are linked to the emotional centre of the brain.
* Eat an orange. The vitamin C helps detoxify the body. Chewing on a handful of roasted cashew nuts can also be a good upper. Nuts contain magnesium and essential fatty acids that help boost moods.
* Change the breathing. Lie on your back, with the fingertips of one hand nesting between the breastbone and the solar plexus. Place the other hand on the belly. Taking deep breath through your nose push out your stomach as you inhale, thus filling your lungs. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly exhale. As oxygen replenishes your brain, use your fingertips to lightly stimulate the calming areas of your body and you'll feel more relaxed.
* The brain believes in the images it receives. So creative visualisation can quickly top up your happiness levels. Imagine the sun sending heat and light to your arms and legs. Soak in that sensation and feel the joy slowly seeping in.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
* First, we're going to slowly ease that tension out of the body. Sit on a chair with legs crossed. Pretend that your ankle is a pen and use it to write the alphabet. Repeat with the other ankle.
* Next, place your thumbs at the edge of your eyebrows, on each side of our head. Slide them up, stopping at the corner of the head, almost into the hairline. Press the thumbs into each side of the forehead; hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat five times. By doing this, you release emotional stress because these pressure points are linked to the emotional centre of the brain.
* Eat an orange. The vitamin C helps detoxify the body. Chewing on a handful of roasted cashew nuts can also be a good upper. Nuts contain magnesium and essential fatty acids that help boost moods.
* Change the breathing. Lie on your back, with the fingertips of one hand nesting between the breastbone and the solar plexus. Place the other hand on the belly. Taking deep breath through your nose push out your stomach as you inhale, thus filling your lungs. Hold for a few seconds and then slowly exhale. As oxygen replenishes your brain, use your fingertips to lightly stimulate the calming areas of your body and you'll feel more relaxed.
* The brain believes in the images it receives. So creative visualisation can quickly top up your happiness levels. Imagine the sun sending heat and light to your arms and legs. Soak in that sensation and feel the joy slowly seeping in.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
How To Build Muscles Effectively
So you want to build muscles to look like superman. So you hit the gym frequently to workout your muscles. Two months down the road, you still look more or less the same without increasing any muscle mass. Why?
This is because in order to build muscles effectively, you will need to know the science of building muscles. You must know exactly what to do in order to get those toned and defined muscles. If not, you will be wasting your time in the gym or worse, even develop bodybuilding injuries because you did not approach it in a scientific way.
That said, do you know that there are a few types of different muscle fibers? Some of these fibers have the ability to grow big and provide you with massive strength while others such as endurance muscle fibers are likely to remain small but allow you to use them for many hours.
Now can you imagine what will happen if you spend most of your time in the gym working out on these smaller type muscle fibers? Do you really expect to grow big when you are doing this?
I am not saying that these smaller muscle fibers cannot increase in size, on the contrary, you can make, it is just that you need to train them a little differently. Your calves and forearms muscles are such examples.
Many a times, when people's workout methods are wrong and their muscles don't grow, they pin it down on genetics. Have you ever heard people exclaiming, "Oh, my muscles are not growing poor genes." Then they whine and whine about how their parents and siblings are also small built. So it is probably the genes.
Whining about your "genetics" does nothing but instilling into your brain that "you won't be able to build nice muscles." And you know what? With the law of attraction, then you really won't be able to build big muscles because you will not be working out hard enough or find out more about the science of building muscles since you think that you are in a hopeless at building muscles. Then why on earth do you go to the gym for?
While you may not be able to become a professional bodybuilder, there is no reason you why you can't build a handsome muscular body. You can still build reasonably big of muscles and get ripped, regardless of your genes.
What will allow to build bigger muscles will be two things. How smart you work and how hard you work. If you are working out smart and hard, you will be unbeatable in getting that fabulous body which you dream about. To work smart, then you must know the science of bodybuilding and not just to lift weights randomly. You must also know how to eat correctly to feed and boost muscle growth.
So if you really and seriously want to build a body of your dream, then you must study the science of bodybuilding or hire a personal trainer to help you build muscles effectively.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
This is because in order to build muscles effectively, you will need to know the science of building muscles. You must know exactly what to do in order to get those toned and defined muscles. If not, you will be wasting your time in the gym or worse, even develop bodybuilding injuries because you did not approach it in a scientific way.
That said, do you know that there are a few types of different muscle fibers? Some of these fibers have the ability to grow big and provide you with massive strength while others such as endurance muscle fibers are likely to remain small but allow you to use them for many hours.
Now can you imagine what will happen if you spend most of your time in the gym working out on these smaller type muscle fibers? Do you really expect to grow big when you are doing this?
I am not saying that these smaller muscle fibers cannot increase in size, on the contrary, you can make, it is just that you need to train them a little differently. Your calves and forearms muscles are such examples.
Many a times, when people's workout methods are wrong and their muscles don't grow, they pin it down on genetics. Have you ever heard people exclaiming, "Oh, my muscles are not growing poor genes." Then they whine and whine about how their parents and siblings are also small built. So it is probably the genes.
