REMOVING NEGATIVE LABELS WITH HYPNOSIS

    Too often when things don't go to suit us, we find blame in  things outside our control.  We find myriad reasons to make excuses for our faults and bad habits.  Our bad luck, our genes, our parents all get blamed for the problems in our lives.  Unfortunately, as we avoid responsibility we begin to use those excuses as truths about who we are.  Theses excuses become limitations to making changes and overcoming old labels.

    How often have you labeled yourself?  If you identify yourself as "lazy", "fat",  having a poor memory: being"a shopaholic", a klutz or any other negative label, you are limiting yourself.  These limiting labels can be the basis to self-actualize that belief.  Soon you don't move because you are "lazy, don't lose weight because you are "fat" or over-spend because you are a "shopaholic".  

   So what can you do to change this pattern?   It's time to stop accepting negative labels.  If you want to change old habits that are holding you back,  consciously remove the old negative label and give yourself a positive affirmation.  Create a positive affirmation that resonates for you.  For the negative label of laziness perhaps you could create a positive label like "  I am capable and accomplish my goals."  For the negative label of being fat, a new label could be: "I make good choices to create a strong, healthy body."  For the negative label of poor memory, a positive affirmation could be "I live mindfully and remember well."

    Know that how you think creates who you become.  So work on removing negative labels and create positive affirmations to create a more positive life.  A qualified hypnotherapist could help guide you through this process and do a hypnotherapy session to reinforce the new positive labels.  Remove negative labels, create new positive labels and BE WELL.

TINNITUS - TREATMENTS FOR RINGING IN THE EARS

     Are you often bothered by unwanted sounds like hissing, roaring, buzzing or ringing in your ears?  If no one else seems to be hearing that unwanted sound, you likely have tinnitus.  In fact as many as fifty million Americans are suffering with this condition.

    Some of the latest research and thinking about tinnitus believes that it is likely more of a brain issue than an ear issue.  Although tinnitus may begin with age-related hearing loss, the brain may begin to compensate for the sensory input it expected by activating neurons to create a perception of a sound.  Tinnitus may also happen because of long-term exposure to very loud noises.  This may change brain function as well.  

   So what can you do if you suffer from tinnitus?  First of all, see your medical doctor.  Your doctor will make sure you do not have a physical problem such as excess earwax which can be a common reason for tinnitus.  By reviewing your medications, your doctor may identify a prescription drug or over-the-counter medication such as aspirin or Motrin which can cause tinnitus in some people,  Diuretics, cancer medications and some antibiotics can sometimes trigger tinnitus.  Always consult your doctor before decreasing the dose or stopping the use of a particular prescription.  If medication is behind the tinnitus, your doctor can change your drug prescription to eliminate the symptom.

     According to the American Tinnitus Association, some people have gotten relief from tinnitus by using supplements.  The ATA recommends the B vitamins particularly B-12 and the minerals, magnesium or zinc.  Again, these should be taken on the advice of your doctor.

    Some medical doctors also prescribe drugs to reduce tinnitus symptoms.  These medications are created to treat other symptoms but are prescribed "off label" for tinnitus.  They include Alprazolam (Xanax), an anti-anxiety medication, which seems to give temporary relief in some patients, SSRI antidepressent, and Acamprosate, Campral, which is designed to treat alcohol addiction but has helped some tinnitus sufferers.

    Many people with tinnitus are hoping to get relief without using drugs.  Masking sounds with background noise such as a fan or a white-noise device helps some people.  Sound therapy called tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is provided by audiologists and has a reported success rate of about 80%.  Acupuncture, biofeedback and hypnosis are also used in treating tinnitus.

     Research conducted at the University of Liege in Belgium  found that among 49 tinnitus patients who had hypnosis and were  taught basic self-hypnosis, 35 completed the training and reported relief from tinnitus symptoms after five to ten sessions.  If you are ready to get relief from that ringing in your ears, hypnotherapy can be another tool in your tool box.  Relieve the ringing and BE WELL. 

