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.

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.

 

     

 

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,

USING HYPNOTHERAPY TO TREAT LONELINESS

      If you are feeling lonely, know you are not alone.  Everyone feels lonely occasionally even in the middle of the crowd.  And loneliness can happen at any age.  Young adults are at risk when they leave school and their parents' home and move into their own home for the first time.  Retirees may feel particularly lonely when they no longer have a daily routine and lose workplace relationships.  Married people may feel lonely during rough patches in a relationship.

    Unfortunately, loneliness can spiral downward into the three D's of defensiveness, desperation and depression.  These, in turn, can push people away and cause even more loneliness.

     Defensiveness actually separates lonely people from others.  If you are feeling lonely, take the time to look at your own behavior.  Look at what could be limiting your ability to establish relationships.  Sometimes some tweaking of your social skills is all that is needed to feel less lonely.  Do you go places to meet people?  When was the last time you accepted an invitation or attended a social function?  Do you join in conversations already taking place?  Release the defensiveness and see how you can reach out to others. Taking a class or joining a volunteer group can be a great way to meet new people and do something positive for yourself and others.

    Desperation occurs when people feel that lack of social connections.  But often the best cure for loneliness is not meeting new people, it is deepening the relationships you already have.  Reach out to the people you already know.  Reconnect.  Go through your address book or emails and reconnect. Find old high school, college friends or co-workers. Then make a real effort to stay reconnected.

    Depression can happen when loneliness becomes overwhelming and the person simply gives up.  They begin to believe that it's impossible to be anything but lonely and become very pessimistic.  They step into the "why bother" mode - why bother to try to make a new friend, why bother to reach out to someone,  why bother to attend a social event.  Of course, you will likely not meet your soul mate or your future best friend at every event.  But, if you are lonely, step out of the loneliness box of your home and into the world of possibility.

    If you need help to release the defensiveness, desperation and depression that can be triggered by loneliness, a clinical hypnotherapist using brief therapy can help you to step out into a better and happier future.  Hypnotherapy can help you BE WELL.

LACK OF SLEEP - RISK FACTOR FOR STROKE

    Another reason to find a solution to your insomnia - a University of Alabama, Birmingham, study found that there is more stroke risk with less sleep.  The study  of 5,666 adults was presented in 2012 at the Associated professional Sleep Societies in Boston.

     The study was conducted on adults with low sleep apnea risk ad normal body mass index.  Researchers reported that 30% of working adults who regularly sleep less than six hours per night are four times more likely to suffer a stroke than people who sleep seven or eight hours per night.  This as the first study to find that lack of sleep is an important risk factor for having a stroke.

     If you are having difficulty sleeping and are concerned about this risk, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to help you get the sleep and the rest you need and lessen your risk for having a stroke.  Sleep well and BE WELL.

HAPPINESS AND OLD FRIENDS

     This Saturday is an important day in my life.  I will be attending an important high school reunion - important because it is a significant "mile-marker" year, but even more important because it will give class members a chance to once again connect.  I was very fortunate to be raised in a small mid-western town and went through twelve years of school with the same 50 plus people.  We built wonderful memories together that have transcended time and place.  There is a real sense of connection to seeing people who have known you longer than anyone else and share those same memories.  I hope you, too, have old friends with whom you can share memories, connections and happiness.

AVAILABILITY OF FAST-FOOD RESTAURANTS AND YOUR HEALTH

             A report from the American Heart Association indicates that people living in neighborhoods with the most fast-food restaurants are 13% more likely to have a stroke than those who live in areas with the fewest restaurants.  Availability of fast-food does have the potential to affect your health.  Fast-food is convenient but strokes are not.  Limiting the times you stop at a fast-food retaurant may help you be well.

LONELINESS AND HEALTH

      A recent study at the University of Chicago by assistant professor of epidemiology, department of health studies, Lianne Kurina, PhD, found that loneliness can hamper sleep.  This study compared 95 adults on a perceived loneliness scale.  Those who scored highest were found to also score more likely to experience restless or disrupted sleep than those who did not score themselves as lonely.  In the past, loneliness has been associated with several physical ailments including:  heart disease, high blood presure, cognitive decline and depression.  This new study may indicate that the link between loneliness and these physical problems is the poor and disrupted sleep the person experiences. 

