SMOKING, LUNG CANCER AND HYPNOSIS TO CHANGE

It’s not too late — that is the good news for those smokers age 50 or more who are thinking about quitting smoking. The statistics about smoking and lung cancer are truly terrifying. A report in the British Medical Journal shows that men who are lifelong smokers have a 16 percent chance of dying of lung cancer by the age of 75, and those who smoker more than 25 cigarettes a day have a 24 percent chance. Women smokers have a 10 percent chance of developing lung cancer which escalates to 19 percent by the age of 75 for heavy smokers.

Richard Peto, one of the authors of a study at Oxford University, on lung cancer risk for smokers states, “Even in middle age, stopping really works. This idea that adults can’t stop, that all you can do is prevent young people from starting smoking, is just really wrong.”

According to the study, quitting smoking at age 50 reduces the risk of dying and lung cancer to six percent for men, effectively cutting it by more than half. Quitting at age 30 lowers the chance of dying of lung cancer to 1.7 percent, which is far less than that of people who continue to smoke until age 75.

If you want the best chance at a long, full healthy life, it is time to become a non-smoker. Hypnosis is a valuable tool to quit smoking without putting other chemicals into your body. Use hypnosis to quit smoking and BE WELL.

EXERCISE HELPS PREVENT ALZHEIMER'S

    Are you fearful of developing Alzheimer's?  If you are trying to figure out what you can do to prevent dementia.  Another study reinforces the need to get moving.  If you need help, hypnosis can be a valuable tool.

   You may not have had genetic testing.  But genes are one of the many risk factors for dementia.  A gene called APOE epsilon4 allele (e4 gene) which is present in approximately ten to fifteen percent of people can influence your risk for late-onset Alzheimer's.  Stephen Rao, Phd, professor and director of Schey Center for Cognitive Neuromanaging at the Cleveland Clinic was leader of a study of 97 people with the e4 gene which was published in FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE.

    The 18 month study found that the brain scans of people with the e4 gene who exercised moderately a few times a week had far less shrinkage in the hippocampus, an indicator of Alzheimers, than those the gene who were not physically active. 

    So once again, we find it's time to get up and move.  If you need help to start moving and protect your brain from shrinking, hypnosis can help. 

IMPROVING ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE WITH HYPNOSIS

     A sport psychologist for a U.S Olympic team once noted that 80 to 90 percent of an Olympic athlete's performance is in the mind.  In the 1960's in East Germany, Olympic trainers were working with athletes using hypnosis.  Today, hypnotherapists work with trainers and sports psychologists at the college and professional levels as well as Olympic athletes.  Using your mind to improve physical performance can be of real value to you.  And hypnosis is a great way of using your mind.

     An issue for which clients come to see me is improving athletic performance.  I have seen people who are professionals wanting to improve their performance in everything from football to golf.  Students come to see me hoping to release fears about getting hit by a ball or a tackle or improving their skills enough for a scholarship. I have worked with Olympic hopefuls in diving,swimming and gymnastics.  All recognize that hypnosis can be a great tool to improve their skills in their chosen sport.

     There are a number of different ways that hypnosis can improve athletic performance.  Using visualization is a key part of such improvement.  Back in 1984, Mary Lou Retton competed in the Olympics.  She described her nighttime ritual of visualizing her routines, "I see myself hitting all my routines, doing everything perfectly.  I imagine all the moves and go through them with the image in my mind."  She did just that in competition.  Note that the hypnotherapist does not need to know a great deal about your sport, you will give her a description and many of the words that will be used in your session.

     Thomas Tutko and Umberto Tosi in their book, SPORTS PSYCHING, talked of using visualization which they called "Mental Rehearsal".  In this rehearsal, you picture your goal clearly, going through a routine, shot or stroke in exactly the same pattern as you hope to it in competition. In this mind rehearsal, every movement is clear and positive.  These mental rehearsals improve neuro-muscular coordination and emotional confidence and affirmation.

     Using visualization can heighten your awareness of each movement and improve your technique.  It can improve your coordination, concentration and agility.  As these improve, it will also increase your enjoyment of your chosen sport as it eases the pressure of competition while increasing competitiveness.

