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6 Smart Tips on Making Tough Decisions

August 9, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

There will always come a time in each of our lives in which we will have to make a tough decision. From deciding if your current relationship is right for you to whether or not you should go for that big promotion. Tough decisions can come from all aspects of our life from personal to professional. This is why today I am going to give you some smart tips to use the next time you are faced with a tough decision.

1. Set a deadline for yourself – It is really important that you set a deadline for yourself about when you want to have a final decision made. Without a deadline we allow ourselves to procrastinate or maybe even miss an opportunity. Setting a deadline may be scary but it is a necessary part of the decision making process.

2. Trust yourself – I firmly believe that each of is the expert of our life. Who knows you better that you? By taking charge and seeing yourself as an expert of your choices can give you the confidence you need to make difficult life decisions. Often we allow our bad choices of the past to diminish our ability to make the right choice. I have found that often when I have made a bad choice it has been because I haven’t trusted myself and instead just went along with something or trusted someone else to make the decision for me and this generally ended with negative results.

3. Evaluate the cost and gain with the decision – With each choice that we face in life there is a cost and something that we gain. It is important to determine if the gain is worth the cost. Maybe the higher paycheck of a new position is not worth the added stress and responsibility or maybe the new home is appealing but isn’t worth the higher mortgage payment and tighter budget. If the cost is not worth the gain then you may not want to move forward with making a change.

4. Ask for advice – I put this step further down the list for a reason. Often we will seek out the advice of others to avoid making the difficult decision ourselves. When asking a person for advice make sure it is someone that you trust and that will take advice giving seriously. It is important that you don’t just make a decision based on their advice but take it under consideration. Talking with someone about the decision may give you an alternative perspective and they may be able to give you different points to evaluate before deciding.

5. Make a pros and cons list – If after using the above tips you still find yourself torn you might try making a pros and cons list. Take a piece of paper divide it into two halves and write the positives of making the decision and the negatives. If you really want to hash out the options in this way you may also make a list about the pros and cons of not making the decision. After your lists are complete sit down and consider all options. Hopefully this may help to resolve any left over fears or insecurities about your decision.

6. Decide – This is the most important step. If we never finally make a choice then we could end up with a decision being made for us or nothing at all. I can ensure that if you never finally make the decision you will spend your days wishing that you had. I believe it is better to make a choice and give it a try then to sit and allow life to happen to you. Make a choice and take ownership for that choice. If you have followed these steps then you can be assured that your decision was well thought out and you can move forward confidently knowing that you have made a well informed decision.

These aren’t the only things you can do to help make those tough decisions easier, but they’re a good starting point. Try one or all of them the next time a tough decision rears it’s head in your life and press forward toward your goals.

And now, I’d like to invite you to claim your FREE instant access to my “Ultimate Guide To Goal Setting” which you will receive when you sign up for my “Become A Better You” Newsletter at my blog at http://www.AmandaTPaul.com

You’ll receive inspirational guidance and tips that will help you begin to create the kind of life you’ve always wanted for yourself, one full of happiness and fulfillment. You really can change the course of your life, if you’re willing to take the right steps and push toward your goals! Join us today and start “becoming a better you!”

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The Real Definition of Good Health

August 7, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Mario G Carini -

In 1948, the World Health Organization defined good health as; “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

This definition of health holds as true today as it did back in 1948. Though the WHO may have modified their definition since then, the state of health for many today is dismal. Diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease are increasing rapidly throughout the world and no one appears to have a clue as to how to cure disease other than treat it through drugs and surgery.

Ask anyone on the street and you are likely to get the answer that health for them means the absence of pain and illness. Many say they are healthy even though they take a pharmacy of drugs and medications to feel that way.

As the years have slipped by more people have adopted the Western style diet, a diet of highly refined foods loaded with sodium, sugar, fat and chemical additives. Highly stressed lifestyles combined with bad habits such as smoking and the pollutants in the food, air and water insure that the quality of life is severely compromised. There’s little good in living longer if those extra years are filled with pain an disease.

Today’s diseases are the result of poor lifestyle choices. Aside from the fact that most diets are high in fat, most of the produce on supermarket shelves is severely depleted of the essential vitamins and minerals that were abundant in the diet of those who lived a hundred years ago. Today’s food is mass produced and comes from farms whose soils have been sterilized and robbed of minerals. Food is made to look good and have a long shelf life, but not produced to promote health.

