LOWERING BAD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: FACTS ABOUT JOGGING

Just came from my doctor about a week ago, and results of my laboratory exams were quite
good, but for my cholesterol levels, I'm not well. Now, I need to do lots of exercise and have a strict diet plans too.
I need to start with Running!!! for it is very good for our health. Providing a great cardiovascular workout, as it strengthens and tones our muscles. Regular jogging gives better overall physical condition as well as some other health benefits, including mental benefits such as relaxation and reduction of anxiety. To many, running is a good way to lose weight and generally get fitter and to feel younger.

Regular Running and Jogging
Regular running and jogging is a good way for us to improve our health and fitness. Many people are concerned about long-term damage to joints such as knees, ankles and hips, as a result of running. However, with good quality running shoes and a sensible approach, the risks are minimal, and the benefits of being fitter outweigh those possible risk factors.
Remember, regular jogging makes our heart stronger. For it increases the capacity of the blood circulation and of our respiratory system. This is essential for maintaining good fitness. It also speeds up the digestive system and can help to relieve digestive problems.

Does jogging help you to lose weight?
Jogging makes us burn fat and thereby helps us to lose weight. In addition to increasing metabolism, jogging is an effective way to burn more calories, which helps us lose weight. If calories consumed in food are less than calories spent during exercise and other daily activities, we will certainly lose weight. So it is impossible not to! Many people have learned how to lose belly fat by starting a simple running program.

Jogging also helps to reduce stubborn belly fat. Stubborn fat can be very hard to shift, but a running program can really help to cut down on the last of your stubborn fat. The key is to think long-term and always work on our fitness. Change can take a long time to come but the end result is a much improved fitness and strength which certainly makes us healthier.

So if one suffers from a very poor appetite, jogging will improve our appetite. Along with all other forms of exercise – the harder we work, the more we need to eat to repair our muscles and refuel them. When we start to run longer distances we will start to eat to fuel our body, and may even find that we need to eat more food everyday, than what we did when were overweight.

Jogging for Stronger Bones and Muscles
Jogging strengthens our muscles and even the bone density of our legs, hips and back. Long distance runners have very strong legs, even though they often look thin and weak. Running does not produce bulky muscles, like weight training or even circuit training does, but it does increase leg strength.

Running Improves Sleep
Jogging makes us sleep better. Also, if we exercise well, sleeping comes much easier. Remember one of the most important factors for improving fitness after exercise and diet is getting adequate sleep. Over training can occur if one don't rest properly.

EXERCISE WELL, EAT WELL AND REST WELL!!!

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WORLD'S LARGEST CHOCOLATE BAR

Who would ever forget chocolates? especially during our childhood years? But until now, though we are getting older and older, chocolates are part of our yesteryear's, and until now, many still love eating or drinking chocolates.

In the United States, a 12,290 pound chocolate bar created by the Worlds Finest Chocolate Company set a new Guinness World Record on September 13, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. The bar, which stands nearly 3 feet high and measures 21 feet long, beat the previous record chocolate bar by more than a ton. All guests and spectators couldn't wait to see the said huge chocolate bar.

A LITTLE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Chocolate, can be a raw or processed food, produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree, cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America, with its earliest documented use around 1100 BC.
Researchers say that Mesoamerican people made chocolate beverages, including the Aztecs, who made it into a beverage known as xocolātl, a Nahuatl word meaning "bitter water". Cacao seed have an intense bitter taste, and must be fermented to develop such flavor.

Beans are dried, cleaned, and roasted, its shell is removed to produce cacao nibs. The nibs are then ground to cocoa mass, pure chocolate in rough form. Because this cocoa mass usually is liquefied then molded with or without other ingredients, it is called chocolate liquor. The liquor also may be processed into two components: cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
Unsweetened baking bitter chocolates contains primarily cocoa solids and cocoa butter in varying proportions. Today, much of the consumed chocolates is in the form of sweet chocolate, combining cocoa solids, cocoa butter or other fat, and sugar. Milk chocolate on the other hand is sweet chocolate that additionally contains milk powder or condensed milk. White chocolate contains cocoa butter, sugar, and milk but no cocoa solids.

PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHOCOLATES
Cocoa solids containing alkaloids such as theobromine and phenethylamine, which have physiological effects on the body. It has been linked to serotonin levels in the brain. Some researchers have found that chocolate, eaten in moderation, can lower blood pressure.

CHOCOLATE GIFTS, BEVERAGE AND OTHERS
Hence, chocolates has become one of the most popular food types and flavors in the world. Chocolate gifts molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays: chocolate bunnies and eggs are popular on Easter, chocolate coins on Hanukkah, Santa Claus and other holiday symbols on Christmas, and chocolate hearts or chocolate in heart-shaped boxes on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is also used in cold and hot beverages, to produce chocolate milk and hot chocolate. Around three quarters of the world's cacao bean production today takes place in West Africa.

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HOW FREQUENT YOU URINATE?

Frequent urination might not sound like a big deal but it can signify a graver underlying problem. It may well be connected to your prostate glands. This, in turn, presents a very pressing problem.
Though this has many symptoms and they include obviously having the frequent urge to pee, an incomplete urination, the feeling of going to the bathroom "right now," urinating on yourself because of urinary incontinence, burning sensation while peeing and blood in the urine.

But Why It Happens?
We could consider many factors in which why we frequently goes to the bathroom, and this could originate from:

A. Urinary Tract Infection or UTI
B. Diabetes
C. Diuretic use
D. Cancer of the Bladder
E. Prostate Problems

But now let us focus on how it can be very well connected to prostate problems. The man's prostate is in a location where in it surrounds the urethra and the latter is where the urine from the bladder takes its route. If a man has an enlarged prostate, it can irritate the bladder. Hence, this will make the man more susceptible to urinating more than usual.

Remember that as the prostate gets more enlarged, the bladder has the potential to contract more causing it to expand and make the individual urinate even if he has not consumed a lot of liquids. Peeing may seem like commonplace to everyone but as we grow older, especially men, they get problems like this and it eventually becomes more transparent.

But Frequent urination can be treated. If this problem is connected to the enlargement of your prostate, you can start with taking the following steps:

1. Have a close watch on what we eat. Stay away from spicy food, carbonated beverages and red meat.

2. Establish a regime of taking Vitamins and supplements regularly, like Vitamin E and Selenium, as they are both crucial to maintain proper chemical balance.

3. Take the time out of your day for regular prostate massages! Prostate massages stimulate blood flow in the prostate gland, which leads to relief of pain, reduces inflammation and gets rid of feeling of bladder discomfort.

4. Visit a urologist and have him examine your prostate. Although statistically it may take up to 3 months to get an appointment with a urologist, so in the meantime don't just wait and take your health into your own hands and change your toxic habits, like eating junk food and drinking 5 cups of coffee, to healthy ones. Who knows, you may not even need the appointment after all and avoid the unpleasantness of having a prostate exam. Click here to learn more about prostate exam.

START NOW, HAVE A PROSTATE DIET
Proper nutrition cannot be underestimated when it comes to its importance of our overall health, since all the things we put into our bodies have an effect on our health and well being. The results may not be immediate and it could be years before we actually see the benefits or negative impacts of our choices. But how we fuel and treat our body does undoubtedly have some bearing on its future health, and the prostate is no different.

