Two Keys to Reducing Stress

What symptoms do you exhibit when stressed? How do they show up for you?

Often stress shows up in a wide variety of ways: physical, mental and emotional.

Physical signs include headaches, muscle tension, upset stomach, restless sleep, shaky/sweaty hands, and fidgeting.
Mental signs include being easily distracted/unable to focus, being more forgetful, having simple issues become exaggerated, and having increased dreaming.
Emotional signs include irritability, short temper, exhaustion, and an inability to make decisions.
How can you relieve or reduce your stress?

TIP #1 - Take Charge.

When you feel in control, you can RESPOND rather than REACT to your environment. You feel more empowered and better able to manage what comes your way. Begin by looking at what you can control and what you cannot.

List the things I control in my life.
List the things that are TRULY out of my control.
What is my attitude towards the things I control? Toward the things, I don't?
What stresses can I say "no" to, eliminate, reduce or delegate in my life?
What can I add to my life that will counteract stress? (meditation, workouts, etc.)
What positive people do I want in my life to support me?
What negative people do I need to spend less time with?
What is most important to me?
Make a list, prioritize, and commit to removing one stressful thing a day!

TIP #2 - Incorporate Exercise.

Regular exercise is one of the best stress-reduction techniques out there. It has multiple stress-relieving benefits:

IMPROVED HEALTH: "Exercising adds life to your years as well as years to your life" through a lowered heart rate and reduced risk of heart disease; it may also prevent certain types of cancer and will increase stamina.
IMPROVED MOOD: Exercising causes the brain to release opium-like substances that ease pain and produce a natural high, giving a sense of well-being and comfort. It also stimulates the brain to secrete serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which act as antidepressants and improve mood (deficiencies can result in depression, anxiety, impulsivity, aggression, and increased appetite).
REDUCED BODY TENSION: Exercising helps relieve pent-up emotions we hold in our muscles. Having a relaxed body allows you to sleep better, have more energy, enhance concentration and memory, and quicken your alertness and reaction time, resulting in an overall feeling of well-being.
CREATE A PLAN:

How can taking charge and exercising affect my stress level?
How do I want to feel after I have planned and exercised-both physically and emotionally?
What can I do to incorporate planning and exercise in my life? (What? When? With whom? For how long?)
GET STARTED TODAY:

Find a friend to exercise with for the recommended minimum of 20-30 minutes a day, 3-5 times a week. Working out with a friend helps to provide a plan for regular routine, accountability, and allows for multitasking so you can brainstorm, encourage or share thoughts with a friend while working out.
Get a personal trainer or join a gym. Push yourself to WORK OUT!
Be conscious about exercising. Park farther away and walk. Take a flight of stairs instead of an elevator. Do sit-ups while watching TV. Take the dog for a morning walk before you shower.
All the benefits of planning and exercise impact your ability to be sharper, move faster and feel better. Taking time to do this will actually give you more time for the other things you need to do and REDUCE YOUR STRESS!

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Christy_Geiger/2434143

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Tony Robbins: How to deal with STRESS and DEPRESSION - #MentorMeTony

What's Wrong With Me?

Disabling anxiety and depression

How often do you ask your self out loud or quietly to your self 'What's wrong with me?

When we look beneath the surface of anxiety and depression, we will find what drives them. What if the belief we carry along the lines of There must be something wrong and the not good enough syndrome are the roots of anxiety and depression? What would happen if we disabled those roots?

What's wrong with me?

How many times have you asked yourself, quietly or out loud What's wrong with me? Have other people ever said to you, What's wrong with you?, after you have failed to do something or live up to their expectations? How often have you uttered to your self What did I do wrong, or where did I go wrong?

What you believe you will see

The source of these questions come from the beliefs you hold about your self, There must be something wrong with me, or I must have done something wrong. The question is how long have these been running your life? These beliefs could come from some event, or something said to you a long time ago. They don't necessarily have to stem from a traumatic event (although they could).They could simply derive from something which today seems insignificant, but at the time could have made you question your self enough to create an element of doubt. If not nipped in the bud this doubt will grow into a belief, there must be something wrong with me. This may not be true but in time those beliefs will become true for you. Once the beliefs take root they have the ability to run your life and at times disable you.

We can end up going around and around in circles as we can't find the confidence to make a decision, or make a choice between this or that, because we are afraid of being wrong or being wronged. Either we are afraid of making a decision based on the unknown, or we are afraid of making the same mistake, based on past decisions that didn't work out. And often when we attempt to or even if we do take action, we end up seeing our worst fears of being wrong or wronged coming true, either in our mind or in reality. Either way they cause havoc. How can they not when your energy is running on such low quality beliefs that make you wrong or wronged, no matter what you do or don't do.

The clues are in your Self Talk

You may or not be aware of those beliefs on a conscious level but your self-talk will tell you a lot if you listen. The symptoms of what we call anxiety can be different for each person: They can range from confusion, non-comprehension, nervousness, irritability, anger, sadness, crying. You might feel sensations in the body, usually in the abdomen as nervousness, and at times to the extent of feeling sick. When we are unable to control these feelings, panic attacks can follow.

Often the disappointment of 'failing' to do what you want to do again leads you back to the question What's wrong with me?, and this alone can lead us onto a downward slide into depression. We often try many ways to escape those painful feelings and thoughts;. We can try to run away, smother them with food, drink, drugs, exercise and any thing else we can think of to ease the pain. The more we depress or suppress these emotions the further we will slide into depressed state of mind, where we can't feel anything - we call this depression.

The Diagnosis and the label

The doctors will confirm that there is something wrong with us. The diagnosis and label alone can create more fear and can confirm and anchor the belief that There is something wrong with me. Or, putting a name to the way we feel can finally bring some relief. It is a starting point as we go through the process of finding the right medication for that something wrong with us. And that's perfect.

However, here's the challenge. What if we applied a mental mental process of pulling those beliefs of There must be something wrong with me out by the roots? What would happen to the illness? What comes first the belief or the illness? Mmmmm something to think about!

What's wrong with me, walks hand in hand with the belief I'm not good enough. Think about it! When we don't feel good enough or we don't measure up, make the cut, or we are rejected, don't we ask that same old question What's wrong with me? Am I not tall enough, short enough, intelligent enough, fast enough, pretty enough? - and on and on.

The Not Good Enough Syndrome

This stems from the idea that we are not enough (as we are) and therefore we have to keep adding things to our lives and lifestyle to make us feel better about our self. The need to prove to our self and others we are good enough becomes all important. We add degrees, relationships, money, material possessions, awards, trophies to feel good enough. Being an owner of something makes us feel better.