     If you are experiencing restless or disrupted sleep examine your own experience to see if you are lonely.  If you feel that loneliness may be contributing to your poor sleep, it's time to step out of your comfort zone and reach out to other people.  Volunteering is a great way to get to know other people.  Make sure to choose a volunteer activity that will allow you to get to know others - working at the hospital gift shop or a food pantry will allow you to get to know more people than cleaning litter boxes in an animal shelter or picking up litter on a woodland trail.  All of those are fine volunteer opportunities.  But if you are lonely, choose an activity that places you with a chance to be with other people.  Taking a class at a community college or local gym can be great ways to meet others with mutual interests.  Or join a group that serves an interest you already have - a book club, a religious group, a hobby group.  As loneliness abates, your sleep may improve.

     Read other articles from this blog if you are still experiencing  poor sleep.  Remember hypotherapy can be a valuable tool for insomnia and poor sleep.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

     Just got back to work after a week of traveling.  We spent time with family including a family reunion with people I had never met.  Then we went to Virginia Beach, walked on the beach in close to 70 degree weather and reconnected with old friends.  A break from work is a chance to regenerate.  Now it's time to welcome the New Year and all its possibilities.  I hope that you have a wonderful 2012 filled with peace, joy and prosperity.  Happy New Year!

HOARDING - A PROBLEM THAT IS PILING UP

       Yesterday I met a delightful client with a problem that is becoming more prevalent all the time.  The lady described her issue as the inability to let go of anything.  Her husband said more bluntly, "She is a hoarder."

      As they described the problem together, it became clear that she evidenced many signs of hoarding.  She kept hundreds of magazines and newspapers and had multiples of many tools such as spatulas and rolls of tape.  This issue had developed into some of the problems associated with hoarding.  They had not had friends over to their home in years because they were embarrassed about showing anyone the inside.  The clutter was blocking doors, hallways and other traffic flow patterns.  And the mess was worrying and frustrating her family.

     This is not an uncommon problem.  An estimated six million to 18 million people suffer from this excessive collecting and clutter in the United States alone.  This has become so prevalent that some communities have set up hoarding task forces to raise awareness of this issue.  In my home area of Northern Virginia, the task force is called the Fairfax County Hoarding Task Force (703) 324-1300.  In other areas it may be called a Neighborhood Service or Crisis Center.

     Before you get worried about the mess in your family room, let me reassure you.  Hoarding is much more than just not having picked up the papers or being a "pack rat."  And being a slob is not necessarily being a hoarder. A hoarder's home is likely to be dangerous from the "stuff" taking over.  If doors and halls are blocked, a person may not be able to escape a fire.  If stacks and piles of magazines, books and papers fall on someone, they may be injured.  Insects and rodents may infest the clutter.

      Like many problems, the hoarder may not recognize they have an issue till other people complain or give an ultimatum.  Often that comes when someone in the family threatens to come in and clean everything up.  This will rarely solve the underlying problem and can cause great emotional turmoil for the hoarder.  Taking away their "stuff' can cause negative effects like grief and depression. Instead, seek help from profesionals - ask your medical doctor for a referral who may recommend a therapist or psychiatrist or the task forces and crisis centers. Hypnotherapy may be another tool a hoarder finds useful in getting the help they need.

Video Gaming and Addiction

     If you have a child in your life who plays video games, you may be concerned if that child seems out of balance - spending too much time and energy in gaming while other areas of life are neglected.  Yours is a legitimate concern. There are 45 million children between the ages of 8 and 18 in the United States and 88 percent of them play video games. A study done by researcher Douglas Gentile of Iowa State University and director of research at the nonprofit National Institute on Media and the Family reported that 8.5 percent of American youths age 8 to 18 who play video games show multiple signs of behavioral addiction.  In addition, four times as many boys as girls were considered pathological gamers.