Remember, Prostate health can be affected by our diet just as much as any other area of our body. With that in mind, here are some healthy prostate diet choices you should consider making if you’re at all concerned about your present or future prostate health.

Avoid Soda and Coffee
Not an easy thing to do! Right off the bat we’re alienating the majority of people out there by asking them to cut out (or at least cut back on) one of their favorite liquid refreshers and pick-me-ups.
Needless to say, soda is not healthy in any way shape or form and some believe its responsible for our growing waistlines. But it’s not just the calories or even the sugar that makes soda so terrible for our bodies. There’s also phosphoric acid, which actually weakens our bones, as well as artificial sweeteners. Diet sodas even contain the chemical additive aspartame, which is toxic to our bodies. Soda and coffee also come loaded with caffeine, which are detrimental to prostate health. Try and substitute it with drinking herbal decaffeinated tea, drink the entire pot throughout an afternoon at work. Take your time and prolong the pleasure of warm tasty liquid, this will help to fight coffee and soda cravings.

Drink More Water
Water is another great substitute for all the coffee and soda. A healthy prostate diet, and a healthy diet in general begins with water. It’s the source of all life as we know it, and makes up the majority of our composition. Drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water a day is necessary to keep us properly hydrated, and our system properly flushed out. Water helps promote good digestion, and helps flush the lymphatic system. Stronger lymphatic system equals stronger immune system equals better defense against disease.

Eat Your Veggies
Vegetables are quite amazing when you think about it. The amount of nutrients packed into their tiny frames is incredible. Eating a diet loaded with veggies has been shown to reduce the incidence of prostate cancer by over 40%.

Cut Back On Your Fruit Intake
This may seem like a surprising point, as most of us are led to believe that the more fruit we can manage to eat, the better. And for the most part, those claims are valid (though we’ll touch on pesticides in fruits and veggies below). But an unfortunate side effect of too much fruit intake is a possible yeast overgrowth in men suffering from Prostatitis. You should cut your fruit consumption back to just one serving a day ideally, and this includes fruit juices as well.

Buy Organic Produce
As touched on above, fruits (and veggies) come loaded with pesticides, and these pesticides are loaded with cancer causing agents and other toxins that can prove to be lethal to our bodies. Recent studies have emphatically backed up these claims, showing that farm workers who are exposed to pesticides regularly have a much greater risk of developing all forms of cancer, including prostate cancer. Sampled fruits and vegetables tested by the U.S Department of Agriculture were shown to have pesticide residue 71% of the time.
Buying organic can help protect you and your family from all these toxins and pesticides. While organic food is more expensive and more difficult to track down than regular food, it’s worth the extra effort to do so.

Buy Organic Meat
Like produce, meat often comes loaded with harmful toxins, hormones, and additives as well, all in an effort to speed up the growth of the animals and increase production and profit. Seek out grass-fed or organic meat instead. These animals are not given any hormones or antibiotics, nor does their feed contain any pesticides or toxins. Grass-fed beef even comes with additional benefits, in that it’s leaner, does not have as much saturated fat, and has more Omega-3 fat, which helps guards against heart disease and stroke.

Buy Organic Dairy Products
That’s because dairy has been linked to an increase in prostate cancer in numerous studies and journals. Dairy also comes loaded with many of the same hormones and toxins that meat does. So if you love dairy, you should strongly consider switching over to organic.

Don’t Overeat
Many of us have the tendency to overeat, whether it be to combat stress, because we’re bored, because we are watching TV, or simply because we love food and can’t get enough of it. But this practice can be detrimental to our health, even when we’re eating the right things. There are many reasons why this is the case. Firstly, our body requires energy to maintain its organs and tissues, and the digestive process saps our body of that energy (this is why we typically feel tired after eating, as our body’s energy is being diverted to the digestive process). As well, while some doctors aren’t sold on the calorie-limited diet in humans, we do know that calorie limiting in other mammals can drastically increase their lifespan, by as much as 40%.So always be interested in reducing your calorie intake.

Eat at a Moderate Pace
We mentioned that digestion is a very difficult task for our system, one that requires it to expend a great deal of energy. The way we eat can often exacerbate that problem and make it that much harder on our system. First, you should avoid drinking liquids with a meal, these serve to dilute your stomach acids and make the digestion process more difficult. You should also slow down and take your time to fully chew and break down your food. This will have the dual effect of slowing down how much food you’re digesting, while also delivering it to your stomach in more manageable chunks. You should also avoid eating just before bed, as it’s harder for your system to digest food while you’re asleep.

Consume High Quality Protein
Men suffering from prostate conditions may be tempted to cut back on their intake of protein, but this should be avoided. Instead, you should be substituting some of your usual protein sources – meat, with higher quality protein that provides the same benefits as protein from other sources, but is lower in saturated fats and cholesterol. Some great sources of high quality protein include lentils, corn, peanuts, wheat, green beans, and tomatoes.

Avoid Food Additives
As more and more of our diet has become reliant on processed foods, our intake of harmful additives has increased tremendously. These additives are usually the long, unpronounceable names we find in the ingredients listings. While cutting out your intake of additives completely may be extremely difficult, you should at least attempt to remove as many known additive sources from your diet as possible.

Nutrients and Healthy Prostate Diet
As we mentioned before it is crucially important to receive specific nutrients with your diet, and often many foods we are accustomed to eating are not filled with the right kind of nutrients we need to address your specific health issue.

Herb Saw Palmetto
There is some strong correlation between saw palmetto and overall prostate health. Saw palmetto is an extract of berries widely used in Germany and is very high in fatty acids. It can inhibit the growth of 5-alpha-reductase in the prostate gland, which converts testosterone into DHT, potentially leading to BPH and/or prostate cancer. In some cases it is also known to reduce pain and nocturnal urination.

Lycopene
Studies have shown that as little as 2 servings of tomatoes a week can help men reduce their risk of prostate cancer by 50%. Tomatoes are full of lycopene - an antioxidant that helps in fighting cancer. They don’t have to be fresh tomatoes, sauces are just as good.

Zinc
Zinc is a vital mineral for the health of your prostate. Pumpkin seeds remedy comes from Germany and is used by Doctors there to treat difficulty in urination that comes with an enlarged prostate. The reason why is because they contain plenty of zinc and diuretic properties, which helps with the immune system. Add some pumpkin seeds to your tea or use sesame oil for cooking.
Zinc is also found in chocolate, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower oil. Oysters also are great - full of zinc and an aphrodisiac. (Aphrodisiacs are known to also enhance sexual performance). Meats such as veal liver, low fat roast beef and lamb are great sources as well.

Omega 3
It is found Omega 3 fatty acids help control cholesterol, which is a big enemy for healthy hormonal exchanges. Look for eggs that are enriched with Omega 3s, also linseed oil, wheat germ and fish oil. Take fish oil capsules as a supplement.

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MANAGING LIFE - ONE BIG PROBLEM TODAY

DREAMING THAT I HAVE NO PROBLEM
We are always fascinated by our dreams. Though sometimes we don’t have any clue on what they mean, and we can’t even remember what we have dreamed about. Today, experts say that keeping a closer eye on our dreams can actually help us improve our lives.

