STRESS AND HEALTH

http://www.assurety.orghttp://www.assurety.org</

Let's  start at the beginning. What is Stress?  a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances : he's obviously under a lot of stress | [in combination ] stress-related illnesses.

• something that causes such a state : the stresses and strains of public life. The trouble with stress is that it's not a universal level, everyone has their own threshold i.e. what is stressful to one is positively fine and stimulating to another.

We need stress for without it we'd have no motivation to do anything. Imagine this scenario: you've suddenly acquired a vast amount of money on the lottery, riches beyond your wildest dreams. So what's the first thing you do? likelihood you give up your job, people often find their jobs as stressful. You've got enough money so you don't need to work. That makes you feel less stressed, or so you think. Of course you buy the big house, the cars, the boat, designer wardrobe and you party. You really think you have it made. There comes a point though when you can have anything you want, you don't have to work for it, there's no sense of achievement, no goal in sight. You don't have to cook or clean what do you do all day? eventually you will run out of ideas and you will become bored, you will have no motivation to do or achieve anything. Stress is a catch 22 situation if you have no motivation, you become depressed and bored, the days are long that equals stress. So a certain amount of stress is necessary to motivate us and stimulate us and give us a reason to be here and a sense of accomplishment this can be seen simply as this:

Stress = Motivation > Stimulation > Accomplishment = Satisfaction

WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE ARE STRESSED?

Well this goes way back to the times when we were developing as humans and in early periods in history. The body's chemistry was designed to protect us with "The fight or flight response". For example man sees a big bear approach what does he do? he either tackles it or he runs off. Nature is very clever and gives us the capacity to do this. However in 2011 we no longer have the bears, wolves, etc. (ok some of you may) like of yesteryear we have different stresses. Your work colleagues or your neighbours may annoy you but you can't fight them, nor can you run away, but you can learn to deal and dissipate your stress levels so that it doesn't impinge on your health.

But firstly we need to deal with the science bit for if we understand the physiology of stress we're half way there to solving the impact stress has on our lives.

THE SCIENCE BIT

Deep within the brain we have an area known as the Hypothalamus (1), its the home of our moods and emotions and a very primitive part of the brain. The Hypothalamus is also the area that maintains equilibrium in our bodies and it maintains and regulates every bit of our body's chemistry. It is the area that controls the Endocrine system, it forms part of the Autonomic Nervous System and part of the Limbic System. It is Hypothalmus  that is the key to managing stress and all its detrimental effects on our mind and body. It is directly through this area that the holistic therapy Aromatherapy works and is managed by other holistic therapies.

 Since the Hypothalamus is the home of moods and emotions anything that affects these will influence the Hypothalamus, thus will have an effect on the body's equilibrium.

Now if we are stressed and modern stressors are not the same as those stressors we had as we were evolving as humans, they still have the same effect resulting in "the fight or flight response"

(1)The Role of the Hypothalamus

The Hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls the endocrine system.
The Pituitary gland lies beneath the Hypothalamus  and it is this that controls the other endocrine glands.
The Hypothalamus receives information about the Homeostasis (balance) of the body, this is achieved by two means:

• The blood circulation i.e. temperature, blood glucose levels and hormone levels

• The nervous system i.e. The Autonomic Nervous system i.e. the part of the nervous system that regulates automatic functions e.g. breathing, heart rate etc. and mental and emotional states, our feelings: these influence ‘automatic responses’ e.g. ‘The fear, flight response’

The Hypothalamus responds to these changes by:

• Secreting Hormones (chemical messengers) that regulate hormones to be released by the anterior lobe of the pituitary

• The hypothalamus also directly releases hormones via the Posterior Lobe of the Pituitary , Vasopressin (ADH) and Oxytocin

• And by stimulating a nerve response to the ‘Central Nervous System’ (Brain & spinal Cord)

SO WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE?

Moods/emotions affect the hypothalamus, the hypothalamus evokes a reaction on the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland produces Adrenocorticotropic hormone this in turn targets the adrenal glands causing them to secrete Cortisone, Cortisone in turn effects the kidneys causing a rise in blood pressure by causing changes in the amount of salt secreted, this hormone causes the body to retain salt. Now remember the Hypothalamus one of its jobs is to maintain the body's equilibrium, it detects a rise in salt levels in the blood so to keep balance it causes the body to retain fluid, it is this retained fluid that increases blood pressure. At the same time, the Hypothalamus being part of the Central Nervous System evokes what is known as the Sympathetic Nervous System this diverts blood away from the digestive system and to lesser important body structures such as the skin and concentrates the blood to the heart, lungs and muscles. Simultaneously this nervous response influences the adrenal glands to produce Adrenalin and Noradrenalin, it is these hormones that induces vasoconstriction (reduces the blood supply) to the skin and peripheral tissues, thus also raising blood pressure.

Now this is putting it simply there are a few other processes also going on to increase blood sugar to give the body fuel to either run off or fight, Corticotrophic hormones influence the pancreas to secrete glucagon this has the opposite effect as insulin.

When the stress is over the Parasympathetic Nervous reverses the process again it is the Hyptholamus that instigates this.

Obviously its much more complex than this and I have focused on a few key hormones as it the action of these hormones that affects our well-being, the ageing process and blood pressure.

The fight or flight response was not designed to last forever it was meant ti instigate an action to deal with an aggressor, be it a wild animal or in a fight with an attacker therein lies the problem modern stressors tends to be work, work colleagues etc. the stress becomes long acting, this kind of reaction is fine in the short term but very detrimental to the body in the long term.

Take Cortisone, it has a damaging effect on specialised cells within the dermis (the skin), fibroblasts, these cells produce collagen and elastin, it is collagen and elastin that gives our skin elasticity and support. Adrenalin reduces blood supply to the peripheral tissues, such as the skin and hair, therefore, these structures do not receive adequate nourishment from the blood. So the effect of long term stress affects the skin resulting in ageing of the skin

Stress and how it affects us

Stress The dictionary definition of stress is: a constraining or impelling force, effort or demand upon physical or mental energy. A stressor is a person or situation that makes you become stressed. We are more likely to suffer stress in society today than that of our ancestors. 70% of all illness to day is now directly attributed to stress. Modern society with all its pressures traffic congestion, over-crowding, noise, fears and general uncertainties about work, mortgages and family life present situation after situation where the state of stress is ever present. Stress is an everyday part of modern life, everyone experiences at sometime or another and everyday stresses are not necessarily harmful. A certain about of stress keeps us motivated and stimulated to make life more enjoyable and interesting. It is the effect of long-term stress that can be positively harmful to our bodies.

When do stress levels become harmful? 

The factors that seem to make any situation dangerously stressful are:

• Lack of predictability
• Lack of control
• Lack of outlets for frustration

For when these elements are present even simple situations can become stressful and produce a reaction that is completely out of proportion to the cause. It is not the situation but our reaction to it that creates the stress in our lives. The problem with us humans we have this tendency to dwell on the past and worry about the future and this takes our attention away from the present. Yet it is in the present moment that we have the greatest clarity to deal with any situation. We should enjoy our life in the present for in holding on to the past and holding back the future we create fear and ultimately stress. Growth in our lives is usually preceded by change the problem is handling change can be difficult in the short term and life-changing events such as:

• Bereavement
• Moving House
• Debt
• Ill Health
• Difficult Relationships
• Stressful Work
• Family Problems Have been identified as the most likely to cause negative or harmful stress.
Even positive events such as:
• Marriage
• Pregnancy
• A child starting school or University May cause you stress and can ultimately lead to illness.

Your personality and coping mechanisms will largely determine how you deal with these daily stresses and strains.

MPB (c)

CORTISOL OFTEN KNOWN AS THE 'STRESS HORMONE'

Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced within the adrenal cortex in the adrenal glands, these are cone shaped organs sitting on top of the kidneys. It's a very important hormone and responsible for proper glucose metabolism, helping regulate blood pressure, has a part to play in insulin and blood sugar levels and is part of the inflammatory response. It's often known as the stress hormone but as you can see that's only part of its functions, and this is because it's secreted in higher levels as part of the 'Fight or Flight response'. When secreted in short bursts its beneficial to the body as due to it's actions, it helps mobilise energy reserves, heightens memory and lowers response to pain. This is how and why it's beneficial in the 'Fight and Flight response', it acts quickly and helps survival, however today's stresses are not the same as yesteryear and therein lies the problem.

When there is prolonged secretion of this hormone, when stress is on going, it causes blood sugar imbalances, affects bone density, causing it to decrease and also causes a decrease in muscle tissue. It raises blood pressure affects the body's immune system making us more susceptible to infection and leads to poor healing. It also causes shifts in body fat by increasing more fat around the abdominal areas and leads to higher levels of cholesterol.

The Hypothalamus & the Relationship to the Endocrine System in ‘Stress’

Below the flow chart illustrates how our minds' emotions and feelings trigger a reaction in the Hypothalamus to instigate what happens in the 'Fight or Flight' response. The Hypothalamus then in turn influences both the Autonomic Nervous System and the Endocrine system. This is fine short term it helps us cope in dangerous scenarios and was designed as a protective response, however the stresses of today are not those of yesteryear. No harm comes to our bodies in the short term, this is not the case in long term stress. All is not lost for there are ways we can influence the Hypothalamus to prevent the long term damaging effects of stress on our health. I shall be exploring this under Holistic Therapies. 

RELATIONSHIP ISSUES

I have borrowed this article below from an article on Yahoo. All too late we can wake up after we have made the relationship permanent or there are children involved. Our vision is often clouded by the rosy tinted hues of love and those heady passionate days early on in a relationship. We think oh it will be ok, he/she might change. The sad truth is like the old saying, "You cannot teach an old dog new tricks". Many of these traits below are formed early on in a persons' life and the only way you have a hope of teaching someone its wrong to be controlling or aggressive is to make a stand and tell them its unacceptable. Whilst this advice may risk the relationship when you stand up to this bullying (aggression and controlling) it's better that than finding yourself being physically and mentally abused especially if in later years you have children in this relationship. If he/she are not willing to change then its not much of a relationship worth saving and one you certainly don't need. A relationship should be one of equal partnership and mutual understanding and compromise.

None of us are perfect, we all have faults and flaws but life is for learning and mostly we learn from mistakes and rectify them. Have the courage to politely say you are not happy and state how you feel and you can do this, without pointing the finger or being aggressive to the other person. The only way you will solve problems is with dialogue and communication and MUTUAL compromise and empathy. The reasons why we are incarnated on Earth really, to learn and grow.MPB ©

 ARTICLE FROM YAHOO BELOW

Relationship behaviour you should never put up with

Arguments and disagreements are a healthy part of being together but certain relationship behaviour can highlight more serious issues that could even put you in danger. We identify the key warning signs that indicate it’s time to move on.

Aggression
Not all aggressive behaviour should be seen as a danger sign. It’s natural for someone to lose their temper occasionally, but a pattern of violent threats or even physical abuse towards you are the clearest warning you need to extricate yourself from the relationship. Kate Taylor, relationship expert at Match.com offers this tip on how to spot this type of behaviour before it’s too late, “Aggression shows a lack of control which might one day be directed towards you, perhaps violently. You often see this early on, directed towards animals, children or people felt to be ‘beneath’ the aggressor. If it’s directed at someone you know, it’s only a matter of time before it’s directed at you.”

Moodiness
A recent survey published by the American Psychological Association found that women were more attracted to moody men than those with a cheerful smile. This is a worrying revelation since excessive moodiness and grumpiness are an indicator that your partner is using selfish emotional mind games to manipulate you. Kate says, “People who don’t bother to moderate their moods – or even simply warn you about them – are putting their feelings way before yours. They feel self-centred, as if they deserve love no matter how they behave and you shouldn’t put up with it.”

Lack of respect
One of the most basic of expectations from any relationship is mutual respect for each other. While you may not share the same tastes or have the same opinion, your other half should always be respectful of you. Kate says, “If someone is disrespectful of your possessions, your time or your feelings, they are displaying their own feelings of superiority. Don’t tolerate it. Instead, call them on this behaviour calmly and quietly. If they persist, finish with them. You can spot this on the first few dates – if a new partner is rude or abrasive with waiting staff in a restaurant, for example, realise that one day they will behave exactly like that towards you.”