And all of this is perfect unless they become the substance or our feeling good enough. The question is: What happens if you lose all of this, will you still feel good enough? If you have a belief running of I'm not enough then that belief will remain true for you unless you change it. No matter what you achieve on the outside, chances are you will never feel enough, and nothing will ever be enough for you. The clue here for me was my constant querying 'What more do I have to do? This Not Good Enough Syndrome leads to symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, addictions, and other self inflicted illnesses.

Treating the Roots

Once again instead of treating the symptoms we need to stop feeding the roots of not enough and feed those Good and Godly enough roots so we can feast on the fruits of wellness.

What you focus on grows

Instead of looking for what is wrong with us, we look to find all that's right. This means focusing on all the inner natural good and Godliness that makes up our wholesome self. This aspect of our self is real and what is real never changes and is always present. However this can be suppressed by those man-made beliefs we hold about our self and God (or whatever name you want to give that invisible spiritual energy that makes up our holistic and wholesome self).

Balancing the Mind-Body with Spirit

What if the imbalance we find with depression and anxiety stems from the denial of spirit from the mind-body-spirit system. Doesn't this show us that illness is not the presence of something but the absence of something? As we leave spirit out of the equation for wellness, we disable our self. If we don't include Faith in our recovery program we will be doing our self an injustice. When we recover the inner spiritual aspect of Faith, we stand to recover wellness on all levels. When we talk about Faith remember it doesn't belong to any one religion or philosophy. Faith belongs to everyone as a natural aspect of your holistic mind, body and spirit system. For me, Faith is our highest sense of Self and Self Belief.

Raising Real Self Belief

When you reconnect with Faith, we are able to operate from the heart and soul of our real sense of self. Our role in life then becomes one of expressing one-self in away that is unique and right for each and every one of us. If then, by any chance we lose our accumulated possessions, job or relationship, me may experience an array of emotions, but the foundations of who we are is enough to sustain us. WE may lose our balance and sway, we won't fall and crumble.

Often the idea of spirit or faith being a natural solution for our holistic healing is enough to turn people away. The fearful resistance stems from the names we use, the meanings we give it, and the beliefs we hold on to. And for non-religious people the word God alone can send them heading into a state of anxiety.

I can vouch for the fact that trying to find the right name and the right way to understand and accept this invisible life-force, challenged me to the hilt. I have explored spirituality and Christianity (oh what a journey!) and it was in giving up seeking that I found what I was looking for right here, right under my nose, right inside - My good enough and my Godly enough truest sense of Self and real Self Belief.

Find a way that is right for you

I discovered that there is no right or wrong way to recover and apply this precious solution, only a way that is right for you. It's of no matter what name people use, because it is of no matter. All that really matters is that we do call upon this inner sense of Self and Self Healing, and allow it to be the driver behind disabling anxiety and depression and other fear driven illnesses.

Be Free Now,

Blessings Marie

Marie Brunger is an accomplished writer and author and an inspirational speaker and healer. Her latest book "I AM a Spiritual Approach to Mental Health is a result of a decision she made over 20 years ago to heal her life and to help others to do the same.

Marie has supported thousands of people through their personal and life threatening challenges to find the freedom to choose who they want in the drivers' seat of their life - Love or fear.

Her philosophy is simple. Instead of searching for what's wrong, and fixing the perceived problem, we look to find all that's right. She says: "I am committed to restoring Faith and making it the foundations for a life of well-being. These strong foundations allow me and you to venture safely and more naturally through the fear to enjoying a higher level of living, loving and achieving. [https://www.mariebrunger.com]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Marie_Brunger/2287950

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Taking These 3 Supplements Daily Can Change Your Life For Good

Living Healthy Lives By Choice

How to live healthy and disease free for the rest of your life. Do you think that is pipe dream? If you think it is not possible, then you have already defeat your purpose. However, if you think it is possible, then I want to categorically tell you that it is can happen, and it is happening.

I am going to tell you and show you how to make it happen for you, as it is for me and many others.

Listen to me carefully, we are healthy by design and sick by default!

Living a healthy life is a matter of choice we make every day by the things we do, the food we eat and drink, and overall life we live. I am going to show you how to live a dynamic, vibrant healthy life. How to live your full life and never get sick, and how do do all this without drugs or surgery.

How to look like you have found the secret of the fountain of youth.

Let me ask you this all important question,

Why Are We Sick?
If we don't know the cause of something, it almost impossible to fix it. So, we have to first explore what is making us so sick, and I am sure some of the reasons that are making us sick might surprise you.

To put it at the very basic and say, there are only two reasons why a person become ill.

1. You "catch" something, meaning, your body picks up a germ, generally a bacteria or a virus.
2. Your body develop an illness or a disease. That will happen because something has gone wrong in your systems, causing some imbalance.

Something is not working as it should, and a disease or an illness develop. Examples are, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, acid reflux, arthritis, etc.

Remember that our focus is living healthy, so now, let's dig a little deeper in these two causes of all illnesses and diseases. And I'll start with the first cause of catching something.

We said before that is either a bacteria or a germ causing the problem. But look at this fact, the atmosphere is filled with these small and most times invisible creatures. Have you ever ask why some people in the same environment where others who pick up the germ and they are fine!

Don't tell me everyone is made up differently, and you will soon understand why this argument cannot stands the test of a day.

I said earlier that we are healthy by design, meaning, our bodies are designed to fight off those bacteria and germs that are bombarding us every day.

That inbuilt apparatus is called the Immune System which has two fundamental functions which are vital to the survival of the person.

1. The Immune System is for identification of all types of micro-organisms and foreign bodies that are potentially dangerous to the individual.
2. The Immune System is also for destruction of these micro-organisms, substances or foreign bodies.

Our Immune System can be weakened from a variety of ways, and these are some of the most common:

A. Under or malnourishment which is a lack of essential nutrients like vitamins and some trace elements.

B. Stress, can either be physical or psychological. Obesity can be a cause.

C. Chemotherapy which comes in the form of anti-cancer medication

D. Infectious diseases come from "catching" something

E. Dieting includes the foods that contribute in special ways to the correct functioning of the complex Immune

System

F. AIDS: Is the Immune System deficiency caused by a viral attacks on your body's defense mechanisms.

Let me remind you of the two reasons why people get sick:

1. You catch something and your body cannot fight it off, as a result your body give in to the germs.
2. Your body develops something in the genetically weak areas.

In both of the above cases the causes are the same.

A. Your Immune System is weak
B. Toxins are attacking your body

When we consider those two fundamental causes for illnesses, we can conclude that all sicknesses come from one or a combination of four things. This is what Kevin Trudeau in one of his books called: "Natural Cures They Don't Want You To Know About" said about why we get sick.