Today’s medical establishment projects the idea that sickness is a part of life and inevitable. The older you get, the sicker you will be and the more you’ll require medical intervention. But the truth is that a healthy body doesn’t get sick. A body with a strong immune system has many checks and balances that insure that good health is maintained. Even today you’ll find centenarians that don’t require crutches to get around or languish in a nursery home waiting for the bliss of death to take them. Health is not all due to hereditary factors.

Those centenarians have no special health genes to help them live so long. What they do have is what’s lacking in the lives of the majority of people today. Those healthy old folks are active. They eat fresh fruits and vegetables, foods high in fiber and low in simple carbohydrates. They get fresh air and don’t smoke or drink to excess. You’ll likely find them living in their own homes and getting about without walkers and canes.

Maintaining good health has to start with the belief that it is possible to become healthy and stay that way by implementing good lifestyle choices. Unfortunately, few people have the incentive to make those changes. A stressed and hurried lifestyle doesn’t allow many to stop and take an inventory of themselves and the goals for future well-being.

With all that we’ve discovered about the functioning of the body and its ability to heal itself, there is no excuse why anyone should continue to live an an unhealthy lifestyle that shortens the quality of life. The real definition of good health is by making a complete change of lifestyle through eating a good diet, exercising regularly, living relatively stress free, getting enough sleep and throwing out the cigarettes and drugs. Doing so would reduce the epidemics of today’s modern diseases and restore the balance and enjoyment that life should be.

The author is a freelance writer who writes mostly in subjects dealing with health, business and self-improvement. He is studying ad copywriting to provide a service to business in their efforts to make a profit from their blogs, websites, and ezines. He currently has a number of articles published on Helium:
http://www.helium.com/users/210594 You can also buy articles for use in your website or ezine here:
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Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health Tagged With: defined good health, Good Health, lifestyle choices, maintaining good health, real definition, well-being

Healthy Living – 3 Dangerous Mistakes You Are Making Keeping You From a Healthy Life

August 5, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Angela Garrison -

You are standing in your own way of living the healthful life you dream of. Here is what is stopping you and how to avoid these dangerous mistakes even doctors make!

Mistake #1:

You dedicate your life to taking care of others

You take care of your children, spouse, parents, friends, even your pets. You are also your family’s own travel agent, tax professional, financial advisor, shopper, housekeeper, chef, teacher, therapist, chauffeur, etc…. Now I know this makes you feel needed and even loved but you are so busy you tend not to remember to take care of yourself. This is a very dangerous pattern. After all, at the end of the day how can you take care of everyone and everything if you don’t feel good and your health is deteriorating?

You need to slow down and take care of your needs first. This was the hardest thing for me because I had never done that before.

It felt so selfish and really weird. But, what happened the day I decided to take care of myself first helped me change my life forever. It was so much easier than I thought. I found some simple strategies and I have never felt happier, and healthier. I have more patience and focus than I’ve ever had (and with 2 young kids this is a necessity!) and I have even more energy to do all I was doing before. (I just enjoy it more now)

Mistake #2:

You think it’s too late

You haven’t taken care of yourself for years! You figure the damage has been done and you can’t change it now.

Have you ever tried to convince yourself to not care about what may be going on inside your body? After all, you can’t see what’s going on inside, and everything seems fine for now…But then comes a trip to the doctor’s office and you stay up late the night before worrying about what they might find.

Why do we think this way? It really is never too late.

The body has the remarkable ability to heal itself quickly and effortlessly given the right nutrients. I know this first hand as I was diagnosed with an auto immune disease a few years ago, and by changing my diet to include rich natural fruits from all over the world I no longer have to take prescriptions everyday to control my disease.

Mistake #3:

Blaming Your genetics for your health

Did you know by the time you reach 50, your lifestyle, including your diet, determines 80% of how you age!! The remaining 20% is inherited genetics.

You have the power to age faster or slower depending on your lifestyle choices. The choices you make everyday determine your health and the path of the future.

These are 3 very dangerous mistakes that even doctors are making with their health, I have 3 dangerous mistakes yet to reveal to you that are the biggest mistakes of all. Learn about them and what to do to avoid them by clicking on the link below.

