HOW HYPNOSIS CAN HELP REDUCE RISK FOR KIDNEY STONES

     Most of us have heard of the tremendous pain that kidney stones can cause.  Whether it is continuous, throbbing pain or extremely severe spasms, no one wants to deal with them if they can be prevented.  Hypnosis can help reduce the risk for developing them by helping you get moving.

     A study of 84,225 women led by researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle reported on a way to reduce risk for kidney stones.  The study was published in JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY encouraging people to become more active.

     The researchers reported that active post-menopausal women were 16% to 31% less likely to develop kidney stones that sedentary women.  The women were followed for eight years and maximum effects were found in the most active subjects.  Best effects were found at the equivalent of four hours of light gardening, three hours a week of walking at a moderate-pace or one hour of moderate-paced jogging.

    So we have still another reason to get moving.  If you are having trouble starting or maintaining an exercise program, hypnosis can help.  Get a hypnosis session to get moving, protect yourself from the pain of kidney stones and BE WELL.    

STOP SMOKING WITH HYPNOSIS

    Are you ready to quit smoking?  Have you already tried and failed to become a nonsmoker?  Mark Twain once wrote, "It's easy to quit smoking.  I've done it thousands of times." And, nearly a century ago, the magazine Punch, reporting on a raise in the tobacco tax predicted, "All those people who gave up smoking last year will do so again this year."

   There are lots of ways to quit smoking from going cold turkey to going to a medical doctor for a prescription.  But you may not have thought of using hypnosis for smoking cessation.

    If you want an easy and simple way to quit smoking, hypnosis is a great method and has the added bonus of not putting chemicals in your body.  Clients often ask me what are the side effects of using hypnosis to become a nonsmoker.  The answer is simple, "you quit smoking."

   My program for smoking cessation is simple.  I ask a commitment to two sessions.  There is no hypnosis in the first session.  It is a clinical interview in which I will ask the client a lot of questions to understand their smoking habit.  What do you smoke?  How much do you smoke?  What do you like about smoking?  What do you dislike about smoking are just some of the questions that I will ask in the 90 minute interview.

    At the end of the first session, I give the clients some forms to bring back to their second session.  These will give me information about how they process stress, whether they are left or right brain dominant and whether their neurolinguistic learning channels are visual, auditory or kinesthetic.  These help me design their individual hypnosis session.

    The  second session is about 75 minutes and includes a 45 minute hypnosis session which many clients choose to record on their cellphone for reinforcement.  At the end of the second session, they will be nonsmokers.

  I am so confident of this, that I guarantee that I if they slip I will do a free session and get them started again.  Obviously, I couldn't do this if it happens often.  Last year I saw two people that needed to do a free session.  One started again when he picked up a cigarette at the funeral home when he was there for his mother's funeral.  The other went on an alcoholic binge and found that alcohol brings down inhibitions.  

   Every hypnotherapist will have their own process but hypnosis can work to help you be the healthy nonsmoker you want to be.  

EXTRA STEPS LOWER HEART ATTACK RISK

    Want to have the best chance at a long full healthy life?  THE LANCET reported on a study of 9,307 adults from 40 countries for six years conducted by researchers at the University of Leicester, UK.  They found that each time a person increased his or her activity by another 2,000 steps per day day, the risk for heart attack went down by another eight percent. Hypnosis can help that be a possibility.

    Just getting started helps, walking the first 2,000 extra steps a day lowered heart attack risk by ten per cent.  Since that is the equivalent of a twenty minute walk, this is a realistic goal for most people.

   So now you have another reason to get up and move.  If you need some motivation, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to get moving and lower your heart attack risk.

EXERCISE HELPS PREVENT ALZHEIMER'S

    Are you fearful of developing Alzheimer's?  If you are trying to figure out what you can do to prevent dementia.  Another study reinforces the need to get moving.  If you need help, hypnosis can be a valuable tool.

   You may not have had genetic testing.  But genes are one of the many risk factors for dementia.  A gene called APOE epsilon4 allele (e4 gene) which is present in approximately ten to fifteen percent of people can influence your risk for late-onset Alzheimer's.  Stephen Rao, Phd, professor and director of Schey Center for Cognitive Neuromanaging at the Cleveland Clinic was leader of a study of 97 people with the e4 gene which was published in FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE.

    The 18 month study found that the brain scans of people with the e4 gene who exercised moderately a few times a week had far less shrinkage in the hippocampus, an indicator of Alzheimers, than those the gene who were not physically active. 