     Eliminating fears, anxieties and other obstacles which can hold you back from your best athletic performance is another way to use hypnotherapy.  Over the years, I have seen many clients who had an actual physical fear of their sport.  Little-leaguers afraid of being hit by a ball, gymnasts afraid of falling off "the" horse or equestrians afraid of falling off "a" horse are some of those issues.  

     There are other fears that may stand in the way of peak athletic performance.  Sometimes the fear is of failing.  Some of the children I see have been competing in their sports for much of their life.  They know the many hours and much money that has been invested n getting them to the competition and the pressure and fear of failing can be enormous. Many professional athletes have a small window of time to play at their peak performance and financial pressures can elevate their fear of failure.

    Sometimes the fear is of moving up to the next level and fear of a stronger, more powerful competition is causing problems for the athlete.  Hypnosis can be used to eliminate those obstacles and allow the athlete o compete and enjoy their sport without fear.

     Other emotional issues can also be addressed when they are affecting athletic performance.  Besides the fear mentioned above, anger and resentment can affect all areas of life including sports.  Some children and adults feel pressure from parents or coaches and respond with distraction, lack of self-confidence or inappropriate aggressiveness.  Releasing these negative emotions allows room to overcome fears and pressures and to develop a winning attitude.

     Occasionally a client will call because they are experiencing a slump.  Golfers talk about "losing their game".  Baseball players lose the ability to play automatically which interferes with their ability to pitch or hit the ball as they had in the past.  These issues can be addressed by regressing and reconnecting back to a time when they were pitching or hitting successfully.

     Almost always as part of the hypnosis session, I will have the client picture and imagine their perfect game or meet.  Using very positive words and suggestions, I have the client go through the competition in their mind "moving Perfectly, in exactly the right way".   Using the terminology of their sport, I lead them through the competition with their body, strong yet relaxed, their mind clear and focused, playing the game with strength and power.  as Bob Reese, a one-time New York Jets trainer, once commented, "There is no guarantee that if you create  vision it will happen.  There is a guarantee that if you don't have the vision, it will never happen."  Hypnotherapy is a way of creating that vision.

     Some people may think, "I can't use hypnosis for sports performance because I don't play baseball or compete in gymnastics."  But hypnosis works in much the same way for other competitions at all levels from professional to new amateurs.  Whether you are on a bowling team, go to the golf course or firing range, lift weights or play indoor games like chess, bridge or Scrabble, you may be amazed at the results of a hypnosis session to improve your performance.

LOSE WEIGHT WITH HYPNOSIS AND REDUCE CANCER RISK

     When I do a clinical interview with a weight loss client, I always ask about the client's motivation to lose the weight.  I hear lots of reasons that range from self-esteem to wearing all those clothes hanging up in the closet that don't fit.  Some clients will also mention health risks for heart disease or diabetes.  A less well-known risk for being overweight or obese is cancer.

     Melina Arnold, PhD and scientist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon France has reported on a review of health data of almost 74,000 postmenopausal women which found that every decade in which people were overweight or obese drove up the risk of being diagnosed with certain cancers by as much as 37%  Among the risks were breast, kidney and colon cancer.  The strongest risk was for endometrial cancer.

    Arnold suggests that reasons for risk of cancer after being overweight or obese for decades include chronic inflammation, hormone metabolism which can elevate the risk for certain cancers and oxidative DNA damage.  If you or a loved one have been overweight for decades, it's time to lose the weight and reduce further cancer risk.

    So what can you do to finally lose the weight?  First of all, see your physician.  Make sure you are not fighting a medical issue which keeps you from losing weight or even causes you to gain weight. Once those risks have been eliminated it's time to create your plan for losing weight.

     Research has found that people who have a plan or a particular program do better than those who simply decide to "watch their weight".  So research weight loss programs which may include weight-loss books, nutrition books, gym and personal training programs, prepared food providers, diet and weight loss clubs or one-on-one nutrition and diet counseling.  

    Once you have created a plan for how you choose to lose the weight, get a boost from hypnosis.  A hypnotherapist can help you set goals on eating, exercise and staying motivated to follow your plan.  Hypnosis can be a valuable tool to lose weight and reduce your cancer risk. 