     Gentile adapted diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling into a series of questions about video game use, which became part of a 2007 Harris Poll of 1,178 children and teens.  If the gamers reported at least six of the eleven symtoms the gamers were deemed pathological.   Several symptoms were identified.  They included:  spending increasing amounts of time and money on video games to feel the same level of excitement, escaping problems by playing video games, lying about the length of playing time, irritability or restlessness when game play is scaled back, skipping chores or homework to spend more time playing games, stealing games or money to play more and escaping problems through playing video games.

   Gentile found that children considered pathological gamers had trouble paying attention in class, did worse in school and reported feeling "addicted".   In addition, they were found to be twice as likely to report ADD (attention-deficit disorder) or ADHD (attention-deficit  hyperactivity disorder)

     Not everyone agrees with Gentile's findings.  Michael Brody of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry believes, "I think kids use this just the way kids watch television, the way kids now use their cellphones.  They do it to relieve their anxiety and depression. It's all a matter of balance."

     The key word here is "balance".  According to The American Academy of Pediatrics, all screen time, including computer and video games but also television should not exceed one to two hours  day of "quality programming."  If a child you love is exhibiting the smptoms described above or is struggling, without success, to cut back gaming time, that child may need help through therapy to lead a more balanced life.

Preventing Alzheimer's

     Research by Cyrus Raji, MD, PHD, physician-scientist in the department of radiology at the University of Pittsburgh should encourage all of us to put on our walking shoes.  In a study of 426 adults with or without cognitive decline, Raji found that those who walked at least six miles weekly were half as likely to develop Alzheimer's disease over 13 years as nonwalkers.  He also found that those with cognitive impariment who were able to walk five miles a week reduced cognitive decline by more than half.

    This gives us another great reason to get walking.  To help preserve brain health, the recommendation is to walk at least three-quarters of a mile each day.  Walking keeps neurons healthy by improving blood flow to the brain.

    Start where you are.  If you haven't been active, you may only be able to walk to the mail box and back.  Then that's where you start.  Use a pedometer to keep track of steps or use your car to measure out your walking course.  Get prepared.  Buy some decent walking shoes.  Find a walking companion.  Set a time and make the time and do something that may help you prevent Alzheimer's.

Beating Worry and Anxiety

    Almost everyone has felt uneasy, nervous or jumpy at times.  If you are worried about the economy, dealing with a difficult family member or having to give a speech, you may feel anxious. For some people though,worry and anxiety can be much more intense and disabling and be catagorized as an anxiety disorder.  Approximately 40 million American adults, at some point during their lives, will experience anxiety that is so persistent and life-altering that it hinders their ability to function normally.

     According to the National Comorbidity Survey, one in four Americans may experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime.  This may be evidenced as an acute or episodic anxiety disorder such as a phobia or as a long-term or chronic one such as generalized anxiety disorder. Besides the emotional effects associeted with anxiety, health effects include fatigue, tension headaches, diarrhea and high blood pressure.

     Because of the physical symptoms, many people begin their search for relief with their medical doctor.  Doctors typically prescribe antidepressants such as Imipramine (Tonafril) and desipramine (Norpramin, Pertofranel) or  anti-anxiety drugs, such as alprazolam (Xanax) for persistent anxiety.  Other anti-anxiety medications include clonazepam (Klonopin) and lorazepam (Ativan).  There are advantages and disadvantages to these medications.  Anti-anxiety drugs often work more rapidly than an antidepressant.  But their disadvantage is that these drugs can be addictive and create severe withdrawal symptoms. 

    Besides medications, other treatments for anxiety disorders include therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy.  Cognitive-behavioral therapies teach specific strategies for coping with anxiety.  Psychotherapy explores possible unconscious motivations behind the anxiety. Hypnotherapy can be used to encourage calmness and relaxation and give specific suggestions about coping with anxiety.