STRESS MANAGEMENT AND DIABETES

    Stress management is important for everyone but can become critical if you have diabetes.   When a person is stressed, the body releases the "fight or flight" hormone cortisol.  This is particularly significant for diabetics because cortisol also increases blood glucose to produce a quick surge in adrenalin.  Cortisol can be released in an emergency situation or in the chronic stress people often feel in their daily life.  Diabetes can become more difficult to control with chronic stress.

    So what can you do to manage your stress?  At least a few times a day, do something you find relaxing - read a chapter, work on a craft or hobby, call a friend.  Get up and move.  Simply taking a walk can help calm you and relieve stress.  Practice yoga or learn to meditate.  Get away from stresses by getting outside for a few minutes.  Remember, hypnotherapy can be a great way to relieve stress.  If you have diabetes or are concerned about the stress has on your body, begin to manage your stress and BE WELL.

SECONDHAND SMOKE AND CANCER RISK

    Perhaps you have had heard the old saying "Where there's smoke, there's fire".    Where there's smoke, there may also be health risks.  A study of 4,400 women found that those who were exposed to secondhand smoke were 70 percent more likely to have irregular Pap tests.  Kristy Ward, M.D. and lead author of the study noted, "The cervix has rapid cell turnover, so it's vulnerable to carcinogens.  Try to avoid the smoke - but if you can't, be conscientious about Paps, to detect abnormalities early."  If you are being exposed to cigarette smoke, share this information.  It may become just the motivator for your smoker to become a nonsmoker.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool for quitting smoking which could save not only the smoker's life but that of those exposed to the second smoke.  Encourage the smokers in your life to quit smoking and BE WELL.

TECHNIQUES FOR MINDFULNESS

    Dealing with stress and learning to relax are two reasons I often see clients in my hypnotherapy practice.  From daily life stresses like work issues and family relationships to dealing with major traumas like sexual assault, car wrecks and returning from war,  people need tools to manage the stresses they are experiencing in their lives.

     Amishi Jha, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, who studies stress-fighting techniques to help military personnel has said that "The mind needs support - we call it 'mental armor" - just as much as the body does" She notes that "Research shows it's possible to cushion yourself against stress and the tactics we're using with soldiers also apply to real folks and more common types of anxiety."  

    Stress is dangerous.  Stress over time causes anxiety and persistent anxiety can actually kill neurons in the brain dealing with decision-making and memory.  This destruction is so damaging it is even visible on brain scans.

     Among the coping techniques new PTSD science is teaching is how to deal with stress.  The researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are using the practice of mindfulness meditation with military personnel to help stress resilience.  Results have shown that Marines were more alert, exhibited better memory and less reactive to stressors after just eight weeks of meditation training.

    If you have tried meditation before and found you could not do it or felt too busy to meditate, here is a simple technique the Marines use even in a war zone.  Sit upright while focusing on your breathing.  Then begin to pay to attention to a physical sensation such as the feel of your chest moving or air in your nostrils.  When your mind wanders, just note the disruption and then return your attention to the physical sensation.  Some people meditate for half an hour or more each day, others find that it is easier to simply meditate for five to ten minutes at a time for a number of times a day.

    Hypnotherapy is another great tool to deal with stress and help you relax.  A qualified hypnotherapist can help you learn techniques for mindfulness so you can BE WELL.

SMOKING AND PROSTATE CANCER

     Did you know that about one in six men in the United States will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime?  It is the most common cancer in men and is only behind lung cancer as the second leading cause of male cancer deaths. 

    A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed data on 5,366 men who were treated for prostate cancer. The study was trying to address the question of whether smoking might make a difference in how a man's health progresses after receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer. The researchers found that men who were smokers when they were diagnosed with prostate cancer were about 60 percent more likely to have died from the cancer or have had a recurrence than those who had never smoked.  In fact, smokers were more than twice as likely to have died for any reason.

     The good news is that men who had quit smoking at least ten years before being diagnosed with prostate cancer had comparable risks to those who had never smoked.  About 270,000 deaths each year are attributed to U.S. men who smoke cigarettes.  If you are smoking, it's time to stop.  If you need help smoking, call a hypnotherapist to help you become a non-smoker and BE WELL.

