STRESS …… Health…….Our Life

“Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.
Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional”

Whether you are a CEO of a multinational company or an ordinary housewife at home, every one complains about one thing common: STRESS.

People these days spend long hours at work, have their children involved in more activities and maintain busier life style than ever before. This can be exciting but it can also lead to a feeling of constant stress and chaos.

Stress is a modern-day affliction that is being blamed for everything from marriage breakdown, career burn out, lower back pain, stomach disorders, hyper tension, double vision, perpetual fatigue, alcoholism, high blood pressure, heart attacks and suicides. It lowers the body’s defense mechanism thus increasing susceptibility to depression and disease.

Doctors say that more than half of all doctor visits are for stress-related problems. When you consider how powerfully our emotions and attitudes affect our bodies, it shouldn't be surprising that doctors estimate that 60 to 90 percent of all patient visits are for stress-related symptoms.

According to Herbert Benson, MD, chief of the Division of Behavioral Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, chronic stress can lead to the following:

Depression
Anger
High blood pressure
Cardiac arrhythmia
Insomnia
Atherosclerosis

Stress in the workplace reduces productivity, increases management pressures, and makes people ill in many ways, evidence of which is still increasing. Workplace stress affects the performance of the brain, including functions of work performance; memory, concentration, and learning. In the UK over 13 million working days are lost every year because of stress. Stress is believed to trigger 70% of visits to doctors, and 85% of serious illnesses (UK HSE stress statistics).

The 'Quality of Working Life' report published by the Chartered Management Institute and Workplace Health Connect uncovers a high number of physical and psychological symptoms and highlights the impact these have on business performance.

The survey questioned 1,541 managers in the UK revealing a poor picture of health, with only half (50%) believing they are currently in 'good' health.

Key findings of the report were:

Anger and mood: 43% admitted to feeling or becoming angry with others too easily and one third (31%) confessed to a loss of humour creating workplace pressures.

Muscle tension and headaches: More than half of those questioned (55%) complained of muscular tension or physical aches and pains. 44% said they experienced frequent headaches.

Tiredness and insomnia: Asked about psychological symptoms, 55% experienced feelings of constant tiredness at work. 57% complained of insomnia.

The report also shows that ill-health is having an impact on morale and performance. One-third (30%) admit they are irritable 'sometimes or often' towards colleagues. Some managers also want to avoid contact with other people (26%) and many (21%) have difficulty making decisions due to ill health.

Mind and body were once thought to operate completely separately, but increasingly, science is showing that this isn't the case. There's now biological evidence that what we think, feel and believe can have a direct effect on the way in which our bodies function – and, consequently, on our well-being.

Stressed out

Stress, for example, is one area in which body and mind are strongly linked.
Stress and anxiety raise levels of cortisol
Many conditions appear to be exacerbated by stress. Studies have shown, for example, that relapses in people with multiple sclerosis can be associated with stressful events.

To be more specific, what causes illness is stress. When we say “stress” don’t imagine a busy day, or an exhausting run to catch a bus. That’s not stress, but just a high level of activity; in fact, you can be very busy and tired and also in a positive mental status at the same time.

So, what is Stress?
Stress is a temporary or a prolonged coexistence of active contrasting beliefs, activated by the current situation, and clashing one against the other.

Contrasting beliefs have the effect of pulling your sub-conscious in two or more directions. The result is stress and, as a consequence, the development of physical illness.

A popular greeting card attributes this quote to Henry David Thoreau: “Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.”

Diamonds cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials. With that experience their life becomes better, not bitter.

As we have seen, positive stress adds anticipation and excitement to life, and we all thrive under a certain amount of stress. Deadlines, competitions, confrontations, and even our frustrations and sorrows add depth and enrichment to our lives. Our goal is not to eliminate stress but to learn how to manage it and how to use it to help us.

Insufficient stress acts as a depressant and may leave us feeling bored or dejected; on the other hand, excessive stress may leave us feeling "tied up in knots." What we need to do is find the optimal level of stress which will individually motivate but not overwhelm each of us.

We welcome you to attend our workshop on Stress Management “BLOW THE STRESS & FEEL THE LIFE” a one day program where insights are given ‘HOW’ to mange and cope with Stress in a simple interactive and holistic way.

WORKSHOPS FOR STRESS FREE, HEALTHY LIVING

To make people aware of the importance of true health and happiness and to make them more Holistically healthy, Stress free, Productive and Creative, we have designed several workshops.

The details of the workshops are given below:

1. WELLNESS & HOLISTIC HEALTH AT WORK. (ONE DAY WORKSHOP)
This is a program for the ‘busy’ people working in offices / Industry, who have less time for their or their family’s health and very often fall prey to Ill health, Stress, Tension, Worry, Fatigue, Lethargy, Depression etc, mainly due to the present day working & life style, food habits etc. This is a Health awareness workshop which provides lots of inputs into Healthy eating and Healthy living. This program help participants to learn methods and processes to activate the “Built in Healing mechanism” of their body to prevent, control and reverse many of the common illnesses and diseases and lead a disease free, healthy, peaceful, happy and vibrant life.

2. BLOW THE STRESS & FEEL THE LIFE ( ONE DAY WORKSHOP)
It is an intensive and interactive work shop which throws light, processes and tips on
- What is Stress?
- How Stress affects us
- How to manage or cope with Stress and
- The various effective methods to contain and manage Stress

3. DYNAMIC AUTOGENIC MANIFESTATION (ONE DAY WORKSHOP)
This is a powerful workshop designed exclusively for Educational, Training & HR Institutes or Organizations for their students and participants. This helps participants to ‘activate’ their “in built success system” which we, all human beings are endowed with but are not aware of.

4. THE 3H PROGRM. (TWO DAYS WORKSHOP)
This is an intensive workshop for the people who have undergone any of the above trainings on Holistic Health for deeper study and finer understanding.

5. “LIVE IN STYLE” (ONE DAY WORKSHOP)
The major economic and social changes in recent decades have brought a new brand of health problems - non-Communicable lifestyle diseases among the rich, the middle class and the poor. This program is on “HOW” to readjust and realign our present style of life and lead a happy, healthy and vibrant life.

6. “THE LEADER IN YOU” (ONE DAY WORKSHOP)
A transforming intensive workshop on Leadership & Management. This workshop builds on the fundamentals of human relationships to help an individual to develop one’s own innate leadership skills and discover how to set and achieve goals,
increase self confidence, self Image and self esteem, Gain respect, build trusted relationships, understand thoughts, mind, emotion, control worries, become a team player, energize ones own life and make it vibrant, meaningful and happy.

7. “LIFESKILLS ESSENTIAL” (ONE DAY WORK SHOP ON SKILLS
REQUIRED FOR WORK, HEALTH & HAPPINESS)
Life skills can be defined as “the abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life”. As with any job, sport or discipline, in order to be proficient at it, one must acquire and master the requisite skills. Living life fully and productively is no different. Learning about and applying the life skills will help:

*know and understand oneselfbetter *-live life more consciously and deliberately *- atain personal satisfaction and fulfillment.

Thoughts Are Things

I hold it true that thoughts are things;
They’re endowed with bodies
and breath and wings:
And that we send them forth to fill
The world with good results, or ill.
That which we call our secret thought
Speeds forth to earth’s remotest spot,
Leaving its blessings or its woes
Like tracks behind it as it goes.

We build our future, thought by thought,
For good or ill, yet know it not.
Yet so the universe was wrought.
Thought is another name for fate;
Choose then thy destiny and wait,
For love brings love and hate brings hate.

Henry Van Dyke

FITNESS

What is fitness?

Fitness can be performance-related or health-related. Performance-related fitness is a measure of an athlete's agility, balance, power, and speed.

