Short Term Pain - Long Term Gain!

Smokers often feel anxious whilst they anticipate the relief of their next cigarette. People can be fearful when they run out of cigarettes, or in non smoking situations & would almost smoke any brand purely to relieve them from the anxiety. The sensation of 'relief' and the anticipation build up is an intense association. This experience can be an unbelievable 'high for a smoker & the core of the addiction for many people.

Many individuals became accustomed to a 'nervous energy and anxiety period' followed by a 'high' as they get used to the 'quick relief' association in relationships. This addictive relationship type can be nicknamed the 'ROLLER COASTER' - which experiences very similar stages - repeated over & over again. Such relationships (like cigarettes) should come with warning labels too!! A relationship that fuels fear & anxiety over & over again IS NOT a healthy one.

I quit smoking & unhealthy relationships (pretty much) at the same time. I accepted that my process of instant gratification & the 'quick fix' weren't producing positive results for me. It only made me feel as though I wasn't capable of anything that acquired 'effort'.... as I had previously RELIED so heavily on the 'quick fix' to motivate me... But it actually wasn't motivating me to move into a positive empowering direction (forward). I like the saying - short term gain (the relief of instant gratification) equals long term pain ('going in circles' producing the same disempowering results for myself). One day I recognised the analogy that smoking shared with other areas of my life.

The thought of investing into oneself can appear daunting & energy draining. To take 'action' was perceived as way too much 'effort', especially when we question our capabilities. 'It's too hard' 'I cant do it'.... Our self doubt is the major obstacle... But often there isn't the realization that we are ALREADY putting energy & effort into things automatically. Unfortunately, some situations we focus on now (which is most likely draining you of mental energy already) is producing NEGATIVE results. Your effort/focus is primarily going into 'holding onto' a BAD situation. Often this takes a lot more energy and action than moving forward. Once I made the decision to face my fears (& started investing into believing in myself) I realized that it was a perceived 'short term pain' that equals long term gain.

My advice - be dubious about the 'quick fix' & the reasons why you seek it out? Maybe it's because you have an association and reliance that it's appears an effortless solution for you. The investment into seeking out a quick fix might be better put into breaking that association.

Experiencing That 3pm Energy Lull?

Do you ever experience a lull in energy in the afternoon, usually around 3pm?

If so, you are not alone. Most people experience a drop in blood sugar and energy levels during the middle part of the day, and find themselves searching for a quick pick me up to get their energy back up. The most common go-to foods include sweets, such as candy and chocolate, or caffeine, such as coffee, teas and soda.

While providing you with that quick burst of energy, the problem with these go-to foods is that your blood sugar spikes up really quickly, but then rapidly drops again shortly thereafter, leaving you craving the next pick me up and resulting in a cycle of energy highs and lows. In addition, these foods are also mostly devoid of any nutritional value and thus don't make your body feel full and satisfied (but are not necessarily low in calories), so your body keeps craving more. You'll find yourself struggling with willpower just to keep yourself from overindulging.

So what are you to do if you find yourself craving that 3pm pick me up? The key is to think BIG-picture and long-term. Below are 3 essential areas you need to pay attention to if you find yourself experiencing that mid-afternoon slump:

1. Take a look at what you're putting into your body. Do the majority of your foods come from boxes and pre-packaged foods? A diet that is balanced in whole grains, vegetables, legumes, protein, and fruits will provide you with lasting energy, due to the balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to support your body in optimal health. Eating whole, unprocessed, unrefined foods provides a steady, lasting source of energy throughout the day, instead of highs and lows. Specific foods that aid in increasing your energy include: complex carbohydrate foods and those rich in the B vitamins, such as brown rice and seaweed; and foods rich in vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and iron, which can be found in dark, leafy greens, sprouts, and vegetables, such as yams and squashes.

2. Keep your caffeine levels in check - Do you find yourself drinking cup after cup of coffee, tea or soda, just to get yourself going through the day? Again, while providing you with a quick burst of energy, it's only for a short period of time. If you do drink caffeinated beverages, make sure to at least double the amount of water you drink to every cup of caffeine you consume. You may find that you do not need as much caffeine, and your body will gradually find its natural energy rhythm again over time.

3. Make sure to get enough quality rest - With everyone's busy schedules these days, it's not always possible to get the full 7-8 hours of sleep each night, but you should aim for this as much as possible. If you have a presentation or early morning meeting and are unable to get the 7-8 hours of sleep the night beforehand, make sure you're able to "catch up" on sleep the following night. Continuous lack of sleep can cause your body to crash sooner or later, contributing to the 3pm slump, so even if you eat a pretty healthy, balanced diet, you may find yourself binging on sugary foods and borrowing energy from caffeinated beverages just to keep yourself going, all of which can lead to more serious health problems over time.