What really happens When we go to sleep?
For the first 90 minutes when we sleep, we go through deepening stages — ranging from light to deep sleep. Thus, with REM sleep, our heart's rate and breathing become irregular, eyes move rapidly and our brain activity rises toward the same level as when we’re awake. That’s when we do about 80 percent of our active dreaming — and when dreams are most vivid. We’ll go through this sleep cycle three to five times during the night, spending more time in REM sleep with each one until we woke up in the morning.

Did you know that during our REM sleep, the rest of our body essentially becomes paralyzed. Simply because “It’s nature’s way of making sure we don’t act out our dreams, whether it’s repeatedly kicking your spouse or jumping off the bed and hurting ourselves...” but there are instances where the one who slept, never woke up. Meaning he died sleeping, sad thing though.

ALWAYS BE FASCINATED
What happens in our brain when we dream? Sleep experts say and admit that they’re not sure, but it appears that dreams are where our memories meet emotions. On the other hand, our dreams can help us tap into the emotional issues in our waking life. On the other hand, they’re also a way for our brain to catalog the events of the day. “We know that memories are stored during sleep, and dreaming allows the brain to use certain circuits that improve long-term memory,” Simply, we dream in order for a specific part of our mind to kick in and sort through memories, figuring out which ones to keep and which ones to let go, likened ourselves to a desktop or a laptop computer.

If dreams are there to help file away memories for the long haul, why do they sometimes seem so surreal—not the literal way life happens to us? “When we’re sleeping, the controls of our conscious mind are turned off,” says Dr. Kohler.
So as the brain sorts through our different experiences, trying to cross-reference memories (Is the day this happened the same day that happened?), it puts them together in strange and unusual ways (hence, our weird dreams) until it finds a connection that fits—and stores it in our memory bank. Remember when we defragment the hard drive of our computers?

Since dreams can help you tap into—and even solve—problems in your life, it pays to remember them. If your power of recall is lacking, Karen Muller, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Medford, Oregon, has an easy way to trigger your memory: Place paper and a pen next to your bed. When you wake up, even in the middle of the night, jot down as much as you remember. Can’t recall more than a fragment? Resume your normal sleeping position for a few minutes. “It helps you recall more of your dream,”

But Why Can’t I Remember My Dreams?
“We all dream several times a night, even if we don’t recall them,” says Michael Breus, PhD, author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan: Lose Weight Through Better Sleep. If you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle, you’ll likely remember a dream, but if you snooze through until the next one, you probably won’t. Since you have more REM sleep in the early a.m. hours, adds Dr. Breus, it’s easier to recall a dream when you wake up in the morning, versus, say, in the middle of the night. Age can play a role as well: REM sleep decreases as we get older—kids need more of its stimulation for brain development than adults—causing dreams to become less vivid

Is it True that You Never See Yourself in Your Dream?
No. “In my 30 years of practice, many of my clients have seen themselves in a dream,” says Dr. Delaney. Sometimes, however, you don’t look like yourself. So if you’re walking around in Angelina Jolie’s body in your dream, is it just wishful thinking?

Probably not. She could simply represent some part of your personality and the dream is trying to point out the similarities. “Your brain is sending a message that you have some qualities of this person, whether it’s someone you know in real life or not,” says Dr. Delaney. “And what you think that person represents, the feelings she or he evokes, could be the key to something you’re dealing with in your own life.” So rather than revealing that you covet Angelina’s looks, your dream may be drawing parallels to her philanthropic and nurturing nature and your own desire to give back in some way—or have more kids.

I Have Recurrent Nightmares. How Can I Get Rid of Them?
You’re not alone. Research suggests that up to 8 percent of adults suffer from chronic nightmares, like drowning or being chased, at least once a week. “Most of the time, they’re triggered by ongoing stress,”. “Bad dreams are your mind’s way of processing stress and figuring out how to deal with it in the future.”

One popular method: Imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT), which focuses on changing harmful thought patterns. A landmark study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that 65 percent of people who used the therapy had significantly fewer nightmares. “During IRT, my patients write down their nightmare, then think of a way to change it for the better,” says Dr. Harris. “One patient had a recurring dream of being in shark-infested water. She changed the sharks to friendly dolphins and visualized this new dream for five minutes twice a day—once in the morning, and once before bed. Her nightmares disappeared within weeks.”

Why Do My Dreams Seem So Real that I Sometimes Wake Up Crying or Laughing?
Because your brain is just as active when you dream as when you’re awake, says Dr. Barrett. In fact, some areas of your brain—like the occipital lobe, which processes images, and the amygdala, which regulates emotions—are even
more active when you’re dreaming, “which is why a dream can seem so vivid and evoke so much emotion,” says Dr. Barrett. Pay attention to any negative emotions your dream evokes, especially if they stay with you for the rest of the day, advises Tore Nielsen, PhD, professor of psychiatry and director of the Dream and Nightmare Laboratory at the University of Montreal. “Think of the most recent time you felt the way you did in your dream. Upon reflection, you may realize that you felt that way when you argued with your husband recently, or when you ran into someone who was rude. It usually doesn’t take much digging to figure out the source of that emotion, and doing so can help you get closure.”

Can Dreams Predict My Life's Future?
A lot of us have had dreams that foreshadowed an actual event—a relative’s death, the breakup of a relationship. But in reality, a prophetic dream, even one about something unexpected, is just bringing to light an issue you’ve been subconsciously worried about, says Dr. Barrett. If you wake up from a dream feeling disturbed, ask yourself, Have there been hints of that situation in my daily life that I’ve ignored? Say you dreamt of losing your job. Have you recently had any unnerving discussions with your boss?

If you dream of medical ailments like heart attacks, take it seriously, say experts. “Many of my students and associates have had recurring dreams that alerted them to health problems,”. “It’s your body’s subtle way of telling you that something strange is going on. If you have a dream like this more than a few times, see your doctor to get checked out.”

The same holds true if you dream about sex with a man you don’t know. “When you wake up, ask yourself what characteristics the stranger had, and whether or not those are traits you wish your husband possessed,” says Dr. Barrett. Most of the time, pleasant sex dreams don’t mean you’re dissatisfied with your sex life or unhappy in your marriage. You just want a little of what your “dream” man symbolizes, like assertiveness, say, or nurturing.

When should you take note? “If the dream involves a negative, like having sex in public while strangers recoil, it could be your own sexual anxieties spilling over into your dreams,”. Perhaps you’re feeling embarrassed about something your husband wants you to do in bed. Your best bet in this case? Talk to him about it.

I Dreamt of Another Woman Last Night. What Does That Mean?
Most of us have sex-related dreams at one time or another, but dreaming about an old girlfriend or a hunky coworker “doesn’t mean that you want to cheat on your wife,”. Sex dreams are less about wanting to have sex with that person and more about desiring an attribute he represents. So if you dream about a college fling, for example, “you may be feeling nostalgic for a time when you were young and carefree,”

Remember since dreams can help us tap into—and even solve—problems in our lives, it pays to remember them. If our power of recall is lacking, there's an easy way to trigger our memory: Place paper and a pen next to your bed. When you wake up, even in the middle of the night, jot down as much as you remember. Can’t recall more than a fragment? Resume your normal sleeping position for a few minutes. “It helps you recall more of your dream,”

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WHY I DON'T DRINK SODA?

