CIGARS AREN'T SAFER THAN CIGARETTES

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

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

STRESS AND COPD

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

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

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

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

CUT THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER

     Lauren McCullough, PhD epidemiologist at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, reported on a study some 3,000 women who exercised moderately for ten hours a week.  The women were both pre-menopausal and postmenopausal. The exercise included gardening and walking both considered in the moderate exercise category.  The conclusion of the study was that the moderate exercisers had a thirty percent lower risk for developing breast cancer than women who were sedentary.  Researchers believe that the risk lowers for those who exercise because in addition to causing the body to reduce body fat, exercise enhances cell repair and may increase antioxidants.

     If you need another reason to start exercising, cutting the risk of breast cancer could be a good one.  If you've been thinking you "should" start exercising but haven't, remember this study was done with women who exercise moderately.  If you need to get started and need some motivation, hypnotherapy can be of valuable tool to get moving, cut the risk of breast cancer and BE WELL.

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

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

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

WHAT YOU DRINK LINKED TO CHANCES OF DEPRESSION

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

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

EAT MINDFULLY FOR YOUR PERFECT WEIGHT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LUNG HEALTH MEANS BETTER BRAIN HEALTH

Still another reason to keep your lungs healthy.  Charles Emery, PhD, and professor of psychology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, reported on research tracking health data of 832 adults for nearly two decades.  The adults were in a an age range of 50 to 85.  The researchers found that reduced pulmonary (lung) function led to mental decline in not only people suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) but even in healthy adults.  It is believed the reason for the cognitive decline was because when lungs function poorly, it reduces oxygen in the blood which could slow down signals between brain cells.

    To have the best chance for better brain health, it is important to keep your lungs healthy. Make healthy choices like eating a healthful diet, exercising regularly and avoiding pollution to your lungs by stopping smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke.  You can support those healthy choices with the use of hypnosis.  Breathe better, think better and BE WELL.  

SMOKERS' SPOUSES AT GREATER STROKE RISK

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

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

LUNG HEALTH MEANS BETTER BRAIN HEALTH

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

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

STRESSORS INCREASING STROKES AND HEART ATTACKS

    Barry A. Franklin, PhD, director of preventive cardiology and cardiac rehabilitation at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, has identified five emotional and physical stressors that can temporarily increase the risk of a cardiovascular event such as strokes and heart attacks.  While the risks are highest in people with heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, physical and emotional stress can also affect healthy people.

     Physical stresses which can trigger strokes and heart attacks include overexertion such as shoveling snow and strenuous winter sports such as cross-country skiing. A combination of a diseased heart, cold temperatures and unaccustomed physical activity can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 50 to 100 times over those who don't exert themselves.  For people who don't normally exercise, shoveling snow or skiing can cause increases in blood pressure and heart rate at the same time that breathing cold air is constricting the arteries. In addition, people skiing tend to be at higher altitudes with a lower pressure of oxygen in the air making increased demands in the heart.

    Another physical stressor which can trigger a cardiovascular event is having sex. This is particularly true in extra-marital sex which can cause a greater level of arousal than normal  and cause the heart rate to increase by as much as 30 beats per minute which can put extra demand on the heart.  One report indicated that around 80% of heart attack deaths which took place during or after sex took place in hotel rooms where the sex partner was not their spouse. Researchers do not believe sex is risky for people who are physically active and having sex with a regular partner or spouse.

   Emotional stressors can be just as dangerous in increasing the risk for a heart attack or stroke.  Bad news like learning of the death of a loved one or getting bad health news immediately elevates your risk for a heart attack.  THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE reported that the risk of having a heart attack is highest on the day bad news is received.  The risk continues to remain high for at least a month afterwards.

    Another emotional trigger which could activate a cardiovascular event is watching sports.  This is important for those who are really invested and passionate about their team.  When true fans get really excited, the heart rate can increase by as much as 100 beats per minute which could rigger arrthythmias or clots.

    Extreme anger can also raise your risk for a heart attack.  Just being aggravated does not raise your risk but extreme anger can trigger an increase in blood clots, heartbeat irregularities and constriction of arteries.