This topic focuses on health-related fitness, which you can achieve through regular physical activity. The benefits of both types of fitness are a healthy heart and lungs (cardiorespiratory fitness), increased flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance.

Health-related fitness helps you feel your best and reduces the risk of heart attack, colon cancer, Diabetes and high blood pressure. Being fit helps you to have more energy throughout the day for work or school and energy left over to enjoy your leisure time.

How much physical activity is required to become fit?

Experts recommend:

- Activity at moderate intensity (equal to a brisk walk) for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week or more.

- Vigorous exercise for 20 minutes a day, 3 times a week or more. Vigorous exercise is done at a pace that increases your heart rate to 70% or more of your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is the fastest your heart can beat at a maximum activity level.

Overview

Children and teens should be active at least 1 hour a day.

What types of physical activity improve fitness?

Most experts agree that there are three kinds of fitness:

1. Flexibility is the ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. Stretching is a flexibility exercise.

2. Aerobic (cardiorespiratory) fitness is the body's ability to use oxygen efficiently and depends upon the condition of your heart, lungs, and muscles. This type of fitness increases the amount of oxygen that is delivered to your muscles, which allows them to work longer. Walking is a type of aerobic exercise.

3. Muscular fitness includes building stronger muscles and increasing how long you can use them (endurance). Resistance training through weight lifting and body movements such as push-ups can improve muscular fitness.

Keep in mind that you may be fairly fit in one area (perhaps aerobic fitness) but just getting started with another (such as flexibility or muscle strengthening).

How can I be more physically active?

Try to make physical activity a regular and essential part of your day, just like brushing your teeth or going to work. Start slowly and be sure to consult your doctor first, especially if you aren't active at all or have health problems. Make an appointment with yourself when you are most likely to keep it. For example, consider scheduling your activity in the morning if you tend to talk yourself out of it later in the day.

Activity throughout the day burns calories and helps maintain your weight. Small activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking far away and walking to your office or the grocery store can add up quickly to the recommended 30 minutes of moderate activity. Make a plan to ride your bike to work once a week. Instead of e-mailing or calling a coworker, get up and walk to his or her desk. If you don't have time to take one 30-minute walk, break it up into three 10-minute walks.

Walking is an activity that most people can do safely and routinely with family members, friends, coworkers, or pets. If you have a desk job, you may see how little you actually move in a typical day.

If you want a more structured way to get exercise, consider joining a health club or Gym that offers fitness activities. Find an activity that you love and feel you can stick with, and then vary it with other activities so you don't get bored. For example, 3 days a week, take a brisk, 30-minute walk with a friend and then lift some weights together. On other days, take a water aerobics class, ride a bike, or take the dog for a hike. Join a sports club, play table tennis,volleyball, or basketball . The more you can find activities you like, the greater your chances for success and better health.

LIFESTYLE

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." -- Maria Robinson"

A lifestyle is what you pay for; a life is what pays you." -- Thomas Leonard"

Being rich isn't about money. Being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to take time to stop and eat the heart of the watermelon. And some of us will be rich without ever being more than a paycheck ahead of the game." -- Harvey B.Mackay

"Sophistication and lifestyle is understanding the difference between trinkets and treasures." -- Jim Rohn

ABC's for Success

A void negative people, places and habits.

B elieve in yourself. Distance yourself from those who belittle
and discourage you.

C lutter hinders efficiency. Get rid of any clutter in your
home, work space and the emotional clutter in your mind and
spirit.

D evelop financial intelligence and discipline. Save and spend
wisely.

Endure the tough times. Don't give up! Trouble don't last
always.

F amily and friends are a treasure. Spend more time with those
who matter.

G ood character is wealth. Be someone other people can respect
and
depend on.

H ealth is a precious gift. Make some form of exercise, healthy
eating, water and reduction of sugar, salt and fatty foods a
life style priority.

I nvest in your future, because that is where you will be the
rest of your life.

J ust do what matters. Remain focused on your priorities.

K eep the main thing --- THE MAIN THING! Focus, concentration
and perseverance pays off.

L et go of the heavy baggage of stress, worry, shame and anger.

M anage your time, money and emotions well.

N ever lie, cheat or steal. Always be fair.

O ptimism and hope can get you through the tough times. Anything
is possible with faith and action.

P ray for strength, courage and wisdom to endure, excel and
enjoy your life.

Quality produces success. How you do anything, is how you will
do everything. Always do your best.

R ead and learn something new every day to increase your chances
for success.

S top waiting. Procrastination is a thief! Action speaks louder
than FEAR.

T ake time to create balance in your life. Don't sweat the small
stuff.

U nderstand yourself in order to better understand others. Heal
your emotional wounds.

V alue your self-esteem and choose wisely in your relationships.

W inners keep growing and going in spite of obstacles.
"Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn."

e X cel in your efforts. Don't settle for the ordinary. Live and
give above average.

Y ou are a child of God. Maintain your self-esteem. Never
compromise or discount yourself

Z ero in on your target goals and ideas. GO FOR IT! The best is
yet to come!
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Have a great day!

EAGLES IN A STORM

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God.
The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.

Life Is A Game That Can't Be Won, Only Played.

We are all caught up in this game called life. There is no reset button. No way to shut it off and start over. There are no save points in this game. There are rules however, and understanding these rules and the point of the game helps in the entire game of life. The rules are simple, enjoy the journey, and let go of trying to win. There are no winners, only players; some people play the game simply for the joy of the game. Others give up and wait for their turn to lay down forever. Others are lost in the middle. Learn to love the game, and play it with all your heart.

Life is a very serious game, and like all games there is an end. So many people are trying to win at the game of life, but what does winning mean? When does one know they have won at the game of life? The only victory that matters is the victory you choose for yourself. The only purpose of the game is the purpose you give yourself. There is no rule book out there telling us what the game is all about. There is nothing telling us what the game is all about. So the best we can do is play the game of life with all that we are, do as much as we can to find peace and happiness, and enjoy the game as we play it.

Take the time to find someone who does something they truly love. Maybe they make a handsome living at it, maybe not. The point isn't how much they make or what they do. The point is the incredible joy they get out of just doing what they do. I had a mentor of mine give me an amazing insight to things once. When asked why he did what he did his response was simple: "I don't do it because I want to help people live happier lives, because that is their responsibility and I don't care what they do with it. I don't do it because I want to be rich. I am, and my wealth will continue to grow as I help more people, but it's not about the money. I simply get rewarded for doing the right things and helping people. I don't do it because I care if people are successful or not, that's not it at all. I don't write because I want to entertain people, I don't even like to type. I write because I love to create. If people get joy out of it great. If they are able to live better lives because of it that is great also, but I do it for me. I do it because it allows me to experience a place of joy. A peaceful place of creativity that allows me to connect with everything around me." That opened my eyes to a whole new way of seeing the world and the things I do in it.

So many people do things because they feel they have to for whatever reason. So many times people make decisions out of a fear of not having something or losing something else. Very rarely do people make a decisions simply because they would enjoy the journey of the path they choose. We all know people who are miserable at their job. They are miserable when they get home. They hate the people they work with and their spouse. They are never happy and haven't smiled in years. We wonder if they even have the ability to laugh. Rarely though do we find people who truly enjoy the journey of life they are on. Far and few are the people who are playing the game of life with all they have. Taking risk to create something they feel is worthy and noble. Few are the people who give what they do everything they have, and find joy and pleasure out of it. Imagine laying your head down at night knowing that you just lived one more day full of fulfillment. Remember to give life everything you are, and everything you have.