TOOLS TO OVERCOME ANXIETY

    Almost everyone will occasionally experience anxiety.  Dealing with a difficult person, speaking in front of a group or even making a challenging phone call can be the kind of situations that may make us have a moment of anxiety.  But one in ten adults overage 60 suffers with the worry, obsessive thoughts, fear and perhaps the nameless dread of anxiety that has become chronic.

   If you are suffering from anxiety,  seeing your physician is the first step to overcoming this challenge.  Most doctors will prescribe medication which many patients will find very helpful.  But I often see clients who feel that the medicines are not the answer for them.  Some feel the medications are just not working while others are fearful of side effects or dependency.  

    If you suffer from anxiety and do not wish to take medications, what else can you do?  If you would like to tame anxiety without drugs, there are other tools to overcome anxiety and help prevent future occurrences.  Making healthy diet and lifestyle changes can strengthen your body and conquer anxiety.

    What you consume in eat and drink has a tremendous effect on how your body reacts to the stresses in your life.  Eating to tame anxiety includes eating complex carbohydrates while avoiding simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates include brightly colored vegetables and fruits.  A good goal is at least two servings with each meal.  The protective phytonutrients in these foods help prevent the destructiveness of high stress hormones . Avoid simple carbs like white bread, crackers, white potatoes and white pasta elevate blood sugars.  They causes a quick uplift where you feel better before crashing into even greater anxiety. Be sure to get 60 g to 70 g of protein daily.  Proteins are important in moving the amino acid tryptophan to the brain.  This increases the calming neurotramsmitter, serotonin. Protein foods include, beef, chicken and fish,  Nonanimal proteins include soy, beans, seeds and nuts.  Don't forget alcohol is a concentrated sugar so limiting alcoholic drinks is recommended to overcome anxiety. And avoid caffeine which elevates the stress hormone norepinephrine.  Limit or at least avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea and caffeinated soft-drinks.

    Many experts in the field of anxiety believe that certain vitamins, minerals  and other supplements will help control chronic anxiety. I highly recommend that you consult your medical doctor before beginning a supplement regimen especially if you are taking any prescription medications.  Among the vitamins recommended by experts are the B-complex which include folic acid, B-6 and B-12, Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids available in a fish oil supplement.  Minerals such as calcium and magnesium can help as a mild muscle relaxant.  Herbal supplements are also recommended including Saint-John's wort, Passionflower and L-theanine.  Before you use these be sure and discuss dosages with your doctor.

     Exercise can be a great way to deal with anxiety.  Get up and move.  If you are anxious about being outside, climb the stairs inside your home.  If you haven't been exercising at all, start slowly - walk outside to the mailbox or down to the corner.  Challenge yourself to do a little more each day until you are moving regularly for about half an hour.

     Learning breathing techniques can be a great way to deal with the stresses that can foster anxiety.  If you have ever watched a baby asleep on its back, its little belly will go up and down.  We're born knowing how to breathe.  As we age, we get more uptight and tend to inhale much more shallowly.  To release the tension which can cause anxiety, put your hands on your belly, breathe down through your lungs and into your abdominal cavity. You should be holding air  so your tummy will go out rather than such in.  I suggest you breathe in to a count of four.  Hold your breath for two counts and exhale for seven counts.  Do this for about a minute at least three times a day.  Some people do it as often as every 90 minutes to two hours.  By doing this, you are training your body to release stress and tension automatically.

    Hypnotherapy is an excellent tool for relieving anxiety.  It will help you relax.  I always suggest to my clients that they may want to record the session on their smart phone for a time when they would like that level of relaxation again.  In addition, hypnotherapy can be a great way to motivate yourself to eat better, avoid caffeine or alcohol, and exercise more.  Hope you can use these tips to overcome anxiety and BE WELL.

