STOP SMOKING WITH HYPNOSIS AND PROTECT YOUR PETS

     Has your veterinarian told you that secondhand smoke is dangerous to your pet?  For many pet owners, becoming a nonsmoker will be better not only for their own health but that of their pets as well.  If you need another reason to stop smoking, wanting your pet to have the best chance at a long, healthy life may be it.  Hypnosis can help you be a nonsmoker.

     A web-based survey done in 2009 of 3,293 adult pet owners found that 48% were either smokers or living with smokers.  Love of their animals would encourage 37% to quit or ask the people they live with to quit if there was clear evidence that smoking is harmful to their pets.  That evidence would encourage 14% of the survey responders to only smoke outside away from their animals.

    The evidence is there.  The toxins in secondhand smoke can cause malignant lymphoma in cats and cause lung cancer in dogs.  If your pet already has some re-existing problem, the dangers are even greater.

     Check sites like the ASPCA and the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center and the American Legacy Foundation to learn more about the dangers of secondhand smoking to your animals. If you are considering stopping smoking, protecting your pets is another reason to make that choice.  Hypnotherapy is a great way to get a strong tool to help you and your pets BE WELL!

EXERCISE MOTIVATION AND HYPNOSIS

    Are you trying to lose weight, get into better physical shape, boost your mood or get your heart beating faster?  Nothing beats exercise.  If "thinking about starting" to exercise, is as far as you have gotten in actually getting started, hypnosis can be a great motivator to get you going.

    If you have read this blog for a while, you have seen reports on some of the research about the value of exercise.  A study done in the U.K. reviewed several years of health research and found that just 30 minutes of exercise on most days decreases the risk of depression, heart disease, obesity, certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

     It helps to plan in advance what type of exercise you plan to do.  And, be specific so your goals are measurable.  For example in planning a walk or run:

       1.  WHEN will you exercise? A specific time helps. Rather than thinking, "I need to exercise.",  think, "I will walk four mornings a week from 9:00 till 9:30".  

       2.  Be specific about WHERE you will exercise.  If you enjoy nature, your goal may be to walk in the park or nature trail. If you don't like to get too cold, or too hot, grab a mile at the mall.  Most mornings, the mall is still relatively empty.

       3.  Set GOALS for distance.  If you walk at a brisk pace for 15 minutes you should have walked about one mile.  A pedometer is a great way to keep track of your distance.  One mile is about 2,000 steps.  Health experts recommend 10,000 steps a day.

       4. TRACK your progress.  Write down your accomplishments in a log.  Draw a happy face on the calendar when you finish your work out.  The reason children like gold starts is that they are motivating!

   Your exercise goals may include home equipment, videos, a class or going to the gym.  When you go to a hypnotherapist for exercise motivation know WHAT you want to do for exercise, WHEN you want to do it, WHERE you plan to do it, For HOW long you plan to do and WHY you want to exercise.  Clear goals can be incorporated into your hypnosis session to make it strong and personalized for you.

     If you've decided, ""It's time!", hypnosis can be a valuable tool for you to to be motivated to exercise and BE WELL.  

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL HYPNOTHERAPY

    In my last blog post, I discussed how important it is for a prospective client to WANT to make the changes they are seeking.  There are several other issues that can limit successful hypnosis.

    A client must feel comfortable with the hypnotherapist.  If the person is thinking "I don't like the hypnotherapist" or "I don't trust this person".  it is likely they will not accept suggestions.  For this reason, some hypnotherapists offer a time over the phone to answer questions.  I offer a half-hour free consultation in my officewhere prospective clients can actually sit downwith me and get questions answered and have a little time to make sure if it "feels okay".

   There are some physiological problems that cause hypnotherapy limitations.  If a person has limited hearing, hypnosis can be challenging.  The prospective client also needs to be able to understand the language spoken by the hypnotherapist.

     If the client has physical disabilities that make it difficult to sit comfortably, hypnosis may have to be very brief and not as successful.  If the client suffers from neurological impairment, a loss of abstract reasoning abilities or a loss of verbal skills, hypnosis may not be useful.

    Although hypnotherapy can be used with clients of below-average intelligence or vocabulary,. the techniques and procedures used with them need to be direct and concrete.  Many hypnotherapy techniques require at least average vocabulary and intelligence.

