Archive for the ‘psychologist’ Category

The Importance Of Nutrition For Your Overall Physical And Mental Health

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

By Frank Rom

Understanding nutrition as one of the key factors in health.

Scientific evidence is very clear about this: we can definitely manage our own health through the things we daily eat.

Did you know that scientists are actually looking into ways of protecting astronauts from radiation by means of dietary supplements? Radiation hazards in outer space present an enormous danger for the safety of astronauts, it causes the formation of free radicals. Through a special nutrition however astronauts are able to counter the effects of these free radicals.

The same principle applies to us ‘normal’ humans. Free radicals are forming all over our body due to all kinds of environmental attacks. It is a good thing that nowadays more and more people take notice and change the way they live in order to embrace the benefits of a healthy nutrition and exercise.

If a healthy body and mind is what you want, understanding nutrition is of the utmost importance. In its infinite wisdom nature has provided us with everything one needs to promote growth, immune system, mental alertness, physical strength and so on. Without a basic understanding about nutrition it will be very difficult, if not impossible to establish a diet which includes the necessary elements the body needs.

What exactly does understanding nutrition involve?

Quite simply put: everything you ingest has an influence on your body. So you have to make sure that what you eat contains those elements your body needs. What your body needs are carbohydrates, fat, protein and last but certainly not least water. The amount in which each of these elements is consumed influences greatly the way you feel, react and age

1. Carbohydrates – this is the number one energy source of the body. Our liver and the muscles of our body need a sufficient intake of carbohydrates in order to maintain good health. You can find two major types of carbohydrates ( or carbs as some people prefer to call them):

-simple carbohydrates, which are predominantly of a sweet nature (eg. fructose, sucrose, glucose, etc) and

-complex carbohydrates, which are based on starch (and can be found in corn, brown rice, wheat, etc).

2. Fat – must be taken in the required amount in order for it to moderate the metabolism and protect vital organs. Too much fat in your daily nutrition has the opposite effect however. The two major fats are

-cholesterol : you can get cholesterol from seafood, eggs, dairy products and meat.

- Triglycerides: saturated, poly-saturated and mono-saturated fats, they have an influence on your weight and heart function.

3. Protein – Witout protein the body cannot grow or repair itself. The non-essential amino-acids are manufactured by the body itself ( hence the term non-essential, the body can provide its own ) while the essential amino-acids would have to be introduced into the body by consuming the right foods.

4. Water – the body needs a lot of water: at least eight glasses every day. This amount helps the body to expel toxins, fight dehydration, prevent heat stroke, moderate body temperature, digestion and so many other functions. We all know humans can stay without food up to three weeks; however, they will perish without water in as little as 48 hours.

The right sort of wall balanced nutrition contributes directly to the health of individuals and communities. Clinical research as well as evidence collected through laboratory tests and field work support the importance of concept to the practice of clinical medicine, dentistry, and public health.

About the Author: Frank Rom runs and operates a natural vitamin supplements | herbal supplements | nutritional information site. For nutritional information you should stop at http://www.nutrition-103.com

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The Power And Weakness Of Women

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

By Monica Washington

Women are very strong individuals who deal with many natural changes during a lifetime such as pregnancy, menopause and the monthly inconvenience of the menstrual cycle. Due to the fact that all these factors are natural many women simply put up with the symptoms and other discomforts during these stages.

However, all natural occurrences in a woman’s natural course of life have different influences on her body such as an hormonal imbalance, which can lead to depression at times. Women always try and put a strong front, but women’s mental health is fragile and can easily be disturbed should any of the natural factors go out of hand.

Between Facts and Myth

Many women even today simply put up with many daily discomforts because they were told this is a natural thing and they have to deal with it; many women put up with depressive moods and some even end up with suicidal thoughts or worse because they do nothing about it until it is too late.

Women’s mental health is as prone to snapping as that of a man’s therefore, it is important you learn about your body and try to provide it with the required help when needed. During menstrual cycles, pregnancy and menopause to many a few of the instance that women’s mental health is put at risk, hormonal imbalance occur which influence your moods vastly.

Hormonal imbalances can cause symptoms such as irritability, anger for no reason, sadness for no apparent reason, loss of appetite or huge appetite, sleeplessness or over sleeping and lack of interest to socialize or take part in any activity. Women’s mental health is affected during these periods of time and at times, it can turn into depression.