Whining about your "genetics" does nothing but instilling into your brain that "you won't be able to build nice muscles." And you know what? With the law of attraction, then you really won't be able to build big muscles because you will not be working out hard enough or find out more about the science of building muscles since you think that you are in a hopeless at building muscles. Then why on earth do you go to the gym for?
While you may not be able to become a professional bodybuilder, there is no reason you why you can't build a handsome muscular body. You can still build reasonably big of muscles and get ripped, regardless of your genes.
What will allow to build bigger muscles will be two things. How smart you work and how hard you work. If you are working out smart and hard, you will be unbeatable in getting that fabulous body which you dream about. To work smart, then you must know the science of bodybuilding and not just to lift weights randomly. You must also know how to eat correctly to feed and boost muscle growth.
So if you really and seriously want to build a body of your dream, then you must study the science of bodybuilding or hire a personal trainer to help you build muscles effectively.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Top Ten Stress Tips
1. Exercise Regularly. Start engaging in regular physical exercise 3-5X/week for 30 minutes, like jogging, walking, swimming, biking, dancing, aerobics, etc. Exercise releases mood-enhancing chemicals, like endorphins, the mind-body's natural painkiller and mood calmer. Briskly walking 2-3 miles allows us to experience a tangible sense of accomplishment and control. When everything is up in the air, exercise helps us feel grounded. Even better if you can find an exercise buddy.
2. Discover the Meditative and Sensual Mode. Here's an online reader's experience: "I usually put myself into stressful situations (I can't help it! I thrive on stress!) I know that stress will catch up with me in the end so I have discovered the best cure for the time-challenged. When I notice a panic attack or fatigue from stress setting in, I put everything to the side. I grab my portable radio and my Smashing Pumpkins, "Siamese Dream" tape. I plug it up in my bathroom and turn off the lights. I light a variety of candles throughout the room and take a warm bath. If my stress is way out of hand, I eat an apple and drink a glass of milk while in the bath. I take the mood from the lighting and from the smooth sound of the Pumpkins. Usually, after soaking for 25 minutes, I drain the water and stay in the tub, surrounding myself in happy thoughts. Once the tub is nearly drained, I get out, energized by the calm of the previous half-hour. That charges me to finish the work that I set aside and it gives me a peace to finish things for the rest of the month (or longer)! It's my happy time!"
3. Find a Hobby. Hobbies can be active or reflective; sometimes they can be both, like gardening. Hobbies may be shared, but often it's enjoyable activity pursued or engaged in solitude. Hiking in forests and mountains work wonders for me. Helps me get perspective, step back from my troubles, see a bigger picture, be at one with nature. Also, try your hand at creative writing, poetry or keeping a journal. Research shows writing that analyzes our problems and expresses our emotions is stress relieving. If you can't discover a hobby, I'd take that as a warning sign. You may actually be depressed. Loss of interest in things we once enjoyed, or loss of vitality in general, is a common symptom.
4. Learn to Let Go. When people are depressed/stressed they often are clinging to a belief, a situation or a person that is ignoring or denying key aspects of reality. They are reluctant to have a face-to-face, heart-to-heart talk or confrontation. And loss doesn't just mean the death of a loved one. Loss can occur with the breakup of a relationship, having to start a new job or school (loss of familiar colleagues and friends) or a sense of losing control...as in excessive yelling and screaming. Loss of face or self-esteem along with anxiety and uncertainty often result.
Sometimes we have to grieve our loss and let go to regain our energy and perspective and reengage with life in a vital manner. This may require doing a retreat, taking time out to reflect on these gnawing stressors: how they got there and your negative and positive coping patterns. Can you let go of one or two of these stress gremlins or at least step back from '"all or none" and rigidly idealistic expectations? Remember the Stress Doc's Basic Law of Safe Stress: Do know your limits and don't limit your "No"s!
Retreating is not giving up, but means sowing the psychic seeds of rebirth and rejuvenation. As I once wrote:
Whether the loss is a key person, a desired position or a powerful illusion, each deserves the respect of a mourning. The pit in the stomach, the clenched fists and quivering jaw, the anguished sobs prove catalytic in time. In mystical fashion, like spring upon winter, the seeds of dissolution bear fruitful renewal.
5. Reflect upon "The Stress Doc's 6 'F' Loss and Gain Change Model." Grappling with change and choice often means:
1) by definition, letting go of the Familiar, and the security that familiarity can provide (of, course sometimes it can be a great relief to "let go" or escape the routine),
2) confronting an unpredictable Future, which can be scary and depressing, yet also exciting and hopeful,
3) dealing with loss of Face or self-esteem, especially if you are not ready for the choice, feel it's imposed upon you or it may result in lower status or achievement or rejection. Significant change often places you outside your comfort zone - may shake up your sense of identity; definitely a "danger-opportunity for growth" scenario, and
4) destabilizing your present Focus; you need to sort the forest from the trees, habitual reactions or responses, no longer cut it; mastering loss and change requires new performance, process and path.
