FEELING FATIGUED?

      A complaint I hear fairly often in my practice is feeling fatigued.  If you are among those who are "sick and tired of feeling sick and tired", it's time to get some help.  If you are experiencing severe and frequent fatigue, the first step is making an appointment with your medical doctor.  It's likely that you will need a complete medical workup which will include specific tests because fatigue can be caused by hundreds of medical disorders.  Among these are such issues as anemia, diabetes, hepatitis and other liver disorders, infectious mononucleosis, lupus, Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid deficiency. Blood work may also identify problems with muscle chemistry, low magnesium, or inflamation  An infection such as chronic sinusitis could also be an underlying reason for fatigue. If a health issue is identified, it may be medically treated to address your fatigue.  But if your doctor cannot identify a specific underlying cause for your fatigue, your medical treatment options are limited.  Your physician will likely advise you to get more and/or improved sleep and exercise more.

     Psychological conditions such as stress or depression may also be the underlying issue in dealing with fatigue. Your energy may be drained by stress.  So many people only think of major stressors such as a death in the family or losing a job.  But dealing with heavy traffic every day on your commute or feeling anxious about a project at work may leaving you feeling exhausted. One of the most overlooked causes of fatigue is depression.  Your medical doctor may treat  these issues with stress-management programs or antidepressants or recommend psychotherapy.

     There are other things you can do to deal with fatigue.  Drink more water to flush out toxins, eat small meals and protein rich foods that provide a steady source of energy.  An herb used by athletes to improve stamina is ginseng.  Many patients have found that the American form of ginseng with at least 5% ginsenosides is of value in dealing with fatigue.  Three nutrients you might find of value are L-carnitine, coenzyme Q10 and magnesium. A daily B-complex vitamin supplement provides energy as well. Consume alcohol in moderation and eliminate caffeine from your diet. 

    Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool in dealing with fatigue.  It can be used to deal with insomnia and help you establish good sleeping habits.  It can be used to reinforce good habits like drinking more water, eating well and exercising more.  Don't give up.  It's time to get rid of fatigue and feel energized.

PREHYPERTENSION AND STROKE RISK

     One of our most feared medical emergencies is that of stroke.  There are two kinds of stroke - ischemic stroke which occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blocked artery and hemorrhagic stroke which is caused by bleeding in the brain.  About 90% of all strokes are ischemic strokes.  When stroke occurs a number of symptoms may manifest including: numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg which likely will occur on one side of the body, trouble speaking or understanding, loss of balance or coordination, confusion, dizziness, and severe headache.

     Hypertension (high blood pressure) is the leading risk factor for stroke.  High blood presure is defined as 140/90 mmHG or above. In 2011 an analysis of data on more than 500,000 people with pre-hypertension (above normal reading of 120/80 but below 140/90 high reading) found that those with pre-hypertension were 55% more likely to have a stroke in the next five to 10 years of their life than those with normal blood pressure.

     Have you had your blood pressure checked recently?  Many grocery stores and pharmacies have a free blood pressure monitor that you can check for yourself.  Until age 65, you should have your blood pressure checked at your doctor at least every other year.  At age 65 and after, you should have it checked annually. Your ideal blood pressure may vary based on your specific medical profile including cholesterol screening, a blood test for C-reactive protein and perhaps an ECG to evaluate your heart health. 

     If you have pre-hypertension, you and your doctor may discuss healthy lifestyle changes including, eating heart-smart foods, cutting fat, losing weight if you're overweight, cutting back on salt, quitting smoking and exercising for at least 30 minutes daily. Other treatments under doctor's supervision may include: low-dose aspirin therapy with dosages ranging from 80 mg (a baby aspirin) to 325 mg (one adult aspirin), supplements of folate and vitamin B6 which lowers elevated levels of homocysteine, fish oil capsules containing omega-3 fatty acids which act as anticlotting agents, or prescription medications.