WHAT IS A SODA?
It is a beverage that contains carbonated water, a sweetening agent usually sugar, and a form of flavoring agent usually caffeine or fruit juice. Served cold and never warm.
We all know what a soda is and even have our own favorite brand and flavor. From time to time it does no harm to drink one either. But the rate at which the population consumes soda is starting to become a serious problem, why? because
25% of all drinks in the United States are composed of soda. In the year 2000 alone, 15 billion gallons of soda were sold in the United States. That’s like giving everyone a 12-ounce soda every day, and the worst part is, kids are the ultimate consumers of soda, meaning, drinking soda is as normal as drinking water.

The big question is - How will their health be in a few years? Will they encounter problems as they continue to consume soda? Are there any serious side effects to consider? Luckily, there are side-effects.

Listed hereunder are 10 of these side effects that might make us and our kids think twice before drinking a soda drink.

1. Tooth Decay - Why tooth decay? Amusingly enough, makers of soda have admitted that drinking their products will lead us to tooth decay. They haven’t come out saying that directly, but have hinted of this side effect. So if you’re an avid soda drinker you might want to schedule more visits to the dentist.

2. Calcium Loss and Osteoporosis - As we all know, phosphoric acid sucks the calcium out of our bones and it's a major contributor to osteoporosis. Breaking down the components of a soda will reveal that phosphoric acid is the most active ingredient, so the more soda you drink every day, the more calcium you lose. Remember that without calcium our bones weaken, making us to become more vulnerable to a lot of illnesses and bone defects.

3. Obesity - Since sodas contain tons of sugar and calories, they make their drinkers fat and more vulnerable of becoming obese. In a recent study, researchers find out that 12 years old children who are regular soda drinkers increased their risk of obesity 1.6 times.

4. Caffeine Addiction - Majority of soda drinkers today can’t quit because of the presence of caffeine. Drinkers are addicted to the beverage because of the presence of large amounts of caffeine. Too much intake of caffeine may lead a person to become more nervous, irritable, and anxious. Physical effects also occur as the person has twitching, headaches, heart palpitations, and insomnia.

5. Kidney Stones - Drinking large amounts of soda can lead to the formation of kidney stones that are formed in the urethra. With these, solid concretions are formed in the kidneys from dissolved urinary minerals like soda. A painful experience that soda offers to its drinkers.

6. Financial Loss - Might be an exaggeration but definitely not. An average pack of soda, assuming it’s a twelve pack, costs 3 or 4 dollars. Now let’s say you drink 4 times a week, so that twelve pack will last you 3 weeks. That is 56 dollars a year. Now you might say that isn’t so much at all. Well that’s assuming you only drink 4 bottles of soda a week. What if you actually drink more? And what if because of too much drinking soda you got sick?

7. Bacteria - Well to be fair buying the soda yourself from a reputable store will avoid this. But what if you eat outside and order a soda? You cannot control how or where they get their soda. In a recent study, tests shows and discovered that 48% of sodas you order from restaurants and fast-food contains bacteria. Coliform bacteria are rod-shaped and commonly found in animal feces. Their mere presence is a sign of unsanitary conditions.

8. Increase In Blood Pressure - Why? Because sodas uses preservatives and the use of sodium benzoate achieves this. It kills bacteria and fungi when placed under acidic conditions. It is also used as a preservative in medicines and cosmetics. But has harmful side effects such as an increase in blood pressure, skin rashes and can trigger an asthma attack in asthmatic individuals.

9. Dehydration - Remember that sodas are considered diuretic. They leave us dehydrated. They only quench thirst temporarily then leaves us even thirstier. This is because of caffeine and sugar that are found in sodas.
Caffeine causes you to urinate more and frequently. Remember when you drink an alcoholic beverage and you have to go every now and then? Well alcohol also contains caffeine. Sugar on the other hand absorbs water. And since your body expels sugar through urine, it expels the water inside you as well leaving you dry, thirsty, and dehydrated.

10. Diabetes - As what we can see, this illness is a chain effect of obesity caused by drinking soda. Obese have higher chances of getting more illnesses. One of them is diabetes. In a nutshell diabetes is when your body has a hard time processing sugar. This doesn’t surprise a lot of doctors because in 1980 there were only 6.6 million diabetic patients. And today there are over 20.8 million diabetic patients. The sweet temptation known as soda had definitely played a major role in this increase.

BE HEALTH CAUTIOUS
Let us remember that the key to good health is always moderation. An occasional bottle of liquor will not ruin your health and your life. This holds true to sodas. Having a nice soda now and then will not hurt you. The above side effects will only appear if you drink the sweet substance on a regular basis, as a replacement to water.

FOR A CHANGE
It is never too late to control the habit. Start trimming down the number of sodas you drink everyday and try to switch to a more nutritional drinks like water or fruit juice. And if you feel like reaching out for another soda, ask yourself, is it really worth it?

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PSYCHOLOGICAL & MENTAL DISORDERS: DEFINED

MENTAL DISORDERS
What are mental disorders? These are “health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress and impaired functioning.” But having a psychological disorder does not necessarily mean a person has a disability, yet in many cases the condition is severe enough to be disabling.

Below are descriptions of some of the more prominent psychological disorders and the impact they can have in the workplace, including effects of common medications taken for the most severe conditions.

DEPRESSION
Depression is categorically one of the most common and most serious mental health problems today. Major depression is manifested by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy pleasurable activities.
While the severity and number of symptoms may vary, these can include the following: persistent sad mood; loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed; physical slowing or agitation; loss of energy; feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt; significant change in appetite or body weight; difficulty in sleeping or oversleeping; difficulty in thinking or concentrating; and recurrent thoughts of death or committing suicide.

In the workplace, symptoms of depression often may be recognized by decreased productivity, morale problems, lack of cooperation, safety risks, accidents, absenteeism, frequent statements about being tired all the time, complaints of unexplained aches and pains, and alcohol and drug abuse. These can affect workers' productivity, judgment, ability to work with others, and overall job performance. The inability to concentrate fully or make decisions may lead to costly mistakes or accidents and even death.

An employee with chronic depression may need to take medication. It is advised that one should seek professional help. Though there are some side effects of medication such as dry mouth, constipation, bladder problems, blurred vision, drowsiness, headache, nausea, insomnia and agitation.

BIPOLAR DISORDER
Bipolar Disorder, or Manic-Depression, involves cyclical periods of severe depression with periods of extremely elevated or irritable mood known as mania. Study shows that cycles, or episodes, of depression, mania, or "mixed" manic and depressive symptoms typically recur and may become more frequent, often disrupting work, school, family, and even social life and functions.

Being in the depressed cycle, symptoms of depressive disorder may appear. While in the manic cycle, the individual may be overactive, over talkative, and have a great deal of energy. Take note that mania often affects one's thinking, judgment, and social behavior in ways that cause serious problems and embarrassment. If left untreated, mania may worsen to a psychotic state.

Today, various type of medications are used to treat bipolar disorder, but even with optimal medication treatment, many people with the illness still have some residual symptoms. Depending on the medication, side effects may include reduced sexual drive or performance, anxiety, hair loss, movement problems, or dry mouth, weight gain, nausea, and tremor.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD involves symptoms of depression that according to studies, occur during the fall and winter seasons when the days are shorter and there is less exposure to natural sunlight. When the spring and summer seasons begin and there is greater exposure to longer hours of daylight, the symptoms of depression disappears.

SAD sufferers have the following symptoms that occur during the fall/winter months and diminish in the spring: depression, increased appetite, weight gain, inability to concentrate, depressed energy and interest, and excessive or too much sleeping.

