Thailand Detox

Overcoming Physical Hurdles

People are born unique to the rest of their peers in one way or another. Others may find these unique traits otherwise concealed, while there are those whose points of difference are in clear view of the world. These physical differences may be comparatively more difficult to cope with. However, these needn’t be reason to allow one’s self to be overcome by these difficulties.

Often, any physical hurdle creates an almost immediate impetus to find a place to throw the blame. Unfortunately, this blame often falls inwards, particularly when the physical difficulty resulted during birth or through an accident. This unhealthy imposition of blame on the self further feeds feelings of guilt, and may in the long-run contribute to far more self-destructive attitude, leading to depressive disorders and such.

The feelings of anyone with physical difficulties may go from one extreme to another, even if they do not confess to this huge variety of fleeting emotions. This non-admission is often a way for the mind to cope with things that we have to deal with.

The good thing is that physical challenges need not be a hurdle standing in the way of your achieving your dreams and ambitions. However, this reality isn’t one that you can lecture; rather, it is one that each person must discover, learn for themselves, accept, and live by. This process will be made possible by truly being open to the possibilities beyond those that you are able to see for yourself.

Luckily, when you look closely, those who face physical hurdles are often found in the center of a supportive group of people-family, friends, and colleagues. These people are often the ones who love them unconditionally, even if loving means being tough one time or another in order to help that person grow. With the help of these people, any physically-challenged individual can be open, honest, and true to themselves.

Seek that support group, especially during times of greatest physical and emotional difficulty. The special thing about support groups-whether you are intimately related to them like family, or in public support groups-is that they offer a listening ear and no judgments.

If you have a loved one who is physically-challenged, you may find that he is less willing to accept the fact that you love him with no regard for however different he is. This may make it a challenge to love  him more openly, especially because you yourself may not have any clear physical difference. In these instances, do not be afraid to seek the support of those like you, and perhaps, in the process, find words of advice as to how to deal with this situation.

Do not treat a person who is physically-challenged in a special way. You may adjust somewhat to the way he talks or help him walk, but this does not mean you have the license to show pity and treat him any less than how he deserves to be treated. This is ultimately, a show of respect that each person-even those with physical hurdles-expect to be given him.

Differences among people that manifest physically cause challenges not only among those who possess these traits, but also for the people around them who love and support them. However, it is best to muster up the will and courage to overcome this hurdle, because doing so is every bit worth the trouble. Instil in both parties confidence and a feeling of worth, and these physically-challenged individuals may even change your life for the better.

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Understanding What Makes People Fat or Thin through Psychology

Humans by nature have limitations when it comes to control over certain body types.  How much fat people carry depends on their parents.  The process of metabolism depends on their genetic makeup.  But most of the time, it’s up to the choices that people make when it comes to what they eat.

Believe it or not psychology plays a huge role in how much people weigh.  Through the subconscious, a person can determine how much they eat, how much they workout and it even determines the right kind of weight range fit for them.  Such are the anorexics or the bulimics whose eating problems go beyond what they eat but delve more into the habits of eating.  But not many realize that this same reasoning can also be used to people who are obese.

There are a lot of reasons why people tend to eat more than they can.  Check out some of these common reasons why.

• People tend to overeat to fill an emotional void in their life.  They can trace this void all the way back to their childhood days although it can also manifest in events happening at the present.  An example is when someone eats a lot after a divorce to recompense for the losing his or her partner.
• Overeating may come as a result of a person being a victim of abuse.  For instance, a sexually abused person may tend to overeat to make her less attractive to protect them from not going through it again. Some victims may opt to eat more to feel comfortable.  This usually happens for a long period after any abuse.
• People may overeat because of stress.  They would rather eat a lot than face whatever makes them stressful.  Although this is only a temporary fix, the moment the stressor appears again, then the process repeats itself.

Keeping it Healthy in Mind and Body

Overweight people stay the way they are because of the choices they make.  They may try diets, medications, working out and other means but it usually doesn’t work. This will only work if they try to work out the deeper issues going on inside of them before they can work on their physical selves.