These are the four basic reasons Kevin give for all sicknesses:

1. People get sick because they have too many toxins in their bodies
2. We are suffering from nutritional deficiencies, meaning our cells are not getting enough nutrients in their proper proportions.
3. We are exposed to and negatively affected by Electromagnetic Chaos (EMC).
4. You have trapped mental and emotional stress

According to Kevin, these are the only four reasons why our Immune System could be weak or why genetically weak areas in the body can break down, and thus allowing illness and diseases to develop.

Although Kevin said these are the only reasons for all illnesses, I would like to add one more reason why we get sick.

Because I want to establish this fact, or I should say this TRUTH!!

We as living creatures called human beings are different from all other living things. Only human beings are created in the image and likeness of Elohim.

As a result, only human beings are created in His image and likeness, meaning, just like how Elohim exist in three formalities as Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we also exist in three dimensions as body soul and spirit.

To state it correctly, we are first and foremost spirit, with a soul in a body.

As a result of this enlightened truth, we can also get sick from a spiritual perspective. The medical experts call this psychosomatic illnesses

Psycho in psychosomatic comes from the root word psychic, and mean among other things, the supernatural or spiritual.

There are researches surrounding psychosomatic illnesses which seems to provide sufficient scientific evidence that the mind or the intangible part of a person, or a person's beliefs and thoughts, have the ability to cause physical changes in the body.

If we are going to be Living Healthy lives, holistic healthy lives, then all three areas on man's existence must be covered. Complete health is in spirit, soul and body.

Therefore I will say people are sick because of these five reasons

1. We allow too many toxins in our bodies for too long
2. We are not eating properly balanced meals resulting us suffering from nutritional deficiencies,
3. We are exposed to and negatively affected by electromagnetic chaos (emc).
4. We do not properly manage mental and emotional stress
5. We ignore the Spirit-man that is more real than the physical man

There are things we can, and other things we cannot control. Therefore, the only way to manage those uncontrollable things, is to ensure the cells of our body are vibrantly healthy and strong to function as they should.

One such things we cannot control is electromagnetic fields to which we are all exposed.

What is electromagnetism?

Electromagnetism is a scientific word in physics used to describe one of the fundamental forces of nature. This force is between subatomic particles such as protons and electrons. You have to have a basic knowledge of physic to appreciate these terms.

Electromagnetism helps to hold matter together. It is also used to describe how a magnetic field is created by the flowing of electric current.

Our body has electromagnetic fields and communication systems. Electromagnetic chaos come about when wireless devices like the laptops, computers, televisions and cell phones are used too frequently. And even more dangerous when we sleep with them in the bedroom.

The resulting distortion creates chaos within the body's electromagnetic fields and communication systems. This causes physical, mental and emotional imbalances.

Electromagnetic chaos is a negatively powerful force and causes disease.

When we are able to reduce, eliminate, or neutralize these powerful negative frequencies, then we can reverse the negative reactions, resulting in the "curing" of symptoms and disease.

Living Healthy Through Balanced Diet

There are areas where we have complete control. For example, in the area of nutrition to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

People suffer unnecessarily because they do not eat the right way.

The proper way to ensure you are eating a balanced diet, is to include portions in your meals every day.

The portions should be considered in colors. So, in your daily eating, make sure you consume 50% green, 35% yellow, and 15% red. In so doing, you are covering all the basic nutritional needs of your cells.

Eating like this is the natural way to live healthy life and cancel the imposition of nutritional deficiency diseases.

In other words, we will not suffer from those noncommunicable diseases (NCD), that most people develop from improper or unhealthy eating habits.

For example, we will not suffer from the disease they call cancer. If we are to reveal the truth, cancer is not a disease, but rather a nutritional deficiency.

"According to Pharmaceutical Research, 95% of the causes of cancer are rooted in our lifestyle; our habits and rituals. The result of what we eat and don't eat. Only 5% of all cancers have a genetic link in their etiology, (causes of cancer)".

The naked truth is, there is no disease called cancer. Cancer is a tumor- like growth that occurs as a result of a nutritional deficiency of vitamin B17.

Most doctors won't tell you this, but take it from me, only your body can cure itself!

There are certain things you can do to help your body heal itself better, or cure itself of illness, sickness and diseases.

I stated earlier one of the fundamental reason you are sick is because of too much toxins in your body. What that comes down to are six areas that have direct relations to toxicity in your body.

These six areas are:

1. Exercise

2. Rest

3. What goes in your body

4. What comes out of your body

5. Your thoughts

6. Words you speak

Did you know that when you are toxic your body becomes highly acidic? Good health mean your body pH should be alkaline. When your body pH is acidic, you are vulnerable to illness and disease.

If your body pH remains alkaline, you virtually cannot get sick!

Every single individual who is diagnosed with cancer, has a pH that is too acidic.

One man said it all in this way - "If man made it, don't eat it." Put another way, eat only what comes from the plant, and not what come out of a plant.

There is so much that could be said here about genetic modification by man of virtually all fruits and vegetables to make them more disease resistant.

And even worse than that, how farmers have to produce more per acre in order to make more profit, by using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. So when you eat a piece of that fruit or vegetable, it is loaded with toxic chemicals.

The bottom line is this, if you are going to be living healthy life and experience vibrancy and high energy, you must clean the accumulated toxins from your body.

Live Good Health By Eliminating Toxic Built-up

It is important to know that from a baby, you have been flooding your body with toxins.

These toxins and poisons included everything form vaccines, prescription and nonprescription drugs, from the air we breath, the water we drink, swim and shower in, and all the chemical from the food we eat.

You should learn about getting a full-body fat/lymphatic detox once per year. And in between that, do a complete colon cleanse, do a heavy metal cleans, do a liver/gallbladder cleanse, do a parasite cleanse, and a candida cleanse.

Other Measures to Good Health

You should drink eight full glasses of purified water every day. You need to drink more water, and the water must be pure. Water is necessary not only for flushing and nourishing your cells, but also for keeping them hydrated and pH balanced.

It is recommended that if you are going to be living healthy life, you should use a rebounder (mini trampoline) for at lease ten minutes a day.

By simply using this device on a daily basis, can provide more health benefits for your cells than almost any other form of exercise.

A rebounder stimulates every single cell in your body simultaneously.

It also stimulates the immune system and is amazingly effective in cleansing toxins out of the cells. The rebounder is said to be the most incredible exercise device made by man.

If you are going to be living a healthy life, you must stop putting toxins in your body!

If you stop doing the things that are causing your symptoms and disease, then you have in effect "cured" yourself.