For more helpful advice and information on protecting and preserving your health, and to download a free copy of “The 6 Biggest Mistakes Even Doctors Make With Their Health” visit: http://www.howtohealwithfruit.com.

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Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health Tagged With: change your health, dangerous health mistakes, heal itself, health and genetics, Healthy Living

The Components of Personal Resilience

August 4, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Graham Yemm -

There is a growing amount of research and publicity about the power of personal resilience when managing pressure and avoiding stress. Despite this, many organizations still want to focus on stress management or well-being programs. Although these are better than nothing maybe they, and their personnel, would benefit more from putting the attention onto developing people’s personal resilience. (There is a strong argument for also addressing organizational influence at the same time.)

Resilience has many definitions from the “ability to bounce back” to “The ability to withstand adverse events and stressful situations without falling apart, by actively and positively coping with stress” (Stein and Book) Whatever your preference for definitions, you can probably identify certain times and situations where you feel more capable and resilient. Maybe you can use these to learn from and expand the range of situations where you can respond more resiliently?

We have identified 6 components which we believe are fundamental to personal resilience. Each of these can be developed and thought of as a work in progress which you keep improving. Not only will strengthening them help to increase your personal resilience they will help you in many other aspects of your life.

Sense of purpose

Probably the core component of the six. It is the foundation for the all of the others. Not everyone is clear about their purpose and it is frequently something that you can define as you move through life. The stronger your sense of purpose the better equipped you are to handle challenges and setbacks and to recover from them. If you are not clear, it can lead to feelings of frustration or aimlessness. Being able to identify this can help you to feel you are having a more meaningful life. Do you understand the purpose in all the activities you engage in or do you experience a frustrating sense of why you are there?

For many people their sense of purpose is around one of the following, or a combination:

people – interests or hobbies – religion or spirituality – personal achievement or ambition

Positive realism

This component is something of a balancing act, between being able to think positively about situations and events whilst being realistic about what can be achieved. (It is not about some naive false optimism!) It involves being able to generate positive thoughts and feelings about situations. If you slip towards the other side, ask what do you gain by taking that more negative view of things? Practice seeing the glass half full, look at the positive and you will start to feel different. At the same time, a healthy dose of realism is good. It reduces the chance of having unreasonable expectations and subsequent disappointment. Keep things in perspective and it will help you to achieve these aims. Whether thinking about what might happen, or reflecting on things from the past, think positively and with the realistic perspective. Focusing on what is in front of you now can support this approach.

Relationships

People matter to us. Supporting and caring relationships are essential. Your interpersonal communication and skills can be an important element of your ability to be resilient and how well you can handle difficult situations or times. Having people around who you can reach out to when you need support or help is a real asset. (Provided you are open to doing so and do not think it is a weakness to seek support.) It is also powerful to be able to offer help and support to others when they need it. Developing your interpersonal skills to be able to adapt to a wide variety of people and interactions can help reduce the possible pressures created in difficult relationships.

Determination yet open-minded and flexible

How good are you at seeing things through? When faced with challenges do you deal with them by having a “can do” approach, being proactive and taking action? This component considers how well you finish tasks and things which you have started. Are you able to keep going in the face of adversity rather than giving up? Your ability to persevere when confronted with difficulty will help your resilience. An important part of this is your ability to be adaptable and open-minded. Rather than being closed minded in your determination, resilience is helped if you can be flexible in your approach to things. It prevents any tendency to keep repeating the same behaviors to similar situations and expecting different results! A willingness to explore options and alternatives will always provide you with a greater range of choices to deal with situations.

Self-Awareness

This refers to your knowledge of your inner self and how you think, feel and react. What are the patterns you have in the way we think about, or respond to, different situations and challenges? Can you identify the positive, more helpful ones – and those which might be less positive? Resilient people are able to identify the causes of their success and any failures and learn from them. They will accept responsibility for their actions and reactions. They recognize what challenges or situations are beyond their control and that the part which is in their control is how they think and react. Assess your own habits about your thoughts, do you live in the present and future, or keep going back to the past?

Self-management -self-reliance

This component is somewhat more pragmatic as it considers how well you know, and use your strengths and skills and recognise your limitations. Both at work and home, do you manage your time and only take on what you can handle realistically? Over-commitment is a major source of pressure for many. Aim to get your work-life balance at the right level for you and those around you. Take responsibility for yourself and your actions. As you build your own reliance you can become stronger at doing this. Looking after yourself is also important. Your health, lifestyle and even amount or relaxation and sleep will help towards your resilience.