Enjoy the game as you play it. Play it because you get joy out of the game. Try not to focus so hard on trying to win. If at the end of the day you are proud of the person you are becoming, joyful of the decisions you make, and happy about the steps you have taken. If you can say that is true, and you make decisions that make it so, then you are truly playing the game of life for the joy of the game.

Remember not to take life to seriously, after all, it's only temporary.

7 Foods to Keep You Young

1: Olive oil
Four decades ago, researchers from the Seven Countries Study concluded that the monounsaturated fats in olive oil were largely responsible for the low rates of heart disease and cancer on the Greek island of Crete. Now we know that olive oil also contains polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases.

2: Yogurt
In the 1970s, Soviet Georgia was rumored to have more centenarians per capita than any other country. Reports at the time claimed that the secret of their long lives was yogurt, a food ubiquitous in their diets. While the age-defying powers of yogurt never have been proved directly, yogurt is rich in calcium, which helps stave off osteoporosis and contains “good bacteria” that help maintain gut health and diminish the incidence of age-related intestinal illness.

3: Fish
Thirty years ago, researchers began to study why the native Inuits of Alaska were remarkably free of heart disease. The reason, scientists now think, is the extraordinary amount of fish they consume. Fish is an abundant source of omega-3 fats, which help prevent cholesterol buildup in arteries and protect against abnormal heart rhythms.

4: Chocolate
The Kuna people of the San Blas islands, off the coast of Panama, have a rate of heart disease that is nine times less than that of mainland Panamanians. The reason? The Kuna drink plenty of a beverage made with generous proportions of cocoa, which is unusually rich in flavanols that help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining youthful blood vessels lowers risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.

5: Nuts
Studies of Seventh-Day Adventists (a religious denomination that emphasizes healthy living and a vegetarian diet) show that those who eat nuts gain, on average, an extra two and a half years. Nuts are rich sources of unsaturated fats, so they offer benefits similar to those associated with olive oil. They’re also concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals, including antioxidants.

6: Wine
Drinking alcohol in moderation protects against heart disease, diabetes and age-related memory loss. Any kind of alcoholic beverage seems to provide such benefits, but red wine has been the focus of much of the research. Red wine contains resveratrol, a compound that likely contributes to its benefits—and, according to animal studies, may activate genes that slow cellular aging.

7: Blueberries
In a landmark study published in 1999, researchers at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging fed rats blueberry extract for a period of time that in “rat lives” is equivalent to 10 human years. These rats outperformed rats fed regular chow on tests of balance and coordination when they reached old age. Compounds in blueberries (and other berries) mitigate inflammation and oxidative damage, which are associated with age-related deficits in memory and motor function.

(compiled)

Manifesting Dreams!

Wish to Manifest Your Dreams?

HOW?

See The Law of Attraction in Action!

Here are 3 Simple steps that will take you from wishing upon a star to being one:

1. Imagine your dreams as if they already exist.

2. Speak as if they already exist.

3. And act as if they already exist.


Welhealth

HOLISTIC HEALTH - "HEAL THY"

"Our Body is really the product of our thouhts. We are beginning to undestand in medical science the degree to which the nature of thoughts and emotions actually determines the physical substance and structure and function of our Bodies'

Dr.John Hagelin
Quantum Physicist.

"We all come with a built in basic program. It is called self healing. The immune system is made to heal itself"

Dr.Ben Jhonson.
Physician, Author and Leader in Energy Healing

You Must know these Survival Tips - Driving during rush Hours

Rush hour: bumper to bumper traffic, cars right on your bumper even though you going as fast you can.
A typical rush hour: Speed up as fast as you can and then slam hard on the brakes when traffic slows.

The problem with these scenarios is that the people in the cars are not professional drivers, they are ordinary people like you and me who often take unnecessary risks during rush hour so they can get to their destination as fast as possible.

You can also add road rage to your list of rush hour worries. It's almost like a war zone on today's roads; and during rush hour it only gets worse. So, what can you do to survive the perils of rush hour?

Turn the Other Cheek
It's tempting when someone cuts you off; maybe you want to speed up and do the same thing to him, or perhaps you want to give that person some type of hand signal. However, to avoid trouble, don't respond to these road bullies. If you decide to tailgate the person or make obscene gestures, you are only amplifying the problem.
Negative reactions to situations like this may result in the driver upping the ante by following you too closely or getting in front of you and slamming on his brakes. If the other driver does something like this, move into the next lane and slow down. This will usually defuse the tense situation.

Tailgating Dilemmas
Say you are just driving along, minding your own business when you look in your rearview mirror and notice a car following way to close to you.
What would you do? Some people would tap on the brakes as a not-so-subtle message that the driver is following too close and should back off. Don't do this. That response may interrupted by the driver as a hostile act and could lead to an escalation of the situation. Chances are the driver behind you has simply taken his mind off driving for a minute and has no idea that he is right on your bumper. Wait a while and the car behind you will usually drop back and get off your bumper.

Avoid Eye Contact
Avoid making eye contact with the driver. Once eye contact is made; the other person has been engaged. Bus drivers, who bound to protect their passengers, never make eye contact with other drivers. They just cruise through traffic, oblivious of anyone who might want to look at them and cut off the big, shiny car.

You don't know anything about the person you just glanced at while passing. It could be someone on drugs. Or the driver could have just had a fight with their significant other. Or the person could have a gun. A driver who is upset or mentally unstable may not let you get away.

Understand Your LIFE is important.
There are people waiting in a place called Office or HOME.
Do Not Forget that and driving is only a part of reaching there!

Life

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is a beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is life, fight for it!

-- Mother Teresa

MENTAL HEALTH - Happy Living Tips

Achievement
We come into this world crying while all around us are smiling. May we so live that we go out of this world smiling while everybody around us is weeping.
- Persian proverb

Anger
One of life's biggest hurdles is accepting the fact that we can't always have our own way or that others won't do what we want them to do. But we can be our own person and develop our own talents and gifts. We will never be able to control someone else's life. We work ourselves into a dither. Stop trying and then you will eliminate stress, anger and frustration. Put all that energy into building your own life. Don't build anger cases out of minor annoyances and irritations. Give yourself a cooling off period

Angry? Stressed out? It's your choice!
Do you find yourself saying things such as "She makes me furious" or "He makes me nervous" or "This job stresses me out?" The emotions may be real, but the statements are not accurate.
When you are angry, or nervous, stressed, fearful, offended or excited, it's due to a choice you have made. The other person or situation does not make you that way. You have chosen to respond that way. Such responses are so familiar they've become automatic, but they don't have to be. They depend on your choices, and you control those choices.

The way you respond to a given situation is up to you. When making that choice, it pays to consider what will happen as a result of that choice and to ask yourself if it will have a positive impact on your life. You can choose to respond in whatever way you wish. So rather than putting those responses on auto-pilot, select those which will move your life, and the world in which you live, positively forward.

Angry response
When someone angers you, don't go with your first response. You may be wrong. Some of your judgements may have been wrong in the past. Most of all don't react right away. Think it over and give yourself time to gather all the information to allow you to produce the reaction, response or choice that is most beneficial to all, including yourself. More often than not, we do ourselves in with quick, off-the-cuff reactions, saying something we regret or do not mean.

A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of wicked intentions is hated. (Proverbs 14:17)

He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. (Proverbs 17:27)

He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. (Proverbs 16:32)

Anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. (Psalm 37:8)

Blame the world for your problems
When you blame others for your problems, you give up your ability to solve them. No matter who may have done what, the best strategy is to take responsibility for it. Though it may be their fault, it's your life. Don't depend on those who have hurt you in the past to help you in the future.
Forget about who is to blame. Focus on what is to be done.

