All tied up like BOB? Do you need "death therapy"?

There are two major types of stress: 

Major life-events 

and

 daily life stress

Emotionally "Tied up" with Stress

Click here:THE Movie "What about Bob" video clip of Death Therapy - FUNNY!

The Psychiatrist (Richard Dryfuss) who "tied" up his problem for freedom
and
the Patient (Bill Murray) who "untied" himself from his problems and found freedom"
BA B Y step Funny"

*********************************

Both types of stress, Major Life Events and Daily LIfe Stressors
 can cause weight gain, however, the daily life stressors tends to  cause the most

  weight gain due to chronically raising a person's cortisol levels.

In the OLD DAY'S  our stress response was PHYSICAL 

we would run or fight when dealing with stress.  

TODAY, we "simply stew in our own stress juices"


yet even today.... YOU CAN....


You can run = Physical activity!!!! 
You can fight = Spiritual warfare! 
You can  fight = Mentally use positive perspective to frame it
***********

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, 

And do not lean on your own understanding. 

In all your ways acknowledge Him, 

And He will make your paths straight

******************

Trusting God in the mist of the mysteries of life 

will reduce stress/anxiety

(Trusting GOD is what you do 

when you don't get an answer to why something happened or didn't happen that you asked for 

Exercising your faith is when you 

Trust God to meet A L L your needs

instead of a quart of Hagen daz Ice Cream

Back to what Happpens Physically when we are Stressed:

When cortisol and adrenaline levels are chronically elevated, this causes stored sugar 

(glycogen) to be released from the muscles and liver into the blood stream.  

It also causes the release of fat into the blood stream to be used as energy. 

Instead of burning sugars and fats we actually release more insulin, 

which causes even more fat to be stored.

Chronic stress raises cortisol, which then raises insulin levels.

Chronically elevated cortisol levels make your body less sensitive to leptin, the hormone that tells your brain you are full.  These high cortisol levels also stimulate the appetite, making you extremely hungry,  At the same time, cortisol promotes the release of neuropeptide Y, a chemical in the brain that triggers the body to crave carbohydrates.

 The elevated insulin levels then program the body to store fat... mostly in the abdominal area- which is the hardest fat to lose.

Excerpts from : Dr. Colbert's "I can do this" diet

Which came first the Chicken or the egg?

  Have you ever heard that depression is

nothing less than 

ANGER turned inward?   

This is why it's reported that 80% of diets are NOT successful in the long haul  

They fail to address the individual needs of a person with a weight problem.  

Stress can lead to Depression: 

Stress:  causes a chemical imbalance in your brain

Depression: Results from a chemical imbalance in your brain

Exercise,  Good Nutritional Choices, Controlling Negative thoughts and having a Healthy Spiritual walk are essential in the  prevention and treatment of depression!

According to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the main symptoms and signs of depression are the following:

• persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
• feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
• decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
• difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
• appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
• thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
• restlessness, irritability
• persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such asheadaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain

  Click here for a MUST READ on Stress- Health and your Thought Life                        

I say it's all about BALANCE...

The problem almost always has a multi root system

Stop treating just the symptom(s)

Pull out the weed by the roots! 

Stress happens, and is difficult to avoid events and situations

     It's sometime difficult to get to the roots (It may need God's intervention)

 However,  (allora)    SEEK BALANCE:

• Physically, if you are in good shape   you'll be better prepared to handle stress without long term collateral damage.  It takes good nutrition/Vitamins and Minerals and and routine exercise to be properly cope with stresses in our life (hint: Take B vitamins to fortify your body against stress)

• Mentally, if you are  in good shape, you'll respond to the stress in your life with the ability to  sort though it, put it in perspective... develop a plan to work with it and through it.

• Spiritually, if you are in good shape, you'll face stress with hope, faith and strength in your belief that you have a higher power to direct, guide and assist you in those times. 

(conceptual approach to "being in shape" to handle stress)


Next time you looking for something to eat, and your not really hungry.... (mindless eating)      STOP and ask yourself.... "what am I trying to fill?"  My mouth or  My soul?
"What am I really seeking?"


That's why I say... when your seeking mindless eating (especially at night) STOP and do 25 jumping jacks (or something similar)...  the exercise WILL  alter your state of being and you'll gain control over your choices.

HERE is a little Story:

Once a student  in a CPR class I was teaching, identified that they had every risk factor for "heart disease" (stress is one of the many risk factors) ... the  student asked me  "if I have all the risk factors for a heart attack, what chance do I have.... I might as well have fun and forget about it". 

I   explained  that although you have all

the risk factors for heart disease, 

if you eat "healthy"  and "exercise" 

you will increase your chances of surviving a heart attack.

"I try to eat healthy.
I never sprinkle salt on ice cream,
I only eat decaffeinated pizza and my beer is 100% fat-free"

Hummmmmm.... 

              You can fool yourself, 

You can try to fool your Doctor, 

But  your body will rat you out!

There are MANY reasons why you may be unhealthy.....  but I believe there is only ONE answer ....