5) get Feedback from people who have known you prior to the loss and change process; these folks can help provide an identity anchor in a crisis or transitional tempest. Also, make sure the feedback is from people who can be objective, who will identify your strengths and your vulnerabilites.
6) and for some there will be a sixth "F": Faith. Whether through a belief in a transcendent being or by experiencing the higher power of a support group - with its network of interactions - healing energy and hope appear on the horizon. Keeping the faith provides support for those "dark night of the soul" episodes.
6. Express Healthy Anger. By healthy anger, I mean the freedom to express oneself purposefully or passionately, without having to be perfectly reasonable, but still be responsible. A person may not even be clear as to what he or she is angry about. Here are some constructive, being accountable for your communication "I"-message examples (as opposed to blaming "you" message): "I don't like (or need) this," "I just feel what's happening isn't right or useful," "I don't like you" (at this moment; as opposed to "You idiot" or "You always screw up"). Sometimes, just a loud and clear "I'm angry right now" works quite well. (Trust me, with body language, firm voice, direct eye contact and real emotion these statements aren't wimpy.) As Richard Bach noted in his book on Creative Aggression, vital anger, whatever the specific content, sends the message: This is who I am. This is what I believe is happening to me in relation to you. I have these thoughts and feeling that I need to express. And, having vented our anger, we can listen (hopefully, sooner rather than much later) to the other party's thoughts and feelings.
Adults need to help a child learn that anger doesn't have to be forever, perhaps by saying, "I can see you are angry with me right now." Parents and guardians can also encourage youngsters to say specifically what they don't like or what they want. (Not that kids should always get what they want, heaven forbid.) By asserting her needs both with purpose and spontaneity, without losing total control, a child is in a better position to set limits on herself and others. She is learning how to establish and protect her boundaries and personal space. A child that is allowed to be constructively angry or assertive more likely will become a teen who can "just say No" in the face of destructive peer pressure. Or, he or she will "know when to say when" to the seductive temptations and addictions of adolescence.
7. Declare Your Emancipation Procrastination. The critical step in overcoming endless delay, dalliance and denial is letting your self feel the anxiety, anger or shame that underlies avoidance or escapist behavior. Acknowledge your secret procrastination with a friend, colleague or counselor. Appoint an empathic "designated nagger" to keep you on track with TLC: "Tender Loving Criticism" and "Tough Loving Care." Also, learn to break up a big project into manageable parts and then get started even if it's just for five minutes. As the ancient roman poet Horace noted: "To begin is to be half done. Dare to know - start!" And finally, set limits on both self-defeating and overwhelming goals and workload expectations. Establish interpersonal boundaries and beware of your grandiose savior/rescue fantasies. Remember, "Burnout is less a sign of failure and more that we gave ourselves away!"
8. Seek Out Others with Similar Issues. At critical and stress ful points in the development of Stress doc enterprises, support groups were a catalyst for encouragement and growth. One group, comprised mostly of artists exploring computer graphics helped me overcome technophobia and my embarrassing state of computer virginity. Then there was the social networking group for self-employed business folks called "Home Alone." This collection of oddballs and outcasts helped me overcome ignorance and reluctance to becoming a "Webbie." With the collaboration of an IT colleague, SS Stress Doc was launched into cyberspace. From fellowship to partnership, teaming with others breaks down self-imposed barriers and expands resources and options. The right mutual support system - whether through mentoring, partnering or group coordination - can help transform enervating stress into synergistic energy. Discover why the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts.
9. Consider a Support Group or Professional Help. Under chronic stress and exhaustion, or from a sense of severe mistrust, shame and inadequacy, you can hide out from yourself as well as others. Some will increase their drinking, drugging, smoking and eating. Many people have unrealistically perfectionist standards for themselves as well of others. This only tightens the stress knot. Chronic stress takes a toll on your biochemistry, often turning your mood range into a roller coaster ride.
Consider twelve step groups like Alcoholics anonymous (AA) and Codependents Anonymous (CODA), or depression and bipolar support groups (often run by a local hospital). These gatherings help us realize that misery doesn't just like company…It likes miserable company. No, just kidding. These groups cut through a sense of isolation and help you see your plight from a different perspective. They can inspire you to begin a slow and patient recovery one day at a time. (And you don't have to have a problem with alcohol or drugs for most 12-step groups. Just being part - past and/or present - of a good old dysfunctional family will suffice.)
And now there is a myriad of online support groups to meet almost any fancy or fetish. While chat groups may seem a bit chaotic at first, if the group has good leadership, once getting the perspective and pace, you'll likely find the experience both exciting and comforting. For those on America Online, feel free to drop by my weekly "Shrink Rap ™ and Group Chat," Tuesdays, 9:30-11pm EST.
Again, if the stress feels debilitating, or you are reluctant to open up in a group setting, consider individual counseling or psychotherapy with a mental health professional. Maybe start by calling a crisis hot line. Clinical social workers can be very helpful. Try contacting your local National Association of Social Workers Chapter or your local United Way Counseling Agency. For students, a guidance counselor, school nurse, school social worker or university health center is another option.