     Lifestyle modifications can also help to minimize stress which is often a precursor to pre-hypertension.  Taking a vacation can help relieve stress that can endanger your health.  Researchers found that men ages 35 to 57 who took a yearly vacation were one-third less likely to die from heart disease than those who did not take a vacation.  Controlling anger will also protect you from stroke and heart disease.  A study of 13,000 people found that those who angered quickly were three times as likely to have a heart attack than their more laid-back friends.  Spending time with friends in quiet conversation, taking a walk, saying a prayer, exercising or meditating can all give you that "time out" you need to minimize stress.  Hypnotherapy can be a great tool for dealing with stress and encouraging you to take care of yourself. By using these tools you can bring those numbers down and the risk of heart disease and stroke as well.

HYPNOTHERAPY AND LIFE WITH CANCER

      Many cancer survivors know there are a number of complementary aids to the medical management of cancer including exercise, meditation, art for wellness and journaling.  Another powerful tool in coping with cancer -- hypnosis.  Have you ever seen hypnosis demonstrated?  In the past, many people associated it with stage presentations showing people quacking like a duck.  However, clinical hypnotherapy is a very different 'animal'.  Hypnotherapy is the responsible use of hypnosis and has been used for centuries to relieve pain.  It has been approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) since the 1950's.  More recent uses of hypnotherapy are to aid people in quitting smoking, losing weight and motivation. 

     On Thursday, June 21, 2012, I will be speaking to the Life with Cancer group about how hypnosis works and how hypnotherapy can be a great tool for use with cancer patients both prior to and during treatment. The seminar will include an opportunity to ask questions of someone who has used hypnotherapy in dealing with their own cancer. Hypnotherapy can be another way to help make day-to-day life with cancer easier.

MEDICAL HYPNOSIS

     There was a recent article in The Wall Street Journal about medical hypnosis. It describes some of the ways hypnosis is being used with medical issues.  One patient, a New York psychologist found that hypnosis helped put her at ease before biopsies, MRIs and surgeries.  David Spiegel, a psychiatrist and director of the Center for Health and Stress at Stanford University, was quoted as saying, "We can teach people how to manage pain and anxiety.  There's been this mistake in medicine that if you have a certain amount of tissue damage, you should feel this amount of pain.  But many things can alter how much pain you feel."

     Today, hypnosis is used in a variety of medical situations from diminishing side effects from chemotherapy to easing migraine headaches.  Other medical issues worked with in hypnosis include, minimizing hot flashes, lowering blood pressure, controlling asthma attacks, and easing symptoms of irritable bowel symptoms.

     Burn victims, cancer patients and chronic pain sufferers may all find hypnosis another tool in dealing with their health issues.  As with any health or medical issue, I choose to work with a client on referral from their medical doctor.  No competent hypnotherapist would chose to disguise pain that might be a symptom of a serious health issue.  A client once asked me to help relieve her chronic headaches with the use of hypnosis..  I told her once I had a medical referral I would be happy to work with her.  When she went to her doctor for her referral, it turned out she had a large (thankfully benign) brain tumor.  She needed surgery and once it was performed she no longer had the headaches. 

     Think of hypnosis as another tool in your toolbox in working with your medical issue.  Find a trained hypnotherapist who has experience with medical hypnosis.  One Stanford study concluded that a hypnotic suggestion in the mind can have measurable effects in the body.  A study from Harvard Medical School reported patients who had 15 minutes of hypnosis before surgery needed not less pain medication but even took less time in surgery.  With a referral from your medical doctor and an experienced hypnotherapist, hypnosis could help you with your health problems.

HPNOTHERAPY FOR MARIJAUNA USE WITH TEENS

     A report by the Partnership at Drugfree.org was released yesterday on a survey that more teens are smoking marijuana.  Nearly one in ten teens surveyed reported smoking pot 20 or more times a month.  That rate went from five percent in 2008 to nine percent in 2011.  That means about 1.5 million teens are smoking marijuana frequently.

      The report also reported on the use of harder drugs including cocaine and methamphetamine.  The use of those has stabilized according to the report.  Abuse of prescription medicine is still high but may be easing among high school students.  The big drug use growth was definitely in the four percent increase in  past-month usage of marijuana.

      Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to help teenagers quit smoking marijuana.  Like all substance abuse issues, the user must want to stop.  If you or your child is ready to stop smoking marijuana, explore hypnotherapy as a way of making that change.

HELP FOR INSTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS/PAINFUL BLADDER SYNDROME

     If you have been diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome (IC/PBS) you are aware of how painful and inconvenient it can be.  IC/PBS affects up to 6% of American women with women being affected more than nine times as often as men.  Symptoms include:  frequent urination (more than 8 times in 24 hours), pain, pressure, or discomfort in the lower pelvis or vulva, bladder pain or pressure, pain during or after sex, an urgent need to urinate and flare-ups during menstruation.  This may all be triggered by a bladder wall becoming inflamed and super-sensitive. This in turn may cause pinpoints of bleeding and ulcers may appear and stiffness and scarring may occur.

    Once you have received a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome, your doctor may prescribe a variety of treatments and medications.  Intravaginal Thiele massage can be done by a physical therapist and you can learn to do the procedure at home.  Electrical nerve stimulation and medications including anti-inflammatories antispasmodics and pain medications may be prescribed.  

     Your doctor may also recommend lifestyle changes  such as using a personal lubricant for sex, soaking in colloidal oatmeal, reducing the intensity and duration of workouts during flare ups and  making dietary changes.  You should avoid cranberry juice which is acidic and may irritate a sensitive bladder.  Other irritant drinks and foods include: caffeine products (sodas, coffa, tea), carbonated drinks, alcohol, citrus fruits, artificial sweetners, tomato products and spicy foods.  Drinking more water may seem counterintuitive to a person running to the bathroom often.  But skipping on water makes urine more concentrated and more irritating. 

     A technique called bladder retraining may be valuable.  Urinating relieves pain temporarily, but some IC/PBS patients are using the bathroom so often that it reduces the bladder's capacity to hold urine comfortably.  Retraining the bladder involves increasing your typical time between bathroom trips by 15 minutes.  After two weeks, increase by another 15 minutes.  The goals is to continue until you can wait at least two hours.

    Finally, there are mind-body therapies that can be of value including, cranio-sacral therapy, acupuncture, yoga, meditation and hypnotherapy.  Hypnotherapy can be a great tool to deal with the discomfort, prolong the time between trips to the bathroom and reduce stress and increase relaxation.

SMOKING AND MEMORY LOSS

      Concerned about your smoking habit and cognitive decline?  You should be.  A study of 5,099 men, ages 44 to 80, at University College London, England and Pierre and Marie Curie University, Paris reports that male smokers performed at a level about ten years older than their chronological age on cognitive tests.  The study also indicated that male smokers had an increased risk of dementia.  The severity of cognitive decline increased with the more cigarettes they smoked.  But there was good news in this reports published in ARCHIVES OF GENERAL PSYCHIATRY.  The researchers found that after ten or more years of not smoking, the men's bodies could repair themselves.  Smoking affects the brain, hearts, lungs and blood vessels.  Decreased oxygen caused by smoking affects cognitive functioning.  If you are worried about smoking and memory loss, it is time to become a healthy nonsmoker.  Hypnotherapy is a great tool to help you stop smoking and allow your body to repair.

EATING HEALTHY - CHOOSING WHITE

     Most of us have been encouraged to eat healthy foods and told to choose colorful foods - the deep greens of broccoli or spinach or the bright red of a pepper or tomato.  New research, however, is encouraging people to add pale produce to their diet.  A Dutch study of more than 20,000 men and women over ten years found that those who ate the most white-fleshed vegetables and fruits had a 52% lower risk of stroke than those who chose only the more colorful foods.  These white-fleshed items included cauliflower, cucumbers, apples, banans and pears with pears and apples  being the most common choices in the "white group".  The researchers believe that quercetin, a plant chemical, in the white-fleshed fruits and veggies causes the benefit.  Choosing healthy foods including the white-fleshed ones can be reinforced with the use of hypnotherapy.