BALANCE YOUR LIFE 

Physically, Mentally and Spiritually

Arrivederci and Salute! To your Health and Wellness

Are you lost? You won't find yourself in a "Diet" ...

Do you feel misunderstood?  

Do you feel that no one listens to you?   

Do you feel all alone?

Maybe,  just maybe,  Y O U  misunderstand yourself

Maybe,  just maybe,  Y O U do not listen to yourself  

Maybe,  just maybe, Y O U are not alone 

Are you listening to yourself?        Do you hear your own excuses?

How loud does your body need to scream at you in order to get your attention?
(joint pain, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, heartburn, constipation etc)

How loud does the world around you need to shake you to get your attention?
(relationship problems, Conflict at work, Money problems)

• 
  
  God will never scream at you to gain your attention

(He's patiently waiting to talk with you,
could it be your afraid to talk to someone who knows if  you're being honest?)

This is the time for "self discovery"

One way to begin is by daily JOURNALIZING

It is amazing when you re-read past journal entries how you will  find out how honest you have been  with yourself

DID YOU KNOW?

YOUR WAIST LINE is like the N O S E  on Pinocchio's face?  

You can SAY your healthy but your Waist line tells the truth 

(PS: Your face tells the world if your happy,

 just because you don't see it doesn't mean others are BLIND)

Time to be honest about who  you are and where you are going

Weight vs. Waist Size

A larger waist, regardless of weight, puts you at greater risk of dying from cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease. Although obesity is often correlated with waist size -- those that are heavier usually have larger waists as well -- those that are of normal weight but have a large waist are at greater risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Read more:   Link here for Livestrong site on more information on Waist Size

(Link) Waistline information Excess weight as measured by BMI is not the only risk to your health. Where excess fat is located on your body may be another risk. If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop health problems than if you carry fat mainly in your hips and thighs. This is true even if your BMI falls within the normal range.

Women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches may have a higher disease risk than people with smaller waist measurements because of where their fat lies.

Do you really understand WHO you are?

Are you truthful with yourself ?

YOU ARE ALONE when you don't understand WHO YOU ARE

YOU ARE LOST when your don't know what road to take to reach your goal

KNOW this: You are a Child of the Living God

So....Tap into your Spiritual Being 

to find answers to 

your Body and Mind needs

GOD has ALL that YOU NEED to 

Put you on the right path to reach your GOALS

Look Up, He's there for YOU

 Jeremiah 29:11  

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, 

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you hope and a future.

Make your goal: Obtaining optimal Health and Wellness


by Balancing yourself


Physically, Mentally and Spiritually


and 
you will have obtain a Healthy Weight and Waist!
and 


You'll will discover 
that you are never alone,  
KNOW who you ARE 
and 
  your journey will be amazing

Ciao, and Salute to Your Health and Wellness

My Blogging is dedicated to those I love - God Bless YOU in your journey

If you Say it then MEAN IT!

When you say "Tomorrow I'm going to start exercising"   

do you always do what you say you are going to do?

"I always say I'm going to start but then I don't " she said to her friend....
and her friend  cried "oh, me too, I know exactly what you mean"

Are you a person of your word?

Can you keep a promise you make to yourself?

      I said that I would exercise 1 hr each day for 5 days!  

It was truly a struggle as I put off, put off, put off...
So there I was at 8 o'clock at night exercising!   

YIKES

But I DID Finally DO IT! 

How did I make it happen, why did I not fail myself?

I believe it was because I not only made a  "Promise  to myself" 
but I reinforced "my want"   

 by repeating it in my head
"I WILL exercise 1 hr today"
over and over and over again throughout the day

I told myself this several times last night and repeated it many times  during the day...
until 8 pm when I said...  "that's enough... be a person of your word"

I choose to Honor myself enough to 
KEEP a PROMISE to ME!

H

So, I shook hands with myself last night.   I honored myself by keeping my word to ME.  After all, I should respect myself.  I should honor myself.  I should take care of ME.
(I'm shoulding myself about it)




************************             Promises       ***************************

Promises are like babies:  easy to make, hard to deliver.  ~Author Unknown

We promise according to our hopes, and perform according to our fears.  ~Francois duc de la Rochefoucauld


Oaths are but words, and words but wind.  ~Samuel Butler

                            It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, 

but the man the oath.  ~Aeschylus

When a man takes an oath... he's holding his own self in his own hands.  Like water.  And if he opens his fingers then - he needn't hope to find himself again.  ~Robert Bolt

Promises are like crying babies in a theater, they should be carried out at once.  
~Norman Vincent Peale

He loses his thanks who promises and delays.  ~Proverb

Eggs and oaths are easily broken.  ~Danish Proverb
Promises and pie crusts are made to be broken.  ~Jonathan Swift

An acre of performance is worth 

a whole world of promise.  ~William Dean Howells

                                                     For every promise, 

there is price to pay.  

~Jim Rohn

When a man repeats a promise again and again,

he means to fail you.  ~Proverb

Oh how we deceive ourselves ..........  

