Archive for February, 2008

the three step approach to how to manage stress

Friday, February 29th, 2008

by Ann Triune

Do you know how to manage stress? You should know because uncontrolled stress can damage your physical and mental well being. There are many great ways to help you put stress in control. Sometimes though following stress reduction techniques blindly may not work at all. You need to follow some steps if you want to beat stress effectively.

Step 1: Assess the Cause of Stress

Stress is just like a difficult problem or medical condition. To be able to effectively resolve the problem, you need to be able to go deep into the root cause. It is only after you find out what keeps you stressed out that you can find the right techniques to use. This may be easier than you think. You just have to look into the professional and personal factors of your life. It’s tempting to think that work may be the cause of all your worries. You have to admit though that certain personal relationships and situations may also be taking a toll on you.

Step 2: Move Away or Deal with It

You would have found the answer to how to manage stress if you find out whether to fight or fly. This means that after finding out the cause of stress, you need to determine if it is something you can confront or abandon. Naturally, many stress reduction techniques work on the fight or confrontation principle. This only makes sense because it wouldn’t be good if you had to run away from every issue you encounter. You should remember however that certain aspects that are beyond saving should really be abandoned. This includes toxic relationships that don’t work no matter how hard you try to salvage them.

If you cannot move away from the source of your stress, then you have to deal with it. These can be anything from your daily family life to your work duties. Instead of running away from them, you simply have to use some stress management techniques. You can use deep breathing and mental imagery to calm yourself even at the height of stress. These are examples of basic relaxation techniques that are easy to learn and use. You can also schedule monthly or yearly work leaves so you can go out on a relaxing trip.

Step 3: Use Daily Techniques

Regular relaxation classes and breaks are great stress busters. It is however, an even better idea to include daily habits and practices that can moderate stress on a daily basis. After all, stress, for a lot of people, is a daily reality.

One example of a good daily habit that you shouldn’t miss is eating healthy food. Add regular exercise and good nights’ sleep to the formula and you have a guaranteed stress buster. These good habits will ensure that you have sufficient nutrients in your body and that you are sufficiently rested. Another good habit is to put breaks in between your daily tasks. Take brief time outs to have a refreshing health drink or meal. Sometimes, talking to someone during break time can also make a difference.

There is really no mystery behind how to manage stress. Sometimes all you really need is a basic and common sense approach.

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Stress Management-relief Is Possible

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

by Sara Mendez

Stress can have a profound effect on your daily life. Stress is hard to define for many people. It can be a variety of different feelings and be triggered by numerous situations. It is vital to know how to deal with stress and how to address the triggers that make you stressed. Learning how to do this will allow you to lead a happier, healthier and more complete life. Behavior modification can assist you in reaching your goal and it doesn’t just stop there.

You know how you feel when you are stressed out. Maybe your pulse races, maybe your chest feels tight or maybe you feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Many times stress can feel unmanageable and just this thought can add additional stress to your life and body. Hypnosis allows your mind and body to relax and regroup. Hypnosis can give you the tools to learn how to not only control stress while you are having a session, but also tools you can use everyday.

Often stress is triggered by something. It could be something as small as a test in school or having to give a speech or as large as family problems or financial issues. Sometimes these things seem to big to deal with on your own, and that is ok, you are taking the right step by asking for help. Hypnosis can give you that help and allow you to be more relaxed when facing these situations.

Behavior modification is unique as it helps with multiple issues instead of just one issue at a time. People show stress through different actions such as anger, aggression, anxiety, or helplessness. While learning to control the triggers of stress you can also learn how to control the response to stress.

Everyone wants to be healthy and live a happy life free of medical problems. Stress can be the cause of many health related issues such as a lower immune system, heart attack, cancer, stomach problems and skin break outs. Not only can stress be the cause of health problems, but people can turn to alcohol or dugs to help them cope. Many start to gain weight or lose weight, start to smoke or lose confidence in themselves. Behavior modification can help in all of these areas. You will learn special techniques to help with all of the issues you want to address.

Hypnosis is unique in that it works immediately and will be long lasting which will help you be successful in your stress management goal. You will notice your breathing and pulse rates will become lower as well as your blood pressure just in your first session. Long term you will learn self hypnosis techniques that will allow you to relax on command.

Stress is a complicated feeling, but the treatment for stress shouldn’t have to be. Your treatment should be both relaxing and fun, through behavior modification you will find both of these components plus many more.

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Ankle Tendonitis - If You Feel Pain, Beware

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

by Jack Beartoes

Your feet are going to carry you for probably your entire life. You need to make sure that you take care of them the best that you can. You may be starting ankle tendonitis if you start to feel pain or either swelling in the ankle area.

We will talk about what you can do to help prevent tendinitis in ankle and some background information.

Runners and joggers can get into a training mode that can be sometimes hard on their ankles. This also can happen to people who have jobs that required them being on their feet constantly. What can happen is that you may start to develop tendonitis in your ankles.

Lets talk just a minute about what tendonitis is. What you are going to find it is basically the inflammation of the tendon. The tendon actually connects the bone to the muscle. This connectivity is extremely important as you might imagine. Tendonitis can be developed from the tendon being in an overworked situation or possibly too much force being applied.

There are some very common symptoms for this illness. Most times you are going to find pain, swelling and the area will be very tender to the touch. When ankle tendinitis has developed you are going to find it difficult to move the ankle and you will feel a sharp pain going from the ankle up to the calf.

Another type of tendonitis that is very similar to being in close proximity to the ankle is Achilles tendonitis. What happens with this type is the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed. You see this occur in people who are constantly on there feet or in runners.