   Psychotics and people with borderline personality disorders are not good candidates for hypnotherapy.  The use of trance with individuals who are already having difficulty with their conscious experiences can create anxiety and paranoia.  I ask in my client in-take form about all medical personnel and therapists that the clients have worked with and any diagnoses that they may have received.  If the client is currently working with a therapist, I ask  for a referral and often have a phone conference with the therapist or physician before making a decision about whether hypnotherapy is appropriate.

     A great majority of people who visit my office for hypnotherapy will not have any of these issues.  For them, hypnotherapy can be a great tool to facility the changes they want in their lives. 

HYPNOSIS IS NOT MAGIC BUT A GREAT TOOL FOR CHANGE

     The first thing I tell potential clients is that I can't make people fly by flailing their arms no matter how much hypnosis I do.  Hypnosis is not magic.

     Habits like smoking and overeating are very resistant to change.  Hypnosis will not "make" someone lose 84 pounds in six weeks no matter how good my services are.  Hypnotherapy cannot be used to force change.  It can only motivate a willing client to change.

     Once in a while someone will ask me, "Why would anyone come to see you if they didn't want to make that change?"  In actuality, sometimes clients come because someone is pressuring them - "If you don't quit (drinking, gambling, etc.), I'm going to leave you."  They are not in my office to change.  They are there to pacify this other person.

    Sometimes parents come in with a teenager saying  "make this kid quit running around with the wrong set of friends or drinking or drugging" while the child sits there with her arms crossed and defiance written on her face.  There is little likelihood of real change in such a situation.

   Medical doctors and psychotherapists send clients to me as an adjunct therapy to their work.  If the person is coming only to pacify their doctor or therapist and does not want to deal with their issue, hypnosis will be another failed attempt.  Hypnosis is not magic.

   But when the client is ready and wants to change, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to make wonderful changes physically, mentally and emotionally.

HOW CAN I FIND A PROFESSIONAL HYPNOTHERAPIST

      Over the years several people asked me how to find a professional hypnotherapist in their area.  I know this can be difficult. Rural areas with small populations may simply be unable to support the brief therapy of a hypnotherapist.  But hypnosis can be so valuable in making positive changes, it is well worth traveling to find the right person for you.

    One of your job as a potential hypnotherapy client is to do everything you can to make sure you are working with a highly trained professional.  Do your homework! 

      Ask referrals from your medical doctor, counselor or therapist.  I get referrals from all of those sources.  Ask your friends whose judgement you trust, if they have used a hypnotherapist they could recommend.

    If you have not been able to find a trusted referral, the internet and phone books are just a place to start.  Call a number of professionals in your area.  Many hypnotherapists work in one person offices, so you will probably be dealing with voice mail or an answering machine.  Leave your number and ask for a call back.

    It is highly likely you will have questions as hypnotherapists return your call. Most are willing to answer your questions over the phone. Others may have you meet with themI offer a free half-hour consultation just so potential clients can be with me and get their questions answered.  

     When you find the right professional hypnotherapist,  hypnosis can be a valuable tool to make wonderful changes physically, mentally and emotionally.  Find that person to help you BE WELL.

REDUCE HOT FLASHES WITH HYPNOSIS

    I often tell my clients "Hypnosis is not magic.  I can't help you fly by flapping your arms, no matter how much hypnosis we do."  So then, how can hypnosis help reduce hot flashes?

     Researchers at Liverpool John Moores University published an article in THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY on reducing hot flashes.  They found that women who worked out reported 60 per cent fewer hot flashes than women who did not exercise.  And even those who still had some hot flashes found them less intense, were better able to regulate their body heat and perspired less.

     If you are not exercising regularly and are experiencing hot flashes that are making your life miserable, it is time to get moving.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable to help you get motivated to exercise, reduce those hot flashes, feel better and BE WELL. 

USE HYPNOSIS TO QUIT DRINKING DIET SODA

        If you have followed this blog for a while, you may  have seen my updates on the problems with drinking diet soda.  Many of my clients tell me similar stories of being concerned about weight gain. With the best of intentions, they shifted from regular soft drinks to diet sodas to eliminate calories.  But in many cases, they actually gained weight.  Hypnosis is a great tool to help those wanting to quit drinking diet soda.