Also, if your agitated depression or high anxiety doesn't improve, I'd see a psychiatrist for evaluation for medication. The new antidepressant medications are often quite effective and often with relatively few side effects. But please be supervised initially by a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist when doing a meds trial. Internists and GPs are not experts on mood medication.
10. Seek the Higher Power of Humor. At times, nothing brings more relief than laughing at ego-inflated, self-important stress carriers - you know, the so-called high and mighty who never seem to get ulcers, just to give them. But, in fact, the most powerful form of humor as "good medicine" and as a sign of psychological well-being and maturity is likely the ability to gently poke fun and laugh at ourselves. This capacity for tickling and embracing our flaws and foibles means self-awareness is stronger than judgmental "shoulds," that self-acceptance is more powerful than shame or blame.
Some strategies for bringing more humor to your life:
a) Exaggerate your flaws; periodically turn the incongruous into the silly. You should see me doing a workshop "Shrink Rap," decked out in Blues Brothers hat, black sunglasses and beating on a black tambourine. At first, groans fill the room, but not for long. Folks are won over as much by lyrics as by unselfconscious exuberance. Of course, the biggest laugh comes when, as the clapping dies down, I declare; "You can't fool me. I can tell when an audience is applauding from relief,"
b) During a work meeting, arm participants with a squeeze doll or animal that makes a whining, bleating or growling sound as a way of raising an objection or point of disagreement,
c) Don't just watch a good comedy sitcom (though watching as a family or with a group of friends can heighten the wondrous effect), try your hand at writing or telling stories of embarrassing moments,
d) Learn to "reframe" reality. Follow the example of Edmund Rostand. Upon turning seventy-five, the French dramatist and poet, gazed into a mirror and opined: "Mirrors just aren't what they used to be,"
e) Take humor breaks. I still love reading old Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side collections. And reading and rereading Catcher In the Rye never fails to uplift my spirit.
So seek the higher power of humor: May the Farce Be with You!
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
2. Discover the Meditative and Sensual Mode. Here's an online reader's experience: "I usually put myself into stressful situations (I can't help it! I thrive on stress!) I know that stress will catch up with me in the end so I have discovered the best cure for the time-challenged. When I notice a panic attack or fatigue from stress setting in, I put everything to the side. I grab my portable radio and my Smashing Pumpkins, "Siamese Dream" tape. I plug it up in my bathroom and turn off the lights. I light a variety of candles throughout the room and take a warm bath. If my stress is way out of hand, I eat an apple and drink a glass of milk while in the bath. I take the mood from the lighting and from the smooth sound of the Pumpkins. Usually, after soaking for 25 minutes, I drain the water and stay in the tub, surrounding myself in happy thoughts. Once the tub is nearly drained, I get out, energized by the calm of the previous half-hour. That charges me to finish the work that I set aside and it gives me a peace to finish things for the rest of the month (or longer)! It's my happy time!"
3. Find a Hobby. Hobbies can be active or reflective; sometimes they can be both, like gardening. Hobbies may be shared, but often it's enjoyable activity pursued or engaged in solitude. Hiking in forests and mountains work wonders for me. Helps me get perspective, step back from my troubles, see a bigger picture, be at one with nature. Also, try your hand at creative writing, poetry or keeping a journal. Research shows writing that analyzes our problems and expresses our emotions is stress relieving. If you can't discover a hobby, I'd take that as a warning sign. You may actually be depressed. Loss of interest in things we once enjoyed, or loss of vitality in general, is a common symptom.
4. Learn to Let Go. When people are depressed/stressed they often are clinging to a belief, a situation or a person that is ignoring or denying key aspects of reality. They are reluctant to have a face-to-face, heart-to-heart talk or confrontation. And loss doesn't just mean the death of a loved one. Loss can occur with the breakup of a relationship, having to start a new job or school (loss of familiar colleagues and friends) or a sense of losing control...as in excessive yelling and screaming. Loss of face or self-esteem along with anxiety and uncertainty often result.
Sometimes we have to grieve our loss and let go to regain our energy and perspective and reengage with life in a vital manner. This may require doing a retreat, taking time out to reflect on these gnawing stressors: how they got there and your negative and positive coping patterns. Can you let go of one or two of these stress gremlins or at least step back from '"all or none" and rigidly idealistic expectations? Remember the Stress Doc's Basic Law of Safe Stress: Do know your limits and don't limit your "No"s!
Retreating is not giving up, but means sowing the psychic seeds of rebirth and rejuvenation. As I once wrote:
Whether the loss is a key person, a desired position or a powerful illusion, each deserves the respect of a mourning. The pit in the stomach, the clenched fists and quivering jaw, the anguished sobs prove catalytic in time. In mystical fashion, like spring upon winter, the seeds of dissolution bear fruitful renewal.
