Everyone has feelings of anxiety, nervousness, tension, and stress from time to time.
Here are few simple and practical ways to help manage them.
When anxiety or worry feels extreme, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. For someone who has an anxiety disorder, getting proper care from a heath professional is important.
We all think we know how to relax. But chilling out in front of the TV set or computer isn't true relaxation. (Depending on what you're watching or doing, it could even make you more tense.The same is true for alcohol, drugs, or tobacco.
They may seem to let off anxiety or stress, but it's a false state of relaxation that's only momentary.
What the body really needs is a relaxation technique like deep breathing, tai chi, or yoga that indeed has a physical effect on the mind. For example, deep breathing helps to relax a major nerve that runs from the diaphragm to the brain, sending a message to the entire body to let go and loosen up.
Want your mind and body to feel peaceful and strong enough to handle life's ups and downs?
Get the right amount of sleep - not too much or too little. Eat well: Choose fruit, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains for long-term energy (instead of the short bursts that come from too much sugar or caffeine). Exercise to send oxygen to every cell in the body so your brain and body can operate at their best.
Spend time with co-workers, personal friends, family or perhaps going to church on Sundays. Connect and stay connected with people.
Organized activities are great, but just hanging out works too. Doing things with those we feel close to deepens our bonds, allowing us to feel supported and secure.
If you feel worried or nervous about something, talking about it with someone who listens and cares can help you feel more understood and better able to contend. You'll be reminded that everyone has these feelings sometimes. You're not the only one and you are not alone.
Connect with nature. Heading out for a walk in the park or a hike in the woods can help anyone feel peaceful and grounded. (Choose somewhere you feel safe so you can relax and enjoy your surroundings.) Walking, hiking, trail biking, or snowshoeing offer the additional benefit of exercise. Invite a friend or two, a family member along and enjoy feeling connected to people as in general well.
Think positive. A great way to keep our minds off the worry track is to focus our thoughts on things that are good, beautiful, constructive and positive.
Allow yourself to dream, wish, and imagine the all best things that could happen.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Maintaining A Healthy Heart
Almost every minute, somebody dies of a heart-related cause in the United States of America.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in this country, killing more than 400,000 people a year.
"A healthy diet and an exercise program can significantly lower someone’s risk of developing heart disease," Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Scott Moore, chief of cardiology for the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, told listeners during a “Dot Mil Docs” interview.
A heart attack is a unexpected blockage that forms in one of the blood vessels that supplies the heart. "It's usually a clot that happens on top of existing plaque," Moore said. This prevents oxygen from getting to the heart, he explained, and can cause failure of heart muscles or abnormal heart rhythms, which could potentially be deadly.
Diet is an essential part of having a healthy heart, Moore said. Consuming a variety of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis and choosing lean meat can help in preventing heart disease. Eating unrefined whole grains can help to reduce cholesterol, along with fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout and herring.
"If you do that twice a week, that can significantly lower your risk of death from a heart-related cause," Moore said.
The American Heart Association also suggests 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week as a part of leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. Moderate exercise can include brisk walking, running, bicycling and the treadmill. "Getting 30 minutes of a brisk aerobic routine in really meets that need," he said.
Risk factors for heart disease include a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and tobacco use.
"It's important for all of us to continue to see our doctor on a regular basis to get screened for these so that these risk factors are appropriately being addressed."
A diversity of symptoms alert when a heart attack is occurring. One of the main symptoms is chest discomfort that begins in the center of the chest, Moore said. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating and a radiating pain in the arm, neck, jaw or stomach. Women commonly have the symptoms outside of chest pain which sometimes make their diagnosis less straight-forward, he added.
When experiencing these symptoms, Moore said, the best thing to do is to call 911. "Time is very important in treating heart attacks," he said. By calling the emergency medical service most patients receive life-saving treatment up to an hour sooner than someone going to the hospital by car, he explained.
Another advantage in calling 911 is that hospitals in many cities coordinate with the paramedics to initiate heart attack treatment teams before patients even leave their homes. In those cases, a team is waiting at the hospital when the patient arrives and can begin treatment immediately.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in this country, killing more than 400,000 people a year.
"A healthy diet and an exercise program can significantly lower someone’s risk of developing heart disease," Air Force Lt. Col. (Dr.) Scott Moore, chief of cardiology for the 59th Medical Wing at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, told listeners during a “Dot Mil Docs” interview.
A heart attack is a unexpected blockage that forms in one of the blood vessels that supplies the heart. "It's usually a clot that happens on top of existing plaque," Moore said. This prevents oxygen from getting to the heart, he explained, and can cause failure of heart muscles or abnormal heart rhythms, which could potentially be deadly.
Diet is an essential part of having a healthy heart, Moore said. Consuming a variety of vegetables and fruits on a daily basis and choosing lean meat can help in preventing heart disease. Eating unrefined whole grains can help to reduce cholesterol, along with fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout and herring.
"If you do that twice a week, that can significantly lower your risk of death from a heart-related cause," Moore said.
The American Heart Association also suggests 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week as a part of leading a heart-healthy lifestyle. Moderate exercise can include brisk walking, running, bicycling and the treadmill. "Getting 30 minutes of a brisk aerobic routine in really meets that need," he said.
Risk factors for heart disease include a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and tobacco use.
"It's important for all of us to continue to see our doctor on a regular basis to get screened for these so that these risk factors are appropriately being addressed."
A diversity of symptoms alert when a heart attack is occurring. One of the main symptoms is chest discomfort that begins in the center of the chest, Moore said. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, sweating and a radiating pain in the arm, neck, jaw or stomach. Women commonly have the symptoms outside of chest pain which sometimes make their diagnosis less straight-forward, he added.
When experiencing these symptoms, Moore said, the best thing to do is to call 911. "Time is very important in treating heart attacks," he said. By calling the emergency medical service most patients receive life-saving treatment up to an hour sooner than someone going to the hospital by car, he explained.
Another advantage in calling 911 is that hospitals in many cities coordinate with the paramedics to initiate heart attack treatment teams before patients even leave their homes. In those cases, a team is waiting at the hospital when the patient arrives and can begin treatment immediately.
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