AVOIDING WEIGHT GAIN FROM DIET SODA WITH HYPNOSIS

     Years ago, you may have switched from sugar-sweetened soda to diet drinks in an attempt to lose weight.  But studies continue to come out linking diet soda to weight gain. You can read about the research in these studies in some of my earlier blogs. If you have been thinking about getting off diet soda but need help, hypnosis can be a valuable tool.

    A recent study of 749 people over age 65 was conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and was published in the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY.  The researchers reported a definite link between diet soda and weight gain.  Over nine years, people who did not drink diet soda had an 0.8 inch expansion in their waist lines.  The people who drank diet soda occasionally had a waist expansion of 1.8 inches.  People who drank one or more cans of diet soda every day during those nine years added 3.2 inches to their waists.

   If you are ready to eliminate diet soda from your life, a session of hypnotherapy can make getting rid of a bad habit that can affect your health and your weight much easier.  You can do this.  Avoid the weight and health problems of consuming diet soda with hypnosis and BE WELL.

MILLIONS OF LIVES SAVED BY ANTISMOKING EFFORTS

In 2012 researchers at Yale University School of Public Health in New Haven, CT analyzed their data on smoking cessation along with data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  This analysis was published in THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.  They reported that since the 1964 report by the Surgeon General identifying the dangers of smoking, the rate of smoking fell from 42% in 1964 to 18% in 2012.  They estimated that the antismoking effort engendered by the report had saved eight million lives at that time.

If you are a smoker and want the best chance at having a long, healthy life, it's time to become a healthy nonsmoker.  There is a special section of my website www.JenniferPJohnson on being a health nonsmoker.  Plus you can find a number of blog post articles on quitting smoking and becoming a nonsmoker through hypnosis,  Claim that long, healthy life today,  Quit smoking and BE WELL.

EXCESS BELLY FAT AND STRESS

     Have a big belly and can't figure out why?  Besides bad eating habits and lack of exercise, your body may be responding to stress.  Stress may be caused internally by physical issues such as infections and inflammation or externally by everything from relationship issues to financial problems to dealing with a challenging commute.  Chronic stress can cause your adrenal gland to release the hormone cortisol.  Cortisol, in turn, can reduce the production of testosterone and estrogen.

      If you have high cortisol levels,  you may not only have excess belly fat but also be struggling with low libido, insomnia, a weakened immune system and high blood pressure.  Low cortisol levels caused by worn-out adrenal glands no longer producing enough cortisol can cause chronic fatigue and general apathy.  Effective stress management is necessary to overall hormonal balance to protect you from these problems.

    Using a variety of stress management techniques can help you deal with those health issues caused by high or low cortisol levels.  Getting enough sleep is critical.  Check past posts on this blog for articles on dealing with insomnia.  Find time for yourself to do something you enjoy - spending time on a pleasant activity is a great way to relieve stress

 .  Exercise is a wonderful way to relieve stress.  Think about when you were a kid, if you liked to run and play, get out and take a walk, or ride a bike or fly a kite.  If you liked to swim go to the Y or Rec Center, or take a class, a Pilates class or a dance class.  Moving can release endorphins to help you deal with stress.  

    Deep breathing is another great way to fight stress.  Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of six and exhale to a count of six.  Whenever you feel stressed, begin this process until you feel yourself begin to relax. 

    Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to relieve stress.  Some hypnotherapists including myself, encourage clients to record their hypnosis session on their cell phone so they can use it later for relaxation.  Obviously, a recording is never used while driving or operating machinery, but can be a great tool for relaxation at home lying on your bed or sofa.  

   If you are seeing signs of cortisol imbalance causing problems such as excess belly fat, try some of these stress-relievers, see a hypnotherapist and BE WELL.

SLEEP HABITS AFFECT YOUR WEIGHT

    An article published in AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH PROMOTION reported on a study of 330 students by researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  The study compared students sleep habits and their body fat.  The primary finding was that regular sleep habits can help you keep slim.  The researchers identified consistent sleep habits as those in which the subject's bedtime and wake-up time varied by an hour or less each day.  They concluded that people with those consistent sleep habits including bedtimes and wake-up times had less body fat than those whose sleep habits were most erratic.

