Lately, I’ve been working with people who are suffering from anxiety. There is a lot of anxiety out there, and in many cases there is good reason to be anxious. Loss of a job, money worries, or health issues just to name a few. But sometimes we create anxiety when we don’t have to. {continue reading}
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A new study from Finland found that people who drank three to five cups of coffee a day in middle age were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or dementia compared to people who drank no coffee or very little.
The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, followed more than 1,400 people between the ages of 65 and 79 over the course of 21 years. They asked them various questions including how much tea and coffee they drank a day.
They found that people who drank what was categorized as “moderate consumption” - 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day - during midlife had the lowest risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia, compared to people who didn’t drink any coffee or drank two or fewer cups. Drinking more than 5 cups a day didn’t seem to offer any extra protective benefits.
What about tea? Well, this was Finland and apparently there weren’t enough tea drinkers to draw any conclusions about its effectiveness.
The really good news for coffee lovers is that this is just the latest piece of research showing that a cuppa Joe can do a lot more than just provide a quick pick-me-up first thing in the morning (or even last thing at night).
Altogether some 19,000 different studies have been done on coffee. It’s one of the most widely researched substances in the world. Most of the studies have found some positive benefits, for most people.
Like with any beverage there is a danger in drinking too much. But even there, another study has shown that people who smoke and drink alcohol, but who also drink a lot of coffee, are at lower risk of heart disease than smokers/drinkers who don’t consume coffee.
Think about that the next time you are in Starbucks behind the person who is ordering 7 triple shot extra hot low foam soy-milk white chocolate lattes. Be patient with them, they’re not buying drinks, they’re buying medicine.
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So I went to my daughter’s house yesterday. She was having the midwife, the midwife’s assistant, and the doula over for a little pre-birth chat. Our baby is due in 2 weeks. The baby has lot’s of people looking out for her already. Right, her. She is named Emma, after her grandmother, Helene, after her father’s grandmother, and her middle name is “Danger”. It’s better than “Trouble”. {continue reading}
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Anxiety and stress seem to be gaining much attention in the news recently, or maybe it’s due to the news that stress and anxiety is prevalent! Don’t despair, there are ways to control these toxic feelings instead of being overtaken and ruled by them. One method that is gaining momentum to change this emotional tide is hypnosis. It can relax and sooth while changing the way you look at your problems. Really!More…
There are many ways people use hypnosis. One of the most frequent is to help them overcome anxiety, and that is with good reason. Anxiety is a common human problem. Most of us suffer from it in one form or another. Some of us are so overcome by it that it becomes a debilitating force in our daily lives. It may show up as a formal diagnosis, such as agoraphobia, (fear of leaving the house) panic attack, (fear and high anxiety) or a generalized anxiety disorder or phobia, such as a low grade feeling that things are not well. It may have an attachment to our daily lives like going through a divorce, giving up smoking, building a house or going through a medical problem with a family member.
Our bodies continuously experience anxiety, it’s part of living. We can’t run away from it but we can tame how we react to it. The level in which we experience anxiety, can be a beneficial window to our state of mental and physical health. It’s the idea of fight or flight which has come in very handy throughout our evolution, but since we don’t usually run into primal predators in our daily lives, we need to reassess how we to react each time we experience a problem. Anxiety is the way most of us cope with stress or change. But sometimes it can be overwhelming, and instead of getting us to perform at a high level it can be debilitating and leave us depressed, afraid and unable to function, unable to take any risk at all for fear that something bad may happen.
This is where deep breathing and hypnosis comes to the rescue, because being hypnotized is a very relaxing experience just like deep breathing. The induction or invitation into the relaxing realm of the hypnotic experience becomes a safe haven from daily challenges. The hypnotherapist can include additional suggestions for positive imagery and help people create a place where problems can be seen in a different perspective. Hypnosis can help people overcome the shame of giving in to anxiety. It helps people use their imagination to tap into the valuable experiences used in trance, such as finding respite in a safe landing place, or discuss solutions to problems with an inner adviser or protector. By quieting the mind people can gain more awareness and understanding and tap into the subconscious strength and wisdom.
You can do this for yourself if you don’t have a hypnotherapist handy. How? Breathe, that’s right take a deep breath, I mean deep and slow and now let that cleansing breath out - slow and easy. Take another and when you have taken 10 really deep breaths, concentrating on each one, well, my friend you will feel more relaxed and calmer. It’s not as exciting as having a guide to help you get into that relaxed state, but it works. Focus, breath and be calm. Quiet your mind and control anxiety instead of it controlling you.
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It’s been a stressful time for all of us! My sister and I were just wondering how we lost as much money as we did! I said, “Gee, how did we have that much money to loose?” My Dad never had any money, maybe that’s why he was so short tempered. My Mom always had a little stash somewhere. She didn’t call it that, but if there was a dance coming up and I wanted a new dress to wear, it was my Mom who said…”here…don’t tell your Dad!” Of course my Dad would take me aside and give me $20 and say, “Here, get something special.” But, where are your Mom and Dad now? {continue reading}
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Last weekend Kevin and I got together with some people we used to see everyday when we worked in television. We were producers and our days were filled with deadlines, research, writing, booking and scheduling cameramen, talking with interview subjects, solving problems when schedules changed and getting the story on the air. It was also filled with laughter, jokes, ironic takes on the days events and many, many people. We’ve all moved on to other work but we still get together once in a while for a picnic in a park. We bring the kids, the dogs, the “new” spouses. It’s a meeting that celebrates friendships, and you know what? I miss them! {continue reading}
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This is my new blog. I just put it up for you to get an understanding of how hypnotherapy works. I’ll have more information and articles in coming weeks. Thanks for visiting and if you would like to contact me: shirley@davadiva.net Thank you for visiting!
