Start With SIMPLE Exercise When Your Anxious or Depressed

The problem with anxiety or depression, is that it drains your energy, making every single task, no matter how big or small, seem like a monumental effort. To move past that draining fatigue and take that first step, you can put on your workout clothes or find the dog's leash to go for a walk. Keep it simple and doable and it will make it easier to get started.

Set simple goals. It doesn't take much exercise to lift your mood, so you don't have to train for a marathon. Set a goal to walk around the block.  Go around just once the first day, then maybe twice the next day.  The next day, do more. Try to improve just a little each day.

Go easy on yourself, especially if you are not able to handle a lot of exercise, just feel good about what you CAN do.  Working in the yard, taking the dog for a walk or go up and down the stairs a few times, it all counts.

Do what you enjoy. When you're anxious or depressed, it's hard to enjoy anything, but think about what you like when you're not having those feelings of being out of control.  If yoga feels good, spend a few minutes going through some simple poses.  If you like fresh air, go for a walk or an easy bike ride. Even if you don't enjoy it in the moment, small changes in activity can make a difference in your mood.

Make it social. Find a friend or family member to walk with. Talking to people can help raise your energy and remind you that you're not alone.  They can also help give you the incentive to get up and go out.

Go outside. Just a little sunshine can help boost your mood and keep you in touch with the world out there. Participate in it as much as you can handle.

Work with your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor about treatment options and your plans to exercise.

If you like to read, there are many books on how to overcome Anxiety and depression the natural way, with natural and  organic food, exercise, changing your way of thinking and much more.
REMEMBER, EASY DOES IT!

Weight Loss Issues

Weight loss is such a complex issue. Why do some people lose weight fast and keep it off? Why do some people lose slow? And why do some people just not lose at all? I wish I had the answer to all of these questions.
As I have studied, and struggled with my own weight loss issues, I have come across some very good information for good healthy weight loss.

• Eat at the same time everyday, as much as possible. I know that life is busy, and it is almost impossible to stop and eat at a certain time everyday. But you don't have to eat a FULL meal each time. Plan ahead to take some small meals, or healthy snacks in sandwich baggies and keep them in your purse, backpack or car. I take a hand full of nuts and a piece of fruit, or a slice of cheese and a vegetable. Just think of all the nutritious foods you like, and prepare your mini meals to eat throughout the day.
  
• Eat 4 to 6 meals a day. Eating every 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day keeps your sugar level balanced, it is easier on the digestive system and will keep your bowels moving more regularly.
• Chew your food slowly and really taste it. In this 'hurry up' world that we live in, we eat too much, too fast and we are never satisfied. If you eat slow, you will be satisfied more quickly.
• Get SOME exercise daily. You don't have to exercise 30 minutes a day everyday. Of course the more you do, the faster you will lose weight. If you can manage a 10 to 15 minute walk one to three times a day, you WILL notice the transition from fat to muscle. REMEMBER, muscle burns fat, and if you are moving those muscles, you are burning fat.
  
• Don't eat processed food. They have chemicals, preservatives, food colorings and fillers that have NO nutrition, and empty calories that just make you FAT.
  

YOU NEED FOOD FULL OF LIVE ENZYMES AND NUTRITION.

Focus on GOOD HEALTH, along with your WEIGHT LOSS. That doesn't mean you can't treat yourself once in a while to a piece of cake, or piece of chocolate, or a cookie. You should set aside 1 day that you can have a treat, just be careful and be wise.

Panic Attacks Can Be Learned

Most people have a bad habit of focusing on the past and all their failures, then their system goes into the anxiety and panic mode. We all need to remember that there isn't one person on this planet earth that has not failed many many times. If we put our so called failures into a positive light, we find that there is so much to be learned, and ultimately our failures can end up being our greatest successes.

If your parents were afraid all of the time, then they most likely taught you to be scared. Panic attacks can be learned from others. Learn to ride them out like a large wave, sometimes even several waves. BE OK with the attack and ride it through. If you have a social phobia, or are afraid to fly or ride in a car etc., don't try to avoid it. You won't learn to behave appropriately by avoiding your fears. You can be taught to be happy and not fear.

Just because you have failed in the past to overcome panic attacks, does NOT mean that you can't find many answers now. There are so many ways to help you learn to cope and eventually overcome.

• Never stop, continue to fight.
  
• What works for one person, may not work for another, but you need to go out and find something that works for you.
  
