With the outbreak of the swine flu virus (H1N1) strengthening our immune system is critically important. Our immune system protects us against disease such as viruses by identifying and killing them or warding them off. A weak immune system cannot defend the body from invading pathogens.
About 70% of the body's immune system is found in the digestive tract. The digestive tract's immune system is often referred to as gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) and works to protect the body from invasion.
Strengthening Our Immune System:
*Get proper rest. Sleep is perhaps the most important lifestyle issue in immunity. The body does all of its maintenance, growth and cell repair when we are sleeping. Lack of sleep has a negative affect on the immune system and leaves us open to infection.
*Reduce Stress. Stress leads to reduced immune function because the physiological stress response causes the release of hormones which suppress the immune system. We are most likely to suffer infections when we are stressed and tired.
*Consuming probiotics can help restore a balance of "good" to "bad" bacteria. Probiotics function similarly to the bacteria that already exist in your gut; they are considered "friendly" bacteria because they can provide health benefits when consumed regularly. Our natural gut bacteria can be disrupted by factors such as stress, illness, diet, antibiotic use, and aging. Most of the evidence for probiotics shows that they may impact intestinal function, immunity, and intestinal disorders. Products like Danon Activia and others like it are a good probiotic source.
*Increase your intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C not only boosts your immune system, but in higher dosages has been shown to be an antiviral as well. The recommendation is to dramatically increase your intake at the first sign you may have been exposed to the flu. Other vitamin and mineral supplements that boost the immune system are Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Zinc, and Selenium.
*Add green tea or green tea extract to your diet. Several clinical studies have shown that the polyphenols within green tea have strong antiviral and therefore anti-flu properties. There have been many other health benefits linked to green tea as well, so this supplement should be a must have.
*Spice your foods with turmeric. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has both antiviral and antioxidant properties to help you body ward off any viral infections. In addition, this compound modulates the inflammation response and decreases the likelihood that your immune system will over react with inflammatory defenses. If you do not like the taste of this spice, curcumin is also sold in an extract form for convenience.
*Add a whey protein shake or two to your diet. Not only is whey protein a great source of protein and essential amino acids, but it also directly boosts glutathione levels in your bloodstream. Glutathione is a strong antioxidant that directly supports your immune system. Having increased levels of glutathione increases your ability to fight off infections and illness.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Mental Wellness Suggestions
Positive Attitudes of Optimism, Gratitude, and Motivation:
Your body responds to your thoughts and emotions.
Optimism is a resource for wellness. An optimistic attitude means that regardless of the external world or situation, one should feel confident about responding to it and making the best of it. Research indicates optimists have stronger immune systems, making them less susceptible to illness and disease. Optimists are more likely to overcome pain and adversity in their lives.
Gratitude is a feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received. Gratitude is about having an awareness of and appreciation for the good things in your life and not taking them for granted. It is about acknowledging the support of others. As such, it helps us to humbly remember that we have not done everything by ourselves. When facing a loss or a difficult task or situation, remind yourself to be grateful both for what you haven’t lost and for the strengths and opportunities that arise from facing difficulties.
Recent studies have shown that people who are more grateful have higher levels of well-being. Grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. Grateful people also have higher levels of control of their environments, personal growth, purpose in life, and self acceptance.
Grateful people have more positive ways of coping with the difficulties they experience in life, being more likely to seek support from other people, reinterpreted and grow from the experience, and spend more time planning how to deal with the problem. Grateful people also have less negative coping strategies, being less likely to try and avoid the problem, deny there is a problem, blame themselves, or cope through substance use.
Motivation is the arousal, direction, and persistence of behavior; it is the internal energy that activates behavior and gives it direction. Motivation is being self-initiating by moving to control your own life for the better and not waiting on others to improve your life.
A motivated person says no to rejection by being persistent; they say no to unexpected events by being flexible; they say no to failure by learning from it and using it as stepping stones on the road to accomplishing goals; they say no to depression and unwanted emotions by attempting to achieve a deeper understanding of themselves until they master their emotions; and they say no to life's problems by coming up with answers.