    So once again, we find it's time to get up and move.  If you need help to start moving and protect your brain from shrinking, hypnosis can help. 

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM LATE-LIFE DEMENTIA

   If you are suffering from midlife stress, be aware it is linked to dementia later on in your life.  Hypnosis can help you deal with the stresses and help protect you from late-life dementia.

    Lena Johansson, Phd, researcher at the University of Goethenburg, Moindal, Sweden, reported on a study of 800 women who were tracked for almost forty years.  Researchers discovered that whose who had experienced significant stress, such as widowhood, loss of a child, divorce or mental illness in a loved one, were 21% more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in late-life.

   It is believed that stress may actually cause functional and even structural changes in the brain.  These changes may last for many years after the stressful situation which triggered them.

    Do all you can to relieve midlife stress including meditation, yoga, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy.  Hypnosis can help you relax and deal with the stresses in your life.  

LOSE WEIGHT WITH HYPNOSIS AND REDUCE CANCER RISK

     When I do a clinical interview with a weight loss client, I always ask about the client's motivation to lose the weight.  I hear lots of reasons that range from self-esteem to wearing all those clothes hanging up in the closet that don't fit.  Some clients will also mention health risks for heart disease or diabetes.  A less well-known risk for being overweight or obese is cancer.

     Melina Arnold, PhD and scientist at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon France has reported on a review of health data of almost 74,000 postmenopausal women which found that every decade in which people were overweight or obese drove up the risk of being diagnosed with certain cancers by as much as 37%  Among the risks were breast, kidney and colon cancer.  The strongest risk was for endometrial cancer.

    Arnold suggests that reasons for risk of cancer after being overweight or obese for decades include chronic inflammation, hormone metabolism which can elevate the risk for certain cancers and oxidative DNA damage.  If you or a loved one have been overweight for decades, it's time to lose the weight and reduce further cancer risk.

    So what can you do to finally lose the weight?  First of all, see your physician.  Make sure you are not fighting a medical issue which keeps you from losing weight or even causes you to gain weight. Once those risks have been eliminated it's time to create your plan for losing weight.

     Research has found that people who have a plan or a particular program do better than those who simply decide to "watch their weight".  So research weight loss programs which may include weight-loss books, nutrition books, gym and personal training programs, prepared food providers, diet and weight loss clubs or one-on-one nutrition and diet counseling.  

    Once you have created a plan for how you choose to lose the weight, get a boost from hypnosis.  A hypnotherapist can help you set goals on eating, exercise and staying motivated to follow your plan.  Hypnosis can be a valuable tool to lose weight and reduce your cancer risk. 

HYPNOSIS CAN PROTECT AGAINST THE RISK OF DEMENTIA

    If you are suffering from chronic stress, you may be at increased risk for dementia.  Lena Johansson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Gothenburg, Moindal, Sweden, reported on a study of 800 women over a period of nearly 40 years.  The research found that midlife significant stress such as loss of a child, divorce, widowhood or mental illness in a loved one was a predictor of developing Alzheimer's disease.  In fact, 21% of those experiencing midlife stress were more likely to develop dementia.

    Researchers believe that stress may cause functional and structural changes in the brain.  These changes may last for years after the stressful event.  

    If you are experiencing midlife stress, use tools to deal with the stress.  Check this blog for tools for dealing with stress including yoga, psychotherapy and meditation.  Hypnosis can be a valuable tool to deal with stress and help to protect you from the risk of dementia and BE WELL.

RELIEVE ANXIETY AND REDUCE STROKE RISK WITH HYPNOSIS

   Anxiety is not only uncomfortable for a person suffering its symptoms.  It also can cause significant health risks  According to the National Comorbidity Survey as many as one in four of the men and women in the United States may experience an anxiety disorder ranging from a phobia to panic attacks to long-term chronic anxiety such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

    Most people have a general awareness of symptoms of anxiety disorders which may include over-whelming fear, avoidance of certain places or situations, worry about situations, avoidance of situations, having sleep problems in falling or staying asleep and fear of losing control.  It's good to know that early recognition and treatment including hypnosis can prevent much suffering from anxiety.

   Research in an over 22-year study of 6,000 adults reported by Maya Lambiase, PhD,  and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pittsburgh, indicates that people with high levels of anxiety were 33% more likely to have strokes than those with low levels. It is believed that anxiety caused higher levels of stress hormones, elevated heart rate and high blood pressure.  In addition, smoking and physical inactivity which were identified as anxiety-related behaviors may have raised the risk for strokes.