Dishonesty
Both men and women tell the occasional white lie - be it to protect the other person or save hurting their feelings - but if your partner seems to be caught in the perpetual pattern of deception, it’s time to flag up the issue. “Dishonesty destroys trust, which is the backbone of every healthy relationship. Even the smallest lies are destructive, creating doubt and anxiety.” explains Kate, “If you catch your partner out in a lie, immediately point it out to them and ask them why they felt they couldn’t tell the truth. If their answer fails to reassure you, leave.”

Control issues
If you feel as though your partner tries to have too much sway over how you spend your time, whom you see and what you do, there could be some control issues at play. According to Kate this is usually a sign of insecurity, “A controlling person fears rejection so hugely, they will manipulate situations to get the outcome they want. This is behaviour usually learned in childhood, if parents were angry or inconsistent. Be aware though, not all such behaviour is ‘controlling’, some is simply caring. A partner asking you to call them when you arrive somewhere, for example, is just expressing concern, but a partner stopping you calling anyone when you’re together is being controlling.”

Health

GOOD HEALTH STARTS WITH FUEL 
A BALANCED DIET

Your body is a complex machine, it is constantly going through various chemical changes, taking nourishment to all its working parts and taking away waste and in order to do this efficiently it needs not only sufficient fuel but good quality fuel.

THE FOOD PYRAMID

So let us use the pyramid as a guide. Firstly water we are composed of 70% water so it stands to reason we need to replenish this constantly. Water is used up in the removal of toxins, such as sweat, urine/excretement and respiration, so 8 good size glasses are required daily. Ideally this should be plain water and no harm will come of adding fruit squash providing it's not sugary and some of this could be fruit juice. As for tea and coffee, this should be in moderation as the caffeine contained is a diuretic, this causes the body to excrete more urine, so if you must drink tea and coffee  for every cup you drink, drink a glass of water. Don't wait until you are thirsty either, for when you feel this symptom you are already dehydrated, a little and often is the key. Skin suffers dreadfully when we are dehydrated, because it is not such as an important organ such as our internal organs, it will be last on the list. Our skin is constantly being renewed and on average the upper skin layer, the one you can see, it is roughly a period of 28 days from the time the cells are created until they die and are sloughed off. In the deeper layers of the epidermis the cells are plumper however as they mature they become drier and tougher due to the protein Keratin, this forms protection, however if they don't receive adequate water the skin will look dull and loose it's lustre. (More about this process in 'Skin care')

Next layer up in the food pyramid is cereals and cereal products, these ideally should be wholegrain and not refined. Wholegrain has much more nutrients, it takes longer for the body to break down, thus keeping the blood sugar levels stable for longer and provides the body with fiber. We need fiber for our intestines to help them work properly, preventing constipation and try to see fiber as a brush to sweep out our intestines of any toxic matter that can accumulate there and cause trouble later on. Fiber has little if any calories so plenty can be ingested. This layer forms what is known as carbohydrates and it is these that are the main source of fuel. These starches are broken down in the body to eventually form simple sugars to be used by our body's cells for energy. In a balanced diet the bulk of which is carbohydrates.

Next layer up is the fruit and vegetable layer and to receive adequate vitamins and minerals we need a good balance of both. Fruit and vegetables are also rich in fiber. Leafy dark green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and savoy cabbage are rich in iron, needed to make red blood cells and also vitamin C, this too is needed to form red blood cells. Vitamin C is a water soluable vitamin, it dissolves in water and a common mistake is to over boil green vegetables, all the vitamin C is thus transferred to the cooking water, so the best way to cook these vegetables is by steaming or microwave. The body cannot store water soluable vitamins like vitamin C so adequate levels need to be ingested daily.

Now a common mistake some people make if something is good for you they will take more, its not so much a problem with water soluable vitamins, however some vitamins are stored in the body in the liver namely vitamin A and high levels can be toxic and dangerous. With vitamin C however by taking copious amounts thinking it will do you good, all you will do is manufacture expensive urine as the body can only use so much and will excrete the rest. Too much vitamin C can cause diarrhoea and because vitamin C is ascorbic acid, will irritate your anal region. Vitamins and minerals are easier absorbed from food than as supplements too. Fruit and vegetables are a rich source of roughage/fiber and I mentioned this earlier. Another important aspect of fruit and vegetable are what's known as Bioflavonoids  these are plant pigments that are largely responsible for colors of many fruits and flowers.

Beneficial Effects

• referred to as "nature's biological response modifiers" - modify body's reaction to compounds such as allergens, viruses, and carcinogens
• powerful antioxidants by giving protection versus oxidative and free radical damage
• prevents formation of oxidized cholesterol through antioxidant effects
• greater antioxidant effects than Vitamins C, E, Selenium, and Zinc 

Next layer are Proteins and split here into two sources, the Dairy source, which is milk and milk products such as cheese and yoghurt and meat, fish and pulses (pulses are high sources of vegetable proteins e.g. lentils, beans) and nuts.

Proteins are the building blocks of the body and necessary for growth and repair of the body's tissues and classified into two groups, complete proteins e.g. found in animal foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products such as yogurt and cheese. Soybeans are the only plant protein considered to be a complete protein. And incomplete proteins such as beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and grain. A small amount of incomplete protein is also found in vegetables. This is why it is important to have a varied and balanced diet  to provide all of the essential amino acids and form a complete protein. Oily fish are a rich source of omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which can help reduce the risks of heart disease. Seafood in general contains an abundance of essential minerals which include, iron, zinc, iodine and selenium. Fish is also a good source of vitamins, which maintain healthy nerve tissues, strong bones and teeth and a glowing complexion.

Now we come to the tip of the food pyramid it is these foods that should be consumed sparingly, fats, oils and sweets, which include cakes and biscuits which are generally made from refined sugars and flour. We do have to consume a little fat (if you are on a fat reduced diet because of gall bladder disease etc consult with your medical practioner) as we need some fat for fat soluble vitamins. Fat as well as a source of stored energy is our insulation under the skin and protects some organs such as the kidneys.

Vitamins

Vitamins are only required in very small quantities. There is no chemical similarity between these chemicals; the similarity between them is entirely biological.
Vitamin A: good for your eyes.
Vitamin B: about 12 different chemicals.
Vitamin C: needed for your body to repair itself.
Vitamin D: can be made in your skin, needed for absorption of Calcium.

Mineral Salts

These are also needed in small quantities, but we need more of these than we need of vitamins.
Iron: required to make haemoglobin.
Calcium: required for healthy teeth, bones and muscles.
Sodium: all cells need this, especially nerve cells.
Iodine:

It's important to remember we have all of those components in the right amounts as if we don't have enough protein in our diets, we wont heal properly, not enough carbohydrates and we will be lacking in energy. Too much fat or too much carbohydrates will cause us to become overweight if we don't balance the amount of fuel (food) with our activities. Many vitamins work together and some cannot be absorbed unless the other is present e.g zinc is absorbed better with trace copper and vitamin C is needed to make haemaglobin in the blood as well as iron. The key is balance and the food pyramid will give a rough idea into the daily amounts and proportions to achieve this.

Tone up: Simple changes to your diet and exercise can make all the difference

WHAT ARE FREE RADICALS AND ANTIOXIDANTS?

In the world of skin care you may have heard of "Free Radicals", this term seems to crop up a lot in skin care adverts so what exactly are Free Radicals? Well basically they are organic molecules and they are very unstable and because of this, they look to bond with other molecules in an effort to become stable. They are responsible for aging and tissue damage and because they are looking to bond with other molecules, they destroy their vigour. You may have also have heard of "Antioxidants" these are present in many foods and are molecules that prevent damage by Free Radicals. You may also have heard of the ACE vitamins, these are Vitamins A, C and E and these vitamins have a known effect on Free Radicals. Many skin cremes have these vitamins added to them and vitamin E especially has been added to many food stuffs especially bread as it extends the shelf life. It is well known by adding wheat germ oil, which is rich in vitamin E to skin preparations and essential oils blends, extends its shelf life and prevents the oils from becoming rancid too quickly. It is better to obtain these vitamins as part of a healthy balanced diet as they are assimilated better by the body than supplements. 

THIS IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE FROM THE DAILY MAIL

You CAN win the war on your wobbly bits: From muffin tops to bingo wings, the answer lies in your hormones

By Leah Hardy
Last updated at 8:14 AM on 17th February 2011

Longing for a lean, toned body? The answer could lie in your hormones which, says scientist and fat-loss expert MARIE-CLAIRE WILSON, play a huge role in how and where we store fat. Wilson says her secret weapon is BioSignature Modulation which 'diagnoses' hormone imbalances by looking at where your body stores fat. Here's how to target those stubborn areas...

Get the perfect body: It's all about understanding your hormones, according to an expert

BINGO WINGS

Flabby arms (sometimes known as bingo wings) are very common in women and can indicate a lack of the so-called male hormone testosterone. In fact, both men and women need this and oestrogen, and testosterone plays a part in producing lean body mass. Often, lack of it indicates high levels of cortisol caused by stress.

HOW TO FIX IT

DIET: Fat, or cholesterol, is essential for the production of many hormones, particularly testosterone - so eat nuts, eggs and butter but no hydrogenated or trans-fats found in cakes and biscuits. Get enough protein to build muscle, but avoid soya which has been shown to affect male and female sex hormones, as well as the thyroid.
SUPPLEMENTS: Magnesium oil, in spray form from health food shops, can aid sleep and decrease stress. Phosphatidylserine and inositol are other supplements that can help with relaxation.
EXERCISE: Weight training boosts testosterone production. Not for big muscles, but for a lean look. Press-ups and chin-ups help arm muscle growth.

DROOPY DERRIERE

Fat thighs and bottom can mean excess oestrogen. Levels are naturally higher in women than men - hence our curvier thighs- but too much oestrogen can come from taking the Pill, levels in our water supply, excess alcohol and chemicals leaking from plastic water bottles, packaging and cling-film. Compounds in plastics, such as bisphenol A, can sensitise the body to oestrogen or have oestrogen-like effects.

HOW TO FIX IT

DIET: Remove refined carbs such as sugar, sweets, white bread and commercial breakfast cereals and eat more 'cruciferous' vegetables such as cabbage, sprouts and broccoli and kale. They contain a phytochemical which improves the efficiency of oestrogen processing in the liver. Check your thyroid function first, because these vegetables can result in symptoms of an underactive thyroid. Eat fibrous foods to speed up digestion and excretion of deactivated oestrogens.
SUPPLEMENTS: DIM (di-indolyl methane) is a concentrated form of the compound in cruciferous vegetables, and helps with PMS. Another key supplement is calcium-dglucarate, which supplies the body with the molecule used to de-activate oestrogen.
EXERCISE: Swap long-duration cardio for weight training to raise testosterone levels.

FAT CALVES AND ANKLES

This can indicate low levels of growth hormones essential for your body to maintain a good balance of lean tissue to fat. Cortisol prevents their release, so prolonged stress can be a cause.

HOW TO FIX IT

DIET: Protein and good natural fats. Avoid biscuits, desserts and ready meals.
SUPPLEMENTS: Sleep is needed for growth hormone production. Try magnesium, phosphatidylserine, or herbal products with hops or valerian that will help you to unwind.
EXERCISE: Sleep well. Try weight training.

LOVE HANDLES

This can indicate overstimulated insulin production from too many refined carbs and sugar. Alcohol can show up here too, since when you have it in your bloodstream you cannot burn fat, and it also affects blood sugar and hormone levels.

HOW TO FIX IT

DIET: This area responds quickly to changes in diet. Insulin is the easiest hormone to control, as it responds very quickly to anything you eat. Eat good quality protein: Meat, fish, nuts, and lots of vegetables.
SUPPLEMENTS: Those suggested for back fat can be useful here as well. Also consider l-carnitine to boost general fat burning and performance in the gym. Don't bother with carb-blocking products such as Decarb - these can have side effects and don't help the root of the problem. But you might try green tea, which can stimulate metabolism, and other health benefits because of the catechins and theanine it contains.
EXERCISE: Again, weight training can help to improve the functioning of your insulin system. Aim for three well-designed sessions per week, and make sure you don't use increased levels of exercise as an excuse to indulge in desserts or sugary energy bars.