For organizations, you can really benefit from helping your people to introduce some initiatives to help them increase their personal resilience. We know that stress costs your business, both directly and indirectly. Why wait until it becomes a problem? Support your people by working on prevention and start offering some personal resilience training or help.

Individuals can use various ways to assess themselves. Discussion with friends or colleagues, self-assessment, coaching or taking some sort of profile or questionnaire. (You could try our Personal Resilience Index!) Identify where you feel you could improve and where you feel you are strong. Think about your preferences or choices for how you could develop in the areas you want and take some action. Ultimately, it will help you with your quality of life and potentially help in all areas.

Graham Yemm is a partner in Managing Pressure and has 20 years of experience of working with organisations and individuals, internationally and in the UK, to help them manage time more effectively and to deal with pressure and stress. He can be reached through info@managingpressure.com or +44 1483 480656.

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Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Spiritual Health

Positive Attitude Improves Your Health and Well-Being With These 5 Simple Strategie

August 3, 2010 By Guest Contributor 1 Comment

By Amber Keinath -

Did you know that your mindset has a huge impact on your health and well-being? Researchers have found that people who overall have a happy attitude are more likely to be healthy than those who do not have the positive mindset?

So, I have put together 5 Simple Strategies for helping you to live a longer, happier, and healthier life.

1. Get Social!

Get out there and have some fun with other people! You do not want to live your life sitting inside watching TV alone! How can that lead to a happy and healthy life? It is important to find people you enjoy to be around.

Go have a BBQ. Meet people in your community through activities at your local community center. You can also interact with others, have fun, and help your community by volunteering!

2. Laugh multiple times a day!

What makes you laugh? When was the last time you found yourself really enjoying the activity you were engaged in? What were you doing? Did the time just fly by? Learn what makes you happy and what you enjoy and do it often!

3. Count your blessings!

You have been blessed. Think about how blessed you are. Look around you and what do you see? Do you have some great friends and family? Do you have a beloved pet or comfortable home or job? Do you have air conditioning during this hot summer season? What have you been blessed with?

I personally went through a natural disaster where I lost every belonging I had. It was at that moment that I truly felt blessed despite the disaster. I have a wonderful husband, family, friends, and a ton of support! You don’t have to go through losing all your belongings! Look around you today and find what you are truly blessed with!

4. Take up some hobbies!

What do you enjoy doing? Do you like putting things together? Working on your car? Scrapbooking? Sports? What hobbies do you have that contribute to your happiness? Find time to engage in these activities often!

5. Get active!

What activities that get you up and moving do you enjoy? Do you like to go hiking, play tennis, walk your dog, play with your kids, or go exploring? What activities do you enjoy that will help you increase your physical activity level?

By increasing your social calendar, doing what you love, getting active, and laughing often, you’ll find yourself living a happier life in which you are going to have the time of your life! Get out there and have some fun!

You can finally realize those dreams you have for yourself! For more information on how to set effective goals or how to reach your full potential in life or health, check out Amber Keinath’s RN Health and Wellness Coach Blog. Amber Keinath is a RN Health and Wellness Coach, Entrepreneur, and Social Media Specialist. If you are ready to get healthy or to work successfully from home, you will want to find out how a Health and Wellness Coach can work for you!

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Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health Tagged With: how to live healthy life, live healthy, long healthy life, RN Health Coach

The Obesity Self-Esteem Cycle

July 24, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Nick Arrizza, M.D.

We all know that obesity can trigger feelings of low self esteem. The converse is also true i.e. feelings of low self esteem can trigger over eating behaviors that can exacerbate obesity.

In short, if one is caught in such a cycle, the Obesity-Self Esteem Cycle, it can become a powerful negative vortex that can destroy one’s health, relationships and life.

The reason so many diet strategies fail is that they do not take into account the second half of the cycle I mentioned above.

Although self esteem can be negatively affected by obesity this is not the only factor that drives it. The most significant impact on one’s self esteem in my view originates in one’s history of experienced emotional trauma which is stored in the body at many levels. So addressing the obesity issue alone via diet and exercise will be insufficient to address these contributors to one’s low self esteem. As long as these are still present they will drive the second half of the cycle.