   The good news is that there are treatments which can help including medications and cognitive-behavioral therapy.  Self-help techniques such as breathing exercises, avoiding caffeine and quitting smoking can also be of value.  In my own hypnotherapy practice, I often worked on referral from psychotherapists for anxiety.  As an adjunct to the therapists own work, I did one to a few sessions of hypnotherapy to reinforce their work and support the self-help techniques.  

    With treatment from physicians, cognitive-behavioral therapists and hypnotherapists, anxiety can be relieved and your health risk of strokes caused by anxiety can be eliminated.  Get the help you need.  Hypnosis can help you to feel better and BE WELL. 

EXERCISE MOTIVATION AND HYPNOSIS

     Have you been thinking about starting to exercise?  Is thinking as far as you have gone in actually getting started?  Hypnosis can be a great motivator to get you moving.

     If your are trying to lose weight, boost your mood, get into better shape physically or get your heart beating faster, nothing beats exercise.  A study done in the U.K. reviewed several years of health research and found that 30 minutes of exercise on most days decreases the risk of depression, heart disease, obesity, certain cancers and type 2 diabetes.

     Hypnosis can help you not only GET moving but KEEP moving.  So if you need help in either area, make a appointment with a hypnotherapist.  When you go to the appointment, be clear about your goals so they can be incorporated into your hypnosis session.

     It helps to plan in advance what type of exercise you plan to do.  You will not accept a hypnosis session that you would never do.  I always tell people, "There is no use giving you the suggestion that you will do an hour work out at the gym every day if you hate the gym."  Instead, think about what you could do that you actually enjoy.  Think about what you did as a kid.  If you liked to run and play, take a walk.  Or ride a bicycle.  Buy some roller bladesl. Fly a kite. You are much more apt to do something you enjoy.

    Make your goals as specific as possible.  Rather than thinking, "I need to exercise", think "I will walk four mornings a week from 9:00 till 9:30."  Think about where you are going to do the exercise, if you enjoy nature your goal may be to walk in the park or on a nature trail.  If you don't like to get too cold or too hot, grab a mile at the mall.  Most mornings the mall is still relatively empty.  Set goals for distance.  If you walk at a brisk pace for 15 minutes, you should have walked about one mile.  A pedometer is a great way to keep track of your distance.  Health experts recommend 10,000 steps a day.  Keep track of your progress.  Draw a happy face on the calendar when you return.  The reason children like gold stars is that they are motivating!

    Whether your exercise goals include home equipment, going to the gym, videos or taking that walk, have them clear in your mind, so the hypnotherapist can make sure they are part of your hypnosis session.

    Get going, get moving.  Hypnosis helps!!

STOP SMOKING WITH HYPNOSIS AND PROTECT YOUR PETS

     Has your veterinarian told you that secondhand smoke is dangerous to your pet?  For many pet owners, becoming a nonsmoker will be better not only for their own health but that of their pets as well.  If you need another reason to stop smoking, wanting your pet to have the best chance at a long, healthy life may be it.  Hypnosis can help you be a nonsmoker.

     A web-based survey done in 2009 of 3,293 adult pet owners found that 48% were either smokers or living with smokers.  Love of their animals would encourage 37% to quit or ask the people they live with to quit if there was clear evidence that smoking is harmful to their pets.  That evidence would encourage 14% of the survey responders to only smoke outside away from their animals.

    The evidence is there.  The toxins in secondhand smoke can cause malignant lymphoma in cats and cause lung cancer in dogs.  If your pet already has some re-existing problem, the dangers are even greater.

     Check sites like the ASPCA and the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center and the American Legacy Foundation to learn more about the dangers of secondhand smoking to your animals. If you are considering stopping smoking, protecting your pets is another reason to make that choice.  Hypnotherapy is a great way to get a strong tool to help you and your pets BE WELL!

EXERCISE MOTIVATION AND HYPNOSIS

    Are you trying to lose weight, get into better physical shape, boost your mood or get your heart beating faster?  Nothing beats exercise.  If "thinking about starting" to exercise, is as far as you have gotten in actually getting started, hypnosis can be a great motivator to get you going.

    If you have read this blog for a while, you have seen reports on some of the research about the value of exercise.  A study done in the U.K. reviewed several years of health research and found that just 30 minutes of exercise on most days decreases the risk of depression, heart disease, obesity, certain cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

     It helps to plan in advance what type of exercise you plan to do.  And, be specific so your goals are measurable.  For example in planning a walk or run:

       1.  WHEN will you exercise? A specific time helps. Rather than thinking, "I need to exercise.",  think, "I will walk four mornings a week from 9:00 till 9:30".  