If you're sitting at your desk and find yourself starting to get tired, try getting up and going for a quick 5 minute walk outside. The fresh air will invigorate your senses and movement will increase blood flow and oxygen to your body, helping you to feel more awake.

Put these 3 energy boosting essentials in practice and you will steadily find your energy levels more even and sustainable throughout the day!

Frances Cheung is a certified Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Coach, and works with high-powered business professionals & entrepreneurs in learning how to naturally boost their immune systems, restore their vitality, resolve digestive concerns & achieve their ideal weight. To learn more about Frances and her coaching programs and upcoming events

Self Improvement and Fitness

One very important aspect of self improvement is fitness. The average happy person is often times an athlete living an active lifestyle. He lives a fulfilling life which results in confidence and a sense for self worth. Living a healthy lifestyle involves these things; Diet and exercise, healthy relationships, self improvement, and education. If one of these areas is lacking, the other areas in your life may suffer as well. But the common problem in the United States is the lack of physical fitness in the lives of many due to the conditions of the American lifestyle.

A lot of people believe that they don't have time to exercise. Another fact is that a lot of them dread spending hours at a gym or a fitness club, doing those exercises that may seem actually corny and like they have no practical purpose. Back in the earlier century, when people worked, they worked. They often lifted heavy, exerted a lot of strength, and broke a lot of sweat on their jobs. This helped keep the weight down for many people. Another aspect of the lack of fitness in today's society is the food supply.

There is a lot of chemicals being added to the food supply which can contribute to problems in the body like the slowing down of the metabolism. These days a lot of people resort to "diet foods" to keep their weight down. Sadly, some of the diet foods may have some side effects which may prove them more harm than help.

The pursuit of fitness is a very important part of self improvement. In pursuing a healthier life it is best to find a program that is best suited to you so as not to overwhelm yourself. At the same time you don't want to go too easy on yourself which would create little to no results.

Guarding Yourself Against Heat Exhaustion

The upcoming warm summer months can provide many opportunity for us to spend our time outdoors doing things that we like. While it can be some of the best months ahead for outdoor enthusiasts, it can quickly turn dangerous for us if we do not take care of ourselves under the sun.

One potential danger is with heat related illnesses, sunburn is a mild example when you can be getting heat stroke or heat exhaustion. Knowing and understanding signals of a heat exhaustion can help prevent the chances of it developing into a full heat stroke, here are the signs to look out for:

* Muscle cramps
* Headache or feeling dizzy
* Vomiting and nausea
* Dark urine
* Excessive sweating
* And in some cases, fainting

It can occur anytime and everywhere because of constant exposure to high temperature, especially continuously for a few days. The most susceptible group are young children and elders, while not exclusively to them. Those with a history of high blood pressure are also put at the most risk and therefore preventive measures must be taken.

The most obvious way to prevent heat exhaustion is to stay away from the sun, especially on very hot days. Generally, if the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, it is more advisable to stay at home.

However if you can not do that, you must quickly replenish the loss of water in your body by drinking a lot of water and staying away from any drinks that can deplete your water level such as alcohol, and any caffeinated drinks.

Avoid staying out in the sun during the most harmful period, mid day sun can emit a high level of UV ray and therefore it is the most potent of them all and can caused skin cancer in the long run. Try to stay indoors between 11am until 5am.

Another good way to avoid overheating yourself is by wearing light color clothing, they can disperse heat better than a dark colored one. If you must go out, always apply sunscreen as it can help repels the UV rays as well as keep you safe from sunburn.

Another important thing to take note of is that if you start noticing signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion, you must take a break and quickly cool yourself off. Stay in shades and have plenty of water in your system to help disperse the heat faster.

If the symptoms persist even after you've taken a break, then it is better to seek medical attention before it develops into a full heat stroke.

Taking care of yourself is needed especially under hot weather, because if you're not careful it can quickly lead to life threatening situation. Summer are meant to be fun, not one that can cause you pain and unpleasant experiences.

Health and Wellness - A Happier and Healthier Life

Health and wellness is a healthy state of wellbeing which is free from any kinds of diseases. Why is it important to become healthy? Of course, having a healthy body does not only mean being physically fit but also being emotionally fit and stress free. People who eat healthy and do exercise regularly will have the advantage of achieving great bodies and more physically pleasing. Most people who live a healthy lifestyle are more energetic and capable of performing their daily tasks fast and easy.

There are numerous benefits you can get out of living a healthy lifestyle. It helps you achieve a healthy body and a revitalized mind. Here are some health benefits:

Health and wellness help increase your metabolism. If you have a good metabolism, you do not have to limit yourself from eating. You do not have to hunger your body just to achieve a healthy and sexy body. By increasing your metabolism, you can have a more natural way of burning up food and calories that you eat. So you don't have to worry on how much food you wanted to eat because your metabolism will do the work for you. But then, it is still necessary to eat more healthy food rather than eating oily and fatty foods.