Most medical practitioners won't tell you this, because their interest is to have you coming back to them as often as possible to sell you more drugs to suppress the symptoms.

So, in concluding this article on living a healthy lifestyle, let me summarize:

The best way to get rid of any and all illness and disease that you may be suffering from, and prevent them from recurring. Also to slow down or potentially reverse the aging process is to do the following:

1. Get rid of all the toxins that have built up in your system.
2. Stop, or at least reduce the toxins entering your body. It is almost impossible to totally prevent toxins from entering our bodies, but we can drastically reduce the amount.
3. We must ensure our elimination systems are clean and not sluggish. That will make the toxins we put in and those develop in our body naturally are getting out freely and quickly.
4. We are to make sure we are getting adequate amounts of nutrition in the various forms such as vitamins, minerals, enzymes, co-factors, and life-sustaining "energy".
5. Make an effort to reduce or neutralize the electromagnetic energy attacking our body's energy fields and cells.
6. Do everything to reduce stress
7. Understand that our mind, and thoughts and words can create a healthy alkaline body pH, and actually change the way out body genetically defective DNA structures into normal healthy DNA structures.

Remember, living good healthy is our responsibility.

The choices we make every day determine the quality of our health.

It is Adrian T Brown here your health enthusiast with a profound question for you: Why People Sick?. You may or may not be responsible for your present health status.

One thing is for sure, you can do something about it. What you think, say and do, believe it or not is creating or destroying your health.

Starting today, right here, right now, can be the beginning of a disease-free, pain-free life. Weight Loss Friendly Foods is where you should start, take action...

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I Fixed 30 Depressed Years (With Food!)

I'd been depressed for most of my life. Before I knew the word, I thought I was just sad, but it never went away.

My life was filled with reasons to be depressed - abusive parents, mentally ill mother, and more. But this went beyond. I spent hours each week thinking of ways to kill myself.

"Depression is the most unpleasant thing I have ever experienced. It is that absence of being able to envisage that you will ever be cheerful again. The absence of hope." - J.K. Rowling

I tried meditation, personal-growth seminars, positive thinking, you name it. My mood would change temporarily, but the all-too-familiar depression always returned.

Have you ever had a problem you couldn't solve, no matter what you tried?

The Unlikely Source of My Solution

Somewhere in all of this, I had written an article for the newsletter of the fitness club where I worked. It was on insulin resistance. A woman walked in, clutching the article, and demanded an appointment with the author.

So that's how I met This Woman. She worked with drug addicts and alcoholics and kept them successfully in recovery by using the effects of foods on their brain chemistry.

Fascinating, right? I learned all I could from her, then started studying on my own. Little information was available on the topic - this was a long time ago - but I kept reading.

I've never been addicted to drugs or alcohol, but began to make changes in my own diet. My situation starting evolving.

One morning, for example, as I waited for my personal training client to arrive, I noticed I was feeling... fabulous. No other word for it. I'd never felt that good before.

Things kept getting better. My health improved. I no longer caught colds, got the flu, or had other nuisance health issues. The monthly pain I had suffered with virtually disappeared.

And the Depression?

Sometime later, I ended up in a fitness seminar with other people - mostly women - who mentioned their "down" moods and mood swings. That day, I realized I never felt depressed anymore. Never thought about it, never worried about it. It was no longer part of my life.

Needless to say, I don't miss it.

Now I have a PhD in how foods affect brain chem, and I use my powers for good! I've helped many clients with physical health problems - but have also helped my clients reverse anxiety, depression, poor focus, and mood swings. Over time, I've made it easier and easier for them to do.

Looking to clear up some resistant health problems you feel "stuck" with? Perfect! That's what I do. Just visit http://www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Transform My Health Now Consult. Discover how easy it is to make a few tweaks that bring huge results.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar.

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Top 10 Healthiest Vegetables

Dealing With People We Do Not Like, In An Adult World

What if there are people we do not like whom we meet daily, they could be our bosses or people we work with. Here's something to ponder upon: if we do not like a person, someone we consider an acquaintance or a work colleague, it just means that we have taken the connection we have little too personally!

Think about it, if we were there to work, and if we take things too personally and allow our emotions to get in the way, we have allowed our emotions to make decisions for us. The trick in dealing with this is not to get emotionally attached to outcomes or emotionally attached to how this person should be behaving towards you.

Now, if this person is not well liked by EVERYONE, let's ask ourselves why. Perhaps this person is doing something right. Possible? If this person is doing something right for the business or organization and we just do not like his/her attitude, then we have to ask ourselves what exactly are we dealing with here: our own blind perception or the person?

No matter what the answer is to that question, we need to know that at the end of the day taking care of our own sanity is crucial. If we put too much energy and get too emotional into these sort of connections then as human beings we are not being energy efficient! We are not going to be able to use our energies more creatively elsewhere.

What if it is a social situation? There are all kinds of bullying that happen in the adult world too. I am not talking about the obvious abuse or ill-treatment that one adult inflicts upon another. I am referring to the more subtle bullying that happens in social settings, for eg. someone snubbing another they perceive as more lowly than them because of how they dress, behave or speak. This sort of bullying shows that the person is insecure, to begin with and he/she needs to play a one-up game in their own minds to feel better about themselves. What if we got caught in a situation like this? When we get snubbed by others just for breathing? This is easily done: just walk away. We are not obligated to stay there to continue to be spoken to disrespectfully, or be treated like a low life. Just walk away.

Here is a mental-emotional checklist of to-dos to assist you. They will help you to get a handle of yourself at the moment.

• Imagine yourself in a bubble of light
• See yourself in the eye of the hurricane. There is nothing chaotic inside it and it is a completely calm space. In this space, do not allow the person to affect you. Keep your emotions in check.
• Ask yourself these: is the person is doing his or her job? Is it going to matter you like them or not? Does the person have a clear goal as to what he or she needs to do? Rationally answer the questions. If the answer is yes to any of the above -stay in the bubble of light and get on with life and let the person do their job. If the answer is no to any of the above -you do not need to justify your feelings or gossip about it, just get on with life and remain in the bubble.

Now perhaps this person in the workplace you do not like acts in a very nasty manner towards you, then the smart thing to do is to stay away from him/her if possible. Sometimes something as drastic as leaving for good may be the answer. We do not have to stay in a situation if we are put in a position of danger or abuse in any manner.

Maybe sometimes we wish that things could be simpler, like how things were like when we were kids when we could easily un-friend someone with no issue whatsoever. In the more complicated adult world, sometimes unfriending someone happens only on Facebook! And we still need to continue to work with the person and keep everything professional!

We are always told NOT TO BURN OUR BRIDGES, there is certainly wisdom in these words.