A way to treat Ankle Tendonitis

The home remedy for tendonitis is the care. If you are experiencing a mild case of ankle tendonitis, ice packs will work great. Use the ice in 15 minute intervals. If you need to be on your feet, you can wrap the ankle for support and this will prevent further injury.

Another method that doctor’s sometimes prescribe is a cortisone injection. They are not to much in favor of this in the ankle because the tendon can rupture very easy. You can also put a cushion in your shoe and this is going to help support the foot and possibly keep you somewhat pain free during activity.

Your feet are a vital part of your body. You need to try and keep them from injury including ankle tendonitis or permanent injury could occur.

If you are having problems you may want to go and visit a physical therapist. You can also go and see an orthopedic doctor and they can help you learn how to move your feet when you have to perform physical activity. This can help to prevent further injury. If you start to feel ankle tendonitis coming on, the pain and swelling in your ankle can be the sign that you are looking for. Try at that time to get off of your feet and give your ankle a rest.

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Get Rid Of Scars Caused By Acne

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

by Real Salon Products

At some point you had acne, now you are left with embarrassing, ugly scars. There are ways to diminish and reduce the appearance of the acne scars. The severity of the scars will determine what you will need to do to diminish them. I would recommend seeking advice from a dermatologist or a cosmetic surgeon to determine the best course of action.

For very mild scarring you can try a few at home procedures and products to help reduce the appearance of the scars. At home dermabrasion and chemical peels can help diminish some scarring especially if you also use retinol or alpha hydroxyl acid lotions or creams. For sensitive skin you may not want to apply retinol or alpha hydroxyl products right after dermabrasion or peels because it can cause some redness and irritation. Other products you can try are scar reducing creams like Mederma or Rosehip seed oil which is said to be great at reducing scar tissue. Aloe Vera juice and gels and lavender oils are also said to work well on reducing scars.

Professional treatments for scarring include Laser Resurfacing which involves the use of a laser to remove skin so new skin can form in its place. Laser resurfacing can cause uneven skin tones in people with darker skin. It is still being studied but shows a lot of promise. After treatment you may experience redness and swelling which may last for a few weeks.

Dermabrasion has been around for decades. Originally sandpaper was used to remove damaged skin. Now a machine rotates to remove the damaged skin, the skin is numbed or frozen first. After the procedure your skin is raw and scabs will form. After the scabs heal your skin will be reddish for several weeks.

Augmentation is a procedure where a material like collagen or your own fat will be injected under the scar to bring it to the surface. The treatments last for about six months but they are working on more permanent solutions.

Subcision is a technique that detaches the scar from deeper tissue and allows a pool of blood to form under the scar. The blood clots and helps form connective tissue under the scar to level it with the rest of the skin surface. Subcision is usually combined with either dermabrasion or laser resurfacing.

The depth and shape of your scars will determine what treatment your doctor will recommend.

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Acne Skin Care Products

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008

by Bobbie McKee

We all need to follow a skin care regimen to keep our skin healthy and in top shape. Our skin can reflect on how we take care of our body. At some point of our lives, it is almost inevitable that we experience having minor forms of skin infections caused by acne like pimples and blackheads. Teenagers are more prone to it as the body undergoes different hormonal changes. As the body continually grows towards adulthood, individuals really have no way of stopping it and can only lessen its effects. By using different methods and acne skin care products person’s that are more prone to it can control its growth.

Acne skin care products performance can greatly depend on how an individual’s skin type reacts to it. It must conform to the skin’s characteristics, which may include skin sensitivity, tone, ethnicity and gender. There are many acne skin care products in the market with different active ingredients and solutions for different skin types. Acne prone skin can be very sensitive to different chemicals and must be very careful in using different products. There are different tips and techniques for mild to severe cases of acnes. Some acne skin care products may not work for some people in helping them improve the look and condition of their skin.

Among the commonly used acne skin care product is the facial cleanser. There are many types of cleansers available that are good and gentle for the skin. It is easy to find a cleanser that is made specifically for a person’s skin type. Using a different soap for your face is also important since bath soaps can be harmful to acne-prone individuals. Testing different acne skin care products may do more harm than good. Skin toners contain ingredients that can dry skin making it susceptible to acne.

A moisturizer is well recommended for individuals that are using benzoyl peroxide to keep the skin from becoming too dry. Upon using acne skin care products for treating blemishes, using moisturizers can keep the skin in balance and helps prevent some of the dryness on its initial stages. Benzoyl peroxide can be harmful to a few individuals. When it exceeds the reasonable quantity and concentration, it can cause severe swelling and flaking. Testing acne skin care products and starting at lesser amounts of dosage is advised to keep track of your skin’s reaction.

Manual razors are better than electric razors since it can give you more control as you shave. Quality safety razors are not hard to find, it can make shaving easier. Changing the blade more often can lessen the skin irritation for acne prone individuals. Blunt and uneven blades can cause accidents like cuts. Unclean blades can also infect open scars and pimples. Opening a scar or blemish can cause a secondary bacterial infection and a permanent scar. Using a shaving cream can prevent burns acquired from shaving and it can also lessen the possibility of bacteria from entering cuts.

Aside from acne skin care products you can also rely for health supplements like vitamins. Vitamins A, B6, C and E can be good for acne treatment and are essential for a healthy skin. Being watchful on your diet and sugar intake can also help minimizing acne problems. Foods rich in sulfur like garlic and onions can be use to cure acne. Consulting a dermatologist for the right acne skin care product can save you the time and effort in reaching the desired results. Skin experts can give you a proper advise on how to treat your skin well.

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