Speak Out When You Hurt

The very first step you need to take it to speak out and let other know you hurt or that you need help. Today the majority cases of women who suffer from depression is because they never knowledge it in the first place. Accept the fact that these are normal symptoms and that you can do something about them with medication or other activities such as exercise, meditation and other relaxing hobbies which naturally improve women’s mental health.

There are many women’s health clinics that will be happy to assist you with both information and cure alike should you decide you need any of the above. You deserve a happy, healthy life too and you are the only one who can take the first step in this direction.

About the Author: Monica Washington is an online researcher based out of Los Angeles, Calfornia. For free tips and resources covering Women’s Mental Health, please visit our Womens Mental Health Resource.

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Marjaraasana – For Sound Physical And Mental Health

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

By Sharon Hopkins

Yoga today is all the rage. It is a subject that excites people’s curiosity and enjoys much popularity. This is especially so since the asanas (exercises) and pranayamas (breathing techniques) that owe their origins to ancient Indian wisdom have proved beneficial in promoting holistic health and mental peace as also in developing personality. In this article we will discuss Marjaraasana – the cat pose.

Process: Sit on your haunches with the knees and toes on the ground. Keep the palms on the floor in such a way that the distance between them is about the same as that between the shoulders, i.e. equal to the width of the back. Keep the distance between the palms and the knees about the same as that between the shoulders and the hips, i.e. equal to the length of the torso. The distance between the knees should be the same as the width of the waist. Turn the toes back so that the soles face upward. The distance between the soles should be the same as that between the knees. Relax the muscles in the trunk region and let the trunk descend under gravity. At the same time, let the neck and head curve backward as far as possible. Relax the stomach and close the eyes. Direct your attention to the entire body and practise conscious differential relaxation. Keep the mind engaged in pranadharana (consciousness of breath). This is the final posture of marjaraasana –maintain it according to capacity.

An extension of the above posture can be attained in the following manner: staying in the final posture obtained above, open your eyes. Move the palms about 10-15 cms towards the knees. Curve the back upwards so that it shapes like an arch. Relax the neck and hang the head down. Draw the chin towards the chest and relax the abdomen, practice differential relaxation and then do prandharana. This is the final extension posture of marjaraasana- maintain it according to capacity.

Releasing the asana: Start by lowering the right leg by bending it at the knee, then rest the knee on the floor. Lower the head and make the back parallel to the ground, loosen it up and relax.

Benefits: The spine becomes flexible and supple; it helps to correct the functional defects of the back and spine. The health of the organs in the torso improves. You are relieved of backache and pain in the neck resulting from exertion. It also soothes the neck muscles and the lumbar region of the spine and invigorates the spinal nerves, improves blood circulation in the abdominal region thereby making digestive, respiratory and excretory processes. This asana is also useful in treating respiratory disorders.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautions before following any of the asanas from this article and the site. To avoid any problems while doing the asanas, it is advised that you consult a doctor and a yoga instructor. The responsibility lies solely with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

About the Author: Sharon Hopkins helps us know more about yoga through websites which mentions the growing value of yoga and the benefits one can reap by it. Marjaraasana – The Cat Pose is very useful for your digestive system and respiratory disorders.

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Supporting A Friend With Mental Health Difficulties

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

By Arthur Buchanan

Someone who is experiencing mental health difficulties is usually able to live a successful full life, particuarly if they are receiving help to manage their illness. However, it is not uncommon for stigma to be attached to experiencing mental health difficulties. This often causes people to feel embarrassed. Often people with mental health difficulties worry that people will tease them or treat them differently. There are some things that you may want to do to help your friend feel more comfortable, these are:

Avoid being judgmental – Being aware of the stigma. Keeping an open mind may help to create a safe environment for your friend which may mean they are more likely to relax and enjoy themselves. Talk about what they find helpful – Make conversations about their mental health difficulties easy and open. Try asking about what helps them when things are tough. By talking openly, you are letting the person know about your love and support for them. You may like to talk about what you have read and ask how they feel about it.

Respecting your friend’s limits – There may be times when your friend says they are not able to do something because of their illness. It is important that you respect this and don’t put extra pressure on them. Often those who are taking medication are not able to drink alcohol. This may make it hard for your friend in certain social situations. If you know that your friend is unable to drink it may be a helpful when you do hang out to choose to do something that doesn’t involve alcohol.