CHECK MY WEBSITES

    Back in the office after two weeks of travel.  Just wanted to remind you that you can access lots of information about my practice and about hypnotherapy at www.JenniferPJohnson.com or www.BeaHealthyNonsmoker.com.  Check out these sites and check back regularly here for more information about wellness and hypnotherapy.

HYPNOSIS AND PERSONAL ISSUES

       Yesterday I got a card from a former client who came in September of 2010.  I always appreciate when people call me on their first anniversary of quitting smoking or on the day they reach goal weight.  This note was different because the client had come for a personal issue that was causing her pain.  I will not include the person's name or the exact issue to protect her privacy. "3/16/12  Dear Jennifer - I wanted to thank you for the hypnosis.  I listened to the tape twice and went into a deep trance both times.  Then I couldn't listen anymore.  Perhaps my subconscious mind was saying: do you want a beautiful life and let this go - or - do you want a not so beautiful life and hang on?  Kind of a no brainer!  Letting go of certain events is not over night but I'm please with the progress.  Thank you so (underlined twice) much.  (Unrevealed signature).  Hypnotherapy can be a wonderful brief therapy tool for dealing with personal issues. 

HYPNOSIS AND SMOKING CESSATION

         This morning when I got to work there was a message on my voicemail that I would like to share.  I have not put in the caller's name to protect her privacy.  But this is the message she left:  "Hi Dr. Johnson, You don't have to call me back.  I just ran across your name and address when cleaning out some papers.  My name is Pat _____. I saw you three ago and three years ago on March 10 I stopped smoking. I had been smoking for 40 years.  I want to thank you because it worked.  I quit and never looked back.  Never had a desire.  It has been an absolutely marvelous three years. The most interesting thing is I can barely remember being a smoker.  So thank you, thank you, thjank you so much.  I've referred other people to you and I will continue to do that as I run across people who want to quit.  Again, thanks very much."  I ask people to call me on the first anniversary of becoming nonsmokers. Sometimes I get the calls years later. It's wonderful to get these messages and know they have used such a powerful tool to set themselves free from cigarettes and smoking.

THE USE OF HYPNOTHERAPY WITH CHILDREN

        In the last week, I have had a number of parents call my office asking if hypnotherapy can be used with children.  The good news is that not only can children be hypnotized but that children are generally more hypnotically responsive than adults.  Children tend to have active imaginations and few, if any, preconceived ideas about hypnosis.

        Although some hypnotherapists work with children under the age of 5 or 6, there is little published research on the effectiveness of hypnosis with toddlers.  I have found that it is difficult for young children to focus enough to address their needs.  If you are seeking hypnotherapy for a young child, you may need to interview several hypnotherapists to find one who has worked successfully with very young children.

       By the age of six, most children are able to comprehend metaphors and have the emotional, linguistic and cognitive capability to make excellent hypnosis subjects.   A study by Olness and Gardner in 1988 found that most hypnotic ability is limited in children less than three years of age and reaches its peak during middle childhood up to the age of fourteen.

       What kinds of things could hypnotherapy be used for in working with children?  Last week I worked with an eleven year old boy who sucked his thumb, a young teenager who had test anxiety and another who procrastinated and a ten year old who wet the bed.  Hypnotherapy can be used in many of the same areas as with an adult.  Habit modification is one of those.  Where an adult doesn't want to give up cigarettes, a child may have difficulty giving up his "blankie".  Undesirable habits like hairpulling, nail biting and overeating may be addressed just like with an adult client.

       Hypnotherapy may also be used in dealing with childhood trauma like physical, mental or emotional abuse.  These issues should be addressed in hypnosis by a psychotherapist who has hypnotherapy training or as an adjunct therapy to the work being done by the psychiatrist, psychologist, counselor or psychotherapist.  Note that not everyone who practices hypnotherapy is an appropriate practitioner for a traumatized child.