• The fear of an attack can be your worst enemy.
  
• What are some of the solutions in your life that you are not seeing.
• If one thing doesn't work, look for another.

There is an incredible book called 'PANIC AWAY' that will give you wonderful information on how to ride through your attacks, even challenge them, and help you understand that you no longer need to FEAR the next panic attack. Try it out and learn how to change your life for good.

THE PAST DOES NOT EQUAL THE FUTURE.

Tredmill, My Favorite

My favorite form of exercise is walking. If I am not exercising at all, I have a hard time keeping my weight down. In the winter the temperatures outside are freezing and the ground is covered with ice. NOT a good time to walk outdoors. In the spring and summer I have problems with the pollen in the air when the wind blows, and in the fall I can’t stand all the bugs in the air when I walk in wooded areas. Now even though there are times when different things make walking outdoors unpleasant, that is still the place that I prefer to get my exercise.

But I am so glad that I have an alternative. I have been going to the gym this past year. I love the treadmill because I can place a book on it and I get a lot of reading done while I exercise. For Christmas, my husband bought me a treadmill so now I don’t have to travel somewhere else to exercise, I can even do it in my pajamas. This is how to burn body fat in the comfort of your own home.

Exercise is great for the heart and to keep your muscles firm and strong. Besides those factors, for me, I need it to keep my lungs open and strong. When I exercise of a regular basis I have fewer problems with asthma.

Dietetic Habits Can Cause Serious Disease

As you read these questions, ponder for a few minutes on your answers.

What does your daily diet consist of?
Do you eat to be healthy, or to lose weight, or just for enjoyment?
Do you sit down and eat slowly or eat on the run?
Do you eat until you are really full?
How many fresh fruits and vegetables do you eat each day?

I ran across this quote from Bernarr Macfadden and thought I would share it.

"From what has been stated it will be seen that we believe the following dietetic habits to be serious causes of disease:
The eating of white flour foods,
eating too much,
eating too large a variety at one meal,
eating too fast,
drinking at meals to wash down food improperly masticated,
eating too highly seasoned food,
eating improper and improperly cooked food,
improper mastication of food,
eating too often,
and eating when suffering from the fever and inflammation of a wound, surgical operation or acute disease."
Macfadden's Encyclopedia of Physical Culture

This is the cause of disease of our industrialized world. If you fall into any of these categories and you would like to begin to make some changes, don't try to change everything all at once. Make one small change everyday.
If you are eating too fast, make a conscious effort with each meal to really chew your food slowly and learn to enjoy every bite.
If you eat to much at each meal and too many varieties, there is a wonderful program called Fat Loss 4 Idiots that helps you plan your meals, eat more often, and eat less per meal.
If you eat too many products with white sugar or white flour, just a little advanced planning and you can begin adding more whole grains into your diet.
It doesn't take long to begin trading 1 healthy item for 1 or 2 choices each day. Try it and notice how your energy level begins to improve slowly over time.

Why is Body Breathing Essential to Good Health

I want you to learn "body breathing" as the trainers of athletes teach it. We want to get your whole upper body into your breathing. Here's how it's done. Breathe in slowly, through your nose, as though there were a great big balloon inside you to be inflated. Keep inhaling, feel the air filling the diaphragm and the abdomen. You're full to bursting? Exhale hard through your open mouth. Try it again. Purse your lips and start that slow inhaling through your nose. Fill your lungs, feel the lower abdomen tighten as it fills. Stand tall (think of good posture), fling your arms wide, open your mouth, and spill out the air. Jack LaLanne - Revitalize Your Life After 50

I learned whole body breathing when I was young because I suffered with asthma. My aunt was a professional singer and she taught me how to breath through an asthma attack. That was a life saver to me, not just because of the asthma, but because I had such terrible reactions to the medication that I was taking for my asthma. My body is ultra sensitive to medication, and this process allowed me to take much smaller doses, and sometimes none at all. Because of this training along with many other things such as watching my diet and eating healthy, I have very few problems with asthma anymore.
I have also learned that whole body or sometimes called, deep belly breathing also helps with my anxiety and depression. Oxygen is essential to our health an well being. Shallow breathing decreases the oxygen to our brain and other organs. By breathing deep, we can enhance the healing process physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Practice several times a day, especially when you are under stress. Take 5 to 10 whole body or deep belly breaths. Be careful in the beginning because you can hyperventilate and become dizzy or lightheaded. As with ALL exercise, start slow and build up gradually. I promise that it will make a difference in your life.