5. Reflect upon "The Stress Doc's 6 'F' Loss and Gain Change Model." Grappling with change and choice often means:
1) by definition, letting go of the Familiar, and the security that familiarity can provide (of, course sometimes it can be a great relief to "let go" or escape the routine),
2) confronting an unpredictable Future, which can be scary and depressing, yet also exciting and hopeful,
3) dealing with loss of Face or self-esteem, especially if you are not ready for the choice, feel it's imposed upon you or it may result in lower status or achievement or rejection. Significant change often places you outside your comfort zone - may shake up your sense of identity; definitely a "danger-opportunity for growth" scenario, and
4) destabilizing your present Focus; you need to sort the forest from the trees, habitual reactions or responses, no longer cut it; mastering loss and change requires new performance, process and path.
5) get Feedback from people who have known you prior to the loss and change process; these folks can help provide an identity anchor in a crisis or transitional tempest. Also, make sure the feedback is from people who can be objective, who will identify your strengths and your vulnerabilites.
6) and for some there will be a sixth "F": Faith. Whether through a belief in a transcendent being or by experiencing the higher power of a support group - with its network of interactions - healing energy and hope appear on the horizon. Keeping the faith provides support for those "dark night of the soul" episodes.
6. Express Healthy Anger. By healthy anger, I mean the freedom to express oneself purposefully or passionately, without having to be perfectly reasonable, but still be responsible. A person may not even be clear as to what he or she is angry about. Here are some constructive, being accountable for your communication "I"-message examples (as opposed to blaming "you" message): "I don't like (or need) this," "I just feel what's happening isn't right or useful," "I don't like you" (at this moment; as opposed to "You idiot" or "You always screw up"). Sometimes, just a loud and clear "I'm angry right now" works quite well. (Trust me, with body language, firm voice, direct eye contact and real emotion these statements aren't wimpy.) As Richard Bach noted in his book on Creative Aggression, vital anger, whatever the specific content, sends the message: This is who I am. This is what I believe is happening to me in relation to you. I have these thoughts and feeling that I need to express. And, having vented our anger, we can listen (hopefully, sooner rather than much later) to the other party's thoughts and feelings.
Adults need to help a child learn that anger doesn't have to be forever, perhaps by saying, "I can see you are angry with me right now." Parents and guardians can also encourage youngsters to say specifically what they don't like or what they want. (Not that kids should always get what they want, heaven forbid.) By asserting her needs both with purpose and spontaneity, without losing total control, a child is in a better position to set limits on herself and others. She is learning how to establish and protect her boundaries and personal space. A child that is allowed to be constructively angry or assertive more likely will become a teen who can "just say No" in the face of destructive peer pressure. Or, he or she will "know when to say when" to the seductive temptations and addictions of adolescence.
7. Declare Your Emancipation Procrastination. The critical step in overcoming endless delay, dalliance and denial is letting your self feel the anxiety, anger or shame that underlies avoidance or escapist behavior. Acknowledge your secret procrastination with a friend, colleague or counselor. Appoint an empathic "designated nagger" to keep you on track with TLC: "Tender Loving Criticism" and "Tough Loving Care." Also, learn to break up a big project into manageable parts and then get started even if it's just for five minutes. As the ancient roman poet Horace noted: "To begin is to be half done. Dare to know - start!" And finally, set limits on both self-defeating and overwhelming goals and workload expectations. Establish interpersonal boundaries and beware of your grandiose savior/rescue fantasies. Remember, "Burnout is less a sign of failure and more that we gave ourselves away!"
8. Seek Out Others with Similar Issues. At critical and stress ful points in the development of Stress doc enterprises, support groups were a catalyst for encouragement and growth. One group, comprised mostly of artists exploring computer graphics helped me overcome technophobia and my embarrassing state of computer virginity. Then there was the social networking group for self-employed business folks called "Home Alone." This collection of oddballs and outcasts helped me overcome ignorance and reluctance to becoming a "Webbie." With the collaboration of an IT colleague, SS Stress Doc was launched into cyberspace. From fellowship to partnership, teaming with others breaks down self-imposed barriers and expands resources and options. The right mutual support system - whether through mentoring, partnering or group coordination - can help transform enervating stress into synergistic energy. Discover why the whole is often greater than the sum of its parts.
9. Consider a Support Group or Professional Help. Under chronic stress and exhaustion, or from a sense of severe mistrust, shame and inadequacy, you can hide out from yourself as well as others. Some will increase their drinking, drugging, smoking and eating. Many people have unrealistically perfectionist standards for themselves as well of others. This only tightens the stress knot. Chronic stress takes a toll on your biochemistry, often turning your mood range into a roller coaster ride.
Consider twelve step groups like Alcoholics anonymous (AA) and Codependents Anonymous (CODA), or depression and bipolar support groups (often run by a local hospital). These gatherings help us realize that misery doesn't just like company…It likes miserable company. No, just kidding. These groups cut through a sense of isolation and help you see your plight from a different perspective. They can inspire you to begin a slow and patient recovery one day at a time. (And you don't have to have a problem with alcohol or drugs for most 12-step groups. Just being part - past and/or present - of a good old dysfunctional family will suffice.)