       Other psychological applications of hypnosis with children include: tics, learning disorders, behavior disorders, anxiety and somatoform disorders. Medical issues that may be addressed with hypnotherapy include: eating disorders, pain management, treatment of nausea and/or vomiting and bed wetting.  Again, These issues should be evaluated by appropriate medical doctors and mental health professionals who may refer a child to a hypnotherapist as part of a treatment plan.

      A couple of notes about the session itself.  The parent or guardian who brings a young child to the session will be in the room during the entire session. Teenagers often prefer their parent to wait in the waiting room so they can talk more openly during the clinical interview that precedes the hypnosis.  Some teenagers are also self-couscious about how they might look during hypnosis (is my mouth open?).  I suggest that the child make the decision after the age of 12 or 13. 

     During my time with the child before hypnosis, my primary goal is to build rapport with the child.  Sometimes I will tell a story or have a toy to help establish that rapport.  I will try to identify an interest to build a relaxing metaphor.  One child last week pictured himself in a "wonderland of toys" (his words).  I suggested he imagine himself there putting his favorite Lego toy together.  Another child liked Sponge Bob Square Pants so he imagined himself in the pineapple house under the sea and eating crabby patties.

    Hypnotherapy is a tool for change.  It can be a valuable tool for children as well as adults. If you are thinking about hypnotherapy for your child, find a well-qualified, highly trained person and then give your child and the hypnotherapist a chance to work together.

HYPNOTHERAPY FOR COMFORT EATING

       One of the issues that people often come to see hypnotherapists for is weight loss.  I work with a highly-educated, intelligent population here in the DC area.  People know what they need to be doing - change bad eating habits by choosing healthy foods and watching their portion size, limiting caloried beverages and moving more.  Sometimes they just need help through hypnotherapy to get motivated to do what they know they ought to be doing.

      But another issue often becomes evident as we discuss their behavior.  People tend to eat for reasons other than physical hunger.  They may try to satisfy personal needs and hungers that have nothing to do with food by eating.  They try to comfort themselves by eating.  This may come from childhood when the child's parents or caretakers used food to comfort.  Didn't get asked to the prom - make brownies.  Feeling sad - let's order a pizza. Want to celebrate a special day - let's make a feast.  Food became associated with lots of emotions and the person was comforted by the food.  Now the client is an adult.  But when they feel those emotions come up, they are triggered to want to comfort themselves with food. 

      Food may have also been used as a reward when the client was young.  Going out for ice cream as a reward for a good report card.  Getting an extra cookie for being a "good girl".  Popcorn and candy at the movies as a special treat.  At some level, the child is always looking for that reward for being good - even when the child grows up.

     We may also give ourselves food when we are not getting what we need emotionally from others.  The boss criticizes our work or doesn't respect our effort, so we eat.  The one we love doesn't love us, so we eat.  Our child is disrespectful or rude, so we we eat.  Food becomes a way of giving ourself something when we feel like what we need is being held back.

     Unfortunately, the comfort from comfort eating lasts only as long as the food itself.  And then, the over-eating is often caused by self-disgust and depression.  "Oh, why did I do that?" becomes the mantra of the comfort eater. This can lead to eating disorders, depression and obesity. Hypnotherapy can be a great way to deal with this issue.  A skilled hypnotherapist can help you resolve the underlying issue and give you new tools to deal with the triggers that in the past may have encouraged you to comfort eat.

FIGHTING FATIUGE

     Are you feeling tired and worn out?  Do you complain about fatigue?  Although anyone can feel tired occasionally, if your fatigue is chronic, it's time to see your doctor.  Severe or frequent fatigue needs to be assessed by your doctor with a complete medical workup which will include bloodwork.  Your doctor will try to diagnose the problem that is causing your tiredness.  Since this can be caused by hundreds of different disorders, the first step is to identify any underlying health issue.