Indeed mental and emotional expectations influence wellness outcomes. Changing your expectations from negative to positive will enhance your wellness. Here's how to make the change:
*Stop negative self-talk, complaining, and gossip. Make positive statements and engage in thoughtful and inspirational conversations that promote your wellness. As you notice yourself saying something negative in your mind, you can stop your thought mid-stream by saying to yourself “Stop”. Saying this aloud will be more powerful, and having to say it aloud will make you more aware of how many times you are stopping negative thoughts, and where.
*Send yourself a steady stream of affirmations. An affirmation is a phrase or sentence that sends strong, positive statements to you about yourself, such as 'I have the power to control my health', 'I am in control of my health and wellness', and 'I have choices and choose wellness over sickness'.
*Visualize health and wellness. Add mental pictures that support your positive affirmations. Visualization, a form of self-hypnosis, is a tool anyone can use to help foster healing. By providing positive pictures (creative imagery) and self-suggestion, visualization can change emotions that subsequently have a physical effect on the body. In healing, repetitive use of positive visualization allows access to the mind-body connection. This lets the mind and body work together to foster the healing process of the body on a physical level.
Your body responds to your thoughts and emotions.
Optimism is a resource for wellness. An optimistic attitude means that regardless of the external world or situation, one should feel confident about responding to it and making the best of it. Research indicates optimists have stronger immune systems, making them less susceptible to illness and disease. Optimists are more likely to overcome pain and adversity in their lives.
Gratitude is a feeling of thankful appreciation for favors or benefits received. Gratitude is about having an awareness of and appreciation for the good things in your life and not taking them for granted. It is about acknowledging the support of others. As such, it helps us to humbly remember that we have not done everything by ourselves. When facing a loss or a difficult task or situation, remind yourself to be grateful both for what you haven’t lost and for the strengths and opportunities that arise from facing difficulties.
Recent studies have shown that people who are more grateful have higher levels of well-being. Grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. Grateful people also have higher levels of control of their environments, personal growth, purpose in life, and self acceptance.
Grateful people have more positive ways of coping with the difficulties they experience in life, being more likely to seek support from other people, reinterpreted and grow from the experience, and spend more time planning how to deal with the problem. Grateful people also have less negative coping strategies, being less likely to try and avoid the problem, deny there is a problem, blame themselves, or cope through substance use.
Motivation is the arousal, direction, and persistence of behavior; it is the internal energy that activates behavior and gives it direction. Motivation is being self-initiating by moving to control your own life for the better and not waiting on others to improve your life.
A motivated person says no to rejection by being persistent; they say no to unexpected events by being flexible; they say no to failure by learning from it and using it as stepping stones on the road to accomplishing goals; they say no to depression and unwanted emotions by attempting to achieve a deeper understanding of themselves until they master their emotions; and they say no to life's problems by coming up with answers.
Indeed mental and emotional expectations influence wellness outcomes. Changing your expectations from negative to positive will enhance your wellness. Here's how to make the change:
*Stop negative self-talk, complaining, and gossip. Make positive statements and engage in thoughtful and inspirational conversations that promote your wellness. As you notice yourself saying something negative in your mind, you can stop your thought mid-stream by saying to yourself “Stop”. Saying this aloud will be more powerful, and having to say it aloud will make you more aware of how many times you are stopping negative thoughts, and where.
*Send yourself a steady stream of affirmations. An affirmation is a phrase or sentence that sends strong, positive statements to you about yourself, such as 'I have the power to control my health', 'I am in control of my health and wellness', and 'I have choices and choose wellness over sickness'.
*Visualize health and wellness. Add mental pictures that support your positive affirmations. Visualization, a form of self-hypnosis, is a tool anyone can use to help foster healing. By providing positive pictures (creative imagery) and self-suggestion, visualization can change emotions that subsequently have a physical effect on the body. In healing, repetitive use of positive visualization allows access to the mind-body connection. This lets the mind and body work together to foster the healing process of the body on a physical level.
Wellness Skin Care Suggestions
Cleansing is an Essential Part of Caring for Your Skin:
*Use warm water and limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time to about 15 minutes or less, and use warm, rather than hot, water.