     It seems so unfair.  You trade from regular to diet soft drinks in attempt to lose or at least control weight gain.  But the exact opposite happens.  Sharon Fowler, MPH, obesity researcher at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, reported on a nine year study of almost 500 adults over the age of 64 and found that daily diet soda drinkers had much larger increases in waist circumference than those who did not drink diet soft drinks.  In fact there was a threefold increase in the circumference of the waist of diet soda drinkers.

    Beyond the cosmetic results from diet soda drinking, there is a health risk.  Since artificial sweeteners can interfere with glucose metabolism, it increases the risk for stroke, diabetes and heart disease.  If you have been thinking about reducing the risk of these health issues and want to keep your belly flat and your waist trim, it's time to stop.  If you need some help, hypnosis can help you stop drinking diet soda and BE WELL.  

DIAGNOSED WITH NAFLD? LOSE WEIGHT WITH HYPNOSIS

     Have you ever even heard of NAFLD?  This acronym is for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which  affects up to 25% of all adults The definition of a "fat" liver is one with more than 5% to 10% of weight from fatty tissue.  Since NAFLD is linked to metabolic syndrome and obesity, losing weight can help control or even eliminate this disease. Hypnosis can help you do the things you know you "ought" to be doing like moving more and eating better or less.

    Metabolic syndrome linked to NAFLD includes a whole group of issues including, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, obesity and high blood sugar.  If you are obese or suffering from these problems, know that you may also have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis, severe inflammation or even liver failure.  

    The good news is that studies say it is possible to eliminate NAFLD by losing as little as ten per cent of your total weight.  This is a scary disease that you can help to control or eliminate by losing weight.  Hypnosis can help to get you motivated to make the changes that allow you to lose the weight and BE WELL.

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.

HYPNOSIS AND OTHER NON-DRUG OPTIONS FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

    It is likely that if you are over 50, you may have been advised to take a cholesterol-lowering statin drug for high cholesterol.  In fact about 25% of American adults are currently taking a statin.  HIgh cholesterol is considered a major health risk which can lead to heart attacks, blood clots and atherosclerosis.

    Unfortunately, though statins can lower risk for a small number of people who have already had a heart attack, the use of statins for people who had not been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease helped prevent heart attacks by only 1 per cent to 2 per cent.  In addition, statins can cause side effects from myalgia or muscle pain to statin related muscle damage that can lead to kidney failure and even death.

     Barbara H. Roberts, MD, is the author of the book THE TRUTH ABOUT STATINS: RISKS AND ALTERNATIVES TO CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS and the director of the Women's Cardiac Center at The Miriam Hospital and a clinical associate professor of medicine at Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She writes that sometimes statin side effects are an acceptable exchange for people who have had had a heart attack, cardiocvascular disease or have familial hypercholesterolemia which is caused by a genetic problem.  But for most of her patients, she advises lifestyle changes to increase HDL and reduce triglycerides.

   The first thing she suggested was to really work on having a healthier diet.  She recommended the Mediterranean diet which includes less beef, lamb and pork and more whole grains, vegetables, fruit and fish.  Dr. Roberts specifically recommended eating seafood a few times a week because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish reduce inflammation and triglycerides.  Avoiding simple cards, the "white" foods like white bread, white pasta and white rice was encouraged. A study by The Lyon Diet Heart Study concluded that patients following a Mediterranean diet highly improved their chances of avoiding another heart attack.  Though the LDL was about the same as those in the control group, people following the western diet were 70% less likely to have a heart attack.

    Dr. Roberts also highly recommends the consumption of more extra-virgin olive oil which helps increase HDL and inhibits oxidized cholesterol from stiffening the arteries (atherosclerosis) which can lead to higher blood pressure. Another recommendation was that drinking one glass of a high-antioxidant red wine for women and no more than two glasses of red wine for men can help reduce risk of heart disease.

   If you want to try for a non-drug option for high cholesterol, you have to add in exercise. One of the best ways to minimize your heart disease risk is to move regularly.  Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of movement. You don't have to go to the gym.  Biking, swimming and walking can all help.