      If your medical doctor cannot identify any illness or specific health problem that is causing the fatigue, then stress or poor sleep habits may be the underlying issue. So the next thing to do to help yourself and relieve the fatigue is to deal with the stresses in your life, exercise more and get sufficient sleep. All of these are issues that can be dealt with effectively in hypnotherapy.  Stress relief, exercise motivation and insomnia relief can be addressed to give you the tools you need to feel healthy and energized once again.

POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION AND HYPNOTHERAPY

       Throughout a woman's pregnancy, she gets regular care for her and her baby.  But once a woman has her baby, the care should not be over.  New mothers will likely be given an appointment to see her obstetrician or doctor for a follow up appointment.  This is usually around six weeks but may be scheduled any time between three to eight weeks after the delivery.  This appointment is a way for the doctor to make sure the new mother's body is healing appropriately.  

     But this is also the time when the new mother can share her mental and emotional health.  Sometimes new mothers will experience temporary feelings of tearfulness or sadness for the first seven to ten days after childhood.  It even has a name, "the baby blues".  The baby blues are not uncommon and do not require treatment.  But a more serious disorder may occur in less than one percent of all births called postpartum depression.   It usually occurs within the first month after delivery although it can occur any time during the baby's first year.

     Symptoms of postpartum depression include:  a feeling of being unable to cope with life, deep sadness, lack of concentration, gaining or losing a lot of weight, physical complaints, sleeping too much or too little, feelings of guilt and unworthiness, feeling tired all the time, agitation, anxiety, having trouble thinking clearly, lack of energy, feeling restless and loss of interest or pleasure. 

    A new mother who has any of these symptoms, should tell her doctor and get help.  This may include the use of antidepressants.  Women who are nursing are often referred to psychotherapy.  Another tool for postpartum depression is hypnotherapy.  This should be considered an adjunct therapy while under the primary care of a medical doctor.  Hypnotherapy is brief therapy.  When I work with a client with postpartum depression, a session would include a clinical interview that gives the client a chance to talk at length about their symptoms and how they want to feel and a forty-five minute hypnosis session.  I record the session so the woman can continue to listen to it at home as needed.  This may be all she chooses to do with hypnotherapy.  Or the client may choose to use and occasional hypnotherapy session until she feels better and the symptoms are gone.

USE OF HYPNOTHERAPY FOR STRESS AND PAIN

      Studies have shown that people who are stressed or depressed are more sensitive to pain.  The pain seemed to increase and be more intense no matter what its source.  Some studies using imaging have shown an increase in activity in areas of the brain associated with pain in patients who were stressed.  This is called stress-induced hyperalgesia.

    If you are suffering from pain caused by emotional issues, seek help for the underlying stress or depression.  Talk to your medical doctor and be honest in describing emotional problems such as anxiety, stress or depression.  There are medications to deal with depression and may reduce pain as well.

   Use distractions to help you be less focused on pain.  Listen to music.  Watch a video.  Participate in a hobby - scrapbook, woodwork, read.  Distract your mind from the pain by calling a friend or getting on facebook. Play a computer game or participate in one of the activities like Pintarest.  Distraction can be a great tool in relieving stress that may be causing your pain to feel worse.

   Hypnotherapy is another tool to deal with stress, depresion, anxiety and pain.  In many cases, hypnotherapy is an adjunct therapy to the medications of your doctor or the treatment of a psychotherapist or counselor.  A recording of the actual session can be a nice tool to use at home for relaxation and to reinforce the work of the session.  By relieving the underlying stress or depression, the pain will be less intense and more manageable.

FEEL BETTER WITH EXERCISE

     Want to feel better?  It's time to get moving.  Exercise is one of the best ways to feel good physically and mentally.  Staying physically active strengthens muscles and may help strengthen parts of the brain.  In fact, studies show regular exercise is good for the mind.  A study in the ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE indicated that people who exercised the most had a 90% lower risk of reduced mental ability.  Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that exercisers are less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer's disease than those who did not exercise.