MUFFIN TOP

The big culprit is a high level of stress hormones, primarily cortisol. This puts sugar in your blood, proven to increase fat around the middle. People who store stomach fat may appear stressed, edgy or exhausted. Overexercising can be bad for you. Forty minutes-plus of cardio training, such as running and aerobics, triggers cortisol.

HOW TO FIX IT

DIET: Cut out or reduce sugar and alcohol, drink no more than two cups of coffee or tea a day. Eat healthy fats such as oily fish and avocados. Try beans, lentils, oats and wholegrains.
SUPPLEMENTS: Omega 3 fish oils, vitamin D to maintain lean body mass, plus a B complex to help combat stress.
EXERCISE: No more than 40 minutes with weights. Eat afterwards.

FLABBY SHOULDERS AND BACK

Excess fat on your shoulder blades and back is often caused by your body's inability to effectively break down sugars and starchy carbohydrates like pasta and cereals. The hormone insulin helps store foods after eating. If your insulin system is easily overwhelmed by starchy carbs and sugars, it's likely you have inherited this from your distant ancestors. The diet of ancient hunter-gatherers focused on meat and seasonally available fruit and vegetables and was combined with vigorous exercise. This meant their insulin systems didn't wade through sugars and starch.

HOW TO FIX IT

DIET: As someone potentially 'designed' to have a meat-and-veg diet, cut down dramatically on starchy carbs such as potatoes and especially grains. If you want carbs, use complex versions like brown rice, oats, root veg, millet and quinoa.
SUPPLEMENTS: Omega 3 fats in fish oils help the body manage sugar and lose fat generally. Two supplements, Fenuplex and Insulinomics, help improve insulin response. B vitamins can help an energy production system affected by years of wrong 'fuels'. If you crave chocolate, take Chromium and Magnesium chelates - mineral supplements.
EXERCISE: Any type of exercise improves insulin response. For a big boost, exercise before meals and have a low-carb protein shake, followed by a meal including protein.
Marie-Claire Wilson gives consultations in London and will be giving seminars at the Unlock The secret to weight loss and wellbeing spa breaks at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel and Spa in the Lake District. There are two residential breaks — March 19-21 and 21-23, with day events on March 21 and 23. See luxuryspauk.co.uk, armathwaite-hall.com or call 01768 776551

Explore more:

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1357731/Weight-loss-You-CAN-win-war-wobbly-bits.html#ixzz1EJSSMeyg

SIX WEEK WORKOUT

 GET INTO SHAPE IN SIX WEEKS

Arms

Daren't expose your arms? These two exercises can help you tone up those flabby bits in just six weeks. For the first exercise use three to four kilo hand weights or improvise with tins of food.

Bicep curl

A great isolation exercise, the bicep curl gives fantastic definition to the upper arm.

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and arms by your sides. Start with your elbows slightly bent; hold the weights so that your palms face outwards.
2. Bend your arms and lift the weights towards your shoulders. Keep your elbows tucked in close to your body. At the top of the movement, flex your biceps to maximise the effectiveness of the exercise.

Keep the movement slow and controlled and take care to keep your back straight as you lift the weights.
Do three sets of 10-15 repetitions every other day

Tricep dip

This highly effective exercise concentrates work on the triceps. It can be done off the end of a bed, rather than a workbench. Exercises that involve lifting your own bodyweight help to improve posture and strengthen and protect the skeletal system.

1. Place feet hip-width apart; keep your back straight and close to the bench and bend your knees at 90.
2. Lower yourself down until your arms are bent at 90 degrees, then push back up until arms are straight, but not locked.

Do three sets of 10-15 repetitions every other day


Abdomen

Basic crunch

Of all the abdominal exercises, the basic crunch is one of the most effective. The key is to keep the movement slow and to focus on good technique.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands by your ears.
2. Curl your shoulders forwards, keeping your lower back on the floor. Tense the abdominals, breathing out as you lift and in as you lower. Keep a space the size of an apple under your chin, to ensure that your head stays in line with your spine. Each repetition should take about 4-5 seconds in total.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Oblique crunch

This is the best exercise for the obliques, the muscles at the side of the stomach that run from under the ribcage to the hips.

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hands by your head
2. Slowly raise one shoulder and elbow up towards the outside of the opposite thigh. Change shoulders to work the muscles on the other side.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Reverse curl

The reverse curl targets the lower part of the abdominal section, putting less strain on the neck area. Used in conjunction with other crunches it can help to give a toned effect to the entire stomach area.

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, legs straight up in the air. Keep your shoulders and head on the floor at all times. Ensure that your feet never come further back than your head.
2. Tighten your lower abdominals and bring your legs and pelvis towards your ribcage. Keep the movement slow and controlled and be careful not to let your legs swing about.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Thighs and Hips

Squats

Squats work the thighs and buttocks as well as the lower leg muscles, abdominals and lower back as they are used for balance. Performing the exercise with hand weights increases the intensity.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Keep your back straight and place your hands on your hips.
2. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and allow your body to lean forwards slightly until it is at right angles to your thighs. Take care to keep your heels on the floor.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Lunge

A demanding exercise, the lunge can give you wonderfully toned inner thighs and buttocks. Hold hand weights to make it more challenging.

1. Place one foot forward about one stride-length apart from the back leg. Keep your hips facing straight ahead and your arms loose by your sides. Keep your body upright and you abdominals firm.
2. Bend your knees to bring your front knee directly over your front foot. Put your weight on to the heel of your front foot to work the buttock muscle most effectively. Return to the start position.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Dorsal raise

This is an excellent exercise for the lower back. By strengthening the main muscles that run along the lower part of the spine, the erector spinae, it can help improve posture and also prevent lower back pain.

1. Lie on your front on a mat with your arms outstretched in front of you and legs straight. Take care not to tense the muscles in your neck.
2. Raise your left arm and your right leg, keeping them both straight. Hold for one second, then slowly lower them. Repeat raising the opposite arm and leg.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Chest

Press ups

Press ups use the weight of the body to work the pectorals, deltoids and triceps (chest, arm and shoulder muscles). Start with the half press up and progress to the full press up once you have built up strength.

1. Place your hands directly under your shoulders, or slightly wider if you want to put more emphasis on the chest. Keep your fingers pointing forwards and your torso and legs straight.
2. Bend your arms to about 90 and lower your body, keeping your head in line with your spine. Keep your stomach and thigh muscles tight, which will help to keep your legs straight. Be careful not to point your bottom in the air.

Push yourself back up to the start position. Remember to breathe in on the way down and out as you press up.

Half press-up - alternative

Press ups use the weight of the body to work the pectorals, deltoids and triceps (chest, arm and shoulder muscles). Start with the half press up and progress to the full press up once you have built up strength.
Keep arms in the same position as for the full press-up, but keep your knees on the mat. Slowly lower the body, then return to the start position.
Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

Chest press

This exercise can be done on the floor rather than a bench. For best results, keep your abdominals tight.

1. Lie on your back on a bench with your knees bent. Holding a weight in each hand, bend your arms so that your elbows are at 90 and your palms face the wall opposite you.
2. Extend your arms upwards so that they are nearly straight. Return to the start position, using a pace of about four seconds per repetition.

Do two set of 12 - 15 repetitions every other day

COURTESY OF THE DAILY MAIL

WHO SAID CARBOHYDRATES WERE BAD? NOT AT ALL!

This article I've taken from the Daily Mail, advocates what I have been telling people for years. Carbohydrates are not all bad, its THE REFINED CARBOHYDRATES THAT ARE BAD. If you look at the list down below of carbs that contain resistant starch you will notice they are all UNREFINED CARBOHYDRATES. These foods fill you up, stop you feeling hungry and they use up energy being broken down, they also maintain blood sugar levels for longer, stopping the sugar peaks and lows, that can causing shaking and dizziness when trying to loose weight and prevent the brain fatigue that goes with this.

Eat carbs, lose weight: How carbohydrates can help you eat less AND burn more calories

For years they’ve been a no-no — but now a diet taking America by storm says bread, pasta and potatoes can help you drop half a stone in a week...

Weightloss wonder: You can still eat carbs and shed the pounds according to a new diet

Low-carbohydrate diets have been all the rage for some time. And with an estimated 15 per cent of the UK population following a reduced-carb diet at any one time, they’re certainly popular.
But, as anyone who has tried one can testify, there is something about carbohydrate denial that seems extraordinarily punishing.
Carbs are, after all, so tempting —whether it’s the smell of freshly baked bread or the delicious sight of buttery new potatoes.
But the low-carbohydrate message has become so entrenched in modern diet wisdom that pasta, bread, rice and potatoes have been widely accepted as being intrinsically ‘bad’.
But does it have to be this way? A new diet plan claims not, positively encouraging its followers to eat spaghetti and jacket potatoes with meals yet claiming it’s possible to still lose up to 6lb in a week.
It goes against everything we’ve been told by the likes of the Dukan and Atkins diets, but studies have shown that not all carbs are bad. Some contain a substance called resistant starch which, when consumed in quantity, actively encourages weight loss.
Found in ordinary foods — such as bananas, oats, beans and potatoes — resistant starch is so-called because it appears to resist digestion.
This starch travels through the digestive system nearly intact, producing fatty acids that stimulate fat-melting enzymes (particularly in the abdominal area), encouraging your liver to switch to a fat-burning state, preserving muscle mass (so stoking up your metabolism) as well as boosting satiety hormones, meaning you feel fuller for longer.

Now, the power of resistant starch has been harnessed in a book, The Carb Lover’s Diet, which has taken the U.S. by storm and is now available in the UK. Written by respected health editor Ellen Kunes and dietitian

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
A U.S. study found women who ate a low-carb diet had a poorer memory and attention span than those on a low-calorie diet

Frances Largeman-Roth, The Carb Lover’s Diet is a diet plan which, the authors claim, guarantees rapid but long-term weight loss.
Both authors are vehemently against the low-carb message, believing Atkins-style diets are difficult, unnatural and ineffective long-term. They claim our bodies and brains have evolved to eat starchy foods and willpower alone can only hold back on centuries of evolution for so long before we crack and all those good intentions are lost to a carb-rich feeding frenzy.

Resistance is futile: Avoiding carbs is against evolution, according to authors of The Carb Lover's Diet

OUR GUIDE TO 'RESISTANT STARCH' SUPER FOODS

Green bananas are the hero food of the resistant starch diet. If you eat one slightly green banana a day, you get a guaranteed 12.5g of resistant starch to help you lose weight without feeling hungry. Increase your daily intake of the
following foods, which are rich in resistant starch:

• Green banana 12.5g
• Ripe banana 4.7g
• Oats, uncooked (50g/2oz) 4.6g
• Cannellini beans (125g/4oz) 3.8g
• Lentils, cooked (100g/3.5oz) 3.4g
• Potato, cooked and cooled 3.2g
• Chickpeas, cooked (125g/4oz) 2.1g
• Wholewheat pasta (150g/5oz) 2g
• Pearl barley, cooked (75g/3oz)
• White pasta, cooked and cooled
• 150g/5oz) 1.9g
• Kidney beans (125g/4oz) 1.8g
• Potato, boiled with skin 1.8g
• Brown rice, cooked (100g/3.5oz) 1.7g
• Pinto beans, cooked (125g/4oz) 1.6g
• Peas, frozen (75g/3oz) 1.6g
• White pasta, cooked (150g/5oz)
• Black beans, cooked
• (125g/4oz) 1.5g
• Millet, cooked (75g/3oz) 1.5g
• Baked potato with skin 1.4g
• Pumpernickel bread (one
• slice) 1.3g
• Polenta, cooked (8tbsp) 1g
• Potato crisps (25g/1oz) 1g
• Cornflakes (25g/1oz) 0.9g
• Rye bread (one slice) 0.9g
• Puffed wheat (15g/0.5oz) 0.9g
• Tortillas (one) 0.8g
• Rye crackers (two) 0.6g
• Wholemeal bread (one slice) 0.3g

Kunes and Largeman-Roth have devised and tested a diet that promises weight loss without carb-denial, which hinges on resistant starch. They quote more than 200 studies at respected universities around the world, which show resistant starch to be an effective appetite suppressant and metabolism booster.

Research at the University of Surrey found that consuming resistant starch in one meal caused participants to consume 10 per cent fewer calories (roughly 150 to 200 calories for the average woman) during the next day because they felt less hungry.
Another study showed that resistant starch increases the activity of fat-burning enzymes and decreases the activity of fat-storage enzymes, meaning stomach-fat cells were less likely to pick up and store calories as fat.