   And that is where hypnosis comes in.  I work with intelligent and highly educated clients.  They know what to do.  They just aren't doing it.  If you are hoping to avoid drugs for high cholesterol  and their possible side effects, you need to be following Dr. Roberts' suggestions.  If you need help getting started and getting motivated to make those changes, hypnosis can help.  Get started and BE WELL>

MAJOR ILLNESSES LINKED TO SMOKING. QUIT WITH HYPNOSIS

     A report published in JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE by researchers at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, was an analysis of data from 2006 through 2012 on data from two national health surveys.  The analysis showed the huge toll of smoking on smokers' health.  At the time of the report, smoking was linked to 14 million cases of major illness in the United States.  The report concluded that for each death caused by smoking in the U.S. at that time, fifteen to twenty people were suffering with a major disease caused by their smoking habit.

   I once had a close friend justify her smoking habit with the comment, "Everyone has to die of something".  Well, she died of lung cancer that spread to her brain.  Major diseases like cancer and heart disease are often side-effects of smoking.  If you have been thinking about quitting smoking, don't wait until you have a bad diagnosis. 

    Recently a message was left on my voice mail, I'd like to share with you."Hi, Jennifer,  This is Elizabeth _____, Today is the first anniversary of quitting smoking with your help.  Thanks to you, I'll never smoke another cigarette.  I feel so much better.  My life is better.  My grandkids get to keep me.  Thank you so much."  Don't wait for a major illness to quit smoking.  Hypnosis can help you stop and BE WELL.

HYPNOSIS FOR ANXIETY AND TO LESSEN DEMENTIA RISK

   If you experience high anxiety regularly, you have a higher risk of developing dementia.  Andrew J. Petkus, a PhD research associate at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, reported on a 28 year study of people who reported experiencing high anxiety.  Those people were found to have a 48% higher risk of developing dementia than those who reported low levels of anxiety.

    The researchers noted that chronic anxiety is a precursor to higher levels of stress hormones.  In turn, those hormones can damage the parts of the brain involved with memory.  If you suffer from chronic anxiety, get help.  Your first step is to talk to your doctor about the right treatment for you which may include psychotherapy, anti-anxiety medications or alternative therapies such as acupuncture and herbal treatments.

    Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to treat chronic anxiety either as a stand-alone treatment or as an adjunct therapy to medication or psychotherapy. Self-hypnosis can also be useful in dealing with anxiety. I released THE ANXIETY TOOLBOX by Jennifer Johnson on Amazon in November 2020 which includes self-hypnosis scripts you can read and make your own recordings to lessen your anxiety and dementia risk.

USE HYPNOSIS IF INSOMNIA AFFECTS YOUR SEX LIFE

      Still another reason to get help for your insomnia.  A study of almost 94,000 women in the 50 to 79 age range was done by researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.  The results, presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society in Las Vegas. indicated that nearly 30% of postmenopausal women reported that they suffered from insomnia.  The researchers went on to report that the women with sleep problems were less sexually active than similar women without insomnia.

     If you are suffering from sleep loss caused by insomnia, there are more solutions than medications.  This blog site has several articles on ways to deal with less sleep and insomnia. Check out what you can do for better sleep hygiene and better seep.  Since the study indicates insomnia can be detrimental to your sex life, get the tools you need to have better and longer sleep.  Hypnosis can be a valuable tool to help deal with your insomnia, have a more active sex life and BE WELL.

HEAVY DRINKER OR ALCOHOLIC?

     According to a report in THE NEW YORK TIMES of a survey of 138,100 adults by researchers at The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, not everyone who is a heavy drinker is an alcoholic.  The report differentiated between those who are considered to be drinking excessively but are not physically or mentally addicted to alcohol, the definition of "alcoholism, and those who are addicted.

     The study found that 29% of the population of the United States meets the definition for excessive drinking.  That definition is four or more drinks at one time or eight or more during a week for women and five or more drinks in one sitting or 15 or more drinks during a week for men.

     If you are an alcoholic, it is highly likely you will need rehab and a substance-abuse counselor along with a support program to stay free of alcohol.  Hypnosis can be added support to get an alcoholic through rehabilitation and into a program,  A hypnotherapist can help you go from addiction to alcohol to an enthusiastic desire to attend meetings like Alcohol Anonymous.

