Quick ways to erase stress, depression & anxiety

Quick ways to erase stress, depression & anxiety

conquer stress, depression, and anxiety 

Let’s go straight into five quick ways that will help you find relief from stress, depression and anxiety.

1. Take regular breaks from the firing line. 

Working hard without regular breaks is a great way to build up stress and tension. Make sure you have at least one 15-minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon as well as at least 20 minutes for lunch. If possible, eat lunch away from your workstation. Equally, if you have a lot to deal with in your life right now, taking a day, or a weekend elsewhere – longer if you can - to get some breathing space will really help. Even just a day away from the firing line will enable you to get some distance from the problems and help you to gather your thoughts.

2. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, depression and anxiety. 

exercise can help relieve stress, depression and anxiety

Exercise releases endorphins into your system and will give you a natural boost. It will also provide you with a break from brooding and dwelling upon problems and troubles – but only if you perform the right kind of exercises. Avoid: Exercises that allow you to brood (weight lifting, jogging, treadmills) and perform exercises that require your full concentration. Competitive sports such as squash, tennis, badminton and circuit training are all excellent examples. It is important that you do not brood when you exercise because although you will be benefiting physically, you are still stressing yourself mentally and the stress, depression and anxiety will worsen.

3. Stop beating yourself up. 

Self-deprecation is a huge part of stress, depression and anxiety. Each time you beat up on yourself, you will erode confidence and self-esteem. Never tell yourself you’re useless, worthless, stupid, hopeless, boring, ugly, and a loser. Never convince yourself that other people hate you, that others find you difficult to be around and that you’re better off being alone. You would never deem it acceptable to say such things to other people and you must deem it equally unacceptable to say them to yourself. These words and phrases are powerful and they will hurt you. Accept you’re not perfect and that you make mistakes – just like everybody else does – and cut yourself some slack. From this day, make a pact with me to never indulge self-deprecation ever again. It is unnaceptable.

4. Isolation is another problem experienced by stress, depression and anxiety sufferers. 

Ok, there will be times when you just want your own company. During such times, you can brood over and over again on problems and events and beat yourself up for hours on end. Not good. Instead, use isolation more positively. Occupy your mind by tackling a jigsaw puzzle, a logic problem, a crossword, read a book or perform a hobby such as painting, playing a musical instrument or whatever it is you have an interest in. In this way, isolation will help you to grow instead of causing you further pain.

5. Television, radio and newspapers can all supply you with a daily hit of negativity and help lower your mood. 

In the main, they concentrate on the negative side of life: crime, corruption, war, scandal and natural disasters and can give you a distorted view of reality. Not to mention the amount of image manipulation they subject you to. Give yourself a break from this negative drip feed and avoid them completely for one week. You may find, like I have, that they have no place in your life after that. Trust me, you won’t miss them.

That’s five, quick tips for you to help fight stress, depression and anxiety. Please give them a try, they’ll all help to boost your mood levels very quickly indeed.

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Smoking is even more hazardous for diabetics

Smoking is even more hazardous for diabetics

Smoking is even more hazardous for diabetics

There are seven reasons why mixing diabetes with smoking is a very bad idea:

1. You are more likely to get nerve damage (neuropathy).  This is because smoking affects your blood circulation and that in turn means your nerve endings are not getting the nutrients they need.  If this happens to the nerves in your feet it could lead to sores and infections and if not taken care of properly, even amputation. 
2. There is an increased risk – double in fact -of you getting limited mobility in your joints. It's no fun trying to bend, climb stairs or lift something when you have a painful joint.
3. Because of smoking you could develop kidney disease.
4. When you smoke your blood pressure increases.  Increased blood pressure creates a real risk of heart disease.
5. Research has shown that diabetics who smoke increase, 3-fold, the risk of dying of heart (cardiovascular) disease.
6. By smoking you increase your blood-sugar levels.  This makes it more difficult to control your diabetes because your glucose levels  could be fluctuating quite dramatically.  This, in turn, leads to other problems.
7. And it also increases your cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of a heart attack.