Encouraging your friend to stay with their medication – It is likely that someone with long-term mental illness will be on regular medication. This may have side effects, which mean your friend may not like taking the medication. However, medication is often an important part of managing the illness and your friend may need your support to stick at it.

If your friend stops using or changes the amount of medication they use without getting the OK from their psychiatrist or doctor, encourage them to make an appointment quickly. Similarly if they are experiencing side effects that weren’t expected they should also contact their psychiatrist or doctor.

Ensure that you have contact numbers – Having the contact numbers of people like their psychologist, doctor or psychiatrist is often important in helping your friend through a crisis. It means that you can contact someone who knows your friend should they be unsafe.

Getting help for your friend

For those who have a mental health difficulty, there may be periods when things are not manageable. Harder times may be triggered if your friend has been over-stressed or there has been a traumatic event or a change in medication. These things can trigger the characteristics of the mental illness they experience. This is often called an episode.

If you are concerned that your friend is not behaving as they normally would then it is important to encourage them to talk to someone they trust like their doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist. If you think that your friend is likely to hurt themselves or someone else find some help immediately even if they don’t want you to.

Looking after yourself

Sometimes when we are helping a friend we forget to look after our ourselves. It is important to also take care of your own needs as well as helping your friend. Make sure that you don’t give up things that you enjoy and if you are feeling tired or ovwhelmed take some time out and relax.

About the Author: Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show! http://freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3 THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!
With Much Love, Arthur Buchanan President/CEO Out of Darkness & Into the Light 43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012 Huron Ohio, 44839 567-219-0994 (cell) http://www.out-of-darkness.com
http://www.adhdandme.com (still working on)
http://www.biologicalhapiness.com (still working on)

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How Internet Affects Mental Health

Saturday, February 26th, 2011

By Charles Leigh Moore

The lives of millions of people around the world have never been the same since the advent of the internet. It has breached the barriers of commerce and built bridges for global collective research and education. It has greatly modified public communication, information acquisition and amusement. Sending of important information or simple personal greetings is made possible in the fastest way through e-mail.

These days you do not have to spend hours in the library to gather information for research work as everything is already simplified for you through the internet. All you have to do is open your laptop, type in what you are looking for and then indulge in the overflow of information. Most people will just tell you to “Google It” when you ask them about something. Moreover, people miles apart can conduct conferences as if they are just conducting it on one table.

The above mentioned are only a few the wonderful advantages offered to us by the internet. However, these advantages also have its positive and negative effects on people. This article will particularly discuss the effects of the internet to the mental status.

Sure, being afflicted with diseases is one cause why people use the internet to look for health information. But recent studies reveal that most people who search the web for health information are healthy people and that they are usually looking up information for a loved one or simply to be informed.

These people may have all the good intentions, but little did they know that what they are doing may bring harm to their mental stability. Knowing too much about health conditions may cause rumination thereby triggering anxiety or hypochondriasis which is the over-preoccupation of having severe illness. Obtaining too much information about diseases may bring about pointless concerns for their own health or for their family. Otherwise healthy people may encounter problems in their psychological state.

Additionally, an increase in incidences of depression have been related to excessive participation in online games, gambling and even window shopping.

In relation to this, researchers found out that sadistic online games influence hostility to players specifically children and teenagers.

On the brighter side of things, easy communication brought about by the internet augments social ties and creates new ones. Distance does not anymore prove to be a barrier for loved ones to bond. The effect is greater positive affect, low levels of stress and generally good psychological functioning.

On the other hand, people who have reduced social communication due to their distance are observed to have poor psychological functioning and high stress levels. But be warned as well, because online communication with strangers through chat sites may also not be good to your psychological and emotional health.

To some extent, the internet offers so many forms of entertainment that it is the easiest and most attainable form of reprieve from the stresses of the real world.

These things do not necessarily happen to everyone using the internet as they are all but possibilities. How it affects you will still rely on the way you use it. To help you with, just remember that the real world is outside and that too much of anything is generally not good. Enjoy the real life…go on a picnic, go camping, laugh, love, live…

About the Author: Charles Leigh Moore writing for Vuyanilodge.com which offers safari holidays in south africa and african safari honeymoon as well as a host of additional services.

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