    The recommendation was that the best amount of time to sleep was six-and-a-half to eight-and-a-half hours per night.  If one of your New Year's resolutions was to go to bed earlier, sleep better or have more consistent sleep habits, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to help.  Your sleep habits affect your weight.  Improve them, have less body fat and BE WELL.

IMPROVE MEMORY AND ATTENTION WITH YOGA

    If you are over the age of 55 and would like to improve your memory and attention, a study reported by Neha Gothe, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, suggests that hatha yoga could be the answer.  The eight-week study found that an hour-long class of hatha yoga,  the most commonly practiced form of yoga in the world,  practiced three times a week by adults over age 55 could significantly improve attention and memory.  This improvement was found to be greater than adults who simply did toning and stretching exercises.

    The controlled breathing and the focus required to hold positions were suggested to be reasons for the improvement.  If you have been thinking about taking a yoga class, now may be the time.  If you need some motivation to get started, hypnotherapy can hep you get motivated and BE WELL.  

TEEN USE OF TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL

        A 2012 study based on annual surveys of between 45,000 and 50,000 high school students in around 400 secondary schools found that 17.1% of U. S. teens had reported smoking tobacco within thirty days of the survey.  This was good new as the study by researchers at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, funded through research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the National Institutes of Health showed the number down from 18.7% a year earlier.  The teens reported their use of marijuana was about the same. While 22.6% of high school seniors reported smoking marijuana in the past thirty days in 2011, 22.9% reported  using marijuana in the previous thirty days in 2012.  Alcohol use was reported about the same levels.  More than 40% of high school seniors reported drinking alcohol in the thirty days before the survey.

    If you have a child who is using tobacco, marijuana or alcohol and wants to stop, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  Help them stop smoking and using alcohol .  Hypnosis helps!

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION LINKED TO MEDIA MULTITASKING

          If you are a person who takes pride in all you get done by multitasking, you may not have realized that some kinds of multitasking can lead to emotional issues like depression and anxiety.  An article published in CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING reported on a study on media multitasking by the its leader, Mark Becker, PhD, professor of psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing.  The findings of the study indicate that people who immerse themselves in multiple feeds of information are up to 70% more likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety than people who do not media multitask.  Examples of media multitasking including browsing web sites on your computer while talking on the phone or or sending text messages while watching television.  

        If you are suffering from either anxiety or depression, see your family physician who may prescribe a medication or refer you to a mental health professional.  If you are a media multitasker suffering from depression or anxiety, cut back on all your media technology and use one feed of information at a time.  If you need help to cut back on your use of media technology or media multitasking, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  

CIGARS AREN'T SAFER THAN CIGARETTES

  Sometimes new clients come to see me because they want to quit smoking cigarettes and say "but I still want to smoke cigars".  In most cases, they believe that smoking cigars is safer for their health than smoking cigarettes.  And cigar smoking has continued to increase. Jiping Chen, MD, PhD, MPH and epidemiologist at the FDA Center for Tobacco Products in Silver Spring, MD noted that by 2013 cigar smoking had more than doubled in the US since 2000.  He reported that in a large-scale analysis comparing blood and urine sample results from cigar smokers and nonsmokers, cigar smokers were found to have higher levels of a number of toxic substances in their blood and urine than nonsmokers.  At least one potential cancer-causing agent found inthe samples was comparable to that found in cigarette smokers.

   If you or a loved one has felt because you "only smoke cigars" that you were not at risk from the kinds of health dangers that cigarette smokers have, it's time to think again.  Hypnosis can help you become a healthy nonsmoker and BE WELL.

STRESS AND COPD

     Chronic stress can make any health condition worse. But it can be a particular challenge for people suffering from COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis can cause wheezing, shortness of breath and  chronic phlegmy cough.  The illness itself can be stressful and worsen the condition.

     A review article in the journal HEART LUNG reported that chronic stress can lead to feelings of isolation and depression among those suffering from COPD.  In addition, the problem with difficulty breathing caused by emphysema and chronic bronchitis can trigger panic.  The panic, in turn, causes a flood of cortisol and adrenaline in the body.  Over time, these hormones can weaken the immune system and may cause weight gain which can cause more damage to the lungs.