Send me an email info@shamalatan.com or go here: https://meetme.so/Shamala if you would like to book for a FREE emotional coaching call to deal with the above issues

Have a great week ahead!

My clients call me the chiropractor for the soul because it is what I do best. I align my clients with their body, mind and soul. The end game - to live more purposeful lives. I have a deep love for psychology, all things spiritual and non-religious. Join me and over 250k followers on my Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/BeSpiritualandrich and visit my website http://www.ShamalaTan.com

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What I Eat In a Day at Work | EASY & Healthy Meals

Five Ways to Write About Your Anger

Most people have mixed feelings about feeling and expressing anger. Various influences suggest everything from practicing extreme self-control, holding it all in (end result: stoicism) to showing no boundaries about sharing anger at all(end result: anarchy). Finding the middle ground is the place where you can communicate feelings and the facts of a given situation, without hurting or blaming the other party, and vice versa. When this first scenario occurs, you are creating more space for positive communication changes to occur. When communication is less than ideal, continuing to express anger in old ways will reinforce old habits., aggravating an already difficult situation.

I'm recommending the following journal exercises to assist you in finding more positive ways to express your anger, and become a better communicator. When I have shared my feelings, and the other party has been receptive, I've been surprised at how calm I became, compared to how uncomfortable, I felt prior to sharing my feelings. I also have had some situations where I either didn't receive a response or the other party remained silent. What is most important in any situation, is that I reached out and began the process.

Here is your exercise list:

ANGER SCRIBBLE:
When you have a strong reaction to a situation, start to pray and write about it. Remember to include a detailed description of your strong feelings including the facts of the situation. Remember to use as much space on a page as you can when you scribble. After filling a page, choose one scribble, and start drawing a specific shape over your scribble. Continue to scribble over the shape until you are finished. (e.g. You may feel tired or relieved. Your words may slow down or you may run out of time to write.) When you notice any of these reactions, it's time to stop writing. Wait a few minutes for everything to settle, then move to the next exercise. (Note: You may substitute any ritual here if praying isn't a good fit for you.)

UNSENT LETTERS:
This exercise is an effective way to communicate feelings and information to yourself or to someone else. You can write unsent letters, when it might otherwise be hurtful to speak directly to the other party(ies) You can also write unsent letters on any topic (positive or negative). Unsent letters also provide a great place to practice your lines. Whether you write a series of unsent letters or one letter, your feelings will become less intense. Then you can prepare to have a calm conversation with the other party. You can write as many unsent letters as you want. When you write your unsent letters, you give yourself permission to feel the intense emotions that surface around a specific event. At some point either during, immediately or after you've written your letter, you will gain clarity about your part in the situation. You will also learn to evaluate your responsibility as well as the other party's responsibility in the same situation. When you are calm again, you will be more prepared to make changes, including asking for a more specific communication change from the other party. You can continue to follow-up your unsent letters with prayers of blessing for the other party. As you continue to bless the other party, room is made for positive changes to happen in yourself and the other party. When you write an unsent letter, it demonstrates your courage and willingness, to make serious changes in a difficult situation.

WRITING A DIALOGUE:
Writing an imagined or real conversation you had with the other party, can help let out some of your anger. It's useful to put words or images to your feelings. Start your dialogue with two voices, the letter "A" (for your voice) and "B" (for the other person's voice). Be sure to allow both voices time to speak.

Don't worry about writing a perfect dialogue. Use as much detail as you can. Your descriptive skills will improve with each unsent letter that you write. For example, if I feel my anger burning like fire, then I would want to say "I'm burning up over this situation." If I am feeling a sense of resentment (something deep, quiet and very intense, that never quite goes away, then I might say, "I'm really frustrated about _______ now, can we talk about it for a few minutes?" Remember that no intense feeling is worth ignoring. It's much better to express your feelings a few at a time, than to pay the price of those same feelings causing problems for you in the future.

"I AM FEELING" STATEMENTS:
Writing sentences that begin with "I am feeling ." is a good way to verbalize all of your feelings about a difficult situation. I want to remind you that may express other feelings along with your anger. When you start your journaling, focus on your anger first, then write about your other feelings. I suggest that you write a minimum of ten feeling statements. Put the list away. Move on to the next exercise.

DRAW A PICTURE:
Draw several pictures of your anger. All types of drawing are allowed. Remember what I said about "My anger is burning." Write a visual image of your anger. I want you to use as many senses in your picture as you can. (Note: you may also use this exercise to visualize other strong feelings)

COMBINE WORDS AND PICTURES:
Now look at your list of "I am" sentences. Match as many of your picture(s) with your "I am feeling." sentences as you can. (For example: I am feeling angry about.put a picture of a fire next to the written statement. When you are finished, circle one or two combinations that best describe your current feelings. Be sure to write a summary sentence about your two choices.

STARTING CLOSURE:
Let's stop and review the work you've already done. You have written an initial unsent letter about your ang er. You've explored some of your feelings in detail. You've summarized your feelings using a combination of drawing and writing. Now write one action you could have taken to keep the earlier situation from accelerating. Write another sentence describing one action that the other party could have taken. Write down one positive action you are willing to take to change your anger expression now, remember to include a specific completion time and date. If you pray, start praying for good to come to the other party. I would recommend that you pray for at least a few times a week working up to praying daily for a month or until your strong negative feelings disappear.

Take your time working through these exercises. If you find yourself, unable to move on to the next exercise. Then write a short paragraph why you don't want to move on. Take a break and start the new exercise the next day. Look forward to celebrating your freedom from past buried feelings.

Author Bio
Lael Johnson, owner of Writer's Eye Advisory Service, offers creativity coaching services and additional writing resources. Visit www.writerseye.com for more information.

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How to Create a Healthy Plate

Top 5 ways to stay calm and reduce stress

Are you looking for more calm satisfying experience with you daily life?

Do you get frustrated with yourself at the end of the day because you've gotten stressed, unfocused or agitated?

Are you tired of getting over emotional and worn out.

Whether you are experiencing one or all of these feelings here are my 5 best tips on reducing the unwanted feelings so that you will feel calm and satisfied with yourself each day.


1. Catch yourself when you exhibit a feeling of behavior that you don't like and change it.

At first you may not notice the feeling until after you have gone through it, that's fine.

Think about how you would rather have felt.

Think about how you would rather have handled yourself. Decide how you want to do it next time.

As you continue with this process each day you will find that you will notice more easily what you are doing throughout the day.

You will begin to catch yourself earlier and earlier as you do this.

Eventually, you will be seeing yourself while you are doing it, then stop yourself.

At some point you will be able to notice before you even begin to feel and react in the undesirable way.