Results seem to indicate that adding a little resistant starch to your morning meal is enough to shift your body into fat-melting mode, enabling you to burn nearly 25 per cent more calories a day.

Meanwhile, you’ll eat about 10 per cent fewer calories because you don’t feel as hungry. Most of us naturally consume around 4.8g of resistant starch a day, but the authors believe increasing your intake to ten to 15g a day is enough to trigger a swift and simple route to weight loss.

They have devised a quick-start, seven-day diet plan which, they say, guarantees rapid 3lb to 6lb of weight loss, and a separate long-term strategy for incorporating healthy carbohydrates — particularly those containing resistant starch — into your life to ensure weight continues to come off, and stays off.
STAR CARBS

• BANANAS are your richest source of resistant starch. They are also rich in appetite-suppressing fibre (3g each) and contain the amino acid tryptophan, which is converted into the calming brain chemical serotonin to help you relax and improve your mood.
• Nearly half the starch in BEANS is resistant starch, making them a powerful weight-loss ally. They are also an incredibly rich source of fibre. A Canadian study found that people who ate beans regularly tended to weigh less and have a smaller waist than those who didn’t (they were also 23 per cent less likely to become overweight over time).
• In addition to the fibre and resistant starch they contain, POTATOES are a natural source of a proteinase inhibitor — a natural chemical that boosts satiety hormones and  curbs appetite.
• POLENTA — this cooked cornmeal is naturally high in resistant starch, but is also rich in fibre and contains a decent amount of protein. It can be cooked into a creamy consistency or baked into crunchy sticks (chop small to make nutritious crutons).
• BROWN RICE digests more slowly than white. One study found that blood sugar levels were 24 per cent lower in people who ate brown rice than those who ate white.
• BARLEY is rich in resistant starch and both soluble and insoluble fibre which reduces appetite and  aids digestion.

DIET RULES
Stick to the daily plan (below) or mix and match meals, but to lose weight quickly, follow these rules:

• Eat at least 1g of resistant starch with each meal and aim for a minimum daily 10g total.
• At lunch and dinner, ensure resistant starch fills a quarter of your plate and the remaining three quarters is lean meat and low-fat dairy products, fruit and vegetables.
• Write down everything you eat in a food diary, highlighting all foods high in resistant starch (research shows that dieters who jot down what they ate lost weight more quickly than dieters who didn’t, and keeping a food diary helps dieters follow their plans without cheating).
• Ban artificial sweeteners. Studies show they may increase your cravings for sugary foods. Fake sweeteners are up to 600 times sweeter than sugar and numb your taste buds to the natural sweetness of good-for-you carbs such as berries and other fresh fruit.
• Eat one snack a day to prevent between-meal bingeing (the longer you wait to eat your snack, the easier it will be to stick to the diet).
• Don’t skip meals. Sticking to a regular pattern maintains blood sugar levels and keeps hunger at bay.
• Keep trigger foods out of the house. This means you are less likely to lose your self-control and scoff them down.
• Drink eight glasses (240ml) of water each day, so you don’t mistake thirst for hunger. Don’t drink liquid calories. On the seven-day kickstart plan, you can drink water, coffee and tea (black, green or herbal, without sweeteners, but with up to two teaspoons of semi-skimmed milk), but skip fruit juice, alcohol and fizzy drinks (even diet drinks or sparkling water), which make you look and feel bloated.
• Sit down to every meal. Grabbing something and eating it over the sink sets you up for overeating. It doesn’t give you a chance to be mindful about your food, and you’re less likely to pay attention to the serving size. Eat slowly and avoid TV, music and even dinner companions — all of which can cause you to overeat.
• Use smaller plates (try your salad plate instead of your dinner plate) and keep portion sizes small.
• For a quick boost, try this fat-flushing cocktail, which includes metabolism-boosting ingredients that will help speed you to your goal: Take two litres of green tea, juice from one orange, juice from one lemon and juice from one lime. Mix together in one large jug. Serve hot or iced. Keep in the fridge for up to three days.

THE RECIPES

Prawn Stir-Fry with Ginger (serves two)
Heat 2tsp sesame oil in a pan and add 2tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp honey, 1 tbsp grated ginger, two chopped garlic cloves.
Cook for one minute.
Add 400g/14oz stir-fry vegetables, 75g/3oz prawns and 300g/10oz cooked brown rice and cook for eight minutes.
Serve topped with 2tbsp flaked almonds and one chopped spring onion.

Chicken pasta primavera (serves two)
Cook 50g/2oz wholemeal pasta then cook 125g/4oz cooked chicken strips with one sliced onion, three finely chopped garlic cloves, a 400g/14oz can of chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and 1tsp dried oregano for eight to ten minutes before combining with cooked pasta, one courgette sliced lengthways into ribbons and 2tbsp parmesan cheese.

Grilled burger and  three-bean salad (serves two)
Divide 175g/6oz lean minced steak into two and shape into a thick patty, cooking for six minutes on each side.
Combine 75g/30z green beans, 125g/4oz rinsed canned cannellini beans, 125g/4oz rinsed canned kidney beans, 100g/3.5oz finely chopped carrot and half a chopped green pepper with 2tbsp low-fat vinaigrette in a bowl.
Serve burgers in wholemeal  buns topped with lettuce and sliced tomato.

Fish Tacos with coleslaw (serves four)
Sprinkle 700g/1lb 8oz fish fillets with salt, pepper and cooking spray and cook in a non-stick pan for ten to 12 minutes. Mix 3tbsp low-fat yogurt with 2tbsp lime juice, 1tbsp dark sesame oil, 2tsp grated fresh ginger, 1tsp honey and coat 350g/12oz coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage, carrot, lettuce).
Divide the fish between warmed tortillas and top each with the coleslaw.

YOUR SEVEN-DAY KICK-START CARB DIET PLAN

This plan has been devised to provide a healthy, balanced diet that maximises resistant starch intake, but restricts calories to 1,200 a day, promising dramatic weight loss of 3lb to 6lb in just a week.
MONDAY

Breakfast: Banana shake (blend one banana, 250ml/12fl oz semi-skimmed milk, 2tsp honey with ice) or a wholegrain chewy cereal bar plus one banana.
Lunch: Chicken pitta (stuff a wholemeal pitta with 40g/1½oz baby spinach, 125g/4oz cooked skinless chicken strips, tossed with 2tbsp lowfat vinaigrette).
Dinner: Griddled salmon and parmesan potatoes (baked potato with salt, pepper and 2tbsp grated parmesan cheese) with salad.
Snack: One 180ml/6fl oz pot low-fat Greek yoghurt with 2tsp honey and
2tbsp rolled oats.
TUESDAY

Breakfast: Banana nut porridge (cook 50g/2oz oats with water and top
with sliced banana, 1tbsp chopped walnuts and 1tsp cinnamon) or a banana with 1tsp peanut butter.
Lunch: Hard-boiled egg, 25g/1oz cheddar cheese and one sliced apple
on three rye crackers.
Dinner: Prawn stir-fry with ginger (see recipe above).
Snack: Cannellini and herb hummus with crudites (mash 65g/2½oz canned white beans with 2tsp olive oil, 1tbsp chopped chives and 1tbsp lemon juice and serve with 75g/3oz sliced raw vegetables).
WEDNESDAY

Breakfast: Banana shake Plus (blend one banana with 350ml/12fl oz semi-skimmed milk, 2tsp honey, ice and 2tsp ground flaxseed).
Lunch: Big chopped salad of 125g/4oz salad leaves, 125g/4oz canned
chickpeas, 100g/3½oz grated carrots, 50g/2oz shredded red cabbage,
1tbsp grated parmesan, 2tbsp chopped walnuts, 2tbsp dried
cranberries, all tossed in 2tbsp low-fat balsamic vinaigrette.
Dinner: Black bean tacos (rinse and drain 400g/14oz of black beans and heat through, warm two tortillas, then divide beans between the two, stuffing with 75g/3oz shredded lettuce, 175g/6oz grated carrot and
60ml/2fl oz salsa).
Snack: 2tbsp salsa mixed with 2tbsp black beans (rinsed and drained) with eight tortilla chips.
THURSDAY

Breakfast: Banana berry shake (blend one banana, 350ml/12fl oz
semi-skimmed milk, 2tsp honey, ice and 40g/1½oz berries) or wholegrain
chewy cereal bar and a banana.
Lunch: Chicken pitta sandwich (40g/1½oz baby spinach, half a sliced
red pepper and 125g/4oz cooked chicken tossed in 2tbsp low-fat vinaigrette and stuffed into a wholemeal pitta).
Dinner: Chicken pasta primavera (see recipe above).
Snack: Two crackers with 2tsp almond butter.
FRIDAY

Breakfast: One slice of toasted rye bread topped with 1tbsp almond butter and one banana.
Lunch: Hard-boiled egg with 25g/1oz cheddar and an apple on three rye crackers.
Dinner: Grilled burger and three-bean salad (see recipe above).
Snack: Trail mix (15g/½oz cornflakes, 2tbsp flaked almonds and 2tbsp
dried cherries).
SATURDAY

Breakfast: Banana-cocoa shake (blend one banana with 350ml/12fl oz semi-skimmed milk, 2tsp honey, ice and 1tbsp cocoa powder) or wholemeal chewy cereal bar plus a banana.
Lunch: Big chopped salad (see Wednesday).
Dinner: Fish tacos (see recipe above).
Snack: 2tbsp oats and 2tsp honey in a small tub of low-fat yogurt.
SUNDAY
Breakfast: Banana and almond butter toast (top one toasted slice of
rye bread with 1tbsp almond butter and a sliced banana).
Lunch: Hard-boiled egg, 25g/1oz cheddar and sliced apple on three rye crackers.
Dinner: Grilled salmon served with parmesan potatoes.
Snack: 25g/1oz baked potato crisps.

Extracted from The Carb Lover’s Diet: Eat What You Love, Get Slim For Life by Ellen Kunes and Frances Largeman-Roth (Hamlyn).

SO YOU WANT TO SMOKE!

We know that smoking can wreak havoc on a woman's appearance, (as explained in previous articles on this blog) causing a sallow complexion and premature ageing, and as well as having effects on sexual health contributing to infertility, early menopause, can contribute to osteoporosis.

Smokers lungs, mouth and skin cancers, circulatory disease leading to gangerine

Smoking causes 50 certain diseases cigarettes are a well-known cause of lung cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, and other disorders such as skin cancer, mouth cancer, stroke and high blood pressure. It is the myriad of toxins in cigarette smoke, rather than the nicotine content, that is responsible for the majority of the harmful effects. In other words, it is the delivery system, not the addictive drug, which is responsible for the vast majority of tobacco-related diseases. And it is not the nicotine in cigarettes, but the tar that causes the unsightly yellow-brown stains on fingers and teeth. There are more than 4,000 other chemicals in cigarette smoke, many of which are known to cause cancer. In particular it is the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines that are the probable causative agents for lung and other cancers.

It is the adverse nicotine effect in tobacco products that leads to addiction and this which sustains tobacco use. Because most smokers are nicotine-dependent, they continue to expose themselves to toxins from cigarettes. It is the other chemicals in cigarettes, not nicotine, which are responsible for most of the adverse health effects related to smoking. Nicotine is an addictive drug. When smoked, it is delivered into the lungs and is rapidly absorbed by the blood, reaching the brain within approximately ten seconds. At this point, smokers experience a nicotine "hit" - causing the brain to produce Dopamines, a neurotransmitter that regulates emotion and feelings of pleasure. The brain soon comes to expect regular doses of nicotine and suffers nicotine withdrawal symptoms when the supply is interrupted. The addictive nature of nicotine is largely due to its dose and rapid delivery to the brain when smoking cigarettes.

Women who carry on smoking in pregnancy endanger not only themselves, but their babies too. Mothers who smoke around their children also put their kids' health at risk. Even before conceiving research shows that cigarette smoking is harmful to a woman's ovaries. It can cause a woman's eggs to be more prone to genetic abnormality and increase the risk of spontaneous miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Women who smoke take longer to conceive with the chances of conceiving falling by up to 40 per cent per menstrual cycle. The more cigarettes you smoke the longer it takes to become pregnant. Just one cigarette a day can have a significant impact. In men stopping smoking can reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction and may improve sexual potency.