If psychological problems behind obesity continue to prevail then any weight loss measure will fail.  These problems usually come with low self-esteem which is common in stopping weight loss efforts to work.  No matter how much people try to lose weight, the results don’t usually last.

But having low self-esteem may also mean that people tend to give up right away because they can’t see the results quickly enough hence the effort fails.  Even if weight loss is achieved and the psychological problem continues to linger then the weight loss will be temporary.

The immediate treatment of psychological problems is necessary in order to prevent something harmful like overeating.  It is only through improvement of the mind that the body follows because the groundwork has been laid towards achieving a healthy weight.

Tags: Anorexics, Bulimics, Childhood Days, Choices, cleansing, Detoxification, Diets, Divorce, fat genes, Fat People, flexibility, Genetic Makeup, health exercise, Metabolism, Mind And Body, Overeating, Overweight People, Parents, Psychology, psychology of fat people, Recompense, stress, Stressor, Subconscious, Weight Loss, What Makes People, Workout

Understanding Mood Swings

You feel happy and upbeat now. In a short while, you are suddenly sad and depressed. Is this something to be worried about? Mood swings are normal occurrences. But how do you know which mood swings are out of the ordinary already?

It is common for ones mood to change very often in a day. This simply is what mood change is. From happy to sad, angry to calm, anxious to relaxed - all happening one after the other.  This is not out of the ordinary. It is a common occurrence.

You may not even be aware that you are experiencing mood swings. It can be triggered by almost anything - a song in the radio, a TV program, or another person in the room. An experience from the past can set off a completely different state of being all at once. Unless someone calls your attention to it, you may not even know of your mood swings.

The changing of the seasons is a common trigger to moods. This is called seasonal affective disorder. Your mood is affected by the season of the year.  You feel upbeat during the summer months and depressed during fall.

Hormonal change is another cause for mood swings. Watch a pregnant woman closely.  Notice how her mood changes very easily from upbeat to downcast. This is because of the various hormonal changes happening in her system. After giving birth, these mood swings are sure to go away.

Various occurrences in the day-to-day living affect a person’s mood. Death, divorce, loss of a job, stress and pressure at work all lead to a person exhibiting a different behavior. These are completely normal and will pass over time. You do not need to worry about it.

Mood swings, when brought about by underlying circumstances in the environment will die down when these circumstances are over.  When the baby is born or when the season changes signal the end of the mood swings.

These mood swings that we see in our daily lives are normal. When does it become a thing to worry about?  When do you draw the line?  When do you know that what you are experiencing is already out of the ordinary?

Watch out for the following:

• When mood swings begin to incapacitate you.
• When you cannot give correct judgment.
• When you cannot say which is right and which is wrong.
• When all of a sudden you just cannot stop crying even if you are not pregnant or menopausal.
• When you cannot leave the house or get out of bed because you do not feel good.

Mood swings is not gender-specific. Both men and women suffer from mood swings. Members of the different sexes have different ways of exhibiting mood swings. Men can show fits of sudden anger. Women cry a lot.

If you suspect a medical problem, the best thing to do is see a doctor. What you are experiencing might not just be the simple mood swings anymore. You might be suffering from some other clinical reason. The doctor will be the best person to diagnose you and offer the needed prescription.

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The Headache and Eyesight Connection

Headaches aren’t as simple as you might think. Because there are a number of things that can cause headaches, it can become difficult to figure out the right way to cure it. One thing you should consider doing if you constantly experience headaches, though, is to consult with an eye doctor.

Usually when we think of the causes of our headaches, we look outside the body. Stress is a common culprit, which is understandable since it’s known to cause a lot of damage to our health. Stress can affect all organ systems, causing symptoms like hair loss and  depression, as well as other kinds of diseases. Stress can also increase the amount of free radicals in our body, resulting in premature aging.

Physicians know the role stress plays so if a patient comes to them complaining of recurring headaches, they tend to question their patients about their activities and work. When the negative effects of our lifestyle become clear, we then take steps to improve our health.

Because most of their attention is focused on other causes, people seldom consider that the problem may lie with their eyes. A certain amount of headaches are caused by undiagnosed vision problems. So what exactly are these eye problems, and how are they causing headaches?