ANXIETY DISORDERS
Anxiety disorders, as a group, are the most common mental illness today. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and can grow progressively worse if not properly treated.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANXIETY DISORDERS
Panic Disorder - this involves repeated episodes of intense fear that strike often and without warning. Physical symptoms may include chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, abdominal distress, feelings of unreality, and fear of dying. The individual cannot predict when an attack will occur, and many develop intense anxiety between episodes, worrying when and where the next one will strike.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - involves repeated, unwanted thoughts or compulsive behaviors that seem impossible to stop or control. Rituals such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals, however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. Left untreated, obsessions and the need to perform rituals can take over a person's life.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - is a debilitating condition that can develop following a terrifying event. People with PTSD have persistent frightening thoughts and memories of their ordeal and feel emotionally numb, especially with people they were once close to.
Some people with PTSD repeatedly relive the trauma in the form of nightmares and disturbing recollections during the day. They may also experience other sleep problems, feel detached or numb, or be easily startled. They may lose interest in things they used to enjoy and have trouble feeling affectionate. They may feel irritable, more aggressive than before, or even violent.

Phobias - include both Social Phobia and Specific Phobia. People with social phobia have an overwhelming and disabling fear of scrutiny, embarrassment, or humiliation in social situations, which leads to avoidance of many potentially pleasurable and meaningful activities. People with specific phobia on the other hand experience extreme, disabling, and irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger; the fear leads to avoidance of objects or situations and can cause people to limit their lives unnecessarily.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - involves constant, exaggerated, worrisome thoughts and tension about everyday routine life events and activities, lasting at least six months. The individual is almost always anticipating the worst even though there is little reason to expect it. The disorder is often accompanied by physical symptoms, such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headache, or nausea.

SCHIZOPHRENIA
Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease that affects about 1 percent or more of the population today. Terrifying symptoms include hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. Leaving them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behavior can be so disorganized that they may be incomprehensible or frightening to others.
Medications and other treatments for schizophrenia, when used regularly and as prescribed, can help reduce and control the distressing symptoms of the illness, but most people with schizophrenia continue to suffer some symptoms throughout their lives.

PERSONALITY DISORDERS
Those with personality disorders possesses several distinct psychological features such as disturbances in self-image; inability to have successful interpersonal relationships; inappropriate range of emotion, ways of perceiving themselves, others, and the world; difficulty possessing proper impulse control. These disturbances come together to create a pervasive pattern of behavior and inner experience that is quite different from the norms of the individual's culture and often tend to be expressed in behaviors that appear more dramatic than what society considers usual. Therefore, those with a personality disorder often experience conflicts with other people and vice-versa. There are ten different types of personality disorders that exist, which all have various emphases.

1. Antisocial - Antisocial personality disorder is a psychiatric condition characterized by chronic behavior that manipulates, exploits, or violates the rights of others. This behavior is often criminal. Lacks consideration for others and that may cause damage to society, whether intentionally or through negligence, as opposed to pro-social behaviour, behaviour that helps or benefits society.

2. Avoidant - is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, extreme sensitivity to negative evaluation, and avoidance of social interaction.People with avoidant personality disorder often consider themselves to be socially inept or personally unappealing, and avoid social interaction for fear of being ridiculed, humiliated, rejected, or disliked.

3. Borderline - is a personality disorder described as a prolonged disturbance of personality function in a person characterized by depth and variability of moods. The disorder typically involves unusual levels of instability in mood; black and white thinking, or splitting; the disorder often manifests itself in idealization and devaluation episodes, as well as chaotic and unstable interpersonal relationships, self-image, identity, and behavior; as well as a disturbance in the individual's sense of self. In extreme cases, this disturbance in the sense of self can lead to periods of dissociation.

4. Dependent - is a personality disorder that is characterized by a pervasive psychological dependence on other people. This personality disorder is a long-term (chronic) condition in which people depend too much on others to meet their emotional and physical needs.

5. Histrionic - a personality disorder characterized by a pattern of excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, including an excessive need for approval and inappropriately seductive behavior, usually beginning in early adulthood. These individuals are lively, dramatic, enthusiastic, and flirtatious.

6. Narcissistic - The narcissist is described as being excessively preoccupied with issues of personal adequacy, power, prestige and vanity.[2] Narcissistic personality disorder is closely linked to self-centeredness.

7. Obsessive–Compulsive - is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning; repeated checking; extreme hoarding; preoccupation with sexual, violent or religious thoughts; aversion to particular numbers; and nervous rituals, such as opening and closing a door a certain number of times before entering or leaving a room. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and financial distress. The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational, and may become further distressed by this realization.

8. Paranoid - is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs concerning a perceived threat towards oneself. Historically, this characterization was used to describe any delusional state.

9. Schizoid - is a personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, sometimes sexually apathetic, a tendency towards a solitary lifestyle, secretiveness, and emotional coldness. SPD is not the same as schizophrenia, although they share some similar characteristics such as detachment or blunted affect and there is increased prevalence of the disorder in families with schizophrenia.

10. Schizotypal - is a personality disorder that is characterized by a need for social isolation, odd behavior and thinking, and often unconventional beliefs.

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DASH Diet: Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension

What is DASH Diet or Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension? originally this was developed to suppress hypertension in adults, but today it may also help teen girls gain less weight - from
a recent study.

FORMAL STUDY
This study followed 2,379 girls ages 9-10 for ten years. The participants were socio-economically and geographically mixed, and researchers devised a scoring system to determine how
closely the participants came to following the diet.

THE DIET
This diet emphasizes on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat and nonfat dairy foods, lean proteins, nuts and limited amounts of fats and sweets, is said to lower blood pressure in adults even without reducing salt intake.Participants who adhered most closely to the DASH plan had the lowest increase in body mass index (BMI) over the course of the study and the lowest BMI's at the end of the study. Although the participants in the 95th percentile maintained a healthy weight, only 15 percent of girls 9 to 17 years old ate the DASH diet's suggested four servings of fruit a day, and average sugar consumption was ten times higher than what is recommended.

To many, "This study is important," said senior author Lynn Moore of Boston University Medical Center in a news release, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, "because it shows that a
very simple dietary message focused primarily on increasing intakes of fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products has the potential to reduce the risk of overweight and obesity in
adolescent girls." - a way of sending this message of being health conscious, not only to the young, but also to the old.

DASH Diet was also recently ranked "Best Diet Overall" by U.S. News & World Report after studying its effectiveness in short-term weight loss, long-term weight loss, easiness to follow,
nutritional completeness, ability to prevent or manage diabetes and to also manage heart disease.