If you're not satisfied with your circumstances, it's up to you to change them for the better. Certainly there are many things outside your control. Accept them, adjust for them, and put your efforts into moving forward as a result of your own thoughts, your own actions.The energy it would take to blame and hold a grudge can be used instead to make a positive difference. Rather than perpetuating something unpleasant in your past, choose to leave it behind. Create your future the way you would like it to be.

Calm yourself
When you are at your busiest, when you are overwhelmed with things to do, when the pace is getting more frenzied by the moment, that is when an attitude of calm relaxation can do you the most good. Stepping back and calming down will actually move you ahead more effectively than nervous, anxious energy.

Though the deadlines loom large in your mind, they will come and go no matter what you do. Do your very best, do it quickly and efficiently, but don't get in such a rush that you waste most of your energy fighting against yourself. Produce results rather than just activity. Instead of just being busy, be effective. Spend your energy on achievement rather than on nervousness.
Right now, take a long, deep breath and know that you're making a difference. Let go of the anxiety. Experience the joy of being focused on positive pursuits. Stay calm, stay focused, and be your most effective.

Challenge yourself
One reason challenge is so valuable is that it forces you beyond the artificial limitations you have set for yourself and maintained for so long.

Is there something you've told yourself you cannot do?
Is there something you've told yourself you're just no good at?
What if you had no choice? What if there was no one else to do it?
Maybe the reason you could never do it is because you've never really needed to. Most of the things you tell yourself you cannot do are really things you've chosen not to do. The artificial limitations you've set for yourself stand firm because you've never had an urgent need to go beyond them.

A compelling enough challenge can change that. Find something challenging and meaningful enough to make you forget your doubts and you'll move on past your old limitations. What have you told yourself you cannot do? Find a strong enough reason, and not only can you do it, you will.

Criticism
If you receive criticism, the first thing you should ask is if it is true. The more confidence we have in our own abilities, the less sensitive we are to criticism. And how do we develop abilities? Just keep on practicing. Happiness is in not allowing your work or your life to be disrupted by someone else's disagreeable nature. There have been disagreeable people since time began and there will always be a few disagreeable people.

Keep your principles above personalities. Life is like a football field and you have the ball and are running toward your goal and they try to tackle you. You are irritated. Are you going to drop the ball and turn around and argue or are you going to ignore them and keep on going? Criticism and judgements from passing acquaintances are never important and only a minor annoyance. Only a friend's helpful criticisms carry importance. Whoever we rashly react to controls our life.

"If you find my mistakes, please consider that they are there for a purpose. I try to please everyone and some people are always looking for mistakes." - Anonymous

Dare to dream
"A person is only as big as the dream they dare to live." - Unknown

GRANDMA'S REMEDIES

Aches and pain elimination

Get rid of nagging aches and pains with this simple homemade heating pad.

Just take a clean sock, fill it with 4 or 5 cups of uncooked rice and tie off the end. Whenever you need pain relief, just pop the sock in the microwave. Watch it carefully - it shouldn't take more than 20-30 seconds to heat. The warm sock conforms to your body, making it a great remedy for aching shoulders and neck.

Chairs - pick the correct one for better health

Choosing the right chair could be vital to your health.

A bad chair can lead to muscle and nerve problems and could also affect your circulatory system, according to a report in the Ergonomics journal. If you sit in one place too long, your muscles don't pump enough blood back to your heart, which will cause your ankles to swell. You can prevent that by taking frequent breaks and walking around, or by having a foot rest that tilts and lets you move your feet.

Or, says a Norwegian study, you can get a chair with a seat that has a backwards tilt. As long as the seat leans back, even a little, it will help your blood flow to the heart and keep your ankles from swelling. It doesn't matter if the seat is in a permanent tilt, or if it rocks back and forth.

Cholesterol - lowering it

If you're tired of waiting for the elevator at work, take the stairs – and cut your cholesterol.

Dishes - fixing cracks

Seal a crack in a ceramic dish by boiling the dish in a little milk.

Flu - its easy to catch

Want to avoid the flu? Go wash your hands right now.

Influenza is one of the most easily transmitted diseases, caused by a range of related viruses. It relies on human habits -- most notably the tendency to rub a runny nose.

The virus can live on a plastic or metal surface for hours or even days. When a patient touches a drippy nose and then pushes a button or uses a telephone, the virus sits there, ready to be picked up by the next unwary person. Simply touch the nose, mouth or even the eye, and you, too, can have the flu.The virus also can be passed when a patient coughs or sneezes a fine spray of saliva and mucus into the air and an unfortunate passer-by breathes it in.

HEALTH - SELF CARE TIPS FOR WINTER

Winter has set in. Temperature starts dropping. This is the time children and adults alike fall ill. Self care is the best defense against cold season.

To avoid getting sick, wash your hands frequently, get plenty of sleep, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, stay hydrated, and reduce stress. Yes, that’s a lot to do, but it’s the basic prescription for a strong immune system.

Because colds are caused by viruses, there is no cure for the common cold. Antibiotics do not kill these viruses and can lead to resistant strains of bacteria. Prevention is the best approach to combat the cold virus. However, once it’s taken hold, the best you can do is try to minimize your symptoms. The following self-care tips should help.

Self-Care Tips
GARGLE with salt water to help soothe a sore throat. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of plain salt in a glass of very warm water.

Increase FLUIDS such as water, juice, hot tea, soups, etc.
Hot liquids can help relieve nasal congestion & soothe a sore throat.

WASH your hands often.

EAT regular, well-balanced meals.

STAY HOME and get more REST. SLEEP at least 7-9 hours per night.
If you have trouble sleeping because of stuffy nose or nasal drainage, use extra pillows to PROP yourself up at a 45° angle.

Use soothing music, peaceful surroundings, rest, and/or a fun book to relax and combat pain.

AVOID smoke & alcohol. They can aggravate and prolong symptoms.

Take HOT steamy SHOWERS — helps suppress coughs and loosen congestion.

Use HUMIDIFIER or VAPORIZER to keep air moist and sooth irritated nasal and throat passages.

Use a MENTHOLATED OINTMENT around your nose. This will help open breathing passages and soothe irritated skin.

If your symptoms do not gradually improve within 7 days and/or you experience other symptoms, see your health care provider.

PRAYER

With Every Breath

With every breath I take today,
I vow to be awake;

And every step I take,
I vow to take with a grateful heart

So I may see with eyes of love
into the hearts of all I meet,

To ease their burden when I can
And touch them with a smile of peace.

(Buddhist )

MIRACLES

"The only way to live is to accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is - a miracle and unrepeatable."

-- Margaret Storm Jameson

"The next time it begins to rain... lie down on your belly, nestle your chin into the grass, and get a frog's-eye view of how raindrops fall... The sight of hundreds of blades of grass bowing down and popping back up like piano keys strikes me as one of the merriest sights in the world."

- Malcolm Margolin

"The world is full of poetry. The air is living with its spirit; and the waves dance to the music of its melodies, and sparkle in its brightness." -- Percival"Ingenuity, plus courage, plus work, equals miracles."

-- Bob Richards

DIABETES -Should we avoid consumption of Fruits?

Q: I just found out that I have diabetes. Of course, I have to change my diet.
My question is, Are there types of fruit that I can no longer eat? Since we have a lot of tropical fruits where I live (bananas, oranges, watermelons, melons, etc.), I want to make sure I know which ones I should stay away from. Thanks.

A: The short answer to your question is that no fruit is completely off-limits. In fact, fruit is a very important part of a healthy diet, and all people — including diabetics — should have 2–4 servings daily, depending on their total caloric needs.
You can indeed consume any and all fruits — including tropical ones — and should try to eat a wide variety in order to increase your chances of absorbing their beneficial effects.