Here is where you will actually begin to change the way you react to the situations in your life and change your behavior.

2. Stay centered all day by refocusing throughout the day.

Develop the habit of paying attention to your mindset as the day goes on.

Several times a day, step away from what you are doing to get re-centered.

Sit down close your eyes and take several long slow deep breaths while imagining the tension washing slowly out of your body.

Notice your breathing getting slower and calmer.

Just think about your breath.

Try to keep from thinking about anything in particular.

It's ok to not be actively thinking for a while!

3. Watch out for your expectations.

You are setting yourself up for failure, upset and frustration when you set too many standards as to how you think things should be.

Think about what leads you to getting upset?

Why does it upset you?

Notice that you decide how many things should be, based on your own outlook and desire.

The things others do that are not to your liking, even the things you do that don't match your expectations.

Ask yourself, really how important is it that they be exactly that way

Ask, who am I to insist that they are that way?

Does it matter that much?

Is it worth getting myself worked up about?

Choose which expectations are really important for you to hold on to and which ones are not.

Holding on to many expectations just complicates your life, with constant judgment.

Simplify your life and reduce the stress!

4. Delegate.

This applies to your personal life as well as at work.

Most of us think of delegating as a workplace skill, but it can apply personally as well.

We are all very busy these days with our activities and duties.

Trying to fit it all in and get it all accomplished can lead to tension.

For various reasons, many of us have developed the habit of thinking we must do it all ourselves.

Take a look at your situation.

Think about it, really, how important is it that everything must be done perfectly to your standards?

Are you sure there are not other people who can assist you. Are the other people in your life pulling their weight?

Many times we get into habitual ruts that don't need to be as they are.

Look at what has been, with the eye of reducing the pressure on yourself.

5. Accept other people as one.

As you think of yourself as different and separate from the rest of mankind, you unknowingly create thinking and behavior that separates you from others.

This kind of separate thinking leads us to think we are superior to others which leads to judgment then selfish thinking and behavior.

We are then having an internal battle with others, which brings on fear, competition and comparison, ending in frustration and anxiety.

Look to discovering how to see yourself as one with all of mankind, not as separate.

Focus on what we have in common rather that the relatively small uniqueness.

Author Bio
John Halderman is a writer, speaker and trainer, dedicated to helping people with getting real results with their personal development efforts. He supports strategies, methods, tools and information that actually bridge the gap between information and effective results. Go to www.activepersonaldevelopment.com for free information and newsletter.
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20 Healthy Food Swaps | Easy Food Life Hacks

How to Obtain Optimal Health

You should already know that nutrition is very important to your quality of life. If you want to have a healthy life and lifestyle, you will need to have a healthy diet with proper nutrition. You might hear all the time that your nutrition greatly affects the way you live and your quality of life but have you ever really thought about why? Do you really understand why it is so important?

If you really want to take the steps to live the long life that you deserve and to be as healthy as possible and enjoy those years, than you need to learn all you can about the importance of optimal nutrition. What you eat really affects your body and health.

1. What is optimal nutrition?
2. What nutrients do you need to be healthy?
3. What foods give you these nutrients?

Importance of Optimal Nutrition
Optimal nutrition is very important to your overall health and fitness. Studies have shown that people can actually live longer if they have healthy nutrition. It is proven that there is a link between optimal nutrition and long life and long term health.

If you take a look at society, you will notice an increasingly large number of people that are overweight and obese. You will also see problems such as poor teeth and acne, dry, brittle skin, dry hair and other problems. You will find many people on medications for headache, stomach problems, acid reflux, constipation, heart disease, high blood pressure and more. What may be more alarming than the high amount of medications is the fact that most people receive very little information about what is actually causing their disease or condition. Instead, they get a pill.

What many people never know is that what they are eating (or not eating) can be causing these health problems. You also need to understand that you will have to make changes and adjustments to your intake over the years and stages of your life. Just like toddlers need a different diet from teenagers, you also need to alter your diet as you continue through all of life's stages. Understanding what is best for you through each stage of your life is the best way to remain in optimal health.

Micro and Macronutrients
Many people hear that they need proper nutrition but just what does that mean exactly? What nutrients do you need to be healthy? Optimal nutrition will include a variety of different micronutrients and macronutrients. Micronutrients include certain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fats that make up the foods you eat.

There is too often a lot of myth surrounding the nutrients, our bodies and how we use these nutrients. This is why it is very important that you get all the facts when planning to change your lifestyle and diet. Many people are suffering from malnutrition and may not even know it. Many overweight individuals may be suffering from malnutrition. Just because you are eating does not mean you are eating the right things.

Micronutrients are the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body needs to be healthy. The specific ones and amounts of each will depend on your body, sex, age and other factors. Every person is different so there is not one set plan that works for everyone. You need to learn what works for you. As you change, grow older, etc. this will change again and you will continue to have to adjust this.

Macronutrients are the carbs, proteins and fats that you get from foods. The amounts of these that you need will vary as well. This is where many myths come in about what you should or should not eat. The facts are that too much of anyone can be bad and not enough can be bad. It's all about finding a balance. This means those "All-Carb" or "No Carb" diets that are so popular on the market are really not the best thing for you.

What you choose to ingest in your body has a big impact on your overall health and your general well-being. People now eat more fast foods and frozen dinners and other quick meals that are not very nutritious at all. Some of these foods even have additives in them that can make them addictive so that you want more and more. People typically eat out of hunger and many of these foods do not work to satisfy your hunger leaving you wanting more or something else. Yet, they still have many calories and fat and other things that your body does not need.

Make the Committment
If you are serious in obtaining optimal health to the best of your ability, then take a look at your lifestyle in general. Are you eating the right foods? Are you exercising? Are you getting plenty of fresh air on a daily basis? Do you have positive relationships? If you find yourself answering "no" to these questions, then make the commitment to change. Talk with your family, friends, or a nutritionist. Check to see if there are support groups in your area related to health and lifestyle changes. Look into joining your local gym. Do your research and then purchase the right nutritional supplements that will help you achieve your goals.

If you at least try to make a change in one area, more are sure to follow! You are now on your way to optimal health.

Author Bio
Monique Hawkins is an Associate with USANA Health Sciences. One of her passions is encouraging and supporting others to obtain optimal health and wellness. Visit her USANA website at www.whyusana.com/mhawkins and her new music box website at www.my-music-box.com
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A Self-Care Action Plan

Fit Facts | Food and Nutrition

Allowing Your Emotions to Be Raw

Often we find ourselves feeling a certain emotion, then doing something to deny the existence of it. For example, someone said something to you the previous day that upset you.