*Avoid strong soaps. Strong detergent soaps strips oil from your skin and leave your skin dry. If possible use organic soaps made of coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, and shea butter; if not choose mild soap detergent substitutes with added oils and fats; good choices include Dove, Vanicream, Cetaphil and Purpose.
*Avoid irritating additives. If your skin is sensitive, avoid products containing perfumes or dyes. These can irritate your skin and may trigger an allergic response.
Moisturize Regularly
Moisturizers help maintain your skin's natural moisture levels. They work by providing a seal over your skin, to keep water from escaping, or by slowly releasing water into your skin.
The moisturizer that's best for you and the frequency with which you need to moisturize depend on many factors, including your skin type, your age, and whether you have specific skin conditions.
A good way to test if you need a moisturizer is to wait 20 minutes after bathing. If your skin feels tight, you should apply a moisturizer. If your skin is very dry, you may want to apply an oil, such as jojoba oil while your skin is still moist.
Oil has more staying power than moisturizers do and prevents the evaporation of water from the surface of your skin. If your skin is oily, you may want to skip moisturizing.
*Use warm water and limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time to about 15 minutes or less, and use warm, rather than hot, water.
*Avoid strong soaps. Strong detergent soaps strips oil from your skin and leave your skin dry. If possible use organic soaps made of coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, and shea butter; if not choose mild soap detergent substitutes with added oils and fats; good choices include Dove, Vanicream, Cetaphil and Purpose.
*Avoid irritating additives. If your skin is sensitive, avoid products containing perfumes or dyes. These can irritate your skin and may trigger an allergic response.
Moisturize Regularly
Moisturizers help maintain your skin's natural moisture levels. They work by providing a seal over your skin, to keep water from escaping, or by slowly releasing water into your skin.
The moisturizer that's best for you and the frequency with which you need to moisturize depend on many factors, including your skin type, your age, and whether you have specific skin conditions.
A good way to test if you need a moisturizer is to wait 20 minutes after bathing. If your skin feels tight, you should apply a moisturizer. If your skin is very dry, you may want to apply an oil, such as jojoba oil while your skin is still moist.
Oil has more staying power than moisturizers do and prevents the evaporation of water from the surface of your skin. If your skin is oily, you may want to skip moisturizing.
Wellness Nutrition Suggestions:
The benefits of good nutrition are multiple; good nutrition is essential for maintaining a healthy weight and the body’s systems to function optimally for a lifetime. The benefits of good nutrition can be found not only in physical health, but also in metal health. A person's food intake affects mood, behavior, and brain function. Several nutritional factors can influence mental health, including: overall energy intake, intake of the energy-containing nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats), alcohol intake, and intake of vitamins and minerals.
° Sustain oneself with natural 'live' foods such as soybeans, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, garlic, honey, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, wheat germ, watermelon, sunflower seeds, bran, foods with complete protein, such as whole grains and legumes.
° Vary your diet and make the effort to look for different kinds of foods that are healthy.
° Avoid dangerous foods and food additives. Inform yourself of the chemicals which are added to foods and avoid them to protect your health.
° Avoid packaged and canned foods with little nutritional value.
° Avoid the refined carbohydrates, refined sugar goes directly into the bloodstream and upsets the endocrine balance and without the proper food factors for metabolism, it can cause tissue damage.
° Keep it simple and take your time. Healthful eating should be pleasurable; take time to look for healthful foods and take pleasure in preparing healthful meals.
° Eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, and other addictive drugs. Coffee and tea, like alcohol and addictive drugs are correlated with higher risk of illness.
° Concentrate on quality in proteins; eat foods with complete protein, such as whole grains and legumes.
° Eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Eat foods that are low on the food chain such as rice, beans, wheat, barley, and oats and stay away from fast foods.
° Try to get high fiber roughage every day, about 24 roughage grams a day (in bran, whole grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables) are required to avoid the risk of degenerative disease.
° Chew food slowly and thoroughly, don't eat when angry. Eat only when hungry and don't eat heavy meals at night. Drink lots of water, use herbs for vitamins and start every day with a nutritious breakfast.