RISKS YOU CAN LESSEN IF YOU QUIT SMOKING

 
• Harming ovaries
• genetic abnormalities
• miscarriages
• ectopic pregnancy
• IVF attempts improve increasing the success of fertility treatment.

There is a reduction in the likelihood of the embryo implanting compared to non-smokers, and nearly twice as many IVF attempts may be required to conceive in smokers. Breathing in secondary smoke can cause nearly as much harm as a woman smoking herself.

Like every mum-to-be you want to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. The best way to ensure this is not to smoke and avoid all smoking dangers. Smoking during pregnancy harms you and it harms your baby.
THE SMOKING DANGERS YOU CAN AVOID IF YOU QUIT SMOKING 

• Poisonous chemicals in cigarette smoke passing through your body into your baby.
• Cigarette smoke disrupting the flow of blood to your baby.
• Prenatal passive smoking influences placental and fetal development, reduces birth weight, and affects lung and brain development.
• A smaller, weaker baby that will be more prone to infections and illness.An increased risk of breathlessness and wheezing in young babies.
• Increased risk of congenital defects such as cleft lip and/or palate or limb deformities.

Stopping smoking at any stage of pregnancy is very beneficial. The moment you quit you start increasing your chances of a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby. You will have more energy, be able to cope better with pregnancy, and know you are doing the best for your unborn baby. Passive smoking is equally dangerous for your unborn baby. If your family or friends smoke near you, you will breathe in harmful gases and chemicals and pass them onto your baby. Passive smoking becomes more harmful for mothers who exceeds the age of 30. There is more of a risk of sudden death symptoms for new born babies if their parents were smokers. Passive smoking also increases the possibility of having respiratory diseases for children before the school age; it also increases the possibility of having heart diseases that reaches the rate of 50%, hence, increase the risk of Angina due to the increase damage of the cells in the heart muscle because of carbon monoxide and nicotine. Studies have shown that certain parts of the chromosomes were more affected by the tobacco, which lead to blood cancer (leukaemia). This may explains the relationship between smoking during pregnancy and leukaemia in children. Children growing up in a smoke free home are less likely to catch colds, coughs and bugs. And you will reduce the risk of serious problems like cot death, asthma, chest infections, and glue ear and you and your partner will feel healthier, should have fewer coughs and colds, and have more energy to run around and play with your children. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU QUIT?

20 minutes: Your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal
8 hours: Oxygen levels in your blood return to normal.
24 hours: Carbon monoxide has been eliminated from your body. Your lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.
48 hours: There is no nicotine left in your body. Your ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.
72 hours: Breathing becomes easier. Your bronchial tubes begin to relax and your energy levels increase.
2-12 weeks: Circulation improves throughout the body, making walking and running a whole lot easier.
3-9 months: Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems get better as your lung function is increased by up to 10%.
5 years: Heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
10 years: Risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker. Risk of heart attack falls to same as someone who has never smoked.

WARNINGS ON CIGARETTE PACKETS

Now I have never been a smoker and probably being an Aquarian, I like to do my own thing and never had any desire to try it, so I have no idea what it tastes or feels like. As I was growing up I lost my grandfather and several aunts and uncles to lung cancer and had other relatives suffer heart disease and other lung diseases. When I went into nursing one of the first ward I worked on was one where there were several patients in the terminal stages of lung cancer. I guess therefore this instilled in me the dangers of smoking and what it can do to you. It's extremely distressing to watch patients suffer from lung cancer where upon death is a blessed release from the extreme suffering. Lung Cancer is avoidable unlike a lot of cancers, so why risk it by smoking. OK so you may want to risk it but research has proven not only are you risking your own health but on others by passive smoking, is this fair? In the UK our much cash strapped National Health System is under severe strain treating all those who indulge in smoking and you have to ask, why should others who take care of their health by not smoking pay for the treatment of those who do? Remember too it's not just lung cancer, but a whole range of ailments are caused by smoking, asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, throat and mouth cancers, oesphageal cancer, heart disease, arterial disease, leading to amputation, high blood pressure, strokes. Can you imagine the stresses on the NHS being reduced if all the smokers were to give it up? but more importantly think how healthier the nation would be and how younger they would look too. I can't think of one good reason why anyone should smoke and if smokers were true to themselves, I am sure they would share this view.

Graphic warnings on cigarette packets DO help smokers to kick the habit

Graphic warning showing neck tumours and diseased lungs on the front of cigarette packets do push smokers in to giving up cigarettes, researchers say.
Scientists found nearly all adult smokers in countries that are required to place health labels on tobacco products noticed the warnings.
More than half of smokers in six of 14 countries in the study said the warnings made them think about quitting.

Shock factor: Graphic images are the most effective at encouraging smokers to quit, a study has found

In seven of the remaining countries more than one in four poll respondents said the warning labels prompted them to consider kicking the habit. The only country unaffected by the warnings was Poland.
Researchers analysed data collected between 2008 and 2010 for smokers in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay and Vietnam.

The results of the poll called the the Global Adult Tobacco Survey were published by the US Centers for Disease Control.

Out in the cold: Smoking was banned in indoor public places in England in 2007

The most effective warnings were pictures of graphics that showed the harmful effects of smoking, possibly because they are better at evoking an emotional response the scientists said.
The study found that Brazil and Thailand both had 'numerous prominent and graphic pictorial warnings in rotation' and also had some of the highest rates of smokers thinking about quitting because of the warnings.

Warning: Cigarette packet labels in Thailand are particularly graphic

The CDC wants to see further research to try to find out how many smokers who think about quitting because of a warning on a packet actually do, and to determine what other factors come into play in getting someone to stop smoking.
The UK became the first country in Europe to place images on cigarette packs in 2008 that showed the 'grim reality' of the effects of smoking.
They replaced written warnings that had been printed on packets since 2003.
Smoking is responsible for one in every five deaths in adults aged over 35 in England, and half of all long-term smokers will die prematurely due to a smoking-related disease.
In the years from 2007 to 2008 there were 1.4 million NHS hospital admissions for diseases caused by smoking. In 2008, smoking caused 83,900 deaths in England.
Around 65 per cent of smokers in the UK want to quit the habit and around half manage to do so.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1391447/Graphic-warnings-cigarette-packets-DO-help-smokers-kick-habit.html#ixzz1NflWNvbV

BIPOLAR ILLNESS

TIME THE STIGMA WAS REMOVED

For far too long there has been a stigma associated with mental illness, however there seems to be a spate of celebrities who are professing to suffer from BiPolar illness, but are they really? I'm all for publicising mental illness, for too long it's been misunderstood and the pain associated cannot be comprehended unless you have either experienced it first hand or worked in this field. Sympathy is given out easily if its obvious you are suffering from a physical condition such as a broken leg, not so in mental illness where others cannot see your pain. Mental illness deserves recognition and understanding what it does not need are those who think it is a fashionable ailment of the moment. I like to think these celebrities are genuine sufferers for this will certainly help give mental illness the empathy and attention it needs and talked about instead of being hidden and hushed up

Article below is from the DAILY MAIL

Manic depression has been rebranded as bipolar... But are so many of us really mentally ill?

By Pat Hagan
Last updated at 4:24 AM on 19th April 2011

Affliction: Catherine Zeta-Jones publicly admitted she was diagnosed as bipolar

When Lucy Johnstone began working in mental health nearly 20 years ago, bipolar disorder — or manic depression as it was known then — made up a small fraction of her workload.
‘Now, every other referral is someone with suspected bipolar disorder,’ says Johnstone, a consultant clinical psychologist for Cwm Taf Health Board in Wales.
‘More people turn up with it because they hear about it in the news. They go to their GP saying: ‘‘I think I’m bipolar.’’ ’
This confirms the effect of what some feel is the ‘fashion’ among celebrities for being labelled bipolar, a condition the Royal College of Psychiatrists claims affects one in 100 people at some point in their lives.
The latest high-profile name is Hollywood star Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was reportedly admitted to a clinic for five days suffering from depression and mood swings brought on by the stress of her husband, Michael Douglas, battling throat cancer.
She joins household names, such as Stephen Fry, Sting, Ben Stiller and Jean-Claude Van Damme, in declaring publicly that they suffer with the condition.
But what is bipolar disorder, and is there really a hidden epidemic? Or is it a Hollywood fad for blaming the stresses of ordinary life on a mental illness?
And could this trend be misleading ordinary people into thinking they, too, have a psychiatric illness when they are experiencing what psychologists describe simply as ‘extreme mood variations’?
The term manic depression was used to describe people whose moods swung from elation to despair and hopelessness.
It’s a condition which, during the manic phase, makes people feel invincible and bursting with exciting ideas.

Their speech accelerates, they sleep no more than a couple of hours a night and they can lose all sense of financial responsibility — sometimes running up huge credit card bills.
But in the depressed stage, they struggle to make the simplest decisions and sometimes feel suicidal. Research suggests it is mostly genetic, but is triggered by a stressful experience, such as job loss, bereavement or physical illness.
Sufferers can experience ‘rapid cycling’, where their mood swings from one extreme to the other every few weeks.
In 1980, when psychiatrists were updating the psychiatric profession’s ‘bible’ — the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders — they changed the name to bipolar disorder.
They chose the term to reflect the fact that the elation and desperation patients feel are the polar opposites of each other.
Also, manic depression had become associated with psychotic behaviour, where the sufferer hallucinates and hears voices. In fact, very few experience this.

High profile: Other celebrities that have come forward about suffering from bipolar are Sting, left, and Stephen Fry, right, who declared he loved having it

But as well as changing the name, psychiatrists have fine-tuned the definition, so it has gone from covering only extremes of mania and depression to milder behaviour patterns which, sceptics claim, border on normality.
Today, the umbrella term of bipolar disorder covers two forms.
Bipolar disorder one is when the patient has suffered at least one manic episode — where they become highly excitable, barely sleep, talk rapidly and lose their inhibitions — which has lasted for longer than a week, followed by severe depression.
Bipolar disorder two, the kind with which Catherine Zeta-Jones has been diagnosed, is where there may be long periods of moderate depression punctuated by mild attacks of mania.
It is characterised by hypomania, where a person can be in a semi-permanent state of excitement that may be mistaken for sheer energy and enthusiasm by those around them, before slumping into a depression that can vary from debilitating to so crushing they can’t get out of bed.
Even for psychiatrists, bipolar two can be difficult to distinguish from depression.
‘When someone is manic, they are very high and often deluded,’ says Dr Peter Byrne, director of public education for the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
‘It’s obvious they need to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act. But with hypomania, you may feel confident and good about yourself. It can be hard to persuade someone with it that they need medical help.’
It was this aspect of his condition that prompted Stephen Fry, in his BBC programme The Secret Life Of The Manic Depressive, to declare he ‘loved’ having it because he believed it provided ‘the energy and creativity that perhaps has made my career’.

Stress: Coping with her husband Michael Douglas's throat cancer brought on Catherine Zeta-Jones's depression, she said

The association with artistic genius is thought to be a key motive for some who seek out a bipolar diagnosis.
It is also seen as a more acceptable term than manic depression.
‘People are happier to be labelled bipolar,’ says Dr William Shanahan, medical director of the private Capio Nightingale Hospital in London. ‘It seems kinder, while manic depression depicts someone running down the road screaming.’
But the steep rise in the use of the bipolar label has caused a rift in the mental health community.
Many psychologists are alarmed at the apparent over-use of the bipolar label and fear it is playing into the hands of those who want to blame life’s stresses on a medical condition.
There is also concern that those experiencing bipolar-type symptoms as a result of chronic drug or alcohol abuse may court the legitimacy of a medical diagnosis to hide their problems.
Drug or alcohol abuse can produce erratic behaviour, sleep deficiencies and depression — similar to symptoms of bipolar.
The British Psychological Society (BPS) has questioned whether some people are being wrongly labelled as mentally ill.
‘Many people experience periods of depression and also periods of elation and overactivity,’ it says in a new report on the issue.

Many people experience periods of depression and also periods of elation and overactivity, says the BPS. But should they be classed as mentall ill?