These deeper emotional “scars” must be addressed directly and in my view released permanently to help fully restore one’s self esteem. When this is done this will automatically break the Obesity-Self Esteem Cycle by eliminating emotional driving forces that bring self esteem down.

As a result, the individual will no longer feel badly inside and will therefore no longer feel a need to have to “soothe” themselves with food to make the “pain” go away.

A new process which releases negative beliefs and emotional trauma has been shown to effectively end the Obesity-Self Esteem Cycle.

If you’d like to learn more about it or experience a free interactive audio clip kindly go to the web link below where you can quickly download it and begin to transform your life.

A Free 1 Hour Introductory MRP Telephone Consultation is available upon request. (You will be asked to cover your own long distance telephone charges)

Nick Arrizza MD, a former Psychiatrist and Medical Doctor is an International Life, Executive, Organizational Tele-Coach, Author, Keynote Speaker, Trainer and Facilitator. He is also on Faculty at Akamai University in Hawaii. He is the CEO and Founder of Arrizza Performance Coaching Inc. and the developer of the powerful Mind Resonance Process® (MRP).

Web Site: http://telecoaching4u.com

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Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health Tagged With: emotional trauma, health, neglect, obesity, over eating compulsion, PTSD, self esteem self worth

Why Forgiveness is Important to Your Health

July 17, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Bianca Tora -

It is easier to bear a grudge against an enemy, easier to build walls than to let them go. Far easier it is to bask in righteous indignation than to admit that perhaps in the larger scheme of things, we are not all that right; perhaps we might even be wrong. Sam Keen once said,”Our problem lies not in our technology, but in our minds, in our ancient tendency to create enemies in our imagination.”

This is the function of our ancient reptilian brain, the stalker and enemy maker that lies curled up in our “amygdala.” Our ancient brain builds fortresses and moats, dredging reptilian memories from mud and walling them within our cerebellum as conditioned reflexes, unthinking, unconscious and primitive. But thanks to our prefrontal cortex, we have the ability to reign in our emotions, view the situation with equanimity and perhaps even go as far as forgiving our enemy.

According to the Mayo Clinic, forgiveness is good for our health. Studies show that anger creates a whole host of nasty effects on our bodies. It suppresses the immune system; it suppresses thyroid function, slowing down the body’s metabolism; it impairs the brain’s thinking ability and it jeopardizes our ability to sleep. Anger stalls the body’s normal processes of repair and recovery. It contributes to the clenching of the jaws and eventual problems with teeth and jaw joints. It increases tension headaches and joint pain.

Most of all, anger elevates heart rate and blood pressure; it increases muscle tension as the body contends with a sense of losing control. Cases of people literally dying from anger are not unusual. Anger can constrict heart muscle and vessels and trigger a heart attack.

Studies also show that men have a more difficult time forgiving than women do. Women have been socialized into being more empathetic than men. Women also find it easier to talk problems over and move towards a common resolution. Women have learned to network since kindergarten; they have learned to build on the basis of cooperation rather than vengeance.

What happens to our body when we release anger and welcome forgiveness?

Our muscles relax. We breathe more easily. Our blood vessels open up; more oxygen enters our bloodstream. We feel as though a load has been taken off our chest. We sleep more deeply, more peacefully at night. Our body processes achieve equilibrium again and our energy fields become unblocked. We are no longer pouring energy into building walls; we can now re-direct energy towards building relationships, coherence and love.

We can all learn to forgive by concentrating on the present. Live in the moment and let past wrongs go; let go of all future worries. Regular meditation sessions can help us redirect our mind and body to the present moment.

All spiritual traditions emphasize the importance of forgiveness because healing, both personal and communal, cannot take place without forgiveness.

Bianca Tora is a writer interested in the relationship between lifestyle and the brain, specifically the area of emotional regulation and control. She has published a book on anger management for children. Visit her at http://www.help-your-child-with-anger.com

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Filed Under: Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health Tagged With: Forgiveness, mayo clinic, meditation, prefrontal cortex, reptilian brain, sam keen, self improvement

Gratitude – The Secret Ingredient in Healing and Health

July 12, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Sukie Baxter -

Gratitude and appreciation are crucial ingredients in maintaining a balanced life. It’s true what they say – energy flows where attention goes. In the path to healing – whether you’re trying to lose weight, improve athletic performance, or become pain-free – focusing on what is working gives you the energy you need to make it all the way to your finish line.