    If you suffer from COPD or some other chronic illness, ask your medical doctor for advice on dealing with the stress in your life.  Don't be surprised, if you are told to include aerobic exercise in your day which can improve breathing ability and ease stress and anxiety.  Having a supportive family and network of friends will help deal with stress.  Your doctor may also recommend a nutritionist to plan meals which include antioxidants and vitamins in fruits and vegetables to ease inflammation.

    Hypnotherapy is a valuable tool to deal with stress. A session focusing on calmness, peace and relaxation can be of great value to be less stressed and breathe easier.  Prolonged stress can make any health condition worse. Hypnotherapy can give you a great chance to BE WELL. 

DIET SODA ASSOCIATED WITH LEUKEMIA, NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA AND MULTIPLE MYELOMA

   Are you still thinking you "ought" to give up soda or diet soda?  Eva Schernhammer, MD, DrPH, associate professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, reported on an assessment of 22 years of health data on 125,000 adults who drank at least one can of diet soda containing aspartame, the diet sweetener.  The assessment found that men who drank at least one can of diet soda every day were at higher risk for both multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.  Those men who drank the same amount of sugar-sweetened soda had a 66% greater risk for developing non-Hodgkin's disease than those who did not drink soda.  Leukemia was 42% more likely to be diagnosed in adults who consumed at least one 12-ounce can of diet soda daily.  

    The current theory on why diet soda is linked to these diseases is that aspartame may break down into compounds that become carcinogenic.  But the conclusions also showed a risk of disease for those consuming sugar-sweetened soda, although researchers are not sure why and recommend more research.  If you are concerned about your soda consumption and want to stop drinking sweetened and/or diet soda, hypnosis can be a valuable tool and lower your risk for developing these frightening diseases.

WHAT YOU DRINK LINKED TO CHANCES OF DEPRESSION

         If you've been feeling depressed look at what you are drinking.  A study of almost 264,000 people, ages 50 to 71, by researchers at National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina found that sweetened drinks are linked to depression.  The study presented in San Diego at the annual meeting of the American academy of Neurology reported that people who drank more than four servings of regular soda per day were thirty percent more likely within a decade to develop depression.  People who drank fruit punch were at a thirty-eight percent greater risk for developing depression.  Substituting diet soda and diet fruit punch were found to be at even greater risk for depression. Coffee drinkers rejoice - the researchers found that drinking four servings of unsweetened coffee per day had a ten percent lower risk of depression.

      If you are suffering major depression, see your medical doctor or mental health practitioner immediately.  If you are feeling a little down, examine your lifestyle habits including what you are drinking.  Remember hypnotherapy can be another tool in your arsenal in dealing with depression so you can BE WELL.  

EAT MINDFULLY FOR YOUR PERFECT WEIGHT

  If you spend lots of time thinking of your next meal or snack, you are not alone.  Chronically overweight people often spend much of their time thinking of food and how and when they will eat next.  Ironically, when they do eat, they shove the food in with very little appreciation or enjoyment.  They get little pleasure from the process of eating.  Instead, they are just shoving in the food.

    Unfortunately, our lifestyles can discourage enjoying our meals or snacks.  We are often busy and in a hurry, so we skip breakfast, snack in the car on the way to work and cram in fast-food while checking messages on our phones.  We are not thinking consciously about what we are eating and get little satisfaction from the food we have just scarfed down.  

    A rushed, hurried lifestyle causes us to skip meals and then substitute with hurried meals and snacks.  Because we do not satisfy the brain's need for the joys and satisfaction of eating, we are soon craving again with constant feelings of deprivation.  Many experts believe one of the reasons French people have less weight problems is because they spend longer amounts of time eating their meals and find joy and satisfaction in their meals so they don't crave snacks.

    When we do eat, our minds are often distracted with personal and work problems, deadlines, and telephone messages and entertainment apps.  It's hard to tell if we are satisfied and full, if our minds are completely preoccupied with mental distractions.  So we may continue to eat because our minds are distracted.