° Sustain oneself with natural 'live' foods such as soybeans, fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, garlic, honey, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, wheat germ, watermelon, sunflower seeds, bran, foods with complete protein, such as whole grains and legumes.
° Vary your diet and make the effort to look for different kinds of foods that are healthy.
° Avoid dangerous foods and food additives. Inform yourself of the chemicals which are added to foods and avoid them to protect your health.
° Avoid packaged and canned foods with little nutritional value.
° Avoid the refined carbohydrates, refined sugar goes directly into the bloodstream and upsets the endocrine balance and without the proper food factors for metabolism, it can cause tissue damage.
° Keep it simple and take your time. Healthful eating should be pleasurable; take time to look for healthful foods and take pleasure in preparing healthful meals.
° Eliminate coffee, tea, alcohol, and other addictive drugs. Coffee and tea, like alcohol and addictive drugs are correlated with higher risk of illness.
° Concentrate on quality in proteins; eat foods with complete protein, such as whole grains and legumes.
° Eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day. Eat foods that are low on the food chain such as rice, beans, wheat, barley, and oats and stay away from fast foods.
° Try to get high fiber roughage every day, about 24 roughage grams a day (in bran, whole grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables) are required to avoid the risk of degenerative disease.
° Chew food slowly and thoroughly, don't eat when angry. Eat only when hungry and don't eat heavy meals at night. Drink lots of water, use herbs for vitamins and start every day with a nutritious breakfast.
Wellness Physical Fitness Suggestions:
Beyond the detrimental effects of exercise neglect, there are beneficial effects of exercise on the physiology of the body. The heart rate, blood pressure, body fat, stress level, blood cholesterol and lipids are lowered and circulation is increased, with improved oxygen uptake in the nerves and body tissues.
° Make physical fitness a part of your life. Understand the importance of keeping fit and plan an exercise regimen.
° Don't think of fitness as a crash program. Becoming fit and staying fit are gradual processes becoming increasingly enjoyable as you progress.
° Exercise is fun so don't cheat yourself by taking an activity too seriously. Set your own guidelines and keep your routine enjoyable. There is no need to introduce the stressful element of competition.
° Engage self-awareness and enjoy exercise even more. Recognize that valuing fitness is part of enjoying life.
° Get in touch with Mother Nature - and yourself. Walk or jog in natural places and combine the effects of exercise with the mental effects of natural retreats.
° A little activity goes a long way. Short exercise programs are far more beneficial than no exercise at all.
° Set modest expectations, if you set your hopes too high you will be disappointed in your own performance and become discouraged.
° You can get better with age. With an exercise regimen that suits you it is possible to become more fit as you grow older.
° Get involved in your activity. Make it an important part of your life.
° Learn how to breathe. It is important to know the correct techniques of breathing before, during and after engaging in physical exercise. The general rule of thumb when breathing while exercising is to exhale on exertion (the hard part of the movement) and inhale during the easier part of a movement. On a push up, for example, you inhale on the way down and exhale when you are pushing up away from the floor. When you are not exercising you should breath through your nose, inhaling with closed mouth tongue at the roof of the mouth resulting in your stomach swelling with air; as you exhale your stomach should go back to normal.
° Supplement your favorite fitness activity. In addition to your fitness routine, you should do conditioning exercises for stretching and toning the muscles.
° Express your fitness activities in a contract. Keep a record of your activities and the results of your exercises. This will encourage you to progress further.
° Be sensible, be sure not to ask too little of yourself but do not overdo the exercise. Create your own strategies to become fit and realize the beneficial mental effects of fitness.
° Make physical fitness a part of your life. Understand the importance of keeping fit and plan an exercise regimen.
° Don't think of fitness as a crash program. Becoming fit and staying fit are gradual processes becoming increasingly enjoyable as you progress.
° Exercise is fun so don't cheat yourself by taking an activity too seriously. Set your own guidelines and keep your routine enjoyable. There is no need to introduce the stressful element of competition.
° Engage self-awareness and enjoy exercise even more. Recognize that valuing fitness is part of enjoying life.
° Get in touch with Mother Nature - and yourself. Walk or jog in natural places and combine the effects of exercise with the mental effects of natural retreats.