‘Mood can affect how we feel about ourselves. At times we may feel extremely positive or even grandiose about our own abilities, while at other times we may feel we are a complete failure.’
It says some people seek medical help because they mistakenly perceive these mood swings as unnatural. Once they do, they are likely to be diagnosed as bipolar because the criteria are so broad.
But the BPS adds: ‘Not all mental health professionals accept the idea these experiences are caused by an underlying illness.
‘Some people who experience extreme mood states find it useful to think of themselves as having an illness. And mental health services assume that once someone experiences problems with unstable mood, they are likely to recur.’
The BPS wants a shift in the way bipolar disorder is perceived and treated. It agrees that patients in a manic state need potent drugs to stabilise their moods. But many more, it argues, would recover without medicine and would avoid being stigmatised by mental illness and potentially jeopardising their future job prospects.
‘Traditionally, medicine has been the only type of help offered,’ the report states. ‘But there is increasing evidence that talking treatments can also be useful.’
Psychiatrists, on the other hand, point out that talking techniques, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, serve little or no purpose when someone is in a frightening and potentially dangerous manic state.
‘For milder depression, many people may not need medication. But if they have bipolar, it is likely they will,’ says Dr Peter Byrne.
Dr William Shanahan insists drugs have a role to play because it can be impossible to predict how each individual will respond to their violent mood swings.
‘You can get some bad news and feel really down. Those feelings may go away or they may get worse. But at what point do you stop telling yourself to ‘‘pull yourself together’’? Even those with slight depression can end up killing themselves.’

DEPRESSION LINKED TO GENES

Another great article I have come across to prove yet again, depression is not all in the mind. It's long been suspected that depression can run in families and this proves the genetic link. This research will further help to find better treatment for this condition and finally dispel once and for all "Depression is not all in the mind", "Pull yourself together" and "Mind over matter" and all those stupid phrases that ignorant people like to say to those with the condition.

The happiness gene that determines how cheery we are

How happy we are may depend as much on our genes as how well our lives are going, researchers have found.
They say that they have found a gene that releases 'happy' chemicals into the brain.
The 5-HTT gene also helps nerve cells recycle serotonin, another chemical in the brain which is linked to mood and depression.

In the genes: The 5-HTT gene helps release happy chemicals and recycle serotonin

Scientists from the London School of Economics analysed the genes of 2,500 people and found the happiest were the ones who inherited two 'long' versions of the 5-HTT gene.
The least happy were those who inherited the two 'short' versions of the gene.

Behavioural economist Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, who conducted the research, told the Express: 'It has long been suggested that this gene plays a role in mental health, but this study is the first to to show it is instrumental in shaping individual happiness levels.
'The results suggest a strong link between happiness and this functional variant of the 5-HTT gene.

Controlling who we are: A person's DNA make-up, as displayed in this image, controls how likely we are to say we are happy

'This finding helps to explain why some people tend to be naturally happier than others, and that's in no small part due to our individual genetic make-up.'
To conduct the research, published in the Journal of Human Genetics, the researchers compared the genetic make-up of each volunteer and asked them a series of questions including: 'How satisfied as a whole are you with your life?'
Those who had two long 5-HTT genes reported the most positive results - with the chances of them replying 'very positive' boosted by 17 per cent.
Some 26 per cent of those with two short 5-HTT genes were dissatisfied with their life.

HOW STRESS AFFECTS US IT CAN MAKE US FAT

 I came across this article and since this is a Holistic and well being site, it seemed only appropriate. As I have written before and it also mentions in here, stress is fine short term and the effects of short term stress will do us no harm, it's the effects of long term stress that is detrimental. The problem too with junk foods is that as well as being high calorie, high in salt, high in fat and low in fiber, they also contain many additives which in themselves are addictive. One example is MSG monosodium glutamate research has suggested it has a detrimental effect on the pancreas by tripling the amount of insulin it produces. So if long term stress causes some to crave sweet and fatty foods, the chances are they are also laced with MSG, this therefore will compound the effects.

High stress levels can make you fat, researchers claim

By Fiona Macrae
Last updated at 8:11 AM on 10th May 2010
Forget that punishing exercise regime or elaborate diet.
The key to losing weight could be as simple as putting your feet up and relaxing.
Scientists have found a gene that makes us crave sweet and fatty foods and pile on the pounds when under stress.
The 'comfort eating gene' has also been linked to type 2 diabetes - the form of the disease that usually occurs in middle-age and is related to obesity.

Weight problem: Stress activates a gene which affects the metabolism and contributes to our cravings for sweet, fatty foods, according to a new study

It is hoped that studying the gene will lead to new diabetes drugs as well as weight loss pills.
But it seems finding time to relax could also do us the power of good.
Researcher Dr Alon Chen set out to find out why so many people reach for the biscuit tin when under pressure at home or at work.
In studies on mice, he pinpointed a gene that pumps out a protein called Ucn3 at times of stress.

Produced in the brain, the protein has profound effects throughout the body, affecting organs including the heart, muscles, liver and pancreas.

It increases appetite and affects how full we feel as well as the way the body uses insulin, a hormone crucial in the processing of sugar into energy.
Mice that were made to make more Ucn3 than usual began to show the first signs of diabetes, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.
Ucn3 also seems to trigger a taste for sugary and fatty foods - providing the body and brain with extra fuel when under extreme stress.
But when the system is constantly activated by everyday stresses and strains, we can become fat and ill.
Dr Chen, of the Weizmann Institute-in Israel, said: 'Stress is good when you have to cope with an event, like when you meet a lion.
'Your metabolism is changing, you consume more sugars and more glucose goes to the muscles to help you escape the lion.
'But the stress response needs to be a tightly-regulated system. The
genes need to kick in at the right time. If they are not working properly it can lead to psychiatric and metabolic disorders.'
Drugs that target the 'comfort eating gene' or the Ucn3 protein could help prevent diabetes and keep weight down.
Previous work by British researchers has shown that almost two-thirds of people in the UK carry other 'junk food genes' that cause them to crave fatty and sugary foods.
Those with the genetic flaw eat 100 calories more at each meal - the equivalent of a Kit Kat or a bag of Wotsits.
Over the course of a week, that amounts to an extra 2,100 calories - or an extra day's food.
The findings, by researchers at Dundee University, help explain why some people find it hard to resist fast food - and why some diets are doomed to fail.
Britons are also the world's worst junk food addicts, beating even the Americans in their appetite for fat and sugar-laden snacks.
Figures show the average adult in this country eats just over three portions of fruit and vegetables a day and will get through 22,000 ready-meals, sandwiches and sweet snacks in a lifetime - little short of one a day.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1273866/High-stress-levels-make-fat-researchers-claim.html#ixzz1KqnHbqDh

Why we crave sugary snacks... and not fruit and veg

Finding this article in the Daily Mail reminded me how we can influence our cravings particularly if trying to avoid sweet and starchy foods whilst trying to loose weight. We can do so by the use of essential oils and how they can influence the Hypothalamus. See below the Daily Mail article.

Are urges to eat unhealthy food purely down to greed? We ask experts...

It is the question that has foxed dieters and scientists alike: Why do we crave sugary snacks or fat-laden junk foods and not more healthy options such as, say, an apple?
Some claim to have 'a sweet tooth', or 'a salt tooth'. And many believe cravings are the body's way of telling them what they need. But how true is that really?

Cravings are an overwhelming sensation of desire for a certain food. There are a number of chemicals in the brain that are associated with this

THE EVOLUTION OF CRAVING

Experts believe that cravings occur for a variety of reasons. They attribute them to evolution, psychological factors such as stress and unhappiness, and  -  sometimes  -  a genuine need for certain foods.
'It's crucial to remember that a food craving is not simply hunger,' says Professor Andrew Hill, Head of the Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Leeds University.
Hunger is the body's way of making sure it is provided with energy, in the form of nutrients from food. When the stomach is empty, it releases the hormone ghrelin, which communicates with the brain's command centre, the hypothalamus. This creates the feeling of hunger and is how we know when to eat.
Satiation is signalled by the release of the hormones leptin by fat cells, and insulin by the pancreas, in response to increased blood sugar.
Cravings, however, are much more complex.
'Those who are starving will eat literally anything  -  even foods they do not enjoy  -  to stay alive,' says psychologist Dr Leigh Gibson, Reader in Biopsychology at Roehampton University.
'Cravings, on the other hand, are an overwhelming sensation of desire for a certain food. There are a number of chemicals in the brain that are associated with this.
'First, there is dopamine, a brain chemical that is involved in learning and concentration. When we see or experience something new, dopamine is released in the brain.
'This works in tandem with other brain chemicals called opioids, which give us feelings of enjoyment and pleasure. The combination of these two factors mean that the brain associates certain activities with pleasure, and it teaches us to do them again and again.
'From an evolutionary point of view, junk food cravings are linked to prehistoric times when the brain's opioids and dopamine reacted to the benefit of high-calorie food as a survival mechanism.
'We are programmed to enjoy eating fatty and sugary substances, and our brains tell us to seek them out.
'Today, we still have the same chemical reactions to these so-called hyper-palatable foods, causing an unignorable desire  -  despite there being less of a nutritional need for them.'

Experts attribute cravings to evolution, psychological factors such as stress and unhappiness, and - sometimes - a genuine need for certain foods

HOW MOOD PLAYS A ROLE

Another factor in desire for sugary or fatty foods is stress.
'The body produces a hormone called cortisol in response to stress,' explains Dr Gibson.
'Its primary functions are to increase sugar in the blood to be used up as energy by the body's cells, suppress the immune system and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also blocks the release of leptin and insulin, increasing hunger.
'This is why studies have shown that when we're stressed, we're more likely drawn towards high-energy foods, such as cakes and sweets. Stress in response to danger used to mean energy was burned up. Stress down to today's lifestyle may have the same effect, though these days we are less likely to actually burn off the calories.'
Then there are the psychological components to cravings.
'Mood is unquestionably a potent context  -  especially negative mood,' says Prof Hill.
'We crave reward foods. The pattern for this is partially set in childhood when parents give us sweet food to show love or reward.'
Anna Raymond, of the British Dietetic Association, agrees.
'Cravings are a psychological need for high-fat and high-sugar foods which taste pleasant  -  but which should, of course, form only a small part of our daily intake.'
Dr Gibson points out that sweet food can actively alleviate pain by releasing opioids, thus excusing us for giving sweets to a hurt child. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that chocolate causes the brain to release these euphoria-inducing chemicals.
Unsurprisingly, more than 50 per cent of reported cravings are for chocolate and most others are for highly palatable foods such as sweets or biscuits.
'Chocolate melts at body temperature which gives a pleasant sensation, and fat and sugar further increase the sensory appeal,' says Prof Hill.
Gender can influence the nature of cravings. According to Prof Hill, studies show that women predominantly crave sweet, fatty and energy-dense food and men have more savoury cravings, although it is not yet understood why.

SOME CRAVINGS REALLY SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED

Sometimes cravings may point to a deficiency in the body. Dr Gibson conducted an experiment in 1995 to test this theory.
His team gave a group of volunteers a low-protein breakfast followed by a high-protein lunch. The following day they were given a low-protein breakfast and a low protein lunch. Each meal was given in a variety of flavours.
On the third day they were given a choice. Regardless of flavour, all participants chose the high-protein option. This proves that if we need a nutrient  -  such as protein  -  we'll automatically choose it.
'We know that animals seek out food when they have nutritional needs  -  such as iron, vitamins or sodium.
Why should we be any different?' says Dr Gibson. ' Cravings for healthy food are more likely to be down to bodily needs.'

(One of my daughters used to love boiled eggs and would eat the egg shells as well I guess she must have had a need for calcium)

WHAT YOUR CRAVINGS ARE TRYING TO TELL YOU...

CHOCOLATE AND SWEETS' Cravings for these are usually down to a psychological desire for a food that makes you feel better and gives a short-term ''fix''. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, antioxidants and iron  -  so there is unquestionably some nutritional benefit,' says nutritionist Zoe Harcombe.

PIZZA, PASTA, CRIPS' It may be an example of wheat intolerance in the case of pizza and pasta  -  ironically if we're intolerant of things we crave them,' suggests Harcombe.
'One theory is that if we don't digest or absorb foods properly, we desire them more as the body isn't getting what it needs from the food. For instance, diabetics can't regulate their blood sugar, leading to low energy levels. But if the condition is uncontrolled they crave sugary foods, as the body believes it isn't getting enough.'