Shirl
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We, all of us have things we want to change. In some cases they are relatively minor. In some, major. The problem is how do you do it? Over the next two weeks we’ll show you can break your habit.
The most important thing you need to ask yourself is do you really want to change? Lots of people think they would like to stop smoking, lose weight, or. But they are just kidding themselves or submitting to the wishes of a husband, wife, friend or mom.
You need to be very clear about what you really want in order to change. Once this is understood, change begins, and the rest of the steps are much easier!
1) Do you “REALLY” want to change?
You must be very honest with yourself because if you are making this decision for someone else you won’t succeed. It’s only after you accept that you have a problem that you can begin to change.
2) Understand that the habit is controlling your life, and you can take back control.
Do you stand outside to smoke? Huddled in a doorway while it rains and the cold wind slices through you, sending ashes and smoke into your eyes? If that’s the case then smoking is controlling you.
Do you think about food all the time? Do you eat it fast and say to yourself ” I’ll be good tomorrow.” Do you open a bag of chips and eat at your desk never thinking about what you are putting in your mouth? Food is controlling you.
Many habits are simply unconscious routines that we do on a daily basis and they can be very helpful, like taking the same route to work everyday, or brushing your teeth. We don’t have to think about every step because we have done them over and over again. In fact, we don’t have to think about each step at all. That’s good for some things; but if your habit is so unconscious that you don’t even think about it or make a choice when you do it, you have given up control.
3) Take back control and make a conscious decision.
Since a habit is an automatic, unconscious activity that you simply follow it is extremely important to change every routine that is associated with it. How? Change. Change everything.
If you are smoker, change the brand you buy, take all the cigarettes out of the pack and put them in something else or put them upside down in the pack. Keep the matches in another place. Change where you smoke, when you smoke. Change everything about how you smoke.
If your habit is about food, change how you eat. For instance, instead of opening a bag of chips and eating from the bag, take some chips out, put them on a plate and then close the bag and put it away.
You see what you are doing? You are making a conscious decision with each step, you are deciding if you are going to take it or not. If you have to go get the chip bag again in order to get more you are making a choice. See! It’s easy when you are in control. Notice, we haven’t ever said anything about guilt. Don’t worry, I’m catholic, we’ll get to that.
4) Honor yourself and be realistic. Take it a step at a time! Don’t get overwhelmed!
It took a lot of time to create the habit and the truth is you are now beginning to re-train your brain to create an new positive habit. They say that if you do something 29 times, it will become a habit. There is no magical way of breaking a habit. Some people can just stop cold turkey and other’s need help from another source, like weight watchers, a doctor, or re-hab.
You can support yourself by validating each change you make. Gee, I haven’t had a cookie in a week! or Boy, usually I’ll have smoked 4 cigarettes by now. By doing things deliberately, you are making a positive change that will grow. Your subconscious mind will get the message and begin to help you too!
5) Go on a vacation or move to Japan!
Writer David Sedaris quit smoking when he moved to Japan. Why? In an interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air, David said it was so much easier, because everything was different. All the usual landmarks that he associated with smoking were different. He had a different apartment so the desk where he worked and smoked was different, the place where he kept his lighter was different, the places that sold cigarettes were different. He was able to stop smoking because his entire routine was different.
You don’t have to go to Japan to quit smoking or change whatever habit you are working on, but you can decide on when to quit. It really helps if you think about when you are going to begin the change to stop a habit. Maybe there is a vacation coming up, or a special occasion, such as a holiday that will be your target date.
Start thinking now and get your brain ready for that great day when you will be completely free of your habit. The key here is to expect success. Know it is coming and take pride in the wonderful feeling of achieving your goal.
6) Give yourself a little time before you take action.
We all have cravings. You know, it’s the thought that enters your head and says, “Wouldn’t a nice chewy chocolate chip cookie taste good right now!” or “It’s time to have a cigarette.” Right, that kind of craving.
Here’s what you do before you do what your are thinking. Give yourself some time. Say to yourself, “I’ll have it if I want to in 20 minutes.” See what happened? You didn’t give in to your habit without putting in a little control mechanism. Spend some of that time congratulating yourself on how well you are doing. What control you have and how much better you feel.
7) Stop beating yourself up if you eat, smoke, chew, or do anything that looks like you fell off the wagon.
We don’t need to nag ourselves into guilt. It’s not good for us. Instead, look back on how far you have come from the sniveling-cigarette-smoking-cookie-eating-chewing-your-nails kind of person you were. Notice how much you have changed and just get back up there and continue the change.
I didn’t say “Start all over again, did I?” that’s because you are simply continuing to move closer to your goal.
Pay Attention!
Notice when you have cravings. Notice how you handle the urge and when it seems to arise. The idea is to be present and awake while you are taking significant steps toward your goal. Some people like to keep journals or diaries, others just take in the information. Find out what works for you and do it!
9) Let all of your friends know you have made a decision to change.
They will support you. Just because you have declared that you are about to create a major shift in your life, people will expect you to do it. It will help you stay honest. Really!
10) Do not sneak!
Yeah, I know, it’s easy to say but really, who are you kidding.
11) Treat yourself!
Now that you have changed! Do something for yourself with all the money you are saving! If it’s nail biting…get a manicure…
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