Our eyesight changes as we get older. As kids, our vision problems are caught through annual vision tests. This is done by reading an eye chart which grades vision according to how many lines we can read on it. People who have poor vision are usually prescribed eyeglasses in order to improve their eyesight.

A few kids may refuse to wear their new glasses and deny that they have any vision problems. They do this in order to avoid being teased at school. Though they are still young, many of them already feel the need to be like the rest of their peers. These children often end up squinting and thus develop headaches.

This reason can also apply to adults. Another possible reason is that adults rarely get their eyes checked and by the time they do, their eyesight may have worsened and their glasses are no longer the right grade for them.

How can you tell if your vision is the one responsible for your headaches? There are several signs. One is if you often remove your glasses and rub your eyes. Another is if you find yourself constantly taking off your glasses then putting them back on while you are reading.

In kids, it’s a good idea to monitor their school performance. Intelligent children who do terribly in tests may have trouble reading due to poor vision. When they try to read, they put strain on their eye muscles which then result in headaches.

That’s why it’s important to have your eyes tested yearly. If you or someone you know is experiencing headaches, you should check to see if poor eyesight may be the reason. Undergoing an eye exam can help you find out if that’s the case, so your headaches can go away.

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Beating the Holiday Blues

The holidays are supposed to be a happy and joyous time for celebrating and being with friends and family. Unfortunately, not everyone feels that way during the holidays. Some people feel tired, sad and depressed during the holidays. This is hard when you see everyone being so happy around you. No one wants to feel this way, though, and you don’t have to. You can take some simple steps to improve your mood this holiday season.

Often, the holiday blues come from loneliness. The holidays are supposed to be spent with close friends and family. If you live far away from your loved ones, it is hard to feel happy during the holidays. You are not the only one feeling this way, though. You may not realize it but you know people at work, school or church that are also feeling lonely. Ask around and invite those without family to celebrate the holidays with you. Another way to feel better is to do something for others like serve a meal at a homeless shelter or visit a hospital. Cheering up others will make you feel happier too.

There are so many ways to give back to your community during the holidays. You can give of your time by volunteering to bring a needy family Christmas dinner or read to children at a local hospital. You can give of your resources by donating food to a food bank or buying toys for needy children. What you do may not seem like a lot, but you are making the holidays so much brighter for others and it does not go unnoticed. You’ll feel better about yourself knowing you helped someone else.

A lot of holiday depression comes from the stress associated with a busy holiday season. If you are tired and stressed from all your shopping, cooking and cleaning, take a break and do something for yourself. Take a hot bath, read a book, go for a walk or just watch one of your favorite holiday movies. Taking an hour out of your day to focus on yourself and clear your head will make a big difference in your mood. You are also less likely to get sick if you relieve some of your stress.

If you are feeling down, get out and do something physical. Go sledding, build a snowman with your kids, have a snowball fight, go for a long walk or just run around with your kids. You’ll feel better and have more energy. Exercise can help you get out of the bad mood you are in from the holiday blues. Another advantage is you’ll be burning off calories and avoiding the dreaded holiday weight gain.

The best thing you can do for yourself and others is to make yourself happy. Others will respond positively to you if you are satisfied and happy. Don’t do things you don’t want to do just because you feel like you have to. Learn to say no.

The happier you are, especially around the holidays, the happier everyone around you will be.

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Common Back Pain Causes

All of us have back pain from time to time in our upper and lower backs. We may not know what is causing this pain and what to do about it. Here are a few ideas to help you figure out where the back pain is coming from and how to treat it.

A lot of back pain is caused from straining a muscle in your back when you exert too much force or make sudden forceful movements. Usually, this kind of back pain is only temporary, lasting only a few days, but if you keep doing those activities that cause pain, your back pain can become constant. At worst, you may end up having chronic back pain.

If you are not doing any sort of physical activity that puts a strain on your back, your back pains could be related to your spinal alignment caused by poor posture when standing or sitting in an uncomfortable chair.

There are many different reasons you can have back pain. The following are a few for you to consider.