Making note of the positive elements in your daily life creates resources for your healing. Like a good friend, you can turn to these resources whenever you’re feeling out of balance. Having strong resources also reduces the need to rely on a healer or therapist for a crutch, thus empowering you on your own healing path.

Here are 3 powerful secrets for integrating gratitude and appreciation into your life in such a way that you become extremely well resourced and supported:

1. All throughout your day, consciously notice what movements make your body feel great. Do you like stretching your arms over your head, or does walking relieve the tension in your low back? Maybe it feels amazing to walk barefoot on soft, luxurious carpet, or a certain yoga pose uplifts your mood.

Knowing what movements, exercises, and sensations improve your mood and physical well being reduces the need to rely on a healer or therapist for a crutch. When your back pain flares up, you already know how to nip it in the bud, or what to do to help untangle the knots in your neck post airline flight. You truly become the expert in your own body.

2. Make a list of all the people you spend time with in your day to day life – include family, friends, and coworkers, even those that you only speak to via phone.

Take a green pen and a red pen and sit somewhere quietly with your list. Going over the names, make a green + sign next to the names of those people who always uplift you and support you. These people are the ones whose company always leaves you feeling more cheerful at the end of a visit than when you arrived.

Using the red pen, make a – sign next to the names of people who drag you down. This may include those who are highly critical, constantly complaining, always telling you why you can’t do something, etc.

Now you should have a clear outline of the relationships that build you up and those that tear you down. Of course, this isn’t black and white, and you probably don’t want to cut all the negative people out of your life cold turkey. Instead, I suggest shifting your mindset.

When you are around your green + people, notice and appreciate how supportive they are and how their energy empowers you to move forward. When you are around the negative red – people, focus on being grateful for the lessons that they teach you about how you do not want to live your life. This will keep you in gratitude no matter who the company is!

3. Forgive. It is very difficult to be in a positive state of mind about yourself, your life, and the people around you when you are burdened with grudges, hate, fear, and dislike.

Holding onto the wrongdoings of others is a surefire way to drag yourself down into negativity and dis-ease. Even more harmful is refusing to forgive yourself for the wrongs you’ve perpetrated against yourself.

I recommend releasing grudges daily. If you start this practice, you’ll be shocked at how many tiny, insignificant things you tend to hold onto – a rude bank teller, getting cut off in traffic, a snippy word from your spouse, your teenager’s hormones making her grumpy, etc.

Reading the following Forgiveness Prayer aloud to yourself daily is a fabulous way to let go:

If I have harmed anyone in any way,

either knowingly or unknowingly

through my own confusions,

I ask forgiveness.

If anyone has harmed me in any way,

either knowingly or unknowingly

through their own confusions,

I forgive them.

And if there is a situation I am not yet ready to forgive,

I forgive myself for that.

For all the ways that I harm myself,

negate, doubt, belittle myself, judge or be unkind

to myself through my own confusions,

I forgive myself for that.

- Buddhist Prayer

Sukie Baxter is a Seattle Rolfer who helps clients overcome muscle pain, stress, and anxiety through holistic, integrative bodywork. To learn how to rejuvenate your body and soul using natural health strategies that get real results, register for weekly wellness articles on her website.

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Filed Under: Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health Tagged With: balanced life, Gratitude/appreciation, healing, Mind-Body Wellness, self improvement

Positive Attitude and Health

July 11, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Rich Megale -

The brain is the most powerful organ in the body. The brain controls and influences every other organ in the body and, in certain situations; it can even have an effect at the cellular level. When we are stressed, there are particular hormones that are produced by the body. When these hormones are released infrequently, they are essentially harmless but when they are produced too often, they can cause physical damage to our bodies. Studies have shown that cardiovascular disease can be provoked by the continuous bombardment of these bad stress hormones. Arterial damage can also result from the free radicals that are created, as part of this process. The mind can be a powerful tool, if it is used properly and overall health is greatly affected by it.

University of California researchers conducted a study focused directly on this concept. They found that actors could actually influence their immune systems by the emotions that they portrayed. In addition, Harvard, Duke University, University of Chicago, and others found that there was a relationship between improved health, a sense of well being and having a positive, happy attitude toward all things in life. In these studies it was determined that the attitude of the brain was a cornerstone to the healthy, productive functioning of the rest of the body.