And now there is a myriad of online support groups to meet almost any fancy or fetish. While chat groups may seem a bit chaotic at first, if the group has good leadership, once getting the perspective and pace, you'll likely find the experience both exciting and comforting. For those on America Online, feel free to drop by my weekly "Shrink Rap ™ and Group Chat," Tuesdays, 9:30-11pm EST.
Again, if the stress feels debilitating, or you are reluctant to open up in a group setting, consider individual counseling or psychotherapy with a mental health professional. Maybe start by calling a crisis hot line. Clinical social workers can be very helpful. Try contacting your local National Association of Social Workers Chapter or your local United Way Counseling Agency. For students, a guidance counselor, school nurse, school social worker or university health center is another option.
Also, if your agitated depression or high anxiety doesn't improve, I'd see a psychiatrist for evaluation for medication. The new antidepressant medications are often quite effective and often with relatively few side effects. But please be supervised initially by a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist when doing a meds trial. Internists and GPs are not experts on mood medication.
10. Seek the Higher Power of Humor. At times, nothing brings more relief than laughing at ego-inflated, self-important stress carriers - you know, the so-called high and mighty who never seem to get ulcers, just to give them. But, in fact, the most powerful form of humor as "good medicine" and as a sign of psychological well-being and maturity is likely the ability to gently poke fun and laugh at ourselves. This capacity for tickling and embracing our flaws and foibles means self-awareness is stronger than judgmental "shoulds," that self-acceptance is more powerful than shame or blame.
Some strategies for bringing more humor to your life:
a) Exaggerate your flaws; periodically turn the incongruous into the silly. You should see me doing a workshop "Shrink Rap," decked out in Blues Brothers hat, black sunglasses and beating on a black tambourine. At first, groans fill the room, but not for long. Folks are won over as much by lyrics as by unselfconscious exuberance. Of course, the biggest laugh comes when, as the clapping dies down, I declare; "You can't fool me. I can tell when an audience is applauding from relief,"
b) During a work meeting, arm participants with a squeeze doll or animal that makes a whining, bleating or growling sound as a way of raising an objection or point of disagreement,
c) Don't just watch a good comedy sitcom (though watching as a family or with a group of friends can heighten the wondrous effect), try your hand at writing or telling stories of embarrassing moments,
d) Learn to "reframe" reality. Follow the example of Edmund Rostand. Upon turning seventy-five, the French dramatist and poet, gazed into a mirror and opined: "Mirrors just aren't what they used to be,"
e) Take humor breaks. I still love reading old Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side collections. And reading and rereading Catcher In the Rye never fails to uplift my spirit.
So seek the higher power of humor: May the Farce Be with You!
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
Shocking News: Sex in teenage is fashion...???
Sunny Juneja, student feels, Friends often tend to tease a guy who is incapable of befriending a girl and then taking her to bed. It is considered to be cool to have sex during the teens.
Teenage pregnancies: A matter of concern
Fahim Ahmedi, Merinews, 28 August 2007, Tuesday
Teenage pregnancies are on the rise in India. Several factors are responsible for this ranging from unprotected sex, inadequate knowledge about sexual intercourse and low level of sex education in schools to child marriages and rape.
THE 70S SAW an era of an alarming rate of teenage pregnancies across the world. Even though the birth control pills were introduced in 1961, it faced resistance all over the globe. Family planning was implemented on a wide scale in 1980s when people started to respond. By the 90s, teenage pregnancies declined. But the new millennium points in the direction of rising concern on the matter.
Teenage pregnancies are a matter of concern for both the child as well as the mother who are prone to various social, emotional, economic and health problems. We need to impart sex education in schools in an organised manner so as to stem the issue from its roots.
Lila Kapur, social worker says, “India has a social structure which has been struggling to get over its past since decades. Child marriages are still prevalent in India the outcome of which is an increase in teenage pregnancies. Also, various cases of rape on minors and other factors like lack of adequate sex education in teenagers have resulted in teen pregnancies.”
Zeba Smith, counselor says, “Teen pregnancies can also be attributed to the irresponsible behaviour of the media. Certain scenes and themes depicted in movies, music videos and even serials have led to an increase in teenagers being strayed. Teens have impressionable minds and tend to imitate on-screen actors and actresses. Also, the boon in technology and access to pornography is misleading children.”
Teen pregnancy is one that occurs from puberty to 19years of age and is also known as Adolescent Pregnancy. Puberty is the stage of adolescence when a young girl can reproduce. However reproduction can also take place before the first menstrual cycle.
Vishal Nagpal, a computer engineer from Chandigarh feels, “Teenagers have access to all sorts of stuff these days. They can easily get carried away by dating trends in the west and end up goofing up. Dating trends in India are changing with time. Teenagers start dating at an early age and are often carried away or due to inadequate knowledge find themselves in crucial circumstances.”
Indira Bakshi, educationist feels that our society is changing rapidly and it is our moral duty to educate teenagers of the implications of pregnancy and other diseases associated with unprotected sex. Use of contraceptives should be encouraged all over the country. Parents must overcome their whims and understand that they need to sit down and have a friendly discussion with their child on issues related to sex.