DASH DIET
The DASH diet focuses on foods rich in nutrients expected to reduce high blood pressure - potassium, magnesium and calcium. Basic components of the DASH diet are:

1. Limit sodium intake
2. Limits saturated fat and total fat and in turn helps lower cholesterol
3. Emphasizes fruits and vegetables
4. Emphasizes fat-free and low-fat milk and dairy products
5. Rich in protein and fiber

DASH DIET PLAN
You can follow the DASH diet plan by eating the recommended number of servings from each food group. For a 2,000 calorie per day diet (your calorie requirements may be higher or lower), the recommended daily servings are as follows:

Grains: 6-8 servings, serving = 1 slice of bread, 1 oz. dry cereal, 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
Vegetables: 4-5 servings, serving = 1 cup raw leafy greens, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, 1/2 cup vegetable juice
Fruits: 4-5 servings, serving = 1 medium fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit, 1/2 cup fresh fruit, 1/2 cup fruit juice
Fat-free or low-fat milk products: 2-3 servings, serving = 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 oz. cheese
Lean meats, poultry, fish: 6 or fewer servings, serving = 1 oz cooked meat, poultry or fish, 1 egg
Nuts, seeds, legumes: 4-5 per week, serving = 1/3 cup, 1 1/2 oz. nuts, 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. or 1/2 oz. seeds, 1/2 cup cooked beans or peas
Fats and oils: 2-3 servings, serving = 1 tsp. soft margarine, 1 tsp. vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp. salad dressing
Sweets and added sugars: 5 or less per week, serving = 1 Tbsp. sugar, jelly or jam, 1/2 cup sorbet, 1 cup lemonade

DASH Diet Sodium Goals
Another important part of the DASH Diet plan is to reduce your intake of salt and sodium. DASH recommends two levels of sodium. The first step is to lower sodium to 2,300 mg or less of per day. A further goal is to lower sodium to 1,500 mg or less per day.

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WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS: On Family Planning

Family planning through the use of artificial methods is not wrong. In fact, it is accordance with the will of God. Remember when God created the first man and woman, He commanded them to be fruitful and multiply to fill the earth with people. But in due time, though, God commands man to "subdue it" or curb the population:

"Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
GENESIS 1:28 NKJV

Thus it is right to use artificial methods as legitimate means of spacing the birth of children or limiting their number as long as these methods are not abortifacients or methods inducing abortion. A married couple can agree as to what contraceptives to use after seeking advice from a medical expert.

Why not use the rhythm method?
Rhythm or the so-called "natural method" is against the Bible because it runs counter to apostolic teachings:

"Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control."
I CORINTHIANS 7:5 NKJV

Aside from being an ineffective form of contraceptive and a cause for strife between couples due to the long period of abstinence, the rhythm method is against the commandment of God. For this reason, it is wrong to advise anyone to use such method. Instead, one can use the artificial means of contraception.

Remember, with the widespread economic crisis today, parents with low income will find it hard to meet all the needs of a large family. Thus, it is right to say that with correct family planning, responsible parenthood can now be achieved as an integral part of our ever-growing populace.

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LIVING HEALTHY: SAVING BABIES FROM MENTAL RETARDATION

FAQ's About New Born Screening

What is newborn screening or (NBS)?
It is a simple procedure, a way to find out if a baby has a congenital metabolic disorder that may lead to mental retardation or even death if untreated.

Why NBS is important?
Babies with metabolic disorders look "normal" at birth. By doing NBS, metabolic disorders may be detected even before clinical signs and symptoms are present. As a result, treatment can be given early so as to prevent consequences of untreated state.

When it is done?
New Born Screening is ideally done on the 48th - 72nd hour of life. However, it may also be done 24 hours from birth.

How is it done?
For a few drops of blood taken from the baby's heel, blotted on a special absorbent filter card and then sent to Newborn Screening Center.

Who will collect the sample for newborn screening?
The blood sample may be collected by the following: physician, nurse, medical technologist or a trained midwife.

Where is newborn screening available?
It is available in hospitals, Lying-in Clinics, Rural Health Unit, and Health Centers.

How can results be claimed?
Results can be claimed from the health facility where NBS was done. Normal NBS results are available 7 - 14 working days from the time samples are received at the Newborn Screening Center. Positive NBS results are then relayed to the parents immediately by the health facility. Please ensure that the address and phone number supplied to the health facility are correct.

What is the meaning of the Newborn Screening result?
A negative screen means that the Newborn Screening result is normal.
A positive screen means that the newborn must be brought back to his/her health practitioner for further testing.

Why do some babies need to be retested?
Here are some possible reasons for retesting:
- If the sample was taken less than 24 hours from birth.
- If there is a problem with the the blood sample.
- If the first test showed a possible health problem

Remember, your attending health practitioner will contact you if your baby needs to be retested. Get it done right away to avoid the baby from serious illnesses.

What should be done when a baby has a positive Newborn Screening result?
Babies with positive results should be referred at once to a specialist for confirmatory testing and further management.

HELP US SAVE THE 33,000 BABIES AFFECTED BY ANY OF THESE DISORDERS:
1. Congenital Hypothyroidism (CH) - results from lack or absence of thyroid hormone which is essential for the physical and mental development of a child. Baby with CH may suffer from growth and mental retardation if not detected or if hormone replacement is not initiated within two weeks.
2. Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) - a endocrine disorder that causes severe salt loss, dehydration and abnormally high levels of male sex hormones in both boys and girls. If not treated early, babies with CAH may die within 7-14 days.
3. Galactosemia (GAL) - a condition in which babies are unable to process galactose, the sugar present in milk. Accumulation of excessive galactose in the body can cause many problems, such as liver damage, brain damage and cataracts.
4. Phenylketonuria (PKU) - is a rare condition in which the baby cannot properly use one of the building blocks of protein called phenylalanine. Excessive accumulation of phenylalanine in the blood causes brain damage.
5. Glucose-6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency (G6PD def) - is a condition where the body lacks the enzyme called G6PD. Babies with this deficiency may have hemolytic anemia resulting from exposure to oxidative substances found in drugs, foods and chemicals.

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Discussion on Stress and How to Manage it

What Is Stress?
Stress is our body's way of responding to any kind of demand. It can be caused by good or bad experiences. When people feel stressed by something going on around them, our bodies react by releasing chemicals into our bloodstream. Such chemicals give us more energy and strength, which can be a good thing if such stress is caused by a physical danger. But if the stress is in response to something emotional, and there is no outlet for this extra energy and strength. This is called bad stress. Thus, there are two kinds of stress, the good stress called as "eustress", and the bad stress which is called "distress". Remember, stress can affect both our body and our mind. People under large amounts of stress can become tired, sick, and unable to concentrate or think clearly. Sometimes, they even suffer mental breakdowns.

Good Stress vs. Bad Stress?
So if stress can be so bad for us, how can there be "good" or "positive" stress? If we are suffering from extreme stress or long-term stress, our body will eventually wear itself down. But sometimes, small amounts of stress can actually be good.

Understanding our stress level is so important. If nothing in our lives causes us any stress or excitement, we may become bored or may not be living up to our potential. If everything in our life, or large portions of our life, causes us stress, we may experience health or mental problems that will make our behavior pattern even worse.

Recognizing when we are stressed and managing our stress levels can greatly improve our lives. Some short-term stress -- for example what we feel before an important job presentation, test, interview, or sporting event -- may give us the extra energy we need to perform at our best. But long-term stress -- for example constant worry over our job, school, or family -- may actually drain our energy and our ability to perform well.

What Causes Stress?
Many different things can cause stress -- from emotional to physical. But knowing and identifying what may be causing stress is often the first step in learning in dealing with one's stress.