SHOES
Your shoes can be the source of your back pain. If your shoes aren’t properly supporting you then you need to get either insoles or better shoes. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on good shoes or insoles; just make sure you get good quality ones that will do what you need them to do. If necessary, make an appointment with your doctor to get a prescription for orthotics. It may take some time, but good shoes will help reduce back pain.

POSTURE
Your posture has a lot to do with back pain. How you stand, sit and even lie down can put a stress on your spine and cause back pain. Always stand as straight as possible and try sleeping on your side with a pillow wedged between your legs for support.

FURNITURE
Your furniture can be the source of your back pain. A chair and desk that are not at the right height or do not provide proper support can put stress on your spine and cause pain. Make sure you have good furniture that fits your body both at home and at work. An ergonomics specialist may be able to help you with this. Also, buy a good mattress that provides proper support.

Constant severe back pain can be a symptom of a more serious problem like arthritis, osteoporosis, herniated disc, sacroiliitis and spinal stenosis. These back pain problems are not life threatening but they can significantly hamper your ability to go about your daily activities. It’s best to have your doctor do a diagnosis; you want to make sure your back pains aren’t the result of a more serious underlying medical problem. Depending on the prognosis, your doctor can recommend treatments that include physical therapy, prescription drugs or surgery. You can live without back pain by changing a few simple things in your life.

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Understanding Arthritis

We all either have experienced or know a loved one who has experienced problems with arthritis. The main symptom of arthritis is joint pain which can range from moderate to severe. What is confusing is why arthritis affects some people and not others.

Scientists really don’t understand what makes some people susceptible to arthritis while others don’t have problems with it at all. It is not something you can catch from another person like the common cold. A joint disorder, arthritis comes on slowly and can get worse with time. There are many different kinds of arthritis, all with slightly different causes.

Arthritis is associated with many different risk factors, and the more arthritis risk factors you have, the higher the chances of you developing arthritis. These may not be the sole cause of your problem but they contribute.

As you get older, your risk of developing arthritis gets higher. This is largely because your joints are aging and wearing, which may increase your symptoms. The natural aging of your joints and the damage that occurs may cause arthritis to progress faster than it would otherwise. Arthritis is common among older adults for this reason.

If you are overweight, you are at additional risk for developing arthritis. The extra weight that you carry puts stress on your joints, particularly the weight-bearing joints, and causes damage over time. Losing weight by dieting and exercise will lower your risk for developing arthritis.

If you have a sports injury or something similar, you may be at additional risk for arthritis. Your likelihood of developing arthritis also increases if you’ve previously injured a joint. Take care of any injuries that occur and make sure they heal properly.

There may be a genetic factor with arthritis so you may be at extra risk if you have a family history of the disease. People who have arthritis in their family, especially a close family member, may develop arthritis. If your parents have arthritis, for instance, you’re at risk of developing the disease, although it doesn’t necessarily mean that you will have arthritis. You can lower your risk of developing arthritis later on by taking care of your body right now.

People who participate in athletics and sports are more likely to develop arthritis. This is partially because they are more likely to have joint injuries and other damage to their bodies. The science really only shows a slight connection, though, so it is not safe to assume that all athletes will develop arthritis. If you exercise safely and don’t put too much stress on your body, you should be fine.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is what almost all of us associate with the word arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a more severe form with many of the same symptoms but caused by different factors. With Rheumatoid arthritis, the damage to the joints is caused by your immune system attacking your body from the inside.

If you have arthritis, there is no magic cure. You can find out as much as you can about your condition and possible treatments, though.

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The Negative Effects of Stress

Stress is often a hidden symptom that affects both our mental and physical health. Widely underestimated it can cause anxiety, depression, affect memory and the ability to relate with others. The physical side effects caused by stress are usually mistaken for another condition because they can be so debilitating and in extreme cases fatal. Does that sound extreme? Think about how stress leads to heart attacks and has sometimes been linked to other terminal illnesses. While it may not be the only cause, the suppressant effect it has on our immune system will leave the body unable to effectively fight illnesses.

How Does Stress Affect Our Bodies?