       It is 

Me, Myself and I 

not being in agreement. 

Me:  Physical Self

Myself:  Mental Self

I:  Spiritual Self

I will not let
myself down because 
it is best for me

Lest we forget 
we are
 BODY, MIND and SPIRIT
Attack your world by exercising, feeding and nurturing Daily!
all
THREE OF YOU

Make a Promise to yourself to make getting healthier a PRIORITY GOAL  today!
 Then Act on it
                                          Say what you mean and DO WHAT YOU SAY

BALANCE yourself by Letting Go  and Reaching to HIM for Healing, Health and Wellness he will take you hand and give you Grace so you can Be BALANCED

 Philipians 3:12-14

 ^12-14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back!

 

Ciao and Salute!  to Your Health and Wellness

Beauty Secret.... SLEEP! Weight Loss... SLEEP!

You have to watch the
    Movie "Avanti"  with Jack Lemon and Juliet Mills 
     (filmed in ITALY of course) va bene!  

Juliet Mills plays a "chubby" single English women in the movie and makes multiple reference to her weight problem.  In one scene she tells Jack Lemon that her Doctor told her to sleep more.  If she's sleeping she can't eat.   


Not so far from a scientific truth 

          Proper sleep aids in weight loss and weight management

I just was reading Daniel Amen MD (link) book on "change your Brain Change your Body.  He sites many studies that prove a relationship between weight management and sleep.  In his book he sates that  Stanford University found that people who sleep less have a higher body mass index (BMI) levels.   It seems that two important hormones, Ghrelin and Leptin, are affected by the amount of sleep you have.  I'm not going to go into all the detail  but Studies showed that when you don't get enough sleep, you feel hungrier and don't feel full regardless of how much you eat.

 Glamour Magazine (link) also took this idea and did an unscientific  study.   They enlisted 7 women to sleep at least seven and a half hours each night for ten weeks without changing their diet or exercise.  All seven women lost  from  6 to 15 pounds !

Ahhhh Sleep!  

"Sleep perchance to dream"

Shakespeare

Benefit's of a good night sleep - Beautiful Skin
 Rejuvenates the skin
            Cell regeneration happens more quickly while you sleep, generating more new skin cells.
Reverse skin damage 
           While you sleep your skin repairs itself from daily Damage of UV rays, secondhand smoke
           and other environmental pollutants that cause premature aging and damage.
Prevents ACNE!
            As we sleep, the brain regulates the body's hormones.  Acne is a results of a hormonal imbalance.

Sleep deprivation slows reaction times, clouds judgement, affects vision and impairs information processing, and increases aggressive behavior.


Sleep Deprivation is a hazard to your health:

• You are more inclined to drink more caffeine, smoke more, exercise less, drink more alcohol. 
• Puts you at risk for Type 2 diabetes
• Linked to mood problems and depression
• More vulnerable to anxiety disorders
• Increases ADD symptoms
• Increases risk in developing Alzheimer's disease

Here are Two Links for Idea's on How to develop good "sleep" habits

Psychology Todays (Link) 5 tips  

More Tips on Falling and Staying asleep (LINK)

Average Sleep Requirements by Age 

(sources: National Sleep Foundation, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Age Range   Number of Hours of Sleep

1-3 years old                    12-14 hours

3-5 years old                    11-13 hours

5-12 years old                 10-11 hours

13-19 years old                      9 hours

Adults                                       7-8 hours

Seniors                                        7 - 8 hours

I had heard before that Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners claim that the

 hours between 10 pm and midnight are especially powerful for rejuvenation. 

Some people, claim that an hour of sleep during these "power hours" is the equivalent of two hours of sleep later in the night, such that you wake up more refreshed even if you didn't manage a full 8 hours. 

For more information on Dr. Neetu Dhiman, see www.yourbriohealth.com

As I have repeated over and over in my Blogs....  BALANCE

Weight problems

Sleep problems

 When you are faced with these issues think "BALANCE"   

Sleeping difficulties may be related to:

Poor nutritional choices during the day (BODY)

Lack of activity/exercise (BODY)
Maybe your body is fighting an illness (BODY)

Maybe  related to stressful life events  (MENTAL/SPIRITUAL)

There are any reasons for sleepless nights or lack of sleep
Maybe medication  you need to take
Too much caffeine
Chronic pain
GI problems
Sleep Apnea
etc. etc. etc.
IMBALANCE of your Body, Mind Spirit

Ephesians 4:26  

 Don't go to bed angry. 
Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

  When it comes to having "problems with sleep" 

 CHECK ALL THREE LEVELS of your life:

SPIRITUAL

PHYSICAL

MENTAL 

When ever you have a symptom (problems with sleep).... 

please DON'T just treat JUST the symptom

go on a self discovery to find the ROOT of the SYMPTOM

so you can find HEALING and Wellness

Passionately pursue finding BALANCE in your LIFE

"Sleep perchance to dream"

Shakespeare

Ciao and Buona Fortuna 

          to your Journey of Seeking 

                       HEALTH and WELLNESS!