    There are things you can do for each of these risks. If you are normally quiet sedentary, don't shovel snow.  Buy a snow blower or hire someone to shovel your snow.  If you are a sedentary, amateur skiier, start increasing your activity level well before your ski trip.  And dress for the cold weather including a scarf to cover your nose and mouth. exercise regularly for safer sex and choose a regular partner or spouse.  Become less invested in sporting events and take any heart medication prescriptions regularly. If you have received bad news, spend time with loved ones and other people who care. Consider therapy for extreme anger and get medical advice from your doctor. All of these risks are greatest in people who don't exercise, are overweight and who smoke.

    Dr, Franklin is coauthor with Joseph C. Piscatella, of PREVENT, HALT AND REVERSE HEART DISEASE.  Learn more about how you can lower your risk for heart attacks and strokes. Remember hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to make positive changes to decrease your risk of stroke and heart attack.

SET A QUIT DATE FOR BECOMING A NONSMOKER

    Robert Sokolove, health psychologist at Boston Medical Center, suggests people who are thinking about quitting smoking set a quit date ahead of time.  He notes, "Your quit date has symbolic value".   I suggest to my clients that they pick a date of significance which has meaning for them - a birthday, a religious event or a secular holiday is something to look forward to and will be remembered later.   Many experts also suggest that people choosing to quit smoking choose a date a couple of weeks to a month ahead so they have time to mentally prepare.

   If you are thinking about quitting smoking, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to help you.  Each hypnotherapist will have their own program.  I am so confident that I can help smokers become nonsmokers that I tell clients that If they should slip and start smoking any time for an entire year, I will be happy to do a free session to get them started again as nonsmokers.  My website, www.JenniferPJohnson.com, has a section where you can learn more about my program. If you are thinking about becoming a nonsmoker, set a quit date and call a hypnotherapist to make your commitment a reality. 

HYPNOTHERAPY FOR RADIATION THERAPY FATIGUE

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

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

IMPROVING LONGEVITY FOR AMERICAN MEN

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

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

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

NICOTINE NOT SAFE

     As more and more people try to avoid the dangers of smoking, many try to replace cigarettes with other nicotine delivery systems such as an e-cigarette, nicotine patch or nicotine gum or lozenges.  But recent research out of the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech  led by geneticist, Skip Garner, found that nicotine is not only addictive it is also carcinogenic.

     Professor Garner reported, "Previous tests measure and classify whether nicotine is a carcinogen or mutagen were conducted with old technology, sponsored by tobacco companies.  What we've done is we make a direct measurement of the genome using the latest technology of next gen sequencing and we could directly measure the number of mutations that exposure to nicotine caused.  The conclusion, nicotine alone can cause cancer even without the other chemicals in conventional cigarettes."

     He believes that using alternative nicotine delivery systems instead of cigarettes, actually could make the situation worse.   "When you smoke cigarettes, the actual dose is fairly low because it has spread out through your entire body, but when you're administering nicotine through a patch or you're chewing it with gum or you're inhaling it with e-cigarettes, your mouth and your skin get very high doses of nicotine."

    If you have been thinking about becoming a non-smoker, don't try to replace cigarettes with e-cigarettes, the patch or gum.  Instead, get the help you need.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to become a non-smoker and avoid the carcinogen, nicotine.

HYPNOSIS FOR AGE-RELATED LOSS OF STRENGTH

      Most people are familiar with the term "osteoporosis" which describes the gradual age-related loss of bone.  Less familiar to most of us, is the term "sarcopenia" which is the age-related loss of strength, function and bone mass.  Symptoms of sarcopenia include, becoming weak, walking slowly, and falling more easily.  In addition, sufferers of sarcopenia are less likely to recover from illnesses and more likely to die,

   Michael J. Grossman, MD, a specialist in antiaging and regenerative medicine in Irvine, California, writes that this disease "generally starts at age 40.  By the time you're 50, you're losing 1% to 2% of your muscle mass every year."  Besides the symptoms of sarcopenia listed above, those  having this age-related muscle loss have more fat which can produce inflammation causing such chronic diseases as cancer and heart disease. Having less muscle, means a person burns less blood sugar (glucose) so you are at greater risk for developing or controlling diabetes.

    Dr. Grossman recommends a protein rich diet which includes a four ounce serving of chicken, turkey, fish or lean beef.  In addition, he recommends supplements including a daily vitamin D supplement in the 3,000 to 5,000 IU (international units) level,, 1,000 mg (milligrams) of omega- fatty acids with 400 mg of EPA and 300 mg of DHA taken twice daily and if you are exercising, three grams of the amino acid Creatine.  He recommends finding a doctor trained in antiaging medicine and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to test hormone levels.