    If you are a heavy drinker and want to stop drinking completely, hypnosis can be a great tool to achieve that goal.  Hypnosis can be useful along with other appropriate professionals to be alcohol free and BE WELL. 

E-CIGS DON'T HELP. HYPNOSIS DOES

     Many e-cigarette users report trying to quit smoking by using them along with regular cigarettes.  Stanton Clantz, PhD, a professor of medicine at University of California-San Francisco and director of the university's Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education reported that people trying to quit smoking by using a combination of regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes were 28% LESS likely to quit smoking than those using regular cigarettes alone.

   You can quit smoking.  In the late 1960s one half the population smoked.  Today, far fewer people smoke.  If you are trying to become a nonsmoker, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to help you give up cigarettes.  E-cigarettes are not the answer.  They just prolong the problem.  Set yourself free with the help of hypnotherapy.  Be an active, healthy nonsmoker 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.

HYPNOSIS FOR MORE YOUTHFUL SKIN

    No, there are no magic words that will give you a more youthful skin.  But hypnosis can help you get motivated to exercise.  And a study presented at the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, indicated that people over age 40 who exercised regularly improved their skin condition significantly.

     By the age of 40, people's skin has started to change.  The stratum corneum or top layer of skin has started to thicken.  This makes the skin look dry and flaky.  At the same time, the dermis, or second layer of skin, begins to thin and be less elastic.  

     The study found that those who were over 40 and exercised regularly had a healthier, thinner top layer of skin and a thicker dermis layer.  In addition, in just three months those over the age of 65 exercising regularly had less sagging, crow's feet and fewer wrinkles.

   Having youthful skin helps you look your best.  Exercise helps you be healthier and feel your best.  If you need motivation to get moving, look your best and be well, hypnotherapy can be a great tool.

HYPNOSIS FOR INSOMNIA

    Do you find yourself yawning all the time?  You may yawn simply because someone around you has yawned.  A study conducted at Duke University in Durham, NC, found that almost half of adults are affected by contagious yawning.  In a few rare cases, constant yawning can also be a symptom of a medical problem caused by heart disease, brain disease or multiple sclerosis.  The disorder, sleep apnea, which causes frequent interruptions in breathing during sleep, can also cause yawning the next day.

    For most people who find themselves yawning all the time, it simply means that you are fatigued and didn't get enough sleep.  Sleep researchers believe that most adults need somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep per night to be alert during the day.  For those who are sleep-deprived, exhaustion from lack of sleep is often the result.  In addition, M. Safwan Badr, MD, and a past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, in Darien Illinois, has reported that research shows those who sleep poorly often are poor judges of their level of alertness.  Dr. Badr, described one study in which, sleep-deprived adults reported feeling alert but took twice as long to make correct decisions as did those who said they were well rested.

     Good quality sleep is important.  In this blog are several articles on sleep hygiene which can give you some action items to improve your sleep.  In addition, a session of hypnotherapy can be a valuable to tool to improve insomnia and BE WELL. 

GET MOTIVATED TO HIGH-INTENSITY EXERCISE

     Do you often feel that you just don't have time for a thirty or even ten minute block of time for exercise?  If you are trying to lose or maintain weight, you may feel that it's of no use to try since you simply don't have time.  A recent study of more than 4,500 adults reported by Jessie X. Fan, PhD, professor of family and consumer studies at The University of Utah in Salt Lake City found that lack of larger blocks of time for exercise did not mean it was hopeless to try to lose or maintain weight.

    The researchers in the study found that intense, short bouts of moderate to more vigorous exercise was sufficient to help people lose or maintain weight.  Brisk walking every day or stair climbing were considered in the moderate to vigorous exercise category, 

     So no more excuses.  If you are short on time, set a goal of brief periods of as little as one minute at a time of vigorous exercise. If you sit at a desk all day, getting up once and hour to take a quick walk around the block or climb the stairs outside your office may be all you need to lose or maintain weight one minute at a time.  If you need some motivation to start doing brief periods of high-intensity exercise, hypnotherapy can help.  

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