EXCESS BELLY FAT AND STRESS

     Have a big belly and can't figure out why?  Besides bad eating habits and lack of exercise, your body may be responding to stress.  Stress may be caused internally by physical issues such as infections and inflammation or externally by everything from relationship issues to financial problems to dealing with a challenging commute.  Chronic stress can cause your adrenal gland to release the hormone cortisol.  Cortisol, in turn, can reduce the production of testosterone and estrogen.

      If you have high cortisol levels,  you may not only have excess belly fat but also be struggling with low libido, insomnia, a weakened immune system and high blood pressure.  Low cortisol levels caused by worn-out adrenal glands no longer producing enough cortisol can cause chronic fatigue and general apathy.  Effective stress management is necessary to overall hormonal balance to protect you from these problems.

    Using a variety of stress management techniques can help you deal with those health issues caused by high or low cortisol levels.  Getting enough sleep is critical.  Check past posts on this blog for articles on dealing with insomnia.  Find time for yourself to do something you enjoy - spending time on a pleasant activity is a great way to relieve stress

 .  Exercise is a wonderful way to relieve stress.  Think about when you were a kid, if you liked to run and play, get out and take a walk, or ride a bike or fly a kite.  If you liked to swim go to the Y or Rec Center, or take a class, a Pilates class or a dance class.  Moving can release endorphins to help you deal with stress.  

    Deep breathing is another great way to fight stress.  Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of six and exhale to a count of six.  Whenever you feel stressed, begin this process until you feel yourself begin to relax. 

    Hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to relieve stress.  Some hypnotherapists including myself, encourage clients to record their hypnosis session on their cell phone so they can use it later for relaxation.  Obviously, a recording is never used while driving or operating machinery, but can be a great tool for relaxation at home lying on your bed or sofa.  

   If you are seeing signs of cortisol imbalance causing problems such as excess belly fat, try some of these stress-relievers, see a hypnotherapist and BE WELL.

SIT LESS, GET MOVING AND LIVE LONGER

   If you are reading this, it's likely it's time to get up and move.  An analysis of health data for 167,000 adults, reported by Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD, associate executive director for population science, Pennington Biomedical Center at Louisiana State University System in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, found that length of life expectancy was correlated to a sedentary life style.

    The researchers found that those who were sedentary for less than three hours per day had   a life expectancy two years longer than those who sat for three or more hours a day.  Diabetes, heart disease and other health problems are correlated to a sedentary lifestyle.  If you work at a desk for three hours a day or more, set aside times to get up and move,  A simple timer that rings once an hour or every 90 minute can be a reminder  and may prolong your life.

    If you need a little motivation to get moving, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  Sit less.  Get moving.  Live longer and BE WELL.

WHAT TO DO AFTER A STROKE OR HEART ATTACK

      A report published in BMJ on an analysis of 305 studies by Huseyin Naci, a fellow at Harvard Medical School, Boston and a doctoral candidate in pharmaceutical policy and economics at London School of Economics, reported that exercise may work better than medication after a stroke or heart attack to prevent early death.  Naci reported moderate-intensity aerobic activity like brisk walking for at least two-and-half hours per week worked as well as medication for heart attack patients.  It was more effective than drugs for stroke patients who were able to exercise.  

    Obviously, medical doctors need to discuss lifestyle changes as well as the use of medications with patients who have had either a heart attack or stroke. In many cases, a combination of drugs and exercise may be the best in preventing early death for those patients.

    If you have been approved and encouraged to start moderate-intensity aerobic exercise by your medical doctor following a stroke or heart attack, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to get moving. Use motivation to get moving and BE WELL.

HAVING FRIENDS IMPROVES YOUR HEALTH

     While we are in school, making friends may be natural and easy.  We are living in close proximity with people of similar age and interests.  But as we mature, marry, have families and are involved with jobs which may move us from those original friends, many of us fail to renew old friendships or replace them with new ones. 

    If we are lucky, a few special friendships may last a lifetime.  But often people may come into our lives for a time and then be part of our pasts. Even those "friends for a season" can provide us with the many benefits of friendship from companionship to a sense of community. In addition, friends can strengthen our health.  

     Numerous studies have found that having friends boosts our health.  The stress relief and positive feelings friendship brings into our lives are real positives in health improvements.  A federally supported study of 503 women with risks factors for heart disease were done for several years. The women wereassessed for their social relationships and tests for coronary artery disease.  Tracking the deaths and causes of death within that group of women, the researchers found that those with larger social circles were less than half as likely to die within a few years

    An interesting 10 year Australian study found that those with the strongest networks of friends lived the longest.  Survival rates were barely affected by contact with relatives including children. 

   Two Harvard School of Public Health studies, one done with as part of the 50 plus year old Framingham Masschusetts Heart Study and one by the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, reported higher social activity was correlated to less risk for cardiovascular disease.  The Framingham Heart Study found that marker levels for inflammation that is linked to cardiovascular disease were lowest in the most socially active men and highest in least active men,  The Geffen School study found that socially active men produced more fibrogen, a desirable protein that aids blood in clotting.

     If you have gotten out of the habit of making friends, have social anxiety or need to get motivated to make the effort it takes to make friends, hypnosis can help.  Having friends will improve your life and help you to BE WELL. 

SLEEP HABITS AFFECT YOUR WEIGHT

    An article published in AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH PROMOTION reported on a study of 330 students by researchers at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.  The study compared students sleep habits and their body fat.  The primary finding was that regular sleep habits can help you keep slim.  The researchers identified consistent sleep habits as those in which the subject's bedtime and wake-up time varied by an hour or less each day.  They concluded that people with those consistent sleep habits including bedtimes and wake-up times had less body fat than those whose sleep habits were most erratic.