Having said this, there is a big difference among fruits in terms of their impact on blood glucose levels.
First, the higher the fiber content of a fruit, the slower the absorption of its sugar into the bloodstream. In other words, fruits with lots of fiber (for example, mangoes) cause a much smaller increase in blood sugar levels than low-fiber fruits such as papayas.
Second, the type of sugar the fruit contains makes a difference. For example, mangoes have a type of sugar called fructose, which does not raise blood sugar levels as much as glucose and sucrose, two sugars found in pineapples.

Based on this knowledge, you might eat more bananas, kiwi, mangoes, and oranges, and fewer pineapples, raisins, and watermelons. But keep in mind that even fruits that raise sugar levels more pronouncedly have a lower glucose load than other foods, such as bread, and contain so many essential nutrients that you shouldn't avoid them completely.

The key is to control portion sizes and pay attention to the other foods you eat. It may help you to know that one cup of cubed watermelon or pineapple, 12 grapes, a medium-size orange, and half a banana all equal one portion size and contain similar number of calories.
If your favorite fruits are low in fiber, you can eat them without sending your blood sugar levels into a tailspin by combining them with high-fiber fruits in a fruit salad.
Another tactic: Eat fruit along with high-fiber foods. For example, a meal that contains beans and vegetables will slow the sugar absorption of the fruit you enjoy for dessert.

(Dr. Asqual Getaneh)

HEALTH NEWS - Please read

The Importance of Holistic Health.

Cancer Update from John Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime

3.When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumour size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumour destruction.

9 When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections andcomplications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding itwith the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:
a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important foodsupply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b.Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro- intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole , nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes tonourish and enhance growth of healthy cells.
To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts)and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green Tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic build-up.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit.
Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16.Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level.
Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

FURTHER CANCER UPDATE FROM JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL , U S - PLEASE READ

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Centre as chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of ourfreeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program toexplain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us..

He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.

(compiled)

FORGIVENESS

"I do believe that, where there is only a choice between cowardice and violence, I would advise violence. But I believe that non-violence is infinitely superior to violence, forgiveness is more manly than punishment. Forgiveness adorns the soldier."

-Mahatma Gandhi

FOOD POISONING- Understanding Food Poisoning

What Is Food Poisoning?
You can get food poisoning after eating food contaminated by viral, bacterial, or chemical agents. Food poisoning causes mild to severe, acute discomfort and may leave you temporarily dehydrated. Mild cases last only a few hours and at worst a day or two, but some types, such as botulism or certain forms of chemical poisoning, are severe and possibly life-threatening unless you get medical treatment.

What Causes It?
Many bacteria can cause food poisoning. People who are ill or infected can transmit staphylococcus bacteria to food they are preparing. People who eat or drink contaminated food or water can get travelers' diarrhea, usually caused by the bacterium E. coli. Salmonella poisoning can occur from eating contaminated poultry, eggs, and meat; though potentially fatal, most cases cause only mild discomfort. Harmful bacteria grow in cooked and raw meat and fish, dairy products, and prepared foods left at room temperature too long; dishes made with mayonnaise are notorious culprits.

Canned goods, especially home-canned produce, can harbor a bacterium that needs no oxygen to multiply and is not destroyed by cooking. This bacterium causes botulism, a rare but potentially fatal food poisoning. Infants may develop botulism from eating honey because their immature digestive systems, unlike those of adults, cannot neutralize its naturally occurring bacteria.

Raw seafood, especially contaminated shellfish, may bring on viral food poisoning. Certain mushrooms, berries, and other plants are naturally poisonous to humans and should never be eaten; potato sprouts and eyes also contain natural toxins. Toxic mold can form on improperly stored fruit, vegetables, grains, and nuts. Chemical food poisoning can be caused by pesticides or by keeping food in unsanitary containers.

Give Your Body a Boost -- With Laughter

Why, for some, laughter is the best medicine

Feeling rundown? Try laughing more. Some researchers think laughter just might be the best medicine, helping you feel better and putting that spring back in your step.

"I believe that if people can get more laughter in their lives, they are a lot better off," says Steve Wilson, MA, CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist. "They might be healthier too."

Laughter Therapy:

What Happens When We Laugh?
We change physiologically when we laugh. We stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues.
People who believe in the benefits of laughter say it can be like a mild workout -- and may offer some of the same advantages as a workout.

"The effects of laughter and exercise are very similar," says Wilson. "Combining laughter and movement, like waving your arms, is a great way to boost your heart rate."

One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter.

And laughter appears to burn calories, too. Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University, conducted a small study in which he measured the amount of calories expended in laughing. It turned out that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned 50 calories.

While the results are intriguing, don't be too hasty in ditching that treadmill. One piece of chocolate has about 50 calories; at the rate of 50 calories per hour, losing one pound would require about 12 hours of concentrated laughter!

Laughter's Effects on the Body
In the last few decades, researchers have studied laughter's effects on the body and turned up some potentially interesting information on how it affects us:

Blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally -- expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.

Immune response. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response, says Provine. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well.

Blood sugar levels. One study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture.

Relaxation and sleep. The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin's memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

LIFE

How big is life?

On the one hand, it is everything. Imagine a world without you. Yes, it would exist, but it is hard to imagine because all our knowledge, all our understanding, all our awareness of the existence of the world is filtered through our senses. Without life, we cannot perceive the world, and therefore it ceases to exist along with us.

But life really is quite small, too. Each of us will one day pass on, handing over the torch to a new generation. And the universe will pretty much unfold as it had before and as it will again. Once life changes very little.

In the end, life is as big or as small as you make it, as you perceive it. What perception will you place on the life you make?

Why Garlic Is Good for You

Garlic Relaxes Blood Vessels, Increases Blood Flow

The health benefits of garlic have been touted for centuries, but now researchers may have pinpointed at least one reason why.

A new study shows red blood cells process compounds from digested garlic and turn them into the cell messenger hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which relaxes blood vessels and increases blood flow. Therefore, eating garlic may increase our natural supply of this vital chemical and play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease.

Previous studies on garlic’s health effects have produced mixed results. For example, some studies of garlic have found few benefits, but others have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease.

But researchers say if further studies confirm these findings, testing the ability to produce hydrogen sulfide may be used to standardize garlic supplements to produce greater health benefits.

Finding Garlic’s Effect

In the study, researcher Gloria Benavides, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues analyzed the effects of juice extracted from supermarket garlic on human red blood cells in the lab.

They found the red blood cells immediately began producing hydrogen sulfide after getting a tiny dose of garlic. The amount of garlic tested in the lab was roughly equal to two garlic cloves for a typical adult.

Further tests showed the key chemical reaction occurred at the membranes of the red blood cells, but a small amount of hydrogen sulfide was also produced inside the cells.

Few plants other than garlic contain the building blocks of hydrogen sulfide to provide these health benefits, and researchers say garlic is the only one commonly used in the human diet.

Their results appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A new Lifestyle approach to recover from Depression

Depression can make you feel powerless. But there are many things you can do for yourself to improve your mood, help your recovery, and stay healthy.

Don't be a passive patient. You don't have to leave your treatment entirely in the hands of your health care providers. Depression robs you of a feeling of control. Taking responsibility for your own health can give that feeling back.

Here are some things you can do.

Exercise. Many studies have established that regular physical activity can help you feel better when you are recovering from depression. The type of physical activity really doesn't matter. Just choose something that you enjoy. Start slowly, perhaps with walks around the neighborhood. Try exercising with a friend or relative, or sign up for a class. Sharing the activity with someone may help you stick to a new exercise regimen.