     There are also things you can do to help yourself.  Many people try to self-medicate themselves out of worry and anxiety by adopting bad habits, such as drinking too much, overeating or smoking.  Finding strong tools to battle these behaviors can help relieve anxiety.  Go to a twelve-step program, get a support system, use a tool like hypnosis to release these bad habits.  Creating new habits like releasing those old behaviors, being more assertive and stopping negative self-talk will help ease worry and anxiety. 

     Exercise is a wonderful way to relieve stress.  Think about when you were a kid.  If you liked to run and play, well get outside and take a walk, ride a bicycle, fly a kite.  If you liked to swim, go to the Y or the 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 release the endorphins to make you feel better. 

    Check your diet, avoid sugar and salt.  Simple sugar like that found in ice cream and pastries causes your body to release too much insulin.  This imbalance can cause people to feel anxious.  Instead, eat complex carbohydrates such as fresh fruit and vegetables and unrefined grains like in cereal.  Salt causes your body to excrete potassium which you need for a healthy nervous system.  Use a natural salt substitute or herbs as a seasoning.

    People suffering from anxiety should avoid caffeine which triggers the release of the brain chemical norepinephrine increasing alertness.  Many people choose a caffeine drink in order to get that alertness.  But consuming caffeine also causes your body to release adrenaline.  Besides coffee, other drinks including, tea, cola, and cocoa contain caffeine.  Some over-the-counter meds such as Excedrin and Anancin also contain caffeine. If you are suffering from anxiety, avoiding caffeine is a simple way to stop the release of the adrenaline.  You may need to withdraw over several days to avoid discomfort and side effects.

    There are a couple of minerals that may be of value in dealing with anxiety.  The first of these is calcium. It is a natural tranquilizer and when people are calcium deficient can cause symptoms of anxiety such as insomnia, heart palpitations and nervousness.  Magnesium is the second mineral which you may find of value in dealing with anxiety.  Irritability, nervousness and weakness are often evident in people who have magnesium deficiency.  Both calcium and magnesium can be easily taken in a multimineral supplement.  In addition, calcium rich foods include eating more kale, Chinese cabbage, sardines, tofu and broccoli.  To increase your dietary intake of magnesium eat halibut, almonds and avocados.

    Diet, lifestyle changes, counseling or therapy and medical treatments are all available if you are dealing with worry and anxiety.  Don't give up.  Use these ideas to relieve anxiety and make your life better.

Go Nuts to Lose Weight

   If you are looking for an easy way to encourage weight loss consider eating more nuts and seeds.  Research shows that even those these foods are high in fact, people who eat them regularly are more likely to lose weight than people who don't.  There are a couple of reasons for this.  Seeds and nuts are high in plant sterols.  These sterols contain substances that suppress appetite and give feelings of fullness.  The recommended serving for seeds and unsalted nuts such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds is one ounce daily.

     Besides encouraging weight loss, clinical trials have indicated diets that include one or more servings of nuts a day have a 59% lower risk of developing fatal heart disease than those who don't eat nuts at all.  The trials also show that nuts can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

     If you are trying to eat healthily or lose weight, eating nuts and seeds is an easy tool to use.  Smart people use tools.  Get the support you need from a good weight loss plan, support from a counselor or hypnotherapist and add nuts and seeds to your diet.

GOALS FOR JOHNSONHYPNOTHERAPY.COM

  A Personal Note: 

 Now that I have a few posts on this new blog, I would like to share my goals for johnson.hypnotherapy.com.  I am very interested in wellness-physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  One of the joys of working as a hypnotherapist is that I work with people who are trying to improve their lives.  Whether it's getting rid of a phobia, stopping smoking, dealing with stress and anxiety, improving mental focus, losing weight or any of the many other issues I work with, the client is trying to grow.  I am researching areas of wellness all the time and hope to share what I learn with my readers.  Since hypnotherapy is the tool I use to assist clients, another goal is to help people understand how hypnosis can be a tool in their personal growth.  I truly hope you will find this blog of value.

Best regards, Jennifer