Depression and Exercise - NEW

If you've ever experienced depression as I have, you may know how frustrating and debilitating it can be. It makes you so tired that you have no desire to get out of bed. Or just the opposite, you can feel so anxious that you can't calm down or sleep.

Whatever your symptoms are, one of the greatest challenges is to pull yourself out of that dark hole. Of course seeing your doctor should be your first step in dealing with depression, but there are other tools that can help also.

Exercise may be the last thing on your mind, but it's one thing that may give you some relief from depression. You don't have to start out with excessive time and energy consuming exercise. Begin slowly with a nice easy walk, or some simple stretching. Each day do a little bit more until you can get up to 15 to 20 minutes. Even doing 10 minutes 2 or 3 times a day is helpful.

Make sure that along with exercise you watch your diet. Begin replacing white flour and white sugar with nutritious whole foods. Remember, changing a little bit each day is better than trying to change everything in a short time, becoming burned out and then quitting.

Moisturizing The Skin

The main disadvantage of cleansing your skin is the removal of beneficial oils on your skin. These oils help you skin retain precious moisture and form a barrier between the polluted environment and yourself. The oils also keep the skin soft and younger looking. You can easily ease this problem by using a good moisturizer.

There are 2 types of moisturizers that can be used: A lightweight thin moisturizer for use during the day and underneath makeup, and a heavier more nutritious cream for night-time care.

I have know many people with acne problems who are afraid to use any moisturizing solution on their skin. Consequently the skin on their face, and other parts of their body becomes very tight, and the skin is very flaky which makes them look older. This dry skin also causes them to itch, then they are scratching all the time, which continues to make the skin more sensitive and slows down the healing process.

If you are bothered by acne, you need to make sure that your skin stays clean and use a very lightweight moisturizer to keep from clogging up the pores that keep erupting.

In the book "Acne Free in 3 Days", Chris Gibson talks about all the terrible side effects, including the extreme dry skin, that occurs when trying to get rid of acne with medications such as Accutane and antibiotics. His recipe for getting rid of acne is Healthy and nutritious. Yes, it does take some work and self control, but in the end, the finished product is so much better.

Cranio Sacral Therapy for Relaxation

Cranio sacral therapy has been used to assist with back pain, muscle cramps and a variety of other discomforts. I really enjoy receiving Cranio Sacral Therapy to relax and let go of everyday stress, whether it be emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual, the therapy seems to help me in all areas.

You can get more deeply relaxed in 45 minutes than you will be after a full nights sleep. As the body relaxes, it helps to increase the movement of blood, fluid and oxygen throughout the entire system which helps to feed the muscles, nerves, ligaments and all of the internal organs. This assists in healing most every aspect of your life.

But remember, that Cranial work can be hindered by poor diet and lack of nutrition. This therapy can open up the possibility of improved absorptions of nutrients, but YOU have to supply the good food and supplements for the body to become strong.

In Salt Lake City cranio sacral therapy, you can kick back and relax and temporarily forget about all your stresses and troubles. When we learn to relax, we can find solutions to our daily problems more easily.

Depression: Eat to Beat the Blues

Whether you are trying to lose weight, regulate your moods, or become a more positive person, the right food is essential to our health and wellbeing. I have posted 2 comments that I thought would be helpful.

Some people's moods go up and down depending on the foods you eat (or don't eat).

There are billions of neurons in your brain, communicating with each other through neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters also effect mood, and can be stimulated by what we eat. A few of the nutrients that improve mood include the B vitamins, vitamin C and the mineral selenium.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor of serotonin, the most common deficit in people with depression. Some people have noted their moods improve when they get off sugar and caffeine.

The Doctors Book of Food Remedies
Selene Yeager and the Editors of Prevention Health Books


Dr. Gardner's comments: High doses of the B vitamins (B1, B6, B12, folic acid and appropriate doses of essential fatty acids are the basis for good functioning of the nerves. Pro-inflammatory triggers like sugar, caffeine, trans-fatty acids and aspartame may also trigger nerve impulses, and should be avoided.

After getting those things fixed, you can then consider other things like selenium, vitamin D, and even tryptophan. Ultra-violet light exposure helps many people with winter-season depression (SAD). There are urine tests to assess neurotransmitter levels, but they need a physician familiar with them to interpret them and treat deficiencies.