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Diabetes foot care

Diabetes foot care

If you have diabetes information about how to manage your condition is vital to your well being. If you don't look after your feet you run the risk of developing sores or infections that could, in the worst case scenario, lead to amputations. 

These is seven diabetes foot care tips to Reduce your risk of infection or amputation:

Diabetes foot care

1. Check your feet daily - especially if you have low sensitivity or no feeling in your feet. Sores, cuts and grazes could go unnoticed and you could develop problems leading to amputations. 
2. Don't go around barefoot, even indoors. It's easy to tread on something or stub your toes and cut yourself. Protect your feet with socks/stockings and shoes/slippers.
3. Be careful if you have corns or calluses. Check with your doctor or podiatrist the best way to care for them. 
4. Wash your feet daily in warm, not hot water. And don't soak your feet (even if you've been standing all day) because it could dry your skin and form cracks or sores.
5. Take extra care to dry your feet completely, especially between your toes. These are natural moisture traps - leaving them damp or wet could create all sorts of problems. 
6. Exercise your legs and feet regularly. Even when sitting you can rotate your ankles; wiggle your toes or move your legs up and down. These all keep your blood circulation flowing and helps to minimize the risk of foot problems. 
7. Get your feet professionally checked, at least once a year, for sensitivity and signs of any problems.  You can usually arrange this when you have your annual check up for your AC1 levels (blood glucose levels over a 3-month period), blood pressure and cholesterol. 

Take constant care of your feet. Get help from a relative or professional; Doctor, diabetic nurse or podiatrist if you are not able to bend when trimming nails or checking for sores.  Taking these simple actions will help you reduce the risk of painful problems.

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Help You Wipe out Your Depression

Help You Wipe out Your Depression

Get a social life to wipe out youe depression

Are you lonely? Did you know that being lonely is a normal part of our everyday lives? Let's face it, we've all been there. We get depressed when we fail in our exams, when we're rejected by the person, we love, or when someone very close to us passes away. That's just part of life.

However, depression can be more fatal than just plain loneliness. It could render life-long consequences that could ruin yourself-esteem, health, and well-being in the process. Well today is your lucky day because I'm going to share with you some great tips to help you conquer the 'melancholy mood' so you can get the most bliss out of your daily activities.

So I'll shares with you five proven tips on how to overcome your depression so you can live a happy and fulfilling life.

1. Do you get enough Light and Sunshine?

Did you know that lack of exposure to sunlight is responsible for the secretion of the hormone called melatonin, which could trigger a dispirited mood and/or a lethargic condition? Melatonin is only produced in the dark. What it does is it lowers the body temperature and makes you feel sluggish.

So, if you are always cooped up in your room (with the curtains closed), it would be difficult to restrain yourself from staying in bed. This is the reason why many people suffer from depression much more often in winter than in the other seasons. It's simply because the nights are longer.

If you can't afford to get some sunshine, you can always lighten up your room with brighter lights to help offset the darkness. Alternatively, you could go have lunch outside the office for a change and take frequent walks in the early afternoon instead of driving your car over short distances. The choices are endless. It's really up to you.

2. Keep busy and get inspired.

You'll be more likely to overcome any feeling of depression if you keep your mind busy doing the activities you like doing the most. Do the things you love?

If you're a little short on cash, you could engage in simple stuff like taking a leisurely stroll in the park, playing sports, reading books, or engaging in any activity that you have the passion for and would love to pursue. Furthermore, set a goal. No matter how difficult or discouraging life can be, remain firm and have an unshakable belief that you are capable of doing anything you desire. With this kind of positive attitude, you will attain a cheerful disposition to beat the blues.

3. Take a break. Sit back and relax.

I mean it. Listen to some soothing music you like. Soak in a nice warm bath. Simply take a break from your stressful workload and spend the day just goofing around doing the things you love. In other words, go have fun. Life is too short as it is.

4. Maintain a healthy diet and Stay Fit.

Avoid foods with lots of sugar, caffeine or alcohol. Sugar and caffeine may give you a brief moment of energy; however they will later bring about anxiety, tension and internal problems. Alcohol, on the other hand, is a depressant. Many people would drink alcohol to simply "forget their problems."