STRESS, DEPRESSION AND STROKE RISK

    When I ask my clients, on a scale of one to ten where there daily stress level is, the numbers I hear more than any others are seven and eight.  Sometimes an acute event such as a family hospitalization or a wedding has run the numbers up.  But often the number reflects the chronic stress of a busy and demanding work and family life.  This chronic stress in turn can lead to depression and health risks including stroke.

     In the United States, the Number 3 cause of death is stroke and is a leading cause of disability.  Speech problems, paralysis and weakness in the limbs are all complications that can be experienced by those who have suffered a stroke.  Researchers studied 1200 people.  Six hundred of these people had recently had a stroke while the other 600 had not.  The study reported that people who had experienced stress for a year or more were at 3.5 times greater risk for ischemic stroke .  Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke each year.  About 87% of those have an ischemic stroke where a clot blocks blood flow to the brain.  The other 13% have a hemorrhagic stroke where a blood vessel ruptures in the brain.

       Physicians and researchers believe chronic stress raises stroke risk by triggering the secretion of cortisol.  This hormone can increase inflammation, raise blood pressure,  and destabilize blood sugar. All of these can elevate stroke risk.  If you feel like you are dealing with unrelieved stress or depression or are having symptoms like changes in sleep habits or weight, it's time to see your physician.

     You doctor my prescribe an antidepressant and may also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy.  Changes in life style such as a healthful diet, regular and sufficient sleep and regular exercise will help deal with both stress and depression.  If you need motivation to make those life style changes, see a hypnotherapist to get motivated and BE WELL>

WALKING TO IMPROVE BRAIN HEALTH

    In the past few months, I have had four different clients talk about their fear of developing Alzheimer's disease.  In each case, the client had one or both parents who had the disease.  Even those who do not have a family history of Alzheimer's can become fearful of cognitive impairment as they age.   A study by Cyrus Raji, MD, PhD, at the department of radiology at the University if Pittsburgh  of 426 adults some with and some without cognitive decline found that those who walked six miles a week were half as likely over the next 13 years to develop Alzheimer's disease as those who did not walk.  Walking five miles a  week reduced cognitive decline by more than half in those with cognitive impairment.

   Researchers speculate that the walking improves blood flow to the brain which in turn keeps neurons healthy.  If you are concerned about preserving brain health, try to walk three-quarters to a mile most days.  If you need help to get motivated to start walking, see a board certified hypnotherapist.  Get walking and BE WELL.

INCREASED STROKE RISK WITH MENTHOLATED CIGARETTES

   You may know that smoking cigarettes puts the smoker at increased stroke risk.  But a study published in ARCHIVES OF INTERNAL MEDICINE by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada, of some 5,167 smokers found something of special interest to smokers of mentholated cigarettes.  The researchers reported that smokers of mentholated cigarettes are at more than double the risk for stroke, compared to smokers who smoke non-mentholated cigarettes.

     If you have been thinking about quitting smokers please check out my website at www.BeaHealthyNonSmoker.com to get lots of information about the risks of smoking and what you can do to quit.  Or check out the posts on this blog which also have information about quitting smoking particularly with hypnotherapy.  If you are discouraged about being able to stop smoking,  find a hypnotherapist to give you a valuable tool to Be a Healthy NonSmoker and BE WELL.

Appetite Increased by Lack of Sleep

     Another reason to deal with chronic insomnia - a study by researchers at King's College London and Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, which was published in THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM found that a lack of sleep increases appetite.  The researchers compared the studies of brain imagery in men when sleep-deprived and when well-rested.  Sleep-deprived men who had been well-fed were shown images of high-calorie foods.  These images showed that activity in areas of the brain that control appetite were higher than those of well-rested men.  Those same men who were well-rested found the high-calorie foods much less appetizing.

     Check out some of my earlier posts on this blog about ways to deal with insomnia including hypnotherapy.  Although the study was done on males, it is likely true for females as well.  If you are having trouble with appetite, an underlying trigger may be lack of sleep.  Hypnotherapy can be another tool to sleep better, control appetite and BE WELL. 

MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS WORSENED BY SMOKING

     Still another reason for women to quit smoking - a recent study finds that smoking worsens menopause symptoms.  The study by researchers at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia was published in JOURNAL OF CRITICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY AND METABOLISM.  The  study of 296 women found that hot flashes are 56% more likely in Caucasian women who smoke and 84% more likely in African-American women who smoke.

    Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool for women (and men) deciding to quit smoking.  Check out the many posts in this blog on smoking cessation or go to www.BeaHealthyNonsmoker.com  Quit smoking, feel better and BE WELL.

Hypnotherapy for Cell-phone Addiction

    Look around you when you are sitting at a traffic light, walking down the street or sitting in a restaurant  It is likely you will see almost as many cell-phones in use as you do people.  A recent study found that one in every three teen-agers and almost one in every five baby boomers checks his or her cell phone at least once every fifteen minutes.

    Larry Rosen, PhD and past chair of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, has written a book on this problem called iDISORDER: UNDERSTANDING OUR OBSESSION WITH TECHNOLOGY AND OVERCOMING ITS HOLD ON US.  He identifies this obsession as being a compulsion rather than an addiction.  The difference is in why the user feels the need to check the phone so often.  Addicts are triggered physiologically because the behavior releases the pleasure chemical, dopamine, into the brain.  Compulsive use is triggered because the use relieves anxiety.  The cell-phone users become anxious that they might be missing something like breaking news or someone trying to reach them or using the phone reassures them they haven't lost the phone.

    The compulsion to constantly check the phone can cause serious problems both personally and professionally. People who are around cell-phone compulsives can feel diminished.  A person who is constantly looking at his phone is sending the message that the person he is with is not as important. This harm relationships and it can harm job performance.  A person who keeps her phone on her bedside table may not rest as well if she is constantly checking for incoming messages.

    Get a feel for how often you are checking your phone.  Then begin to stretch out the time between checks.  If you were checking every fifteen minutes, push the time to twenty,  Put the phone completely away while driving or with other people.  Place the ringer on silent or turn the phone upside down so you can't see messages coming in.  If you feel that cell-phone compulsion has become a problem in your life, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to find new ways to relieve anxiety, control phone use and BE WELL.

Keeping those New Year's Resolutions

   It's now been a few days since many of us made those New Year's resolutions.  Others may have decided it's just not worth taking the time to make resolutions since they rarely are in effect within just a week or two. If you have already slipped in your resolutions or didn't even make any, you may find hypnotherapy can help.  I always tell my clients, hypnotherapy is not magic.  But it can be a great tool to help you get motivated and do what you want to do. If resolutions like losing weight, eating better, starting to exercise or getting rid of a bad habit like smoking were on your list, don't give up.  Instead, find a hypnotherapist to help you get motivated to follow through and BE WELL.

BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON

    At this time of the year, I am always particularly aware of the many blessings in my life. Among them are the opportunity to work in a profession that can touch people's lives in such a positive way.  Every year I meet with many people who are trying to change their lives and make them better.  To release a phobia, quit smoking, lose weight or deal with anxiety takes real courage.  The people who come to my office to make those changes are a powerful and positive role model to me.  This blog has also been a blessing to me as I researched new studies and shared what I have learned.  The best part is the comments I receive telling me that the information is touching lives.  Thank you to each person with whom I have worked and each person who has taken time out of a busy life to read my blog.  I wish you all the blessings of this holiday season.  

WOMEN'S JOB STRESS AND HEART DISEASE

     Michelle Albert, MD associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, reported on a study linking work stress and cardiovascular health.  The research was done on 22,000 women whose average age was 57.  The findings of the study indicated that women with the most high-stress jobs were 38% more at risk to suffer heart-related events such as stroke or death than women with less stressful jobs.  The high stress jobs included those with extremely high demands and those with little opportunity to use creativity or make decisions.  In addition to greater risk for strokes, women were also at 70% greater risk for heart attacks.

    If you or a woman you know are working in high-stress conditions, it is time to take preventative action.  See your doctor to be aware of your blood pressure and heart condition. Your doctor may prescribe medication if anything is out of the ordinary.  You should also begin effective coping strategies for the stress.  