Mohan Sharma, businessman says, “Prevention is better than cure and creating general awareness among teenagers is the need of the hour. I have two daughters, the elder one is 14 and the younger one is 12. My wife makes it a point to sit with them and discuss about their daily school activities and keeps a constant check on whom they are talking with over the phone. She also gives them the required space. Maya, my 14 year old had a crush on a schoolmate. My wife handled it well. She told Maya that at this tender age she needed to be more careful as well as feel responsible for her actions.”
Parents need to spend more time with their children and try to understand their problems. They must never compare the new generation with their time as this will only create a communication barrier. What parents need to do is inculcate values of responsibility and reasoning in their children. They must teach them to judge between right and wrong.
Rachita Suri, student says, “Many a times girls surrender to their boyfriends in teenage only because of peer pressure or because the guy threatens to ditch the girl. For most girls it is their first love /crush and they don’t want to part that easily.”
Sunny Juneja, student feels, “It is considered to be cool to have sex during the teens. You are not considered to be a man unless you lose your virginity. Friends often tend to tease a guy who is incapable of befriending a girl and then taking her to bed. Another thing is that it is even better to date an older woman these days as she is considered to have more knowledge and experience.”
Sahil Mehta, Student says, “More and more teenagers are indulging in unprotected sex these days as they know that it is not all that difficult to get away with it. There are a number of options for abortion of which pills are the most common and you don’t need to have a doctor’s prescription to get them. Moreover, most teenage boys have a number of whims about using condoms or feel shy about getting them from a store.
India might have changed in a number of ways, but according to a research most teenage girls feel that they have fallen in love in their very first relationship. They think about marriage and it is not difficult for their boyfriends to induce them into the act by reciting a few sugar coated words.
Another research shows that girls exposed to child abuse, assault, violence, broken homes and few friends or support groups are at a higher risk of teenage pregnancies. The worst part is that in certain cases due to lack of adequate knowledge girls don’t even realise that they are pregnant until the fifth month.
Parents and education institutes need to gear up and impart proper and adequate sex education. We need to raise a generation of responsible adults who are capable of taking care of themselves. We mustn’t give a blind eye in the direction and take everything for granted because out there some kid is ruining his/her life right now.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
Teenage pregnancies: A matter of concern
Fahim Ahmedi, Merinews, 28 August 2007, Tuesday
Teenage pregnancies are on the rise in India. Several factors are responsible for this ranging from unprotected sex, inadequate knowledge about sexual intercourse and low level of sex education in schools to child marriages and rape.
THE 70S SAW an era of an alarming rate of teenage pregnancies across the world. Even though the birth control pills were introduced in 1961, it faced resistance all over the globe. Family planning was implemented on a wide scale in 1980s when people started to respond. By the 90s, teenage pregnancies declined. But the new millennium points in the direction of rising concern on the matter.
Teenage pregnancies are a matter of concern for both the child as well as the mother who are prone to various social, emotional, economic and health problems. We need to impart sex education in schools in an organised manner so as to stem the issue from its roots.
Lila Kapur, social worker says, “India has a social structure which has been struggling to get over its past since decades. Child marriages are still prevalent in India the outcome of which is an increase in teenage pregnancies. Also, various cases of rape on minors and other factors like lack of adequate sex education in teenagers have resulted in teen pregnancies.”
Zeba Smith, counselor says, “Teen pregnancies can also be attributed to the irresponsible behaviour of the media. Certain scenes and themes depicted in movies, music videos and even serials have led to an increase in teenagers being strayed. Teens have impressionable minds and tend to imitate on-screen actors and actresses. Also, the boon in technology and access to pornography is misleading children.”
Teen pregnancy is one that occurs from puberty to 19years of age and is also known as Adolescent Pregnancy. Puberty is the stage of adolescence when a young girl can reproduce. However reproduction can also take place before the first menstrual cycle.
Vishal Nagpal, a computer engineer from Chandigarh feels, “Teenagers have access to all sorts of stuff these days. They can easily get carried away by dating trends in the west and end up goofing up. Dating trends in India are changing with time. Teenagers start dating at an early age and are often carried away or due to inadequate knowledge find themselves in crucial circumstances.”
Indira Bakshi, educationist feels that our society is changing rapidly and it is our moral duty to educate teenagers of the implications of pregnancy and other diseases associated with unprotected sex. Use of contraceptives should be encouraged all over the country. Parents must overcome their whims and understand that they need to sit down and have a friendly discussion with their child on issues related to sex.
Mohan Sharma, businessman says, “Prevention is better than cure and creating general awareness among teenagers is the need of the hour. I have two daughters, the elder one is 14 and the younger one is 12. My wife makes it a point to sit with them and discuss about their daily school activities and keeps a constant check on whom they are talking with over the phone. She also gives them the required space. Maya, my 14 year old had a crush on a schoolmate. My wife handled it well. She told Maya that at this tender age she needed to be more careful as well as feel responsible for her actions.”