All they're doing is aggravating their conditions in the process. Furthermore, did you know that exercising regularly is a vital depression buster? Why you ask?

Simply, because it allows your body to produce more endorphins than usual. Endorphins are sometimes called "the happy chemicals" because of their stress reducing and happiness inducing properties.

5. Get a social life outside of work.

Your inner circles of friends are there to give you moral support. Spending time and engaging in worthwhile activities with them could give you a very satisfying feeling. And we all now... nothing feels better than having grouped support. And... never underestimate the power of touch.

What I mean is... doesn't it feel so good when someone pats you on the back and gives you words of encouragement during your most challenging times? Hug or embrace someone today. Get intimate. Establish close ties with your family and friends. The love and care expressed by others could tremendously boost your immune system and fend off illnesses.

Best of all, you'll live a more secure and happy life. Now go give those five tips a try to see how they pan out for you.

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You Need To Know about "Bird Flu"

You Need To Know about "Bird Flu"

Bird Flu

Before you become overly concerned about "bird flu", there are a few important facts you need to know about  bird flu. 

"Bird flu" is different thing as human pandemic flu. "Bird flu"-H5N1 highly pathogenic Asian avian influenza-is a severe disease of birds. All the people known to have gotten it had close contact with infected birds, mostly in rural villages in Asia. Where there is no close contact with infected birds, there's no human disease. 

Better news: The food supply is protected. The poultry industry and the U.S. government take Asian avian influenza very seriously because it can threaten commercial poultry. It's spread by migratory birds, so the federal government monitors wild birds in areas where there could be contact with Asian birds. 

In addition, security on poultry farms is very tight. Poultry are kept away from wild birds. Strict procedures keep the virus from being tracked into the birds' living space. Poultry farmers' number one priority is to protect their flocks. 

The industry and state governments sponsor extensive testing programs to watch for any signs of Asian avian influenza. Under the National Chicken Council's program, which nearly all chicken companies follow, each flock is tested. Any poultry flock found to be infected with Asian avian influenza would be destroyed on the farm and would not enter the food supply. 

You can also feel confident about your chicken or turkey dinners. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you can't get "bird flu" from properly handled and cooked food. Just be sure to follow the instructions already printed on each package of fresh meat and poultry sold in the United States. The instructions are the same as, they have always been-nothing special is needed. On the remote chance that an infected bird got into the food supply, it wouldn't affect consumers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends cooking poultry to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This is more than enough to destroy any flu viruses that may be present. 

"American consumers don't have to worry about getting the avian flu virus from eating poultry," says Dr. Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia. "We know that if you properly cook poultry, it's safe."

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Manage your Diet for Diabetes

5 Ways to Manage your Diet for Diabetes

Diet for Diabetes

Since my diagnosis with diabetes at the age of eleven, my own diet has changed dramatically.  I maintain my current healthy weight with a great diet/eating plan. If you do plan on losing more than about a stone in weight then I would visit your doctor for more tips on how to do this without risk.  

I've had diabetes for seven years now, but to tell you that how I maintain weight is perfect would be totally wrong of me.  However, I can advise you to follow my steps because I know what works and what doesn't. Before I really begin I must also say that I have been brought up by great parents who taught me to eat everything, and so I do! If there is something that you don't like, there are loads of other diabetic recipes and ideas that you will eat and appreciate.

I am a university student and I like to buy fresh and organic produce from where I live. I believe that this is important because it can be the most good for your body and contain more nutrients and vitamins than most supermarket produce. I like to source food from my fortnightly farmers market in town, which sells amazing meat and dairy produce and fresh in season fruit and vegetables. This is another important thing to remember, that eating fruit and vegetables in their season means that they will taste better as well as doing you good. I have a lot of influence from Western European cuisine (mainly France and Italy) as you will tell, but I do not profess to be a chef and everything is easy to make and very convenient.