When you think about it today, you still feel the emotional sting of that event. Alternatively you may have experienced a traumatic event in your youth, for example mental, emotional or physical abuse, a life-changing accident or the breakdown of a close relationship.

These examples leave mental and emotional scars. When we don't know how to deal with them, we may opt to try and deny their existence. We may push them down, try to ignore them or they may come out in other ways such as angry outbursts.

When emotions such as sorrow, hurt, grief, anger and other strong emotions surface our instinct may be to push them away. However, the way to process them is to do the opposite. That means to allow them to come through and to be what they are. In other words you allow the emotional you to surface in all its rawness.

This can be emotionally challenging, and indeed for deep issues that go way back to childhood, you may need the help of a trained energy therapist to assist you, such as an Emotional Freedom Technique Practitioner, Life Alignment Therapist or spiritual healer.

On a daily basis use the following strategies to help you to open yourself up to those emotions that you feel the urge to deny:

1. Allow yourself to be absolutely raw for part of your day. This could be through stream of consciousness writing, talking or opening up to a trusted friend. This time should be limited so that it does not bleed into the rest of your day. Once this time period is over, move into the rest of your day.

2. Remember that how you feel is how you feel. It is neither right nor wrong, so allow it to come to the surface safe in the knowledge that it is just a feeling and you can handle it.

3. Remember stuffing your emotions down means you never get to see them in their entirety, which means you never really get to know the real you and how the authentic you truly responds to life

4. Remember to observe how you respond to life naturally, just as you would a lab rat.

5. Remember that however hard life gets, you are always doing your best given the person you are and where you are right now. And your absolute best is always good enough.

Remembering these five strategies will not only help you to put your life into perspective, they'll remind you that allowing your negative emotions to surface naturally is one of the most amazing ways to discover them, disempower them and ultimately dissipate them.

Carmen Gilfillan is the founder of Stimulus Development & Training. Stimulus specialises in helping people overcome emotional trauma, experience emotional breakthroughs, boost their health naturally and live their best lives. We do this through Life & Wellness Coaching, Emotional Freedom consultations and training in the areas of personal, professional and spiritual growth. Check out our website at http://www.stimulus.uk.com to book your free Emotional Breakthrough consultation.

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Taking a Chance on Healthy Living!

One of the most important aspects of living a healthy and prosperous life is understanding "risk." By this I mean knowing how to understand and analyze situations in life that affect health. Being able to accurately weigh benefits and risks when making health decisions is very important! Too often decisions are based on incomplete or inaccurate information and this is a huge mistake with significant consequences!

Failure to accurately assess risk keeps people locked in all kinds of unhealthy situations including poor eating and exercise habits (lifestyle), relationships and jobs. Sometimes people are just afraid to step out and make a change. They see "risk" in making a change when the REAL risk comes from NOT making a change. From my perspective, living with the stress, unhappiness and frustration of indecision and poor health is the greatest risk of all, and one that is definitely not worth taking!

Accessing "risk" is nothing more than collecting information, weighing the alternatives and then making appropriate decisions based on the information.

Some risks to our health are more "real" than others. For example, it is common knowledge that obesity is associated with a wide variety of health problems. On the other hand, there are some health risks that are so remote we rarely think about them. On a practical level, eating highly processed foods and avoiding a daily dose of fresh fruits and vegetables is rarely considered serious. But, as too many have already discovered, the long range consequences of this practice are real and devastating.

Failure to accurately assess risk limits us in many ways. We imagine the "risk" of talking with our children about drugs, dating or sex and we put off having the "talk," even though the risks of NOT talking are infinitely greater. Fear of flying and public speaking are two more "risks" affecting millions of people. But practically speaking, these fears are unfounded. People ride in cars every day, even though cars are far more dangerous than commercial aircraft! It's a failure to accurately assess risk, and it limits our health, prosperity and pleasure in life.

The goods news is that failure to accurately access risk is reversible! The effects of those decisions to eat inappropriately or NOT to exercise are, as the common expression goes, "do-overs." We can effect positive change in our lives by following a few simple steps to accurately access risk:

1. Accurately define your present situation and access your health "risks". Are you eating a healthy diet? Are you getting enough exercise and good quality sleep? What are the consequences if you DON'T change? Weigh the benefits of healthier living vs the potential risks such as increased cost, inconvenience or discomfort.

2. What do you stand to gain if you change your present circumstances? Assess the "up-side" potential. Too often we look only at the "downside" risk and forget the benefits. What good things might happen if you take the risk and win?

3. Limit the "down-side" if you happen to make a wrong decision. Don't continue down a path if it does not produce results. This is especially important when following weight loss programs. If the pounds are not coming off or if the weight loss is only temporary, find a new program! You not only want to lose weight, but want to sustain the weight loss for as long as possible. Take steps to ensure this will happen. Clear, concise, realistic objectives will definitely help.

4. Reduce your risk by being smart! Understand the situation and seek the advice of experts in the field of health and nutrition. This includes finding and forming partnerships to receive support and get good advice.

5. Have a fall-back position. If the decision you make fails to produce the desired results, be prepared to take a long, hard look at the circumstances and be prepared to change what you are doing.

Everything in life involves some element of risk. Driving your car, meeting someone new, crossing the street...but we do them every day. Winners in life are willing to accept the risk and continue on their way! Get involved, be smart about how you play the game, come prepared for a few failures along the way, but don't quite. You will reap the benefits for your effort and live a happier and healthier life. I like to remember the words of the great Winston Churchill when he said, "Never, never, never give up!"

Author Bio
For more health articles and zyprexa side effect information go to: effects-side-zyprexa.com
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HOW TO STOP BINGE EATING » once and for all

Discover the Exercise Hormone Irisin

Exciting new research has proven the existence of a hormone that seems to increase during exercise and does amazing things for our health and metabolism.

Called the "exercise hormone," this muscle hormone was discovered by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Because it's a chemical messenger it was named Irisin after a messenger Goddess. Although it's existence has been hotly debated in recent years, Harvard scientists, studying Irisin announced not long ago that the "data provided unequivocally demonstrates that human Irisin exists."

Irisin, normally present as part of a larger protein in the muscles cell's outer membrane, lies dormant and inactive until released. Exercise, and other factors help split this protein, releasing Irisin in the process.

So, now we know that Irisin exists and we also know that when we exercise our body makes more of it.

Why is this important? What does this hormone act on once we start pumping blood and our heart rate goes up?

It seems that the powerhouse hormone Irisin has the unique ability to it turn white fat into brown fat. White fat stores energy (calories) while brown fat is better for us because it's more involved in burning energy (increases our metabolism) rather than storing it. Brown fat intrigues scientists because it physically resembles muscle more than fat and plays a major role in maintaining normal weight. It also acts and behaves more like muscle than fat, which likely explains it's ability to burn fat so efficiently.