     You can feel better by staying active.  Benefits from exercise include:  more energy, reduced stress, lower anxiety, less depression and better sleep.  Experts suggest 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic and muscle strengthening exericse at least three times a week.  Do something you enjoy - you're more apt to keep going.  And try new physical activities which will challenge your body and your brain.  Learning a new dance step can be fun and stimulate body and mind!

     If you are having trouble getting started in an exercise program, use a professional to help get begin.  A personal trainer may be willing to help design a stimulating program for you.  A clinical hypnotherapist can stimulate your motivation so you can work out and feel better with exercise.

USING HYPNOSIS AND HYPNOTHERAPY

      Hypnosis was used by members of the Sumerian priesthood some six thousand years ago according to cuneiform writings of the period.  A papyrus document from Egypt shows that hypnosis was used in ancient Egypt as well. Passed down to spiritual practioners of many cultures, hypnosis later was used as a healing technique in Europe. From there physical healing expanded to mental and emotional healing with the work of French neurologist, Hippolte Bernheim, Viennese doctor Joseph Breuer who worked with repressed memories and Sigmund Freud.  Freud would later drop hypnosis for his psychoanalytical approach.  But more and more hypnosis was being used and by World War I was helping soldiers sufering from trauma and "battle fatigue" or post-traumatic stress disorder.

     By the mid 1950s's hypnosis was approved by the American Medical and British Medical Associations where it was used as an adjunct therapy to other medical and psychiatric therapies.  Today hyposis continues to be used as an adjunct therapy in those areas but is also used for by dentists, surgeons and midwives and obstetricians.  In addition, it is used in a wide variety of ways beyond health.  As a clinical hynotherapist, a few of the issues my clients describe regualrly include:  relief from stress and anxiety, habit modification (quitting smoking, losing weight, stopping nail biting), aiding in self-development, building confidence and self-esteem, developing better study or work habits, improving memory and concentration, relieving phobias, sports improvement and dealing with the fear of failure or fear of success.  As you can see, hypnotherapy can be used on a wide variety of issues.  If you are ready to explore a new tool for making positive changes in your life, see a professional hypnotherapist.

QUIT SMOKING AND SAVE YOUR TEETH

               Like to have the best chance of not losing your teeth?  Quit smoking.  If you like your smile and want to keep it that way, quit smoking now.  Elizabeth Krall, Ph.D., an assistant research professor at Tufts University's School fo Dental Medicine worked with statistics from the Boston VA Dental Longitudinal Study which tracked the oral health of over 1,000 men since 1968.  She found that a person's risk of losing teeth doubles if he smokes.  She accounted for other variables such as alcohol and coffee consumption and found that women who smoked cigarettes lost significantly more teeth than non-smoking women.  Another Tufts researcher specializing in nutrition in studying osteoporosis, collected similar data on tooth loss from over 500 Boston area women.  If you are looking for another reason to quit smoking, add tooth loss and its affect on health and appearance to your list.  If you are thinking about quitting smoking, hypnotherapy can be a great tool to help you make a change that could keep you from losing your teeth.

SUGAR ADDICTION

      Recent animals studies indicate that sugar is more addictive than cocaine.  It is consumed by Americans in large amounts and people suffer withdrawal symptoms when they try to restrict their use of sugar.  This is a problem because of sugars affect on health.  Consuming sugar in large amounts can affect insulin and other hormones and can be linked to diabetes.  Sugar-intake can also be linked to dementia, osteoperosis, suppressed immune system, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides which increase the risk of heart disease, obesity and cancer.

     The average American consumes about 142 pounds of sugar in a year.  Much of that is "added" sugar which is added to processed foods or added in preparation of food at home.  Contained in almost all processed foods, another big source of added sugar people consume is in regular soft drinks.  Even foods we consider healthful like fruit drinks and yogurt are often sweetened with added sugar.

     Although almost all of us enjoy a sweet treat occasionally, sugar addiction causes cravings, causes consumption to increase over time and causes withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, depression and irritability.  If you are concerned about increased consumption of sugar or about possible health affects caused by sugar, it's time to change.  Hypnotherapy can be a great tool in releasing addictive cravings for sugar.