     And we tend to be very fast eaters.  We were raised by parents and caretakers who were always rushed and encouraging children to hurry up and finish eating.  Our first grade school teachers told us to finish up quickly because it was time for the second graders to use the lunch room.  By our teen years, lunches were rushed in order to have more time hanging out with friends during lunch break.  By the time we are adults, eating quickly is the norm.  Even if we are full, our brains have not had time to register fullness, so we just keep right on stuffing in food.

     All of these factors can cause us to eat without awareness.  What can you do that will help you to enjoy food more and actually be satisfied and not continually craving?  The goal is to eat mindfully.  One way you can do that is by not using electronics, watching television or reading a book while eating.  How can your mind know if you are full, if it is totally distracted? Eating slowly to truly savor the taste and getting satisfaction of what you do eat can cause you to eat less.  Put your fork down between bites.  Really focus on what you are eating and it's wonderful taste so you can get true satisfaction out of what you eat and be satisfied with how much you eat.

    Hypnotherapy can help you to eat mindfully as a part of a weight loss session or program.  It can help you to stop cravings, enjoy what you do eat, reach your perfect weight and BE WELL.

SMOKERS' SPOUSES AT GREATER STROKE RISK

    If you are a smoker, you are risking not only your own health but that of those who are around you particularly your spouse.  In 2009, M. Maria Glymour, ScD, assistant professor in the Department of Society, Human Development and Health at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, reported on a study of 16,225 people who were married to smokers.  The people were followed for an average of nine years.  It was found that people who had never smoked but were married to a person currently smoking had a 42% greater risk for a first stroke when compared to people who never smoked married to people who had also never smoked.  The risk jumped up to 72% higher risk for ex-smokers married to a person currently smoking.

   Smoking is dangerous not only to your health but the health of those you love.  Quitting smoking can bring down the risk of your spouse having a stroke.  If you need help to become a healthy nonsmoker, hypnotherapy can help. Stop smoking and you and your spouse have the best chance to BE WELL.

LUNG HEALTH MEANS BETTER BRAIN HEALTH

 Still another reason to not smoke, eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and avoid environmental pollutants such as secondhand smoke.  Charles Emery, PhD, professor of psychology at The Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio,  reported on research on lung function and its influence on brain health.  The researchers followed health date on 832 people between the ages of 50 and 85 for almost twenty years.  They found that reduced lung function  due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but also in otherwise healthy adults led to cognitive deterioration.  

   The researchers theorized that reduced oxygen in the blood due to poor lung function could slow down signals between cells in the brain.  If you need to get motivated to quit smoking, exercise regularly, avoid secondhand pollutants or exercise regularly, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to increase your chances for better brain health.

HYPNOTHERAPY FOR RADIATION THERAPY FATIGUE

    A study published in JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY gave new encouragement for patients undergoing radiation therapy which with some cancers often has the side effect of fatigue. Research done at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City found that patients who underwent hypnosis during radiation treatment experienced less fatigue than participants in the control group.

     The researchers reported that after six months,the average patient who had been treated with hypnosis reported less fatigue than 95% of patients who were not hypnotized.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool in working with many medical issues including: pain relief, IBS and chronic fatigue.   

IMPROVING LONGEVITY FOR AMERICAN MEN

   A paper in the journal, HEALTH POLICY, reported that about 150,000 American men in the United States die prematurely each year from preventable causes.  This was a higher rate than in fifteen developed countries.  Among the most identified diseases causing the high rates of preventable disease in American men were diabetes, heart disease and prostate cancer.

    The magazine, MEN'S HEALTH, recommended studying some of the other developed countries which did not have such a high rate of male premature death.  Italian men make heart-healthy eating choices including a Mediterranean diet, olive oil and moderate amounts of red wine.  Italian men also smoke much less than they once did.  Japanese men drink green tea which has been identified as a help in fighting prostate cancer.  In Switzerland, men are much more apt to ride a bike or walk to work.  This activity may be an identifiable reason for the lower risk of diabetes in Swiss men.

    The men in those countries were all making good choices to take care of themselves and their health.  If you or the man in your life are ready to improve the chances for a long, full healthy life, it's time to eat well, quit smoking and even have a glass of red wine or a cup of green tea.  Hypnotherapy can help to make those changes so you can BE WELL.