    To stop or reverse muscle loss, you should be doing both aerobic and resistance exercise.  Besides walking for lower-body strength, upper body strength can be increased with exercises such as ballroom dancing or playing tennis.  Lifting weights or resistance bands can also be used to strengthen the different muscle groups.

     If you are concerned about losing muscle mass or strength and functioning of your muscles, you may need to get motivated to add these recommendations into your lifestyle.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable too to strengthen your muscles and BE WELL.

STRESS CAN MAKE YOU FAT

     If you have noticed that you tend to gain weight when you are really stressed out, you're not imagining the correlation. Andrew L. Rubman, ND, and contributing medical editor to DAILY HEALTH NEWS, confirms what you have suspected.  So why does stress make you fat?

    Rubman identifies the culprit as the hormone, cortisol.  When we are stressed, our bodies go into the fight-or-flight syndrome, which is the basis of how our bodies respond physiologically to stress.   The adrenal glands begin to produce the hormone in order to regulate the effects of insulin on blood sugar.  Add in poor dietary choices and ongoing stress can overload the body's system causing weight gain.

    The combination of high cortisol levels and dietary imbalances can be further aggravated by sleep problems and aging.  Chronically, waking up regularly in the middle of night to worry about finances, family or work problems can be an indicator that stress may affect your weight.  Dr. Rubman notes, "This may be your adrenal gland saying, "wake up", there is something wrong with your insulin-cortisol-blood sugar levels.  

    Dr. Rubman suggests a number of ways of managing blood sugar levels.  If you have symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) which may include:  anxiety, trembling, heart palpitations, or headaches  or high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) including fatigue, blurred vision, thirst or frequent urination, see your medical doctor for blood and urine tests. Under a physician's supervision, you may be prescribed medications or supplements including chromium, a fiber supplement such as glucomannan and high potency B vitamin 

    If you are concerned about gaining weight or preventing issues such as diabetes and heart disease, it is important to deal with the stresses in your life.  Develop tools to deal with the stresses in your life.  Nurture yourself by allowing your body to relax by mindful breathing or meditation.  Exercise is a wonderful way to deal with stress.  Hypnosis can be a powerful tool to deal with stress, motivate you to improve eating habits and exercise regularly.  Make those changes, deal with the stress, lose the weight and BE WELL>

SMOKING LINKED TO CHRONIC BACK PAIN

  If you suffer from chronic back pain, be aware your smoking habit may be part of the problem.  A study  by A. Vania Apkarian, PhD, professor of physiology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, found that smokers are three times more likely than nonsmokers to have chronic back pain.

    Although researchers are not sure why this surprising link between smoking and back pain exists, it is believed that smokers have a stronger connection between the regions of the brain controlling chronic pain and addictive behavior.  In the study, participants who quit smoking showed a drop in the connectivity between those two regions decreasing their risk of chronic pain.

    If you are  smoker suffering from chronic back pain, you have still another reason to stop smoking.  Hypnosis can be a valuable tool to Be a Healthy NonSmoker and BE WELL. 

HYPNOSIS, A GREAT TOOL TO PREVENT NAIL BITING

    You may have never heard of onychophagia but a simple show of hands may reveal you have this challenge.  For onychophagia is the term for chronic nail biting..This behavior occurs in different cultures and on different continents.  Nail biting occurs slightly more in males than females.  It is also very common at all ages.  Studies have shown that nail biting occurs between 28 and 33 percent of the time in children between seven and ten. Nail biting peaks in adolescents with 19 to 29 percent of teenagers. As young adults mature, the incidence of nail biting drops but 10 to 20 percent continue to chew their nails.  

     So why do people bite and pick their nails?  There are a lot of different opinions.  Although the old Freudian view of oral fixation is no longer popular, some older studies still lean to psychological reasons.  Newer studies often identify nail biting as a relative of obsessive-compulsive disorder. While some experts describe this as an exaggerated grooming behavior similar to monkeys and apes, others believe there is a genetic link since the behavior is often seen in families,  Stress relief may be important to some nail biters while for others it may simply be a matter of habit.