The most common sources of stress are:
A. Survival Stress - This is a common response to danger in all people and even with animals. When you are afraid that someone or something may physically hurt you, your body naturally responds with a burst of energy abling one to survive a dangerous situation.
B. Internal Stress - One of the most important kinds of stress that is easy to understand and manage, thus, internal stress happens when people make themselves stressed. This happens when we worry about things we can't control or put ourselves in stressful situations. Some people become addicted to the kind of hurried, tense, lifestyle that results from being under stress. Looking for stressful situations and feel stressed about things that aren't stressful at all.
C. Environmental Stress - A response to things around us that often causes stress, such as noise, crowding, and pressure from work or family. In lowering our stress levels, we need to identify these environmental stresses and in learning to avoid them or deal with them, is one big step in attaining a stress free day.
D. Fatigue and Overwork - This kind builds up over a long time and takes a hard toll on our body. This can be caused by too much work, or too hard job(s), school, or even at home. It can also be caused by mismanaged time or schedule. So one should do well in his work, or know how to take time out for rest and some relaxation with friends or family. This one is hard to avoid because lots of people think that dealing with fatigue is often out of control.

Facts about Stress
• Large number of people around the globe suffers from stress each year.
• 3 in every 4 people say they experience stress at least twice a month.
• Over half of those people say they suffer from 'high' levels of stress at least twice a month.
• Stress contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, and strokes, and makes you more likely to catch less serious illnesses like colds.
• It can also contribute to alcoholism, obesity, drug addiction, cigarette use, depression, and other harmful behaviors.
• In the last 20 years, the number of people reporting that stress affects their work has gone up more than four times.
• Drug abuse rises due to stress related problems.

Physical and Mental signs of Stress
We've heard before that recognizing when we are under stress is the first step in learning how to deal with stress, but what does it mean? Sometimes we are so used to living with stress; but we sometimes don't know how to identify it.
Whether we are experiencing immediate or short-term stress or have been experiencing stress for a long time, our body and mind may be showing the effects. Here are some 'warning signs' that stress is already in control, and affecting our body and mind.

In Short-Term Stress – Often occurring in quick 'bursts' in reaction to something in our environment, short-term stress can affect our body in many ways. Making our heartbeat and breathing faster. Like those listed below:
• Making us to sweat more
• Leaving us with cold hands, feet, or skin
• Making us feel sick to our stomach
• Tightening of our muscles or making us feel tense
• Leaving our mouth dry
• Going to the bathroom more frequently
• Increase in muscle spasms, headaches, fatigue, and even shortness of breath

While this burst of energy may help us in physical situations where our body needs to react quickly, it can also have bad effects on our mind and performance if there is no outlet or reason for our stress. These effects may include:
• Interfering with our judgment and causing us to make bad decisions
• Making us see difficult situations as threatening
• Reducing our enjoyment and making us feel bad
• Making it difficult for us to concentrate or to deal with distraction
• Leaving us anxious, frustrated or mad
• Making us feel rejected, unable to laugh, afraid of free time, unable to work, and not willing to discuss problems with other people

In Long-Term Stress - Long-term stress or stress that is occurring over long periods of time can have an even greater effect on our body and mind. Long-term stress can affect our bodies by:
• Change in appetite (making us eat either less or more)
• Change in sleep habits (either causing us to sleep too much or not letting us to sleep enough)
• Encouraging 'nervous' behavior such as twitching, fiddling, talking too much, nail biting, teeth grinding, pacing, and other repetitive habits
• Causing us to catch colds or flu more often and causing other illnesses such as asthma, headaches, stomach problems, skin problems, and other aches and pains
• Affecting sexual life and performance
• Making us feel constantly tired and always worn out

Long-term stress can also have serious effects on our mental health and behavior. If we are under stress for long periods of time, we may find that we have difficulty in thinking clearly, dealing with problems, or even handling our day-to-day situations as simple as shaving, picking up clothes or arriving somewhere on time. Some mental signs of long-term stress include:
• Feeling worry and anxious, sometimes leading to anxiety and panic attacks
• Feeling out of control, overwhelmed, confused, unable to make decisions
• Experiencing mood changes such as depression, frustration, anger, helplessness, irritability, defensiveness, irrationality, overreaction, or impatience and restlessness
• Increased dependence on food, cigarettes, alcohol, or even drugs
• Neglect of important things in life such as work, school, and even personal appearance
• Developing irrational fears of things such as physical illnesses, natural disasters like calamities and earthquakes, and even being terrified of ordinary situations like heights or small spaces around.
While occasionally experiencing one or two of the above symptoms may not be cause for concern, having a number of these symptoms may mean we are under more stress than what we think. But realizing we are under stress and knowing how to manage it, is the first step in learning how to deal with stress.

What is Stress Management?
Stress Management is all about taking charge, taking in control: of our thoughts, emotions, schedule, environment, and the way we deal with our problems.
The ultimate goal in managing stress is to attain a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation, and for fun – plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and enabling us to meet head on challenges in life.

How to identify stress in our life?
Managing Stress starts in identifying source of stress in our life. True sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
To identify our true sources of stress, one should look closely at our habits, attitude, and excuses:
• Do you explain away stress as temporary?
• Do you define stress as an integral part of your work or home life?
• Do you blame your stress on other people or outside events, or view it as entirely normal and unexceptional?
Unless one accepts responsibility for the role we play in creating or maintaining it, stress level will remain beyond our control.

Making a Stress Journal
This can help us in identifying regular stressors in life and the way we should deal with them. Each time we feel stressed; keep track of it, having a daily log, we should begin to see patterns and common themes. We could write down the following:
• Causes of stress
• How we felt, both physically and emotionally.
• How we responded.
• What we did to make ourselves feel better.

Looking at how we are coping with stress
In thinking about the ways in managing and coping with stress, stress journal can help us identify them. But are coping strategies that we did healthy or unhealthy? Helpful or unproductive? Unfortunately, many stress coping techniques seems to be unhealthy. Unhealthy ways of coping with stress are as follows,

These coping strategies may temporarily reduce stress, but they cause more damage in the long run:
• Smoking
• Drinking Alcohol
• Overeating or Under-eating
• Zoning out for hours in front of TV / Computer
• Withdrawing from society
• Using of pills or drugs
• Too much sleeping
• Procrastinating
• Filling up every minute of the day to avoid problems
• Taking out stress on others (like lashing out, angry outbursts, physical violence

Healthier ways in managing Stress
It’s time for us to find healthier ways in Managing Stress. There are many healthy ways for us to manage and cope with stress, but they all require change. We can either change the situation or change our reaction.

Dealing with Stressful Situations:
Change the situation:
• Avoid the stressor.
• Alter the stressor.
Change your reaction:
• Adapt to the stressor.
• Accept the stressor.

Stress Management Strategies
#1: Avoiding unnecessary stress
Since not all stress can be avoided, remember that it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed or resolved. We may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in our life that we can eliminate.
• Say “NO” – Know our limitations and we should stick to them. Whether in our personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when we’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than what we can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
• Avoid people who stress us out – If someone is consistently causing stress in our life and we can’t turn the relationship around, we should limit the amount of time we spend with that person, or we could end the relationship as well.
• Control our environment – If the evening news makes us anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got us tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do our grocery shopping online.
• Avoiding hot-button topics – If we get upset over religion or politics, cross them off our conversation list. If we repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse ourselves when it’s the topic of discussion.
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze our schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If we’ve got too much on our plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

#2: Altering the situation
If we can’t avoid a stressful situation, we should try to alter it. Figure out what we can do to change things so the problem doesn’t present itself in the future. Often, this involves changing the way in communicating and operating our daily lives.
• Express our feelings instead of bottling them up - If something or someone is bothering us, communicate our concerns in an open, constructive and respectful way. If we don’t voice our feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same, and may worsen.
• Be willing to compromise - When we ask someone to change their behavior, be always willing to do the same. If both parties are willing to bend at least a little, we’ll have a good chance of finding a happy and peaceful middle ground.