• Cardiovascular system - high levels of stress can trigger strokes, high blood pressure or heart disease.
• Weight gain - stress can affect both our metabolism and also our eating habits
• Impaired immunity - Those who suffer from stress will find that they get ill more often and stomach ulcers are just one of the many symptoms that signal that you may be suffering from stress
• Aches and pain - triggers migraines, headaches and general aches throughout the body
• Skin eruptions - acne, eczema, psoriasis are all aggravated by stress
• Insomnia - the inability to relax leads to disrupted sleep
• Sexual dysfunction - the inability to relate to others can be a physical as well as a mental problem
• Allergic reactions - can increase when the body is under stress

This is not an exhaustive list of the problems that can appear or worsen with stress and disorders related to the nervous system in particular are affected including bowel disorders, digestive problems and chronic pain.

The Physiology of Stress

There are three distinct physiological responses that stress creates in the body:

1. Stress Alarm Reaction also known as the fight or flight response

A sudden burst of energy caused by the flood of chemicals and hormones into the bloodstream including endorphins and adrenalin. Blood pressure and breathing rate are increased, digestion is slowed down and blood rushes to the major organs.

2. Stress resistance

This stage is reach once the initial perceived ´threat´ has gone. Now the ´danger´is over the body starts returning to normal although still on alert and will begin to repair any tissue damaged during the stress alarm reaction stage.

3. Stress exhaustion

This is the third and most dangerous stage because the body is experiencing continued stress and does not get a chance to repair the damage that has been done. The excess of chemical released can suppress the immune system and it is most likely to be the cardiovascular system that will suffer the most.

Stress is a necessary response to certain situations and if it is only occasional, will not harm the body. However, if we reach stress exhaustion where the body is not given time to repair the damage done, the body will inevitably suffer. If the mind is not given time to relax, that too will create mental and emotional problems. That is why it is so important to find a way to relieve stress whether through exercise, meditation, music or any other method that suits you.

Tags: boost your immune system, cleansing your system, detoxifying your body, staying healthy, stress

Stress Busting Power of Laughter

When you are feeling overwhelmed with stress and everything is getting on top of you why not try a proven remedy to help you feel better - laughter. Laughter is a natural tension reliever that helps you relax and the power of laughter to relieve stress has been demonstrated time and again.

How does laughter relieve stress?

Physically
Laughter reduces hormones like cortisol that are associated with stress. It is also a mini exercise which releases ‘happy’ hormones making us feel better and improving our health working as an immune booster. When our immune system is strong we feel good and when we feel good, we feel better prepared to deal with stress

Emotionally
By helping to release negative emotions laughing also benefits us emotionally. That is how our bodies are designed - to let go of excess emotion through laughter and crying.

Laughing can make you feel more positive and focus less on the cause of the stress, thereby worrying less and feeling less negative. When you have a negative frame of mind you are not able to deal with stress as efficiently.

Laugh together with your friends or your love ones and you intensify the special social bond between you. If you can laugh with someone you will feel you have support and not carrying the burden by yourself. This can help enormously to make problems not seem as intense and allow us to take a different view of a stressful situation.

What if you don’t feel like laughing. Fake it. Force yourself to laugh. Making yourself laugh causes a physical and emotional reaction that will make your mind think you are happier. This was proved in a study where half the people watching a movie were told to fake it.  The other half were told not to laugh even if they would normally have found it funny. When they completed a survey to say whether or not they had enjoyed the movie, those that laughed even when they didn’t think it was really that funny rated the movie higher than those who did not laugh.

Not only will laughter improve your mood and help you deal with stress better, it has been shown to boost the immune system, increase the pain threshold and help in healing faster.

It can be difficult to make yourself laugh when you’re under so much pressure or feeling so anxious. If you find that you really can’t force yourself to laugh, rent a funny movie, play with your kids, go and see a comedy show - anything that will help to break out in laughter.

For maximum effect you want to laugh every day so you may need to do the above activities for a while until your mindset changes and you start to believe that you need to laugh or go crazy!

Tags: Diet & Exercise, eating healthy, healthy family, laughter, stress, stress busting