       2.  Be specific about WHERE you will exercise.  If you enjoy nature, your goal may be to walk in the park or nature trail. If you don't like to get too cold, or too hot, grab a mile at the mall.  Most mornings, the mall is still relatively empty.

       3.  Set GOALS for distance.  If you walk at a brisk pace for 15 minutes you should have walked about one mile.  A pedometer is a great way to keep track of your distance.  One mile is about 2,000 steps.  Health experts recommend 10,000 steps a day.

       4. TRACK your progress.  Write down your accomplishments in a log.  Draw a happy face on the calendar when you finish your work out.  The reason children like gold starts is that they are motivating!

   Your exercise goals may include home equipment, videos, a class or going to the gym.  When you go to a hypnotherapist for exercise motivation know WHAT you want to do for exercise, WHEN you want to do it, WHERE you plan to do it, For HOW long you plan to do and WHY you want to exercise.  Clear goals can be incorporated into your hypnosis session to make it strong and personalized for you.

     If you've decided, ""It's time!", hypnosis can be a valuable tool for you to to be motivated to exercise and BE WELL.  

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL HYPNOTHERAPY

    In my last blog post, I discussed how important it is for a prospective client to WANT to make the changes they are seeking.  There are several other issues that can limit successful hypnosis.

    A client must feel comfortable with the hypnotherapist.  If the person is thinking "I don't like the hypnotherapist" or "I don't trust this person".  it is likely they will not accept suggestions.  For this reason, some hypnotherapists offer a time over the phone to answer questions.  I offer a half-hour free consultation in my officewhere prospective clients can actually sit downwith me and get questions answered and have a little time to make sure if it "feels okay".

   There are some physiological problems that cause hypnotherapy limitations.  If a person has limited hearing, hypnosis can be challenging.  The prospective client also needs to be able to understand the language spoken by the hypnotherapist.

     If the client has physical disabilities that make it difficult to sit comfortably, hypnosis may have to be very brief and not as successful.  If the client suffers from neurological impairment, a loss of abstract reasoning abilities or a loss of verbal skills, hypnosis may not be useful.

    Although hypnotherapy can be used with clients of below-average intelligence or vocabulary,. the techniques and procedures used with them need to be direct and concrete.  Many hypnotherapy techniques require at least average vocabulary and intelligence.

   Psychotics and people with borderline personality disorders are not good candidates for hypnotherapy.  The use of trance with individuals who are already having difficulty with their conscious experiences can create anxiety and paranoia.  I ask in my client in-take form about all medical personnel and therapists that the clients have worked with and any diagnoses that they may have received.  If the client is currently working with a therapist, I ask  for a referral and often have a phone conference with the therapist or physician before making a decision about whether hypnotherapy is appropriate.

     A great majority of people who visit my office for hypnotherapy will not have any of these issues.  For them, hypnotherapy can be a great tool to facility the changes they want in their lives. 

HYPNOSIS IS NOT MAGIC BUT A GREAT TOOL FOR CHANGE

     The first thing I tell potential clients is that I can't make people fly by flailing their arms no matter how much hypnosis I do.  Hypnosis is not magic.

     Habits like smoking and overeating are very resistant to change.  Hypnosis will not "make" someone lose 84 pounds in six weeks no matter how good my services are.  Hypnotherapy cannot be used to force change.  It can only motivate a willing client to change.

     Once in a while someone will ask me, "Why would anyone come to see you if they didn't want to make that change?"  In actuality, sometimes clients come because someone is pressuring them - "If you don't quit (drinking, gambling, etc.), I'm going to leave you."  They are not in my office to change.  They are there to pacify this other person.

    Sometimes parents come in with a teenager saying  "make this kid quit running around with the wrong set of friends or drinking or drugging" while the child sits there with her arms crossed and defiance written on her face.  There is little likelihood of real change in such a situation.

   Medical doctors and psychotherapists send clients to me as an adjunct therapy to their work.  If the person is coming only to pacify their doctor or therapist and does not want to deal with their issue, hypnosis will be another failed attempt.  Hypnosis is not magic.

   But when the client is ready and wants to change, hypnosis can be a valuable tool to make wonderful changes physically, mentally and emotionally.