• Be more assertive - Don’t take a backseat in our lives. Deal with problems head on, doing our best in anticipating and preventing them. If we’ve got an exam to study for and a chatty friend arrived for a visit, say up front that you’ll only have five minute talk.
• Manage time better - Poor time management can cause lots of stress. When we’re stretched too thin and most likely running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if we plan ahead and make sure we don’t overextend ourselves, we can alter the amount of stress we’re under.

#3: Adapt to the stressor
If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.
• Re-frame problems - View stressful situations from a positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite music, or enjoy some time alone.
• Look at the big picture - Take a perspective look of the stressful situation. Ask ourselves how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus our time and energy to some worthwhile activities in work or at home.
• Adjust our standards - Being a Perfectionist is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting ourselves up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for ourselves and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
• Focus on the positive side - When stress is getting us down, take a moment to reflect on all the things we appreciate in our lives, including our own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help us keep things in right perspective.

Adjusting our Attitude
How we think can have a profound effect on our emotional and physical well-being. Each time we think a negative thought about ourselves, our body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tension-filled situation. But if we see good things about ourselves, we are more likely to feel good; the reverse is also true.

#4: Accept the things we can’t change
Some sources of stress are unavoidable. We can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way in coping with stress is by accept things as they are. At first glance, acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s much easier than railing against a situation we can’t change.
• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable - Many things in our lives are beyond our control — particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, try focusing on the things we can control such as the way we chose to react to problems.
• Look for the upside - When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for our maturity and personal growth. If our own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from our mistakes.
• Share our feelings - Try talking to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what we’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing we can do to alter the stressful situation we're dealing with.
• Learn to forgive - Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people often makes mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on. Like what we often heard, Forgive and forget.

#5: Make time for fun and relaxation
Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, we can continue to reduce stress in our lives by nurturing ourselves. If we regularly make time for fun and some relaxation, we’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.

Here are some healthy ways to relax and recharge our body
• Go for a walk.
• Spend time in nature.
• Call a good friend or a family
• Sweat out tension with a good exercise or workout.
• Write in your journal.
• Take a long cool bath.
• Light scented candles
• Savor a warm cup of coffee or tea.
• Play with a pet.
• Work in your garden.
• Get a body massage or foot spa.
• Curl up with a good book.
• Listen to good music.
• Watch a movie or a TV show

Remember, don’t get ourselves so caught up in life that we forget to take care of ourselves and our own needs. Nurturing ourselves is a necessity, and not a luxury.
• Always set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. Remember, this is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
• Try to connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance our lives. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
• Do something that we enjoy every day. Have time for leisure activities that bring us joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike, or have a walk with a loved one by the beach.
• Keep our sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at ourselves. The act of laughing helps our bodies fight stress in numerous ways.

Learn the relaxation response
We can control our stress levels with relaxation techniques that evoke our body’s relaxation response, wherein we feel a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. Practicing these techniques will build our physical and emotional resilience, heals our body, and boosts our overall feelings of joy in facing life's challenges.

#6: Adopting a healthy lifestyle
We can increase our resistance to stress by strengthening our physical health. Thus, we should do the following:
• Exercise regularly - Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Have at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week.
• Eat a healthy diet - Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what we eat. Start our day right with a healthy breakfast, and keep our energy up and our mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day. Don't skip meals.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar - The temporary "highs" caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in our diet, we’ll feel more relaxed and we’ll sleep better.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs - Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t try to avoid or mask the issue at hand; instead deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels our mind, as well as our body. Feeling tired will increase our stress because it may cause us to think irrationally.

Conclusion
Remember that stress can be truly isolating. Stress can be, well, stressful. But we are not alone; we shouldn't be ashamed; because we can overcome it.
Recommendations included in this course are just a few of the ways we can try to deal with stress. There are numerous options and numerous resources about stress, whether online or in print, and available from health care organizations and professionals. Be always interested in learning more about stress and ways of coping with stress, for us to have a healthy and much more attainable way of life.
Everyone's stressors, reactions to stress, and ways of dealing with stress are different. It may take a little experimentation, a little time, and a little practice, but surely we'll find something that works for ourselves. Keep trying -- and try not to be stressed about it.

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Bible Guide: Teachings About Taking Care of our Mind and Body’s Wellness

ON GOOD HEALTH
My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and that you may be in good health--as I know you are well in spirit.
III JOHN 1:2 TEV

ABOUT OUR PHYSICAL BODY
Then his body will become as healthy as a child's, firm and youthful again.
JOB 33:25 LB

ABOUT LONG LIFE
He asked for life, and you gave it, a long and lasting life.
PSALMS 21:4 TEV

ON GOOD SIGHT AND HEARING
If you have good eyesight and good hearing, thank God who gave them to you.
PROVERBS 20:12 LB

ON MEDICAL DOCTORS
Jesus heard them and answered, "People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick.
MATTHEW 9:12 TEV

ABOUT THE USE OF MEDICINES
About this time King Hezekiah became sick and almost died. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to see him and said to him, "The LORD tells you that you are to put everything in order, because you will not recover. Get ready to die." Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed: "Remember, LORD, that I have served you faithfully and loyally and that I have always tried to do what you wanted me to." And he began to cry bitterly. Isaiah left the king, but before he had passed through the central courtyard of the palace the LORD told him to go back to Hezekiah, ruler of the LORD's people, and say to him, "I, the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and in three days you will go to the Temple. I will let you live fifteen years longer. I will rescue you and this city Jerusalem from the emperor of Assyria. I will defend this city, for the sake of my own honor and because of the promise I made to my servant David." Then Isaiah told the king's attendants to put on his boil a paste made of figs, and he would get well.
II KINGS 20:1-7 TEV

ON WRONG BELIEF
In the thirty-ninth year that Asa was king, he was crippled by a severe foot disease; but even then he did not turn to the LORD for help, but to doctors.
II CHRONICLES 16:12 TEV

ON TRUSTING GOD
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
JAMES 5:13-15 NIV

GOD HEALS DISEASES
Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
PSALMS 103:3-5 NIV

GOD PROTECTS US FROM DISEASE
The LORD will protect you from all sickness, and he will not bring on you any of the dreadful diseases that you experienced in Egypt, but he will bring them on all your enemies.
DEUTERONOMY 7:15 TEV

UNTIL WE GET OLD
I am your God and will take care of you until you are old and your hair is gray. I made you and will care for you; I will give you help and rescue you.
ISAIAH 46:4 TEV

GUIDE ON FOOD
When you sit to dine with a ruler, note well what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. Do not crave his delicacies, for that food is deceptive.
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
PROVERBS 23:1-3, 20-21 NIV

ABOUT PHYSICAL EXERCISE
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance
I TIMOTHY 4:8-9 NIV

ON WHAT PROLONGS LIFE
Peace of mind makes the body healthy, but jealousy is like a cancer.
PROVERBS 14:30 TEV

ABOUT CHEERFULNESS
Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
PROVERBS 17:22 TEV

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