° A little activity goes a long way. Short exercise programs are far more beneficial than no exercise at all.
° Set modest expectations, if you set your hopes too high you will be disappointed in your own performance and become discouraged.
° You can get better with age. With an exercise regimen that suits you it is possible to become more fit as you grow older.
° Get involved in your activity. Make it an important part of your life.
° Learn how to breathe. It is important to know the correct techniques of breathing before, during and after engaging in physical exercise. The general rule of thumb when breathing while exercising is to exhale on exertion (the hard part of the movement) and inhale during the easier part of a movement. On a push up, for example, you inhale on the way down and exhale when you are pushing up away from the floor. When you are not exercising you should breath through your nose, inhaling with closed mouth tongue at the roof of the mouth resulting in your stomach swelling with air; as you exhale your stomach should go back to normal.
° Supplement your favorite fitness activity. In addition to your fitness routine, you should do conditioning exercises for stretching and toning the muscles.
° Express your fitness activities in a contract. Keep a record of your activities and the results of your exercises. This will encourage you to progress further.
° Be sensible, be sure not to ask too little of yourself but do not overdo the exercise. Create your own strategies to become fit and realize the beneficial mental effects of fitness.
Wellness Self-Responsibility Suggestions:
The following self-responsibility suggestions are based on the need to behave as though your health is in your own hands. High-level wellness depends on an understanding of the biological functioning of the body and an understanding of the body's nutritional and physical needs. Ignorance of biological and nutritional needs can lead to casualness, to irresponsible and detrimental behaviors, to the over-dependence on doctors and drugs.
° Each person is in charge of their own life and therefore responsible for their own health.
° Each person is different from everyone else and therefore the alternatives available to them should suit their unique personality and life history.
° Each person should be motivated by a desire for self-development and can channel this motivation towards a life of high-level wellness.
° Each person needs a sense of purpose and the means of self-expression in order to attain their goals.
° Your regard for oneself has an effect on how one takes care of oneself. Respect for oneself is essential for the achievement of high-level wellness.
° Dependence on doctors and drugs in some circumstances might seem an easy alternative to assuming responsibility for one's health.
°It is important to accept oneself and one's responsibility for one's own beliefs, to accept others and their responsibility for their beliefs.
° Go for positive fulfillment wellness activities; high-risk escape behaviors (drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, etc.) have a long-term negative effect on one's wellness.
° Each person is in charge of their own life and therefore responsible for their own health.
° Each person is different from everyone else and therefore the alternatives available to them should suit their unique personality and life history.
° Each person should be motivated by a desire for self-development and can channel this motivation towards a life of high-level wellness.
° Each person needs a sense of purpose and the means of self-expression in order to attain their goals.
° Your regard for oneself has an effect on how one takes care of oneself. Respect for oneself is essential for the achievement of high-level wellness.
° Dependence on doctors and drugs in some circumstances might seem an easy alternative to assuming responsibility for one's health.
°It is important to accept oneself and one's responsibility for one's own beliefs, to accept others and their responsibility for their beliefs.
° Go for positive fulfillment wellness activities; high-risk escape behaviors (drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, etc.) have a long-term negative effect on one's wellness.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Wellness is Self-determination
Wellness is first and foremost a choice to assume responsibility for the quality of your life. It begins with a conscious decision to shape a healthy lifestyle.
Wellness is a mindset, a predisposition to adopt a series of key principles in varied life areas that lead to high levels of well-being and life satisfaction.
A consequence of this focus is that a wellness mindset will protect you against temptations to blame someone else, make excuses, shirk responsibility, and complain in the face of adversity.
Wellness is an alternative to dependency on doctors and drugs; to complacency, to mediocrity, to self-pity, boredom, and laziness.
Wellness is a mindset, a predisposition to adopt a series of key principles in varied life areas that lead to high levels of well-being and life satisfaction.
A consequence of this focus is that a wellness mindset will protect you against temptations to blame someone else, make excuses, shirk responsibility, and complain in the face of adversity.
Wellness is an alternative to dependency on doctors and drugs; to complacency, to mediocrity, to self-pity, boredom, and laziness.
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