    The recommendation was that the best amount of time to sleep was six-and-a-half to eight-and-a-half hours per night.  If one of your New Year's resolutions was to go to bed earlier, sleep better or have more consistent sleep habits, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool to help.  Your sleep habits affect your weight.  Improve them, have less body fat and BE WELL.

AVOID THE HOLIDAY BLUES

    December is here and while some people are anticipating a month of fun and happiness, others are dreading a month of too many activities and too many expectations.  Often they may turn to food or drink for comfort when the demands of December leave them feeling down.

     There are a couple of important things to avoid if you've got the blues.  The first is alcohol.  Although when initially consumed, alcohol can produce euphoria and cause you to be less inhibited and more animated, in fact, alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system.  With continued drinking, the depressant effect predominates as alcohol crosses the blood-brain barrier.

     Avoiding baked goods can also help you avoid the blues.  This is particularly important during the holiday season when we are absolutely surrounded by baked treats.  High-fat and high sugar carbs are sitting out at the office, served at every social function and on the table throughout the holidays.  Like alcohol, the sweet treats give a temporary lift and good feelings.  But often the excess sweet, fat food intake results in feeling heavy, drowsy and depressed.

    If you consume more alcohol and baked goods during the holiday, these can certainly add to those holiday blues.  If you need a tool to avoid those depression triggers, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  Control your eating and drinking.  Avoid the holiday blues, feel good and BE WELL through the holidays.

IMPROVE MEMORY AND ATTENTION WITH YOGA

    If you are over the age of 55 and would like to improve your memory and attention, a study reported by Neha Gothe, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, suggests that hatha yoga could be the answer.  The eight-week study found that an hour-long class of hatha yoga,  the most commonly practiced form of yoga in the world,  practiced three times a week by adults over age 55 could significantly improve attention and memory.  This improvement was found to be greater than adults who simply did toning and stretching exercises.

    The controlled breathing and the focus required to hold positions were suggested to be reasons for the improvement.  If you have been thinking about taking a yoga class, now may be the time.  If you need some motivation to get started, hypnotherapy can hep you get motivated and BE WELL.  

CAFFEINE AND PANIC ATTACKS

      If you are one of the 90% of Americans adults who drink caffeinated coffee, tea or soda, be aware you are consuming a potent drug.  According to Wilkie A. Wilson, Jr. PhD, a neuropharmacologist and research professor of prevention science at the Social Science Research Institute at Duke University, caffeine is in so many beverages and foods, it is likely you may be consuming more than you realize.  Even some over-the-counter-medications may contain caffeine.  For example, the pain medication, Excedrin, has 65 mg of caffeine per table. The FDA recommends no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.  Since one cup of coffee can have as much as 200 - 300 mg of caffeine per day, it's easy to see how we can go beyond that recommendation.

     Some consumption of caffeine can actually have positive health effects. Studies have shown positive results such as headache relief, fewer gallstones, less Parkinson's disease and less cognitive decline in those consuming caffeine products.  Unfortunately, there are also negative effects in caffeine use including, high blood pressure, incontinence, sleep problems and impaired glucose regulation.

     If you are suffering from stress or panic attacks, be aware caffeine increases the hormone, adrenaline, which is already higher during times of stress.  And Dr. Wilson has noted that large amounts of caffeine, defined as about three cups of coffee, can actually trigger a panic attack.

     Hypnosis can be a valuable tool in cutting back or eliminating caffeine in your diet. If you have panic attacks check out my book, THE ANXIETY TOOLBOX available on Amazon in eBook and paperback, use hypnosis, feel better and BE WELL. 

TEEN USE OF TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND ALCOHOL

        A 2012 study based on annual surveys of between 45,000 and 50,000 high school students in around 400 secondary schools found that 17.1% of U. S. teens had reported smoking tobacco within thirty days of the survey.  This was good new as the study by researchers at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, funded through research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the National Institutes of Health showed the number down from 18.7% a year earlier.  The teens reported their use of marijuana was about the same. While 22.6% of high school seniors reported smoking marijuana in the past thirty days in 2011, 22.9% reported  using marijuana in the previous thirty days in 2012.  Alcohol use was reported about the same levels.  More than 40% of high school seniors reported drinking alcohol in the thirty days before the survey.

    If you have a child who is using tobacco, marijuana or alcohol and wants to stop, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  Help them stop smoking and using alcohol .  Hypnosis helps!

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION LINKED TO MEDIA MULTITASKING

          If you are a person who takes pride in all you get done by multitasking, you may not have realized that some kinds of multitasking can lead to emotional issues like depression and anxiety.  An article published in CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING reported on a study on media multitasking by the its leader, Mark Becker, PhD, professor of psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing.  The findings of the study indicate that people who immerse themselves in multiple feeds of information are up to 70% more likely to have symptoms of depression and anxiety than people who do not media multitask.  Examples of media multitasking including browsing web sites on your computer while talking on the phone or or sending text messages while watching television.  

        If you are suffering from either anxiety or depression, see your family physician who may prescribe a medication or refer you to a mental health professional.  If you are a media multitasker suffering from depression or anxiety, cut back on all your media technology and use one feed of information at a time.  If you need help to cut back on your use of media technology or media multitasking, hypnotherapy can be a valuable tool.  

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.