FISH Should you crave salmon, it could be a need for Omega3 fats.
'Some new evidence suggests that taste receptors respond to certain fatty acids,' says Dr Gibson.
'Maybe our system is aware of their presence. Tuna could be a need for salt  -  especially in a low-fat dieter who eats lots of fruit and vegetables but little meat or fish and is getting little sodium,' says Harcombe.
'Dieters are eating more potassium by consuming large amounts of fruit and vegetables, so they need to balance it out with more sodium.'

DAIRY 'Milk contains key nutrients, and if you crave cheese, you may need the fatsoluble Vitamins A and D, especially if you have a lowfat diet,' says Harcombe.

MEAT It seems obvious  -  but some experts believe a meat craving means the body needs protein. Dr Gibson says: 'A desire to eat red meat could be attributed to iron deficiency  -  especially in pregnant women.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382217/Why-crave-junk-food-fruit-veg.html#ixzz1L63VRtIr

THE LIMBIC SYSTEM AND HOW WE CAN INFLUENCE THE HYPOTHALAMUS

In order to understand how this works, it helps to understand the structure of the Olfactory Tract. 

Most of the nose is concerned with breathing: inhaling air into the body and exhaling it out, however it is the organ of smell and thus very important in a therapy based on the power of aromas! At the top of the nose there are two areas of pigmented tissue known as Olfactory Membranes. They contain the olfactory, or smell-sensing cells, which have fine hair-like protrusions called cilia. The olfactory cells connect to nerves in an area known as the Olfactory Plexus. Once triggered, these nerves send messages along the olfactory Nerves to the Brain, particularly the Limbic System. This is the area of the brain that deals with Memory, Emotions, Our Basic Instincts and Mechanical Functions. When essential oil molecules pass over the olfactory cells, it is thought that these cells trigger receptor areas, which send an impulse via the olfactory plexus and nerves to the brain. Here the information is processed and interpretated (with either positive or negative associations). Depending on the interpretation, the brain sends messages to other parts of the body to elicit a response e.g. Grimace! The brain may also react to different chemicals in an essential oil and produce particular effects e.g. a relaxing or sedative substance may cause the brain to send out a message of relaxation either to the whole body or a particular part. 

The Role of the Hypothalamus

The Hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls the endocrine system.

The Pituitary gland lies beneath the Hypothalamus  and it is this that controls the other endocrine glands.

The Hypothalamus receives information about the Homeostasis (balance) of the body, this is achieved by two means:

• The blood circulation i.e. temperature, blood glucose levels and hormone levels
• The nervous system i.e. The Autonomic Nervous system i.e. the part of the nervous system that regulates automatic functions e.g. breathing, heart rate etc. and mental and emotional states, our feelings: these influence ‘automatic responses’ e.g. ‘The fear, flight response’

The Hypothalamus responds to these changes by:

• Secreting Hormones (chemical messengers) that regulate hormones to be released by the anterior lobe of the pituitary
• The hypothalamus also directly releases hormones via the Posterior Lobe of the Pituitary , Vasopressin (ADH) and Oxytocin
• And by stimulating a nerve response to the ‘Central Nervous System’ (Brain & spinal Cord)

We can use essential oils to influence the hypothalamus, certain essential oils like Lime in particular stimulate the appetite and are a good choice to choice when recovering from illness when the appetite is poor. Lime is also uplifting and energising and stimulates the digestive system. On the other hand Patchouli essential oil has the opposite effect it decreases the appetite so next time you are having difficulties when beginning a weight reducing diet to alleviate cravings for sweet things sniff some Patchouli essential oil. Remember though if you are epileptic or pregnant do not do so.

WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SALT

We should all know by now how too much salt in our diet raises our blood pressure but have you stopped to ask how and what are the dangers?

Well our bodies are kept in balance by the Hypothalamus (An area in the brain its job is to maintain homeostasis within the body). It does this in a number of ways and its a bit akin to a laboratory constantly analysing our blood, checking if we have the correct amount of hormones, is the blood the right consistency, does it have the correct balance of salts to maintain body function. Salt, sodium chloride to give it its proper name is necessary along with other salts like Potassium are necessary for a variety of functions and nerve function being one of them. It is through the interaction between Potassium and Sodium that our nerves work and are able to pass signals down through our nerves from our brains to our muscles etc. If this balance is upset then our bodies won't work correctly.

Now if you are eating a high salt diet (Sodium) and you know what happens if you eat something very salty how do you feel? Very thirsty I shouldn't wonder and this is because the hypothalamus has noticed there is too much sodium in the blood, so the first thing it does is to alert the body and make us thirsty and cause us to drink more fluid in an effort to dilute the blood. At the same time the Hypothalamus  causes the  pituitary gland to release Vasopressin (Anti diuretic hormone) this is circulated in the blood stream and targets the kidneys not to filter out so much liquid in the blood as waste (Urine becomes more concentrated so you don't pass as much). These two actions generate more blood volume in an effort to dilute the concentration of Sodium (more liquid part of the blood).

Cue the heart, now your poor heart has more work to do, you've upped its work load putting more strain on it. You've still got the same amount of arteries and veins but have more liquid for your heart to pump through, this means your left Ventricle of your heart is under strain thus the action of forcing all this volume of fluid through the same amount of vessels raises the blood pressure. So first and foremost high blood pressure strains the heart and the heart being a muscle, like any other muscle will enlarge to cope with the work. Now the kidneys, they filter impurities and toxins out of the body through a series of tiny tubules called Nephrons, these tiny vessels are very delicate and only one cell thick and thus very fragile. With the raised pressure of all this excess fluid in the blood being forced harder through the circulation, these tiny vessels are easily damaged.

As we get older our arteries, which are a series of elastic muscular tubes, become less elastic, think of washing a pair of knickers hundreds of times eventually the elastic gets spent doesn't it? well its like this with the arteries. Because they have lost this elasticity they cannot cope so well with an increased blood pressure and if these arteries happen to be in the brain, the result can be a burst blood vessel hence one type of stroke. Now couple this with someone who has had a fatty diet eating lots of saturated fats. That fat circulates in the blood stream and just like a sink drain that gets blocked when you try to pour fat down it regularly, the same thing happens in an artery. Fat sticks to the artery walls forming plaques, blood cells become sticky and before you know it you have a clot forming. If this clot travels to the brain you have the other type of stroke. A stroke is where the brain is starved of oxygen because blood flow is restricted to an area and that area of the brain is damaged. If the clot forms in the leg we have a Deep Vein Thrombosis, if it forms in the lungs we have a Pulmonary Thrombosis and if we have a clot in the circulation of the heart we have a Coronary Thrombosis.  Obviously too furred up arteries will raise blood pressure too as the heart will have to work harder to push all that volume of blood through narrowed blood vessels.

So now you know why too much salt is bad for you and the worst culprits for harbouring salt are processed foods. Start reading labels and become familiar with recommended daily allowances, you may just save your health a whole lot of trouble

In the UK, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Salt is 6 grams for an adult, 1 gram for a baby under 12 months old and between 2-6 grams of salt for a child up until their 11th birthday.


http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/fss/salt/howmuchsalteat/


In the US, the RDA is 2.3 g of sodium, or 5.75 g of salt, since to calculate the amount of salt from sodium you should multiply by 2.5.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/recommendations.htm
http://www.salt.gov.uk/cgi-bin/saltcalc.pl

THE LINK BETWEEN SALT AND STOMACH CANCER

Most people know the link between a high salt diet and high blood pressure but salt is in the news again this time its a link between a high consumption and stomach cancer. This has been known for a few years but most people are unaware of this link.

Stomach cancer has a poor prognosis, it is a nasty disease from having nursed patients with it to watching my own father die with this condition. From the time the disease was diagnosed till his death he managed to live for 12 months and it was so sad to watch my handsome and muscular dad wither away in front of my eyes. Stomach cancer is often not diagnosed until its well established and in my own father's case it was inoperable and had spread to his liver, the only symptoms he had was tiredness and loss of weight and what he described  a bit of heartburn periodically.

I don't aim to cause alarm here but if you have indigestion, lack of appetite, a feeling of fullness, bleeding, partially digested in your stools, vomit and vomiting quite regularly have it checked out by your doctor, it may well not be stomach cancer and something innocuous but better to be safe.

It's good to be armed with information so we can all take steps to maintain good health and that includes dietary information. The main culprits are processed foods get into the routine of reading labels. We do need a little salt for good health but salt in present naturally in food you don't need to add it and by and large and I have seen this many times, people sprinkling salt onto their food before they have even tasted it. After a while your taste buds will get used to it and you will find you will be more aware of the other flavours in food.

Studies have shown that a chronic H. pylori infection is closely associated with salt intake as salt has been found to increase the grown and action of this bacteria, thus increasing the risk of cancer. It is also thought salt can act as an irritant and can inflame the stomach lining which makes it susceptible to causing cancer. Statistically  deaths from stomach cancer are higher in countries where people have a preference for salty food and salt preserved meat and fish. A reduction therefore in salt may reduce H. pylori infection and so reduce the incidence of this distressing cancer.

Adults are advised to consume no more than 6g salt per day (about one teaspoon). Current intake is about 9g per day - thats 50 per cent higher than is recommended for good health. Babies and children should have less salt than adults. High salt intake in babies can be especially dangerous, as their kidneys cannot cope with large amounts.

ARTICLE FROM THE DAILY MAIL BELOW

Traffic light labelling on foods 'could help cut stomach cancers linked to salt'

• Charity calls for green labels on foods low in salt, amber for medium content and red for salty products
• One in seven cases of stomach cancer could be avoided by cutting salt intake

Food labelling must be improved to cut the number of stomach cancers linked to salt, experts have warned.

One in seven cases of stomach cancer in the UK could be avoided by reducing salt intake to recommended levels, research suggests.

Too much salt can promote cancer by damaging the stomach lining, and Britons consume an average of 8.6 grams each a day - 43 per cent higher than the maximum recommended amount.

The World Cancer Research Fund is calling for a standardised form of colour-coded 'traffic light' labelling on foods, which it says would help consumers to better control the amount of salt, sugar and fat they take.

Excess: Too much salt can promote stomach cancer, researchers have found

The charity is recommending green labels for foods low in salt (less than 0.3g per 100g), amber for medium content (between 0.3g and 1.5g per 100g), and red for high salt levels (more than 1.5g per 100g).

Kate Mendoza, head of information at the charity, said: 'Stomach cancer is difficult to treat successfully because most cases are not caught until the disease is well established.

'This places even greater emphasis on making lifestyle choices to prevent the disease occurring in the first place - such as cutting down on salt intake and eating more fruit and vegetables.'


Ms Mendoza added: 'Because around three-quarters of the salt we consume is already in processed food when we buy it, WCRF would like to see traffic light labelling on the front of food and drink packaging to give clear guidance on the levels of salt as well as sugar, fat and saturated fat.

'Standardised labelling among retailers and manufacturers - rather than the different voluntary systems currently in place - would help consumers make better informed and healthy choices.'

Better: Cases of stomach cancer could be cut if food labelling were improved, the World Cancer Research Fund claims. (Picture posed by model)

Each year in the UK around 7,500 new cases of stomach cancer are diagnosed and almost 5,000 people die from the disease.

Cutting salt intake to six grams a day could prevent 1,050 of these cases, according to the WCRF.

Excess salt is also linked to high blood pressure, the main cause of strokes and a significant cause of heart disease, as well as osteoporosis and kidney disease.

A Department of Health spokesman said: 'We already know too much salt can lead to conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

'That is why we are taking action through the Responsibility Deal to help reduce the salt in peoples' diets.

'And we are looking at clearer salt labelling on foods as part of our consultation on front of pack labelling.

'We keep these findings under review alongside other emerging research in the field.'

Good example: Some foods already have traffic light labels, but campaigners want to see the system standardised

HOW LACK OF SLEEP IS DETRIMENTAL FOR OUR HEALTH

The following is an article from the Daily Mail, which shows us of the effects of Cortisol, also produced during stress. Cortisol is a fantastic hormone when it is produced for what its meant for and short raised bursts to deal with acute stress. However if its produced for long term stress its very detrimental on the body (see section here on STRESS AND HEALTH)

How to never get ill: Take a nap

History has many accomplished nappers.
Leonardo Da Vinci took short naps every few hours; Napoleon Bonaparte dozed on his horse. And very wise they were, too.
Lack of sleep causes the body to produce more of the hormone cortisol, which gives us energy but restricts production of human growth hormone — limiting the body’s ability to repair itself.