We have all heard the old cliché: When life throws you lemons, make lemonade. This adage may seem trivial but there is really much more importance to it than you might think. When you send “bad vibes” into your body, there is often a residual effect that you get back. Depression, for example, can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle. The lack of an active, vibrant life can create a variety of other physical health related issues based on the mental condition that created them. Laughter is good medicine for all this. Getting in a good laugh promotes a happier outlook on life. The better you feel mentally, the more energy you will have to live an active, productive life. The more active and productive you are, the happier you will be. It is the mental “mindset” that starts this entire cycle into motion.

When depression creates a person to lead a more sedentary life, the body does not operate efficiently. Lack of exercise, poor eating habits and a lack of focus and direction can eventually lead to your metabolism slowing down. A slower metabolism means that your body is not getting food and nutrients to all the various cells, organs, tissues and muscles as efficiently. This affects not only the immune system but also your attitude and outlook on life. It is this very process that seems to create more “lemons” for you. Learn to laugh and smile when things are “not quite right.” Sulking about things doesn’t change them for the better. Smiling and laughing will. Your positive attitude will attract others who have a similar mindset. Being around those types of people will create a support system that will prove to be invaluable during tough times. Your brain is very powerful. It is wise to use it to your benefit. Positive thinking is not just a “fad.” It is an important tool that will benefit your mind, body and soul.

Rich is an expert in the field of Herbalife. Rich manages the weight loss site beststarttoday.com which is a health nutrition and weight loss website. Rich continues to help people throughout the world achieve their weight loss goals using Herbalife products.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rich_Megale
http://EzineArticles.com/?Positive-Attitude-and-Health&id=4182432

Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health Tagged With: Depression, happy attitude, health mind, laughing, positive attitude, productive life, vibrant life

Health and Well-Being in Your Relationship

July 9, 2010 By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

By Alex Blackwell -

When two people care deeply about themselves and each other, they strive to take care of their physical health. The reason is simple: They want to be around a long time to enjoy and share their life together. Relationship vitality is both a metaphorical expression and an actual goal for many.

In loving and positive relationships, each partner is often motivated and inspired to help the other maintain a healthy lifestyle. When you love someone very deeply there is a natural tendency to nurture and protect. We all take each day we live too much for granted. We expect to live forever; and to live without limits or restrictions. However, we all know that sometimes the harshness and unfairness of life can strike any one of us, or someone we love, at a moment’s notice.

There is no greater sense of hopelessness and despair when we find out that a loved one is ill, perhaps terminally. Everything seems to stop and the once important events in life become unimportant. We hear stories that a husband will say he would give away everything he owned to make his wife better. The big house, the expensive car, and the promising career are now inconsequential. Take an inventory today, right now of what is truly important to you. If your spouse or significant other is at the top of your inventory list, ask yourself what you are doing to promote and ensure their health and well being.

Are you looking the other way with their eating choices? Do you ignore their excessive consumption of alcohol? Are you encouraging your partner to seek regular medical checkups? There is no question each one of us is the only one responsible for our own health. I’m not suggesting that you must bear the burden of taking care of all of the physical needs of your partner. After all, we are all responsible for the choices we make and for the outcome of our lives – but we all do have the responsibility in our intimate relationships to speak-up and voice our concerns and to model positive and productive lifestyle choices.

The other part of bringing health and well-being into your relationship is to keep an eye on what you are doing to stay healthy. I’m sure whoever you are sharing your life with does not what you take risks with your health. Smoking, not exercising, and ignoring sound medical advice is not only irresponsible, it is also selfish. Your partner is counting on you for so many things. Taking care of your health is fundamental to being around and to fulfill your commitments and promises to the person you love.

Alex Blackwell is the author of The Next 45 Years – a website dedicated to sharing and creating happiness, life balance and success for the rest of our lives. To read all five actions for a successful relationship, please visit: http://www.thenext45years.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Blackwell
http://EzineArticles.com/?Health-and-Well-Being-in-Your-Relationship&id=610807

Filed Under: Emotional Health, Health, Intellectual Health, Physical Health Tagged With: healthy relationships, relationshiop advice, relationship help

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