Get some sunlight. You might find that getting some sun can put you in a better mood. Some people have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression that typically recurs during the fall and winter, when sunlight is scarce. If you have SAD, ask your doctor if light therapy -- exposure to artificial sunlight with a special lamp -- might help.

Get enough sleep -- but not too much. Depression, and sometimes the treatment for it, can interfere with your sleep. Some people with depression sleep too much. Others have insomnia -- they can't fall asleep at night or they wake up too early in the morning.

Not getting enough sleep can have a huge impact on your mood. So you need to get into some good sleep habits.

Stay on a regular schedule: go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Don't nap. Physical activity during the day may help you sleep, but don't exercise too close to bedtime. That is stimulating. Before getting into bed, unwind with a good book or soothing music. However, avoid reading or watching TV in bed. That will help you maintain good sleep habits.

Eat a healthy diet. Despite what you might read, there is no diet that will cure or prevent depression. But a common sense eating plan will provide the nutrients you need and keep you feeling healthy and energetic. Don't buy into fad diets that sharply restrict what you can eat. Instead, focus on the basics. Watch your calories, eat lots of vegetables, grains, and fruits, and limit fat and sugar.

Do things you enjoy. When you're recovering from depression, you may not feel like getting out and having a good time. But you should push yourself a little. Set aside time to do things that you used to enjoy doing. Make a plan to go out to dinner or a movie with friends. Or return to a hobby that you used to pursue. Try expressing yourself creatively.

Avoid alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and many illicit drugs can contribute to depression and make it worse. In fact, substance abuse often goes hand in hand with depression. Alcohol and drugs may also affect how well antidepressants work. If you think you have a substance abuse problem, you need to get help now. Addiction or abuse can prevent you from fully recovering from your depression.

Considering Alternative Treatments
You might be thinking about trying alternative medicines or therapies. However, you should check with your health care provider before trying any herbs or supplements. There is no firm evidence that any alternative medicines work. Some can cause serious side effects or interact with other drugs. Just because something is natural doesn't mean its safe.

But some other alternative therapies, while unproven, are widely considered safe.

You might try relaxation techniques, Contra Thought process, meditation, hypnosis, massage, or acupuncture.

Managing Job Stress

Job stress comes in many different forms and affects your body in various ways. Minor sources of stress may include equipment that won't work or phones that won't quit ringing. Major stress comes from having too much work, not having enough work, doing work that is unfulfilling, fearing a job layoff, or not getting along with your boss.

Usually it is the major sources of stress that lead to burnout, causing people to become unhappy and less productive in their work. Job stress can affect your health and home life as well. Low levels of stress may not be noticeable; slightly higher levels can be positive and challenge you to act in creative and resourceful ways; and high levels can be harmful, contributing to chronic disease.

The major sources of job stress fall into seven categories:

Control. This factor is the most closely related to job stress. Studies show that workers who believe that they have a great deal of responsibility but little control or decision-making power in their jobs are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and other stress-related illnesses.

Increased responsibilities. Taking on additional responsibilities in your job can be stressful. This can be worse if you have too much work to do and are unable to say no to new tasks or projects. Competence. Are you concerned about your ability to perform well? Are you challenged enough, but not too much? Do you feel secure in your job? Job insecurity is a major source of stress for many people.

Clarity. Feeling uncertain about what your duties are, how they may be changing, or what your department's or organization's goals are can lead to stress.

Communication. Workplace tension often results from poor communication, which in turn increases job stress. An inability to express your concerns, frustrations, or other emotions can also lead to increased stress.

Support. Feeling unsupported by your coworkers may make it harder to resolve other problems at work that are causing you stress.

Significance. If you don't find your job meaningful or take pride in it, you may find it stressful.

Managing job Stress
Here are some options for lowering stress on the job:

Meet with your superior often and when required and talk about your performance and your job. If a performance review is already part of your job, treat it as a chance to clear up issues that may be causing stress for you. Discuss the following:

-What is expected of me in this position

-Where is this company going, and how do I fit into that plan?

-How am I doing? What are my strengths? Areas for improvement?

-What can I expect from you if a problem with my work or my job should occur?

-If I continue my current high-quality performance, how and when can I expect to be rewarded?

-Manage your time well. It's important to leave your job at the office, even if your office is a room in your home. If you give up free time to get more work done, you may pay for it with stress-related symptoms. If your employer offers a flexible work schedule, take advantage of it to fit your own work style. For instance, come in earlier to have a longer midday break or to make time for a yoga class or workout.

-Unplug. Technologies such as cellular phones and the Internet have made it possible to be available to everyone, including clients and coworkers, at all times. Do not allow technology to eliminate the boundaries between your time and your employer's time. Leave your work cell phone behind when having it with you is not absolutely necessary, or decide not to answer it during times you have set aside for yourself or your family. Avoid checking work e-mail at home.

-Know when to quit. If you are truly miserable because of a stressful job and the suggestions above have not worked, it may be time to think about changing jobs. Make sure you know whether it is you or the job that's the problem. Before quitting, spend time researching other job options. Being unemployed will probably also lead to stress. Getting another job before quitting is ideal, but sometimes that isn't possible.

Decide what is less stressful for you:
unemployment or being miserable in your current job.

HOPE

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence."
-- Helen Keller

"Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again."
-- Sarah Ban Breathnach

"Everything that is done in the world is done by hope."
-- Martin Luther

"The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope.
Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof."
-- Barbara Kingsolver

Anger and your Heart

Fuming or furious frequently?
Learning to soothe your chronic anger may help your heart.

A new report shows that having a short fuse may shorten the path to heart disease in men with prehypertension (blood pressure above normal but less than the high blood pressure range).

So the researchers, who work at the Medical University of South Carolina, reason that those men may do their hearts a favor by learning to tame their chronic anger.

The same might be true of women, but it's going to take further studies to be certain of that. Meanwhile, there's no downside to healthy anger management.

Data came from 2,334 U.S. adults aged 48-67. They were followed for four to eight years during the 1990s.

Compared with less angry men, chronically angry men with prehypertension were moderately more likely to develop high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease during the study.

The same wasn't true of women, perhaps because few women developed heart disease during the study, note Marty Player, MD, colleagues.

For men and women alike, long-term psychological stress was linked to heart disease.

The results didn't change when the researchers factored in participants' age, sex, race, smoking status, and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

However, Player's team couldn't control for every conceivable risk factor for heart disease.

The study appears in the current edition of the Annals of Family Medicine.

Cell Phones May Cause Hearing Loss

"Use cell phones when absolutely necessary"

Long-time mobile phone users who talk more than an hour a day on the devices may be may be more likely to have high-frequency hearing loss, researchers say.

"Our intention is not to scare the public," says Naresh K. Panda, MS, DNB, chairman of the department of ear, nose, and throat at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India, and researcher for the study. The study, he tells WebMD, is preliminary and small. "We need to study a larger number of patients."

He presented the findings Wednesday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery in Washington.

His team found that people who had talked on cell phones for more than four years and those who talked more than an hour daily were more likely to have these high-frequency losses. These losses can make it difficult to hear consonants such as s, f, t and z, making it hard to understand words.

But another hearing expert familiar with the study says there is as yet no cause for alarm.

Hearing Loss Study
Panda and his colleagues evaluated 100 people, aged 18 to 45, who had used mobile phones for at least a year, dividing them into three groups according to length of use. One group of 35 had used phones for one to two years; another group of 35 had used them for two to four years, and a group of 30 had used them for more than four years.

"We asked them if they had been using the phones less than 60 minutes or more than 60 minutes per day," Panda tells WebMD. They compared the phone users with 50 people who had never used cell phones and served as a control group. The study was conducted in India.