Parents need to spend more time with their children and try to understand their problems. They must never compare the new generation with their time as this will only create a communication barrier. What parents need to do is inculcate values of responsibility and reasoning in their children. They must teach them to judge between right and wrong.
Rachita Suri, student says, “Many a times girls surrender to their boyfriends in teenage only because of peer pressure or because the guy threatens to ditch the girl. For most girls it is their first love /crush and they don’t want to part that easily.”
Sunny Juneja, student feels, “It is considered to be cool to have sex during the teens. You are not considered to be a man unless you lose your virginity. Friends often tend to tease a guy who is incapable of befriending a girl and then taking her to bed. Another thing is that it is even better to date an older woman these days as she is considered to have more knowledge and experience.”
Sahil Mehta, Student says, “More and more teenagers are indulging in unprotected sex these days as they know that it is not all that difficult to get away with it. There are a number of options for abortion of which pills are the most common and you don’t need to have a doctor’s prescription to get them. Moreover, most teenage boys have a number of whims about using condoms or feel shy about getting them from a store.
India might have changed in a number of ways, but according to a research most teenage girls feel that they have fallen in love in their very first relationship. They think about marriage and it is not difficult for their boyfriends to induce them into the act by reciting a few sugar coated words.
Another research shows that girls exposed to child abuse, assault, violence, broken homes and few friends or support groups are at a higher risk of teenage pregnancies. The worst part is that in certain cases due to lack of adequate knowledge girls don’t even realise that they are pregnant until the fifth month.
Parents and education institutes need to gear up and impart proper and adequate sex education. We need to raise a generation of responsible adults who are capable of taking care of themselves. We mustn’t give a blind eye in the direction and take everything for granted because out there some kid is ruining his/her life right now.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
Exercises For Shapely Breasts
Exercise 1:
a.Lie on your tummy with the elbows bent, and fingertips facing inwards.Rest your forehead on the floor.
b.Slowly raise your head and body, pushing down with hands, arching your spine and bending the neck backwards.
c.Pull in your stomach muscles and lift your stomach off the floor.
d.Slowly lower upper back and shoulders to floor to the original position.Relax.
e.Repeat.
Exercise 2:
a.Hold your arms straight in front of you, at shoulder level.
b.Bring your hands slowly, towards your shoulders clenching your hands as though you are pulling something strenuously.
c.Repeat 5 times.
What Can Exercise Do For Your Breasts?
Breasts contain no muscle but only fat cells, milk-ducts and glands, held together in a web of soft connective tissue.So by exercising you cannot increase your bust size.Neither will exercising directly reduce a heavy bust.This is especially true if your breasts are large but your body weight is what it should be.If, however you are over-weight, a weight reducing diet combined with regular exercises, will help you to reduce your weight as well as your bust size.
Exercising, however has several other advantages as well; it tones up the muscles on which the breast tissue lies.So, if your bust-line measures less than what you would like, exercising would give you a firmer and a more prominent line, making your bust appear larger.Similarly, if a heavy bust is your problem, you would lose some of the droop(which can spoil your shape) and gain a firmer contour, though there would be no loss of inches.
Apart from the exercises which we have already mentioned, swimming is a superb exercise for bust shape.It exercises the " breast muscles" considerably against resistance of the water- this really can do wonders to your shape.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
a.Lie on your tummy with the elbows bent, and fingertips facing inwards.Rest your forehead on the floor.
b.Slowly raise your head and body, pushing down with hands, arching your spine and bending the neck backwards.
c.Pull in your stomach muscles and lift your stomach off the floor.
d.Slowly lower upper back and shoulders to floor to the original position.Relax.
e.Repeat.
Exercise 2:
a.Hold your arms straight in front of you, at shoulder level.
b.Bring your hands slowly, towards your shoulders clenching your hands as though you are pulling something strenuously.
c.Repeat 5 times.
What Can Exercise Do For Your Breasts?
Breasts contain no muscle but only fat cells, milk-ducts and glands, held together in a web of soft connective tissue.So by exercising you cannot increase your bust size.Neither will exercising directly reduce a heavy bust.This is especially true if your breasts are large but your body weight is what it should be.If, however you are over-weight, a weight reducing diet combined with regular exercises, will help you to reduce your weight as well as your bust size.
Exercising, however has several other advantages as well; it tones up the muscles on which the breast tissue lies.So, if your bust-line measures less than what you would like, exercising would give you a firmer and a more prominent line, making your bust appear larger.Similarly, if a heavy bust is your problem, you would lose some of the droop(which can spoil your shape) and gain a firmer contour, though there would be no loss of inches.
Apart from the exercises which we have already mentioned, swimming is a superb exercise for bust shape.It exercises the " breast muscles" considerably against resistance of the water- this really can do wonders to your shape.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
10 Essential Health Tips
1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it.
2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.
3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers.
4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent.
6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes.
7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't?
8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.
9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life.
10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it.
2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.
3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers.
4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible.
5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent.
6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes.
7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't?
8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.
9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life.
10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you.
Signing Off -dinotino®©-
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