Being healthy does not only make you feel good and healthy inside but it also makes your physical appearance look great and younger. When you feel old, you are most likely feel tired and restless so it means that your body is not in good shape. Now if you feel younger, you are more energetic to move and do all your tasks. If you are feeling young, it also affects the aging process of your body and it certainly reflects your appearance. Feeling great just means looking fabulous.

Health and wellness programs such as physical activity also play a vital role in having a healthy mind and body. By regular exercise, you will be able to burn more calories and help you achieve the sexy body that you desire. This also prevents the development of any kinds of diseases such as heart problems, diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. Health can be considered as our wealth because we only have one life to live. If we don't take good care of our health, most probably we'll have a shorter life to live.

Health and wellness should also involve avoiding or stopping bad habits like smoking, drinking of alcohol and eating dangerous foods that can cause illness. As we all know, smoking is very dangerous to our health because it greatly affects the respiratory system and cardiovascular system. This eventually leads to lung cancer. Excessive drinking of alcohol can also cause a variety of health problems, it can severely damage your kidneys if you have too much of this. And of course, avoid eating foods that can cause diseases but instead eat more healthy food such as fruits and vegetables.

Living a healthier and happier lifestyle will have you not doubt smiling more often. So a good way to improve your smile is making sure your teeth are white and not stained. Two products are Britesmile teeth whitening and Opalescence teeth whitening that will help with this.

How Stress Affects Health

Stress is a person's physical response to the changes requiring adjustments. This covers physical, mental, emotional and psychological reactions. Stressful situations can cause the brain to strain allowing it in a mode of flight or fight. Flight is when the person escapes the situations that cause stress or fights to face them. However, stress enables humans to give quick spontaneous responses.

The 'flight or fight' mode is pushed by stress hormones. Some of these hormones are dorpamine, adrenalin, nonadrenalin, endorphins and cortisol. These hormones cause a surge of energy in the body when pumped into the blood stream. Then the body reacts to a given situation with the help of hormones.

The mentioned hormones are also responsible for increasing the speed of heart rate, brain activity, blood flow and breathing process of a person. It can also temporarily stop the digestion to preserve energy and encourage muscle tension.

Everyone is not aware that all kinds of stresses are not harmful or negative. A positive form of stress that makes people feel excited and happy is called Eustress. A small amount of stress can be helpful to the human in keeping the brain alert and making it perform better leading to better responses and reactions.

Stress is commonly known as harmful to the body. It can be harmful to a person when he eliminates everything that is related to slowing down even a little bit and relaxing. When a person works for long time, gets tensed and burns out the stress that comes out of it is harmful.

A lot of stress can hurt people. Low level symptoms include headaches and having a weak immune system that makes the body vulnerable to common diseases.

Chronic and severe stress can result in extensive damage. Chronic stress is considered as one of the main causes of health related problems nowadays. Research studies reveal that that chronic stress is associated with major causes of death. Hearth diseases and cancers are the major examples.

Other types of diseases can be caused by unwanted stress. Psychological problems such as anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and depression can be caused by stress. This has a deteriorating effect on the human health. Hypertension and high cholesterol are few examples that may lead to digestive ulcers, diabetes, obesity and strokes.

Relationships can be ruined by stress and it can even cause aggression or sexual dysfunction. This causes a person to function illogically and less as a social being.

Stress can also be linked to substance abuse. Research shows that a number of people using prohibited drugs, tobacco and alcohol increase their stress levels. These substances are not helpful in curing stress but they may be temporary consolations that result in long term destruction.

5 Tips For Bleeding Hemorrhoids

Bleeding hemorrhoids is a nightmare for people suffering from them and indeed a painful condition. Continuous itching and bleeding can definitely drain out a person's energy and patience level. One should immediately visit a doctor and get the position examined. Bleeding hemorrhoids should be treated on priority and situation needs to be controlled as soon as possible. In such a situation there are two important things to be done, first to treat hemorrhoids and second is to stop bleeding which happens due to increased pressure on the tissues. It is important in this condition that breaking tissues should be healed and post that treatment for Hemorrhoids should be done in proper manner. Pure fibre diet without any spices, excessive intake of water is essential to ensure easy stool passage without putting any pressure on the tissues. If a person is constipated at this time, the situation can turn worse. It is essential that the stool is soft and passes without any pressure.

For immediate relief one should opt for hot baths with salts in the water as this eases the pressured tissues. This process might bring strain for the person suffering however it is like first aid for this condition of Bleeding Hemorrhoids. Hemorrhoids can not be cured however it can be treated with proper diet and precautions taken. If one takes any kind of medication, it is better to opt for herbal as it does not have any side effects. One can opt for Venapro as it is a leader in treating bleeding hemorrhoids.

Learn more hemorrhoid treatment here. And join the discussion about hemorrhoids here.