Slender people have more brown fat than obese people. Younger people have more brown fat than seniors and those with normal blood sugar levels enjoy the benefits of more brown fat than people with high blood sugar.

Obesity, a disorder of fat accumulation, is a real problem in the world today. It is the result of over-eating and under exercising. Increased Irisin levels help to increase glucose tolerance and reduce insulin resistance, suggesting it may be a real breakthrough in treating diabetes.

But, the benefits of this new, exciting "exercise" hormone don't stop there. Irisin offers other valuable benefits, such as triggering the growth of new brain neurons and activating genes involved in memory retention and learning. It also acts directly on bone, promoting its formation by increasing bone mineral density which in turn helps with Osteoporosis.

All these things are valuable and contribute to our overall health. But another, super exciting discovery swirling around Irisin is how it affects our telomeres. It seems that high Irisin levels are directly associated with lengthening our telomeres! The longer our telomeres, (telomere shortening is a genetic marker of aging) the younger and healthier our body is! This translates to us being less prone to age related illnesses and diseases such as cancer, dementia and heart disease.

With so much controversy surrounding the discovery of Irisin, it will be a while before the whole scientific community comes on board to discover how to harness the power of this unique hormone. However, that doesn't mean we have to put our health on hold until then.

If we want to enjoy the benefits of Irisin - feeling more fabulous and younger than we currently do, we must allow this hormone to work its magic now.

Since we already know that exercise increases the amount of Irisin in our bodies, exercising is the perfect place to start. It is, without doubt, the best way to boost our irisin levels. However, not all exercise is created equal.

Not surprisingly, a recent scientific discovery published in 2014, found that high-intensity exercise increases Irisin levels better than low-intensity exercise which means it must challenge the body to trigger its release.

Researchers have also discovered that rats that swam daily but were fed a high-fat diet still lost weight and suspect it is due to Irisin. Cold temperatures are another factor. It seems that the shivering we do when exposed to chilly temperatures increases Irisin, even rivaling the results of those who exercised regularly.

Irisin is a health-boosting, fat-burning, sensitizing hormone empowered to provide us with many health benefits. It is empowered to reduce body weight, boost energy expenditure, and improve diet-induced insulin resistance.

It's time to chill down the house, head to the gym and enjoy healthy fats. Our health, weight and longevity will all benefit.

Carolyn Hansen - Your Go To Health & Fitness Specialist

"I help clients take charge of their health before circumstance removes the option. If your quest for a life of true physical and mental well-being is a journey I'll put you in the driver's seat."

For tools and resources to achieve this visit:

https://CarolynHansenFitness.com

For free downloadable resources visit:

https://HealthyLifeGifts.com

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5 Lessons To Live By - Dr. Wayne Dyer (Truly Inspiring)

MEAL PREP | 9 ingredients for flexible, healthy recipes + PDF guide

Sleep Deprivation and Weight Gain

Sleep needs vary across ages and are especially impacted by lifestyle and health. Researchers cannot pinpoint an exact amount of sleep need by people at different ages. However, sleep requirements vary from person to person even in the same age group.

There is a big difference between the amount of sleep one can get by on and the amount one needs to function optimally. For instance, if one is able to operate on six or seven hours of sleep doesn't mean one wouldn't feel a lot better and get more done if one spends an extra hour or two in bed.

The new recommendations of the daily sleep requirements for adults by the National Sleep Foundation include:

• Younger adults (18-25) - Sleep range is 7-9 hours
• Adults (26-64) - Sleep range is 7-9 hours
• Older adults (65+) - Sleep range is 7-8 hours

New born babies, infants, toddlers, children and teenagers have more daily requirements of sleep, which vary depending on their age.

Sleep deprivation occurs when an individual gets less sleep than they need to be attentive and alert. People vary in how little sleep is needed to be considered sleep-deprived. Some people such as older adults seem to be more resistant to the effects of sleep deprivation, while others, especially children and young adults, are more vulnerable.

Science has linked sleep deprivation with all kinds of health problems, from weight gain to a weakened immune system. Observational studies also suggest a link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Similar patterns have also been found in children and adolescents.

The following mechanisms have been found to underlie the link between sleep deprivation and weight gain -

Increase in ghrelin level -

In a research published in the Journal of Sleep Research in Sep. 2008, it has been found that a single night of sleep deprivation increases ghrelin levels and feelings of hunger in normal weight healthy men, whereas morning serum leptin concentrations remain unaffected. Thus, the results provide further evidence for a disturbing influence of sleep loss on endocrine regulation of energy homeostasis, which in the long run may result in weight gain and obesity.

Ghrelin is a hormone produced in the gut and is often termed the hunger hormone. It sends a signal to the brain to feel hungry. Therefore, it plays a key role in regulating calorie intake and body fat levels.

Interference in carbohydrate metabolism -

Sleep deprivation interferes with the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates and causes high blood levels of glucose, which leads to higher insulin levels and greater body-fat storage. In one experiment, scientists disrupted participants sleep just enough to keep them from entering deep sleep but not enough to fully wake them. After these nights of deep-sleep deprivation, the subjects' insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance went down by 25 percent.

Reduction in growth hormone -

Sleep deprivation reduces levels of growth hormone - a protein that helps regulate the body's proportions of fat and muscle. Experts estimate that as much as 75 percent of human growth hormone is released during sleep. Deep sleep is the most restorative all stages of sleep. During this stage of sleep, growth hormone is released and works to restore and rebuild our body and muscles from the stresses of the day.

Increase in cravings for high-calorie junk food -

Sleep deprivation even for one night creates pronounced changes in the way our brain responds to high-calorie junk foods. On days, when people don't have proper sleep, fattening foods like potato chips and sweets stimulates stronger responses in a part of the brain that helps govern the motivation to eat. But at the same time, they experience a sharp reduction in activity in the frontal cortex, a higher-level part of the brain, where consequences are weighed and rational decisions are made.

Increase in cortisol -

Researchers have found that sleep deprivation increases the level of cortisol hormone and other markers of inflammation.

Decrease in resting metabolic rate -

There is evidence indicating that sleep deprivation may lower the resting metabolic rate of the body. It is the number of calories our body burns when we're completely at rest. It's affected by age, weight, height, sex and muscle mass. This needs further validation but one contributing factor seems to be that poor sleep may cause muscle loss.

The bottom line -

Besides, eating right and exercising regularly, getting quality sleep is an important part of weight maintenance. Therefore, establishing healthy sleep habits can help our body maintain a healthy weight.

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