Those who used the mobile phones for more than four years had more hearing loss in high-frequency ranges in their right ear, the ear most held the phone to, than those who used the mobile phone for one to two years.

"When we compared high-frequency thresholds (the level at which the sound is first detected) between the one- to two-year [users] and more than four years; there was a significant difference in the thresholds between these two groups," he says.

One- to two-year users had a 16.48 decibel loss in the high-frequency range, he says, while those who used the phones more than four years had a 24.54 decibel loss.

That decrease in hearing over a relatively brief period may not be noticeable to mobile phone users but would be of concern to a hearing expert, says Andy Vermiglio, AuD, a research audiologist at House Ear Institute in Los Angeles.

Mobile phone users who had symptoms such as a warm sensation, fullness in the ears, or ringing were more likely to have the high-frequency hearing loss, Panda also says.

Long-term mobile phone use may result in inner ear damage, Panda speculates. And symptoms such as ear warmth or fullness could be early warning signs of that damage.

Second Opinion
The research is too preliminary to warrant alarm, says Chester Griffiths, MD, chairman of the surgery department at Santa Monica -- UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital and assistant clinical professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles. He was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings for WebMD.

"Based on this study, I would not advise any change at the point, but I would caution people if they have any symptoms to stop using a cell phone or to reduce use."

Cell Phone Industry Responds
Joe Farren, a spokesman for CTIA -- the Wireless Association, the industry organization for the cellular industry, tells WebMD he has not reviewed the new study closely so he can't comment directly on the findings.

But he tells WebMD that previous research has not found a link between cell phone use and harmful health effects.

"There have been numerous studies conducted around the globe that have been peer-reviewed and published in leading scientific journals that show no association between wireless usage and adverse health effects," Farren says.

The subjects in the Indian study used GSM mobile phones. Farren says U.S. mobile phone users have phones that use the GSM platform but also other platforms.

Panda plans to continue his research. Meanwhile, his advice to preserve hearing:

"Use cell phones when absolutely necessary."

THE MIRACLE MAN - Miracle do happen!

The miracle of
THOUGHTS, BELIEF & INTENTION .

Read the story of MORRIS GOODMAN who is dubbed "THE MIRACLE MAN" and MICHAEL

Morris Goodman, at age 35 was Mr. Success.

One of the leading life insurance salesmen in the world, a member of The Million Dollar Round Table and Top Of The Table, Morris had success, fame, fortune, and a brand new airplane.And then things turned upside down. While attempting to land his airplane one afternoon Morris crashed. With his neck broken at C1 and C2, his spinal cord crushed, and every major muscle in his body destroyed Morris was no longer able to perform any bodily function except to blink his eyes. His injuries were too severe for him to survive.

But the man the doctors dubbed "The Miracle Man" did survive and with a strong faith in God, courage and determination, Morris not only rebuilt his body but also his mind and outlook on life.

Morris feels you too can learn to be happy, have peace of mind, and accomplish all your goals and dreams no matter what hand life deals you.Today Morris is a highly sought after speaker who travels the world sharing his story with millions of people and teaching his philosophy on goal setting and personal growth and development.

Story of Michael narrated by Dr.John F.Demartini

"A few years ago I was gifted with the opportunity to help a man named Michael, a dancer who had been paralyzed from his neck down as the result of an injury. Before he suffered the injury, I had treated him a few times for minor sprains and strains. His dream was to dance in Broadway productions and he was devastated by his paralysis. Michael could still move his head and arms, but he believed it when he was told that he would never walk again. He lost interest in trying to improve and was beginning to lose his ability to speak clearly. He truly had a broken body and broken heart.

When he arrived at my office in his wheelchair, his head hung down so far we couldn't make eye contact. I could see that he had nearly given up, so I got down in front of him, took his hands in mine, looked into his eyes, and said:
Michael, if you lose your vision and your dream, you'll lose your will to live and you may never get out of this wheelchair.

You have to see light at the end of the tunnel. You must be able to comprehend that you'll walk again. You have to see yourself dancing. You have to see yourself on stage, Michael. You must see yourself healed. You have to picture it... If you can't picture it, your physiology can't create it. Even if it seems impossible right now, you have to see the impossible becoming possible.

I gave Michael a special videotape and told him to watch it as many times as it took for him to see light at the end of the tunnel; to see himself walking and dancing. I said, "You have to hold in your mind's eye a virtual reality that is greater than your physical reality." And he cried and put his arm on my shoulder; he pulled me toward him and we held each other. At that moment he saw light at the end of the tunnel. With tears in his eyes, he said, "I'm gonna walk again."

The videotape I gave Michael was about Morris Goodman, who is called the "Miracle Man." After surviving a plane crash that broke almost every bone in his body— including his skull—and resulted in his becoming paralyzed, he eventually learned to walk again. His story is one of the most inspirational stories of healing I know.

When Morris was first taken to the hospital, no one believed he would live. But he did. Though in a coma, he kept hanging on. His family knew that he enjoyed Zig Zigler and his philosophy of life so they brought in a tape recorder and played Zigler s tapes and inspirational messages over and over again for Morris. When I met him, Morris told me that while he was in the coma he was aware and could hear the tapes. He decided to focus on willing himself to move his eye and one of his fingers. He said he spent three weeks visualizing himself moving his finger and winking his eye. Then, one day, when the nurse was in the room, he was able to wink his eye and she saw it. The following day he moved his finger, which the nurse also saw. He told me he was trying to communicate so the doctors and his family wouldn't give up on him. Over the next few months his body started to function again and eventually he walked out of the hospital.

I told Michael to watch this documentary about the Miracle Man over and over between adjustments. He did this for about three months, but still no significant changes were occurring. It was becoming difficult, even for me, to maintain my vision of hope and my certainty that he would heal because I wasn't seeing any progress. Then one day, when I walked in to adjust Michael, I had a yearning to adjust his neck. He had wires and bolts in his neck, but my voice of intuition and inspiration said that adjusting his neck would help. I realized that I had been letting my own fear hold me back. So I listened to my inner voice of inspiration and adjusted his neck. That night he moved his toes.
I made a commitment to myself that from then on, when the inner voice of my heart and soul inspired and guided me, I would listen and obey.

I continued to adjust Michael and day by day, little by little, he improved. In less than a year he was able to stand up and balance himself. He held on to his dream and kept his focus on the light at the end of the tunnel until one Monday, when I saw Michael in the reception room, he stood up, took two steps toward me and fell into my arms. Over the next few years Michael became able to retire his wheelchair and to dance at his own party."

A PUSH!

All of us need a push some time or other. Pl read this...

A man and his wife are awakened at 3 o'clock in the morning by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is three o'clock in the morning!" He slams the door and returns to bed.

"Who was that?" asked his wife. "Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers.

"Did you help him?" she asks. "No, I did not, it is three in the morning and it is pouring outside!"

"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"

The man does as he's told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pouring rain.

He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?"

"Yes," comes back the answer.

"Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband.

"Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark.

"Where are you?" asks the husband.

"Over here on the swing!" replies the drunk.

Spice Up Your Boring Life! HOW?

1. Be spontaneous.
Seize opportunities to do something interesting. For example; when a friend invites you for a lunch or dinner or to the movies—don’t make excuses. Simply, say yes and go. Don’t turn down invitations to socialize when you know you have nothing better to do.

2. Visit a new place.
It’s a shame to not have gone anywhere else besides your little hometown; or seen anything else outside of your community. C’mon, there is so much to see. Drive, get on a bus or train and go see the world!

3. Do the unusual.
Do something you have always wanted to do but never made time for. Go hiking, cycling, jogging, run the marathon, go to the museum, attend a concert, visit an old friend or do some volunteer work.