     In any case, though it can seem like a fairly unimportant habit, I often see clients who complain about it affecting their lives.  Some complain about the embarassment of a behavior that seems childlike or unprofessional while others talk about the discomfort of sore, raw or even bleeding fingers which makes their hands unattractive. And others are very concerned about nail biting being unsanitary.

     Among techniques people have used to overcome onychophaiga are:  keeping a journal  about the behavior to help identify triggers to nail biting, using a relaxation technique like meditation, keeping hands busy with an activity like playing with a stress ball or even the old Internet favorite of painting the nails with a bitter or hot liquid such as something flavored with peppery flavors like Tabasco sauce.  Be aware that some people actually start to like the hot flavors.  Some medical doctors will prescribe medications such as Prozac when the nail biting is severe.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to help you overcome this habit.  Stop nail biting, feel good and BE WELL.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT SUGAR ADDICTION

    In recent years, sugar addiction particularly to soft drinks has become a common complaint among my clients.  This is not surprising.  A Scientific Statement in the AHA (American Heart Association) JOURNAL CIRCULATION reported that in the 2000s Americans increased their intake of sugar by an average of 22.2. teaspoons.  That is the equivalent of 355 calories most of it consumed in soft drinks.

    The statement identifies a large number of health problems caused by this excess sugar including:  weight gain, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low levels of HDL cholesterol  which is the good cholesterol and increased risk for cardiovascular disease which includes stroke. Based on research at the University of Colorado Denver Health Sciences Center who analyzed health and diet data from more than 4,500 people who had no history of high blood pressure, the America Heart Association issued the following guidelines.  1) Women should eat no more than 100 calories of added sugar per day or six teaspoons.  2) Men should eat no more than 150 calories of added sugar or nine teaspoons.  Since one twelve ounce can of cola contains eight teaspoons of sugar or 150 calories even one soda is too much for a woman.

    Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of BEAT SUGAR ADDICTION NOW! (Fair Winds) says, "Eating too much sugar is an addiction.  Sugar gives you an initial high, you crash several hours later, and this leaves you wanting more sugar."  He has several recommendations that can help including: 1) using sugar substitutes such as stevia and erythritol which are combined in the products PureVia and Truvia, 2) Getting seven to nine hours of sleep which he says "optimizes energy, decreases appetite and slashes sugar cravings, 3) drinking water to stay hydrated, 4) cutting out excess caffein, 4) taking a multivitamin/mineral supplement since low levels of nutrients can trigger food cravings and 5) Eating whole foods including vegetables, whole grains, beans and meat which do not trigger sugar cravings

    If you need help making these changes, hypnosis can be a valuable tool. Beat your sugar addiction and BE WELL.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT BELLY FAT

     Did you know belly fat is dangerous even when you have kept your overall body weight under control?  A study of more than 350,000 people published in THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE reported that a large waist can nearly double your risk of premature death.  Excess belly fat results in what we call an "apple" body shape.  Also known as visceral fat, it is stored in the abdominal cavity.  This is dangerous because it can wrap around or even invade internal organs including the heart.

   There are two types of belly fat.  There is soft belly fat and then the hard belly that is often called "having a beer belly."  The hard beer belly is the more dangerous of the two because people with hard belly fat have high levels of the inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP) which is a risk factor for heart disease.  Among other serious health conditions linked to belly fat are:  diabetes, migraines, cancer, dementia, and lung problems.

   So measure your waist just below the navel.  A good goal for women is 35 inches or less and 40 inches or less in men.  Unfortunately, there are no known ways for spot reducing just visceral fat.  Healthy overall weight loss includes:  1) eating healthy foods and watching portion size, eliminating junk and processed foods.  Void processed carbohydrates such as snacks, white bread, fruit juice and beer.  All these can cause a rapid spike in blood sugar that may increase belly fat. 2) Add aerobic exercise such as a 20 minute walk daily.  This will burn calories, reduce fat and increase metabolism. 3) Set your thermostat lower.  New research finds that sleeping in a cool temperature could increase your body's energy expenditure resulting in weight loss.  

    If you add these behaviors into your daily life, you should boost metabolism and lose weight including  the visceral belly fat that is so dangerous.  If you need motivation to eat well and add the aerobic exercise, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  Use hypnosis, get rid of that belly fat and BE WELL.