I have read countless diet books and diabetic recipe/diet books, and I came to a conclusion that I think really works. I fused all the good things from the diets (but not from every diet) and sort of put together my own one. I call this my Juvenile Diabetes Healthy Diet!

The "rules" that I would lay down are as follows:

1. Cut back on snacks and then change the type of snacks you eat.

Certainly, my biggest downfall although it wasn't really apparent to me. When I first started at University, I had little or no routine, which meant that filling my day was difficult and popping into the kitchen for a snack, no matter how healthy it felt, was a regular occurrence. This is one of the hardest things to do for some people, but establishing a great routine is essential to great diabetes care. The types of snacks to be eating are unsalted nuts, dried unsweetened fruit, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables (I love fresh red pepper and cucumber), dark chocolate (richer and nicer and you only want two squares usually). 

2. Cut back on white flour and embrace wholemeal carbs.

This is the most essential part of your diet, and the thing that can show the biggest increase in loss of weight. Some diets, in fact, just focus on this point, and are very successful. Wholemeal (especially stone ground wholemeal) is so good for you and has so much more flavour in it that switching is much easier than you think. Most people are really surprised at the ranges you can get in your supermarket, again remember that the bread that is best for you is the one that is freshest with least preservatives or added ingredients. Furthermore, brown or basmati rice is great with a lovely nutty texture. Wholemeal pasta is great and for your potatoes, I would totally recommend the smaller new potatoes.

3. Stop drinking cocktails, start drinking wine. 

Cocktails are full of sugar, colourants and preservatives. As a student I have had loads of practice at going out and not drinking cocktails, so my drink of choice is Malibu and Diet Coke if I feel I have to drink something, and I make it last all night. I can then top up with Diet Coke (which has almost no sugar in it), and it looks as though I am drinking Malibu, who is to know. If you are out at a restaurant, red wine is much better than anything else you can order, (except water of course!) and it has been proven that the anti-oxidants in red wine are great for keeping a healthy heart. The recommended amount is one glass a day with your evening meal. 

4. Start cooking more fruit and vegetables.

Fresh fruit and vegetables are a great way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. And there are so many different ways in which to cook vegetables, but I find that raw is the best followed closely by steamed. Both ways preserve all their natural goodness as well. I will follow this post with another diabetes recipe's post. 

5. Drink more water.

I know you have heard people say this many times before, but the benefits of drinking more water are endless. A few tips on how to get more water into your day are, firstly, to put bottles of water at all the places you go in the house or work. So keep one in your desk, on your desk, a glass in the kitchen, the bedroom, the sitting room, etc. Try to drink all these glasses up, and you will be well on your way to 8 glasses a day. The trick is to add a glass every few days or so, if you try to drink all that water in one go to you won't be so inclined to drink eight glasses again, trust me! Have a go, it's amazing how great you will feel.

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Diabetes Travel Tips

5 Diabetes Travel Tips

Diabetes Travel Bag

Planning ahead when you travel reduces stress.  This is particularly important for a diabetic.  These 5 diabetes travel tips are simple to implement and crucial to your diabetic management.  They are particularly important if you are traveling abroad.

1)  Have a pre-travel check-up.  Make sure your A1C blood sugar levels; your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels are OK.  Get the appropriate shots for any country you plan to visit.

2)  Wear a diabetes medical ID.  Ideally it should be in the language spoken in the country you're visiting.  Not everyone speaks your language and you don't want medical problems through misunderstandings.

3)  Keep your medication and glucose snacks in your hand-luggage.  Check-in baggage does, unfortunately, go astray. Don't risk your diabetes medication by packing it in your main luggage.

4)  Keep your medication in its original box, complete with pharmacy labels.  It will prevent misunderstandings about why you are carrying drugs and, if you are on insulin, syringes.

5)  Be aware of time zone changes, especially when altering your watch.  Remember when you travel east your day becomes shorter; if you travel west your day becomes longer.  You may need to alter the timings of your medication.

Traveling need not be traumatic. A sensible attitude and a bit of pre-travel planning can make things go far more smoothly.

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