HOW CAN I FIND A PROFESSIONAL HYPNOTHERAPIST

      Over the years several people asked me how to find a professional hypnotherapist in their area.  I know this can be difficult. Rural areas with small populations may simply be unable to support the brief therapy of a hypnotherapist.  But hypnosis can be so valuable in making positive changes, it is well worth traveling to find the right person for you.

    One of your job as a potential hypnotherapy client is to do everything you can to make sure you are working with a highly trained professional.  Do your homework! 

      Ask referrals from your medical doctor, counselor or therapist.  I get referrals from all of those sources.  Ask your friends whose judgement you trust, if they have used a hypnotherapist they could recommend.

    If you have not been able to find a trusted referral, the internet and phone books are just a place to start.  Call a number of professionals in your area.  Many hypnotherapists work in one person offices, so you will probably be dealing with voice mail or an answering machine.  Leave your number and ask for a call back.

    It is highly likely you will have questions as hypnotherapists return your call. Most are willing to answer your questions over the phone. Others may have you meet with themI offer a free half-hour consultation just so potential clients can be with me and get their questions answered.  

     When you find the right professional hypnotherapist,  hypnosis can be a valuable tool to make wonderful changes physically, mentally and emotionally.  Find that person to help you BE WELL.

REDUCE HOT FLASHES WITH HYPNOSIS

    I often tell my clients "Hypnosis is not magic.  I can't help you fly by flapping your arms, no matter how much hypnosis we do."  So then, how can hypnosis help reduce hot flashes?

     Researchers at Liverpool John Moores University published an article in THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY on reducing hot flashes.  They found that women who worked out reported 60 per cent fewer hot flashes than women who did not exercise.  And even those who still had some hot flashes found them less intense, were better able to regulate their body heat and perspired less.

     If you are not exercising regularly and are experiencing hot flashes that are making your life miserable, it is time to get moving.  Hypnotherapy can be a valuable to help you get motivated to exercise, reduce those hot flashes, feel better and BE WELL. 

USE HYPNOSIS TO QUIT DRINKING DIET SODA

        If you have followed this blog for a while, you may  have seen my updates on the problems with drinking diet soda.  Many of my clients tell me similar stories of being concerned about weight gain. With the best of intentions, they shifted from regular soft drinks to diet sodas to eliminate calories.  But in many cases, they actually gained weight.  Hypnosis is a great tool to help those wanting to quit drinking diet soda.

     It seems so unfair.  You trade from regular to diet soft drinks in attempt to lose or at least control weight gain.  But the exact opposite happens.  Sharon Fowler, MPH, obesity researcher at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, reported on a nine year study of almost 500 adults over the age of 64 and found that daily diet soda drinkers had much larger increases in waist circumference than those who did not drink diet soft drinks.  In fact there was a threefold increase in the circumference of the waist of diet soda drinkers.

    Beyond the cosmetic results from diet soda drinking, there is a health risk.  Since artificial sweeteners can interfere with glucose metabolism, it increases the risk for stroke, diabetes and heart disease.  If you have been thinking about reducing the risk of these health issues and want to keep your belly flat and your waist trim, it's time to stop.  If you need some help, hypnosis can help you stop drinking diet soda and BE WELL.  

DIAGNOSED WITH NAFLD? LOSE WEIGHT WITH HYPNOSIS

     Have you ever even heard of NAFLD?  This acronym is for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which  affects up to 25% of all adults The definition of a "fat" liver is one with more than 5% to 10% of weight from fatty tissue.  Since NAFLD is linked to metabolic syndrome and obesity, losing weight can help control or even eliminate this disease. Hypnosis can help you do the things you know you "ought" to be doing like moving more and eating better or less.

    Metabolic syndrome linked to NAFLD includes a whole group of issues including, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, obesity and high blood sugar.  If you are obese or suffering from these problems, know that you may also have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease which can lead to cirrhosis, severe inflammation or even liver failure.  

    The good news is that studies say it is possible to eliminate NAFLD by losing as little as ten per cent of your total weight.  This is a scary disease that you can help to control or eliminate by losing weight.  Hypnosis can help to get you motivated to make the changes that allow you to lose the weight and BE WELL.

AVOIDING WEIGHT GAIN FROM DIET SODA WITH HYPNOSIS

     Years ago, you may have switched from sugar-sweetened soda to diet drinks in an attempt to lose weight.  But studies continue to come out linking diet soda to weight gain. You can read about the research in these studies in some of my earlier blogs. If you have been thinking about getting off diet soda but need help, hypnosis can be a valuable tool.