    Sometimes you can make actual job changes occur and sometimes that is not possible.  If your employer is unwilling or unable to help you reduce the demands or give you more opportunity to be creative or make decisions, you may decide your health is more important than the job and begin to search for other career opportunities.  

     Coping strategies you could add into your life include:  adding relaxation and enjoyment to your non-working hours.  That could be anything from spending more time with friends, to taking a bubble bath to adding a creative project into your leisure time.  Deep breathing is a great way to relax.  Listening to relaxation CDs or some beautiful music may help as well.  Exercise is a wonderful way to relieve stress.  Think about when you were a kid.  If you liked to run and play, get outside and take a walk or ride a bicycle.  If you liked to swim, go to the Y or a Rec Center.  If you liked team sports, join an adult group your own age.  Or take a class - an exercise class, a yoga class, a dance class.  Get up and move and release the endorphins to help you deal with the stresses in your life.

    Hypnotherapy can be a great way to deal with stress.  I always suggest people record their sessions, so they can listen to them again and relax any time they want.  Reduce job stress and the risk of heart disease by using hypnosis and BE WELL. 

CONTROLLING ANGER

      Almost every evening on the news there is a report about uncontrolled anger ruining lives.  Road rage incidents, school bullying, workplace' school shootings and other violent crimes are common place.  Though some of these are organized by criminal organizations, many of them are caused because of people who cannot control their anger.

     Very few people can completely eliminate anger in their life.  Sometimes it can be helpful in signaling to others that important needs are not being met.  So in small amounts, anger can actually be a helpful emotion to express those needs and to solve problems.

     But this emotion can be very destructive when it is not controlled.  It can cause a great deal of misery not only for the recipient of a person's anger but for the angry person as well.  It can damage relationships both personally and in a working environment. It also can cause or contribute to many illnesses.

    If a person cannot control anger, the fight-or-flight response kicks in with a release of adrenalin and an increase in muscle tension.  Muscles tighten when you are angry to help you fight or run.  In other words, you get "up tight". When the muscles in your neck, jaw, shoulders and back tighten up, it can cause soreness or pain in the muscles and skeletal system.

     When the fight-or-flight response activates, your heart beats faster and your blood pressure elevates.  This increases the risk for developing coronary heart disease.  In addition, your liver releases more fat into your blood and your blood cells become "sticky".  These are normal reactions to protect you - the stickiness in the blood cells is to protect you from bleeding out in case of an injury.  The fat is released to give more energy for the muscles to burn.  But all of these reactions increase the risk of your having a stroke or heart attack.

     Digestive and breathing problems can also occur. Stomach and gastrointestinal problems such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), acid reflux,and nausea can occur when long held anger turns inward.  Throat constriction, shallow breathing and the feeling of having heaviness in the chest can happen as respiration speeds up in order to send blood to the muscles and brain.

      Besides these negative health issues, anger can cause you to just not feel good.  You may feel edgy and have very little energy.  Many of my clients complain that they just "can't relax" or "don't know how to relax".  So what can you do to manage your anger?  If you  feel like you are angry more often or all the time, it's time to seek professional help.  Ask your medical doctor or find an anger-management expert through the American Psychological Association.  

    If you do not think you are at that level of need but would like some tools to control your anger, there are some simple techniques you might try.  Step outside yourself and try to view a situation that makes you angry from a distance.   Evaluate how high your anger is by picturing a yardstick and imagining an arrow pointing at the number you are at then consciously begin to drop the number.  Deep breathing down into the abdominal cavity and exhaling slowly can help you to feel more calm and safe.  As you breathe in think "I am", and as you exhale, think "relaxed".    Imagine blowing the anger out as you exhale.  Muscle relaxation will help you relax.  Practicing deep breathing and muscle relaxation strengthens your control.

   Clinical hypnotherapy can be a great tool to control anger by working to deal with the underlying issues and helping to work with the techniques described above.  Control your anger and BE WELL.