4. Plan a “spice up my life day” and commit to it.
Mark the date on your calendar for a special vacation, trip or activity. Submit your official vacation day leave request and invite your friends along. Plan for your special day and get ready to have fun. The more the merrier!

5. “Tune up” your attitude.
Give up the “I don’t do this and I don’t do that” attitude. Be willing to participate in new activities and embrace new things. Be open-minded, and have fun. You will be pleasantly surprised at what the right attitude can do for you!

6. Be fully present and in the moment, in the "NOW".
What’s the point of going on vacation and then spending your vacation time thinking about work, bills and other stressful issues? You can’t really spice up your life if you are physically present and mentally absent. To enjoy yourself, be fully engaged in the moment— body, soul and spirit.

7. Leave your hang-ups at home.
When spending time with your friends…don’t let your pessimist outlook on life ruin the day. Remember that your friends are there to enrich your life and not to baby sit you. So, leave you high maintenance behavior at home, be a joy to others and have fun!

8. Change your environment.
Introduce inspiring elements into your surroundings. Change your furniture, paint your walls a different color, get some potted house plants, a fish tank or even a pet.

9. Make new friends or foster existing relationships.
Technology has made it possible to connect with people faster and easily. Make friends with people from different cultures and learn something new. Contact a long lost friend and make plans to meet and catch up. Better yet, pay a surprise visit to a relative you haven’t seen in a while.

10. Be creative.
Opportunities present themselves in the most unlikely ways. Ask yourself, “What can I do right now, this week, this weekend…to spice up my life?” Think outside the box.

Life Is A Game That Can't Be Won, Only Played.

We are all caught up in this game called life. There is no reset button. No way to shut it off and start over. There are no save points in this game. There are rules however, and understanding these rules and the point of the game helps in the entire game of life. The rules are simple, enjoy the journey, and let go of trying to win.

There are no winners, only players; some people play the game simply for the joy of the game. Others give up and wait for their turn to lay down forever. Others are lost in the middle.

Learn to love the game, and play it with all your heart.Life is a very serious game, and like all games there is an end. So many people are trying to win at the game of life, but what does winning mean?

When does one know they have won at the game of life? The only victory that matters is the victory you choose for yourself. The only purpose of the game is the purpose you give yourself. There is no rule book out there telling us what the game is all about. There is nothing telling us what the game is all about.

So the best we can do is play the game of life with all that we are, do as much as we can to find peace and happiness, and enjoy the game as we play it.Take the time to find someone who does something they truly love. Maybe they make a handsome living at it, maybe not. The point isn't how much they make or what they do. The point is the incredible joy they get out of just doing what they do.

I had a guide of mine who gave me an amazing insight to things once.

When asked why he did what he did his response was simple: "I don't do it because I want to help people live happier lives, because that is their responsibility and I don't care what they do with it. I don't do it because I want to be rich. I am, and my wealth will continue to grow as I help more people, but it's not about the money. I simply get rewarded for doing the right things and helping people. I don't do it ro make people successful or not, that's not it at all. I don't write because I want to entertain people, I don't even like to type. I write because I love to create. If people get joy out of it then great. If they are able to live better lives because of it that is great also, but I do it just for me. I do it because it allows me to experience a place of joy. A peaceful place of creativity that allows me to connect with everything around me."

That opened my eyes to a whole new way of seeing the world and the things I do in it.So many people do things because they feel they have to for whatever reason. So many times people make decisions out of a fear of not having something or losing something else. Very rarely do people make a decision simply because they would enjoy the journey of the path they choose.

We all know people who are miserable at their job. They are miserable when they get home. They hate the people they work with and their spouse. They are never happy and haven't smiled in years. We wonder if they even have the ability to laugh. Rarely though do we find people who truly enjoy the journey of life they are on. Far and few are the people who are playing the game of life with all they have.

Taking risk to create something they feel is worthy and noble. Few are the people who give what they do everything they have, and find joy and pleasure out of it.

Imagine laying your head down at night knowing that you just lived one more day full of fulfillment. Remember to give life everything you are, and everything you have.

Enjoy the game as you play it. Play it because you get joy out of the game. Try not to focus so hard on trying to win. If at the end of the day you are proud of the person you are becoming, joyful of the decisions you make, and happy about the steps you have taken.

If you can say that is true, and you make decisions that make it so, then you are truly playing the game of life for the joy of the game.

Remember not to take life to seriously; after all, it's only temporary.

The One and Only You

Every single blade of grass,
And every flake of snow—
Is just a wee bit different ...
There’s no two alike, you know.

From something small, like grains of sand,
To each gigantic star
All were made with THIS in mind:
To be just what they are!

How foolish then, to imitate—
How useless to pretend!
Since each of us comes from a MIND
Whose ideas never end.

There’ll only be just ONE of ME
To show what I can do—
And you should likewise feel very proud,
There’s only ONE of YOU.

That is where it all starts
With you, a wonderful
unlimited human being.

James T. Moore

With every breath I take...

With every breath I take today,
I vow to be awake;

And every step I take,
I vow to take with a grateful heart--

So I may see with eyes of love
into the hearts of all I meet,

To ease their burden when I can
And touch them with a smile of peace.

"Live in Style" - Manage your Lifestyle

Recover from your Depression. A new Lifestyle.
Depression can make you feel powerless. But there are many things you can do for yourself to improve your mood, help your recovery, and stay healthy.

Don't be a passive patient.
You don't have to leave your treatment entirely in the hands of your health care providers. Depression robs you of a feeling of control. Taking responsibility for your own health can give that feeling back.
Here are some things you can do.

Exercise.
Many studies have established that regular physical activitycan help you feel better when you are recovering from depression. The type of physical activity really doesn't matter. Just choose something that you enjoy. Start slowly, perhaps with walks around the neighborhood. Try exercising with a friend or relative, or sign up for a class. Sharing the activity with someone may help you stick to a new exercise regimen.

Get some sunlight.
You might find that getting some sun can put you in a better mood. Some people have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), depression that typically recurs during the fall and winter, when sunlight is scarce. If you have SAD, ask your doctor if light therapy -- exposure to artificial sunlight with a special lamp -- might help.

Get enough sleep -- but not too much.
Depression, and sometimes the treatment for it, can interfere with your sleep. Some people with depression sleep too much. Others have insomnia -- they can't fall asleep at night or they wake up too early in the morning.Not getting enough sleep can have a huge impact on your mood. So you need to get into some good sleep habits. Stay on a regular schedule: go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Don't nap. Physical activity during the day may help you sleep, but don't exercise too close to bedtime. That is stimulating. Before getting into bed, unwind with a good book or soothing music. However, avoid reading or watching TV in bed. That will help you maintain good sleep habits.

Eat a healthy diet.
Despite what you might read, there is no diet that will cure or prevent depression. But a common sense eating plan will provide the nutrients you need and keep you feelinghealthy and energetic. Don't buy into fad diets that sharply restrict what you can eat. Instead, focus on the basics. Watch your calories, eat lots of vegetables, grains, and fruits, and limit fat and sugar.

Do things you enjoy. When you're recovering from depression, you may not feel like getting out and having a good time. But you should push yourself a little. Set aside time to do things that you used to enjoy doing. Make a plan to go out to dinner or a movie with friends. Or return to a hobby that you used to pursue. Try expressing yourself creatively.

Avoid alcohol and drugs.
Alcohol and many illicit drugs can contribute to depression and make it worse. In fact, substance abuse often goes hand in hand with depression. Alcohol and drugs may also affect how well antidepressants work. If you think you have a substance abuse problem, you need to get help now. Addiction or abuse can prevent you from fully recovering from your depression.