    A recent study of 749 people over age 65 was conducted by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and was published in the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY.  The researchers reported a definite link between diet soda and weight gain.  Over nine years, people who did not drink diet soda had an 0.8 inch expansion in their waist lines.  The people who drank diet soda occasionally had a waist expansion of 1.8 inches.  People who drank one or more cans of diet soda every day during those nine years added 3.2 inches to their waists.

   If you are ready to eliminate diet soda from your life, a session of hypnotherapy can make getting rid of a bad habit that can affect your health and your weight much easier.  You can do this.  Avoid the weight and health problems of consuming diet soda with hypnosis and BE WELL.

HYPNOSIS AND OTHER NON-DRUG OPTIONS FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

    It is likely that if you are over 50, you may have been advised to take a cholesterol-lowering statin drug for high cholesterol.  In fact about 25% of American adults are currently taking a statin.  HIgh cholesterol is considered a major health risk which can lead to heart attacks, blood clots and atherosclerosis.

    Unfortunately, though statins can lower risk for a small number of people who have already had a heart attack, the use of statins for people who had not been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease helped prevent heart attacks by only 1 per cent to 2 per cent.  In addition, statins can cause side effects from myalgia or muscle pain to statin related muscle damage that can lead to kidney failure and even death.

     Barbara H. Roberts, MD, is the author of the book THE TRUTH ABOUT STATINS: RISKS AND ALTERNATIVES TO CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS and the director of the Women's Cardiac Center at The Miriam Hospital and a clinical associate professor of medicine at Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She writes that sometimes statin side effects are an acceptable exchange for people who have had had a heart attack, cardiocvascular disease or have familial hypercholesterolemia which is caused by a genetic problem.  But for most of her patients, she advises lifestyle changes to increase HDL and reduce triglycerides.

   The first thing she suggested was to really work on having a healthier diet.  She recommended the Mediterranean diet which includes less beef, lamb and pork and more whole grains, vegetables, fruit and fish.  Dr. Roberts specifically recommended eating seafood a few times a week because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish reduce inflammation and triglycerides.  Avoiding simple cards, the "white" foods like white bread, white pasta and white rice was encouraged. A study by The Lyon Diet Heart Study concluded that patients following a Mediterranean diet highly improved their chances of avoiding another heart attack.  Though the LDL was about the same as those in the control group, people following the western diet were 70% less likely to have a heart attack.

    Dr. Roberts also highly recommends the consumption of more extra-virgin olive oil which helps increase HDL and inhibits oxidized cholesterol from stiffening the arteries (atherosclerosis) which can lead to higher blood pressure. Another recommendation was that drinking one glass of a high-antioxidant red wine for women and no more than two glasses of red wine for men can help reduce risk of heart disease.

   If you want to try for a non-drug option for high cholesterol, you have to add in exercise. One of the best ways to minimize your heart disease risk is to move regularly.  Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of movement. You don't have to go to the gym.  Biking, swimming and walking can all help.

   And that is where hypnosis comes in.  I work with intelligent and highly educated clients.  They know what to do.  They just aren't doing it.  If you are hoping to avoid drugs for high cholesterol  and their possible side effects, you need to be following Dr. Roberts' suggestions.  If you need help getting started and getting motivated to make those changes, hypnosis can help.  Get started and BE WELL>

MAJOR ILLNESSES LINKED TO SMOKING. QUIT WITH HYPNOSIS

     A report published in JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE by researchers at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, was an analysis of data from 2006 through 2012 on data from two national health surveys.  The analysis showed the huge toll of smoking on smokers' health.  At the time of the report, smoking was linked to 14 million cases of major illness in the United States.  The report concluded that for each death caused by smoking in the U.S. at that time, fifteen to twenty people were suffering with a major disease caused by their smoking habit.

   I once had a close friend justify her smoking habit with the comment, "Everyone has to die of something".  Well, she died of lung cancer that spread to her brain.  Major diseases like cancer and heart disease are often side-effects of smoking.  If you have been thinking about quitting smoking, don't wait until you have a bad diagnosis. 

    Recently a message was left on my voice mail, I'd like to share with you."Hi, Jennifer,  This is Elizabeth _____, Today is the first anniversary of quitting smoking with your help.  Thanks to you, I'll never smoke another cigarette.  I feel so much better.  My life is better.  My grandkids get to keep me.  Thank you so much."  Don't wait for a major illness to quit smoking.  Hypnosis can help you stop and BE WELL.