BUILD SELF-ESTEEM WITH POSITIVE SELF-TALK

     Self-talk is the conversation we have with ourselves all day long.  Unfortunately, too often, these messages are quite negative.  The messages may include irrational beliefs and distorted thinking about ourselves.  They may also include a running commentary about our personal failures or inadequacies.

     Sometimes these negative messages are subtle.  But other times, the negative self-talk is quite blatant.  If you catch yourself often thinking negative messages like "I'm so fat",  "How could I be that stupid."  "I'll never be able to pass that test", you are suffering from negative self-talk which can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.

     The good thing to remember is that our moods and how we feel about ourselves are not determined by actual situations but by how we think.  We get upset and depressed not because of the bad situation but because of how we think about it.  If you are upset about gaining five pounds and you begin to beat yourself up about your weight with negative self-talk, it is not the number on the scale but your own thoughts which are making you feel anxious or depressed.

    But the good news is that negative self-talk is a bad habit.  And, like other bad habits, it can be changed.  It takes a desire to make the change and a consciousness about your self-talk, but you can learn to recognize the old patterns and choose to change the way you think.  I compare the process to changing the channel of your mind.

     When you become aware through living more consciously about your negative self-talk, you will learn to recognize the old pattern.  Then take a moment to stop and identify the negative pattern and then change the channel of your mind.  I compare this to changing the channel on a television.  Begin to give yourself positive, self-affirming messages.  "I'm making better choices in my eating.", "I am studying with great focus for my class."  "I am capable."  Whatever the negative messages were, change then to positive, confidence-building positive messages.

   Like any other skill, changing negative self-talk into positive self-talk takes practice. Hypnotherapy can help you in recognizing and shifting old patterns to new  and change your entire way of thinking.  With positive self-talk, you will feel better, have a more positive outlook and build positive self esteem.  Try positive self-talk and BE WELL.

BEAT METABOLIC SYNDROME

    If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.  Know you are not alone. More than one-third of all American adults have the condition.  And in a study published in DIABETES CARE, it was reported that more than half of those participating who were older than 65 had it.

    There are five different factors that together make metabolic syndrome.  They include high blood glucose level, high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, low HDL (the good) cholesterol and a large apple shaped waist circumference.  You are likely to be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome if you have three of these factors.

   If your blood sugar is 100 mg/dL or higher, your blood pressure is 130/85 or higher,  your triglycerides (blood fats) are 150 mg/dL or higher, your good HDL cholesterol is less than 40 mg.DL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women and if you are a woman with a waist larger than 35 inches or a man with a waist larger than 40 inches, you have increased risk.  The DIABETES CARE study reported one in ten adults age 65 or older had all five of these factors.  Since the only one you can see is your waist size, it is important that you have regular physicals including blood work to monitor those numbers.

    It is important to know if you have or are at risk for metabolic syndrome.  If you are diagnosed with this condition you are at five times as much risk to develop diabetes and twice as likely to develop heart disease, have a heart attack or a stroke.

     The good news is that even if you are diagnosed with this syndrome, there are things you can do to lower your risk.  Your doctor will likely prescribe medications to treat each of the risk factors.   But there is a lot you can do as well. In many cases, by changing your life style you can reduce or even prevent metabolic syndrome.  

     One of the best ways to care for your heart is by exercising.  Think about when you were a kid.  If you liked to get outside to run and play, get outside and take a walk.  Ride a bicycle, Buy some roller blades, fly a kite.  If you liked to swim, got to the Y or local Rec Center.  If you liked team sports, join an adult group your own age.  Or take a class - a yoga class a Pilates class, a dance class.  Get up and move and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome and its complications. 

    It's also a great time to improve what you eat.  Cut out fast foods and highly processed foods which often are high in sugar and salt. Change the old bad eating habits by increasing good foods into your meals.  Add more fresh vegetables and fruits and whole grains.  

    If you are exercising and improving your eating habits, you may also choose to watch and cut calorie intake so you can lose that belly fat which is so dangerous to your heart.  If you need help to make those changes and avoid metabolic syndrome, hypnotherapy can be a valuable help to get you motivated.  Lower the risk of metabolic syndrome and BE WELL,