Sleeping baby: A report from the University of Chicago found lack of sleep can lead to heart attacks and strokes

A 2008 Stanford University study found that fruit flies’ immune systems fought invading bacteria best at night.
This backed up the theory that our bodies use dormant hours to regenerate and fight disease (by producing immune cells called monocytes).

And a recent University of Chicago report found that getting as little as an hour less sleep than needed can increase calcium levels in heart arteries by 16 per cent.
This can lead to heart attack and stroke — so catch up with a nap.

Extracted from The Secrets Of People Who Never Get Sick by Gene Stone, published by Workman at £16.99. © Gene Stone 2011.

THE RISE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITIS

Diabetes occurs when either the pancreas fails to produce insulin, not enough insulin for the body mass or as an auto immune disorder. There are two types of Diabetes: is a disease brought on by either the body's inability to make insulin ( type 1 diabetes) or by the body not responding to the effects of insulin ( type 2 diabetes). It can also be brought on by pregnancy. Insulin is one of the main hormones that regulates blood sugar levels and allows the body to use sugar (called glucose) for energy.

Insulin is necessary to enable carbohydrates in the form of glucose, to pass through the body's cells membrane into the cell, the body's cells need energy in order to function and this applies to every cell in the body. It might be simpler to think of insulin as a door key, it unlocks the door to allow glucose to pass through. Now if there is no insulin, there is no key, so what does the body do, its cells still need energy to function, so it has to find an energy source via a different route. It does this by breaking down protein and it takes this protein from the body's muscles and organs, this is what happens in type 1 diabetes, where you see the characterises of severe weight loss and muscle atrophy. As the body does this it forms Ketones (a by product of breaking down protein for energy) and this gives rise to the characteristic acetone breath found in untreated type 1 Diabetics. Ketones in excess are harmful to the body.

With Type 2 this tends not to happen but the body's cells don't function so well and are essentially tired, so the diabetic will present symptoms of tiredness and lethargy. In some cases Diabetics with type 2 can go on to need insulin injections to manage their disease.

Type 1 Diabetes is often known insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, IDDM for short, and juvenile diabetes as it often begins in children and young adults and can start suddenly as a result after a viral illness such as the flu.

Type 2 diabetes: results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes combined with an absolute insulin deficiency. Formerly referred to as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM for short, and adult-onset diabetes.

Lastly  we have Gestational diabetes: is when pregnant women, who have never had diabetes before, have a high blood glucose level during pregnancy. It may precede development of type 2

There are other forms much rarer such as congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes. But since I wish to focus of the rise of type 2 and the problems this causes I won't discuss this here.

The rise of type 2 diabetes is because of an increase of obesity, not just in adults but this is now being found in overweight children. More and more of the population are eating a poor diet with too much refined sugars and carbohydrates and not enough exercise. Children in particular seem to be spending more time in front of game consuls and TV and computers instead of running around in the fresh air. It's also an easy option to keep them quiet by feeding them bags of artificially flavoured crisps, sweets and sugar laden fizzy drinks, instead of spending time with them or encouraging healthy snacks such as fruit and encouraging them to drink water when they are thirsty. The same goes for adults, in particular when it comes to taking children to school, instead of walking with them, its too easy to drive them, that does not help with carbon foot prints but thats for another blog in due time lol. In yesterday's blog I discussed how eating too much refined carbohydrates created sugar highs and lows facilitating cravings and leading to eating more of these products. Type 2 Diabetes is often initially managed by increasing exercise and dietary modification. If the condition progresses, medications may be needed.

So what does being Diabetic mean for the patient? It means changes in life style especially so for Type 1 diabetics, where blood sugar levels have to be constantly managed and insulin needs to be replaced by regular injections. Food intake, particularly carbohydrates and exercise have to be carefully managed so prevent coma and if untreated can lead to death, its that serious. Management is gravely important as serious health conditions can be the result, such as the loss of limbs, heart attacks and blindness.

Studies in the United Kingdom have shown that the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance in the 35-65 year age group is about 17%. This is known as pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. While people with pre-diabetes usually have no symptoms, it’s almost always present before a person develops type 2 diabetes. However, complications normally associated with diabetes, such as heart disease, can begin to develop even when a person has only pre-diabetes.

Once type 2 diabetes develops, symptoms include unusual thirst, a frequent need to urinate, blurred vision, or extreme fatigue. Talk to your doctor to see if you need to be tested for pre-diabetes. By identifying the signs of pre-diabetes before diabetes occurs, you can prevent type 2 diabetes all together and lower your risk of complications associated with this condition such as heart disease.

In type 1 Diabetes the onset is rapid, weight loss, tiredness and complete exhaustion and since the body cannot use or get glucose into the body's cells, it remains in the blood, whereby the kidneys then filter it out of the body into urine, The untreated diabetic's urine has a characteristic sweet aroma. It's full name is Diabetes Mellitis and comes from the latin meaning copious amounts of urine smelling like honey. As the concentration of sugar is very high the body needs to dilute the sugar in the blood. The hypothalamus that area of the brain that is responsible for maintaining homeostasis sends a message to the area of our brains responsible for making us feel thirsty, so in both types of diabetics there will be an increased thirst. Therefore the diabetic will be both thirsty and passing a great deal of urine. Type 2 diabetes is more insidious it creeps up more slowly so the patient might not be aware of an increased thirst or passing more urine but may have noticed they are feeling more tired than usual, or they may notice the development of thrush, as thrush thrives in sugar laden tissues, or skin infections such as boils.

GANGRENE CAN RESULT IN POORLY MANAGED DIABETES

Coming back to the body's cells because all of the body's cells will be tired this includes blood cells, white blood cells and T'lymphocytes responsible for fighting infection wont work so well and wont be able to cope with infection as well as the non diabetic, hence the increase in skin infections, such as boils, poor healing etc. Nerve cells will also be tired, this goes from the brain all the way to the peripheral nerves, so we have mental exhaustion and nerves responsible for picking up sensation will be impaired so if an infection occurred say in the toes, where a non diabetic might feel the pain of an infection occurring, the diabetic will not, coupled with poor healing you can see why diabetics must be careful with something we take for granted like cutting toe nails as the risk of infection is much greater. The same goes for women diabetics, they shouldn't have waxing as the risk of them developing a serious infection is much greater. The blood vessels are comprised of cells of course, so these will also be compromised, therefore the diabetic's circulation, especially to the extremities, like the toes can become impaired, so the diabetic because their nerve sensations are impaired will not be aware of the circulation is not as efficient. All the body's cells require oxygen, which is delivered by the blood, without this cells will die, the cells will not be able to receive any nutrients either, so they cannot thrive if this happens we have tissues dying which is known as gangrene. If this is not treated, it can become infected and spread, which could result in death and certainly the necessity of having the dead tissue removed  resulting in amputation. Blindness is another complication since the body's cells, the blood vessels to the eyes are impaired. Infection in general, not just in the soft tissues but any infection can become serious for the diabetic as they are not as efficient wilt dealing with infection as the non diabetic. There is an increase in heart disease  too in diabetics, the heart is also as we know comprised of different types of cells, so you can be sure they are not working as efficiently as the non diabetic. These risks can be lessened with good management of the condition, so it is essential the diabetic takes care of their health and they do this by monitoring their blood sugar levels so that they are kept within normal levels. With type 1 this means constantly checking their blood several times a day, in a type 2 diabetic it means taking your medication you are prescribed and following the diet given to you and with all diabetics you must be vigilant in looking out for infection and any changes or worries discuss them with your doctor and don't put this off.

Prevention is always better than cure and there is much we can do to prevent type 2 Diabetes, there is no excuse to having this in children who are obese and its tantamount to child neglect allowing children to become so obese in the first place. If we all looked after our health, by eating a healthy balanced diet and taking regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, not only would we be helping ourselves to better health but we would be saving the country a huge expense.

DEPRESSION~SCIENTISTS SAY IT'S GENETIC

I have reproduced this story from the Daily Mail to highlight there is no shame in any form of mental illness. For far too long there has been a stigma attached and the worst thing you can say to anyone who is suffering from mental illnesses is "To pull yourself together" or "Stop being so self indulgent". There is a physical reason for such ailments and slowly scientists are discovering this, hopefully this will lead to better treatments and a cure.

Depression: Scientists say it's genetic - and my family is the proof

For four long unendurable months, she lay in a darkened room, her face as white as the sheet on the bed from which she could not (rather than would not) move.
‘Mum, I want to die.’ That’s what my lively, funny and much loved 17-year-old daughter said to me, day after day, week after week. I was terrified of leaving the house, for fear of what I would find on my return.
She lost a stone, which she could ill afford on her 5ft 10in, size 8 frame, although I tried to make her eat three meals a day. She did her best, even if it was only a bowl of cereal, but said the pain of hunger was a welcome distraction from the pain in her head.

Shared suffering: Sally Brampton and her daughter, who displays all-too-familiar symptoms

The teenager who read voraciously — at least four books a week — could not read a simple sentence. The girl who, according to her school, was destined for Oxford University and a brilliant academic career, missed four months of school in her A-level year.

She thought she was a failure, a word she used repeatedly. She felt, in some strange way, that it was her fault. It was unbearable.
‘It’s just adolescent mood swings,’ people said. I knew it wasn’t. I took her to a psychiatrist. Diagnosis: major depressive disorder with a high risk of suicide.
I had heard those word myself, a tear-stained pillow clenched over my face in a bed in a psychiatric unit where I was admitted with severe depression.
So, long before the news this month that scientists had found a genetic link to depression, I knew there must be a connection.
Over the years, I had watched my mother standing in the kitchen, crying helplessly. ‘I want to die,’ she, too, had said. The first time I became conscious of her suffering, I must have been about eight years old.

Genetic? Sally knows better than most how the effects of her daughter's illness could shape her life

She would relapse into apathy, was constantly tired and did not want to leave the house. Either that or she would suddenly become snappy and irritable.
I didn’t understand it back then, either my mother’s sudden acute misery, or my own. I knew nothing about depression. As a family we weren’t given to hanging out with psychiatrists and therapists. These days, I understand it only too well.
In retrospect, I realise I have been suffering from depression since I was a teenager, just like my mother, and just like my daughter, whose episodes of the illness started when she was 13, the same age as me.
There was a reason for my misery; being sent to boarding school when I was ten, a place where I was terribly unhappy.
On top of that, my parents lived overseas, 5,000 miles away, so there was nobody I could talk to. Even if I had, they wouldn’t have understood and put it down to teenage blues.

 'My  mother would suddenly fly into a rage'

The first time I saw a doctor was when I was 20. I told him I was feeling depressed. He gave me medication but it was such a strong sedative that it only made me feel worse and, after a month, I threw it away and battled on.
Even when I was editor of a successful magazine, Elle, and I should have been on top of the world, there were weeks I could not stop crying. I pretended to the staff that I had flu and couldn’t come into the office. I thought I was just tired or stressed.
So the science that proves the first solid evidence of a rogue chromosome linked to depression, which gives some people a hereditary disposition, came as something of a relief.
Not because I wanted to find an ‘excuse’ for depression or thumb my nose at those who urge you just to ‘pull yourself together’, but because I wanted (needed) to understand why three generations of bright, lively women sometimes fade into the dark.
It happens for no reason, but happen it does — to all of us; time after time after time.
More than anything, the research proves something I have long believed; that depression is an illness, not a self-indulgence or weakness.
It is a complicated disorder, despite the blanket term given to the condition. Saying somebody has depression is like saying they have a virus. Which virus? What’s it called?

So young: Sally with her beloved daughter when she was a baby

There are many forms of the illness; reactive depression (as in a reaction to difficult life events such as bereavement, the breakdown of a relationship, the loss of a job), postnatal depression, bipolar disorder, bipolar II (which does not include the manic state of bipolar disorder), or simply debilitating, chronically low mood.
Dr Adrian Lord, psychiatrist and medical director of the Cygnet Hospital, explains that depression is so complex it varies even in individuals, let alone between individuals.
In clinical practice, he often sees patients where there is a distinct line of depression, suicide or bipolar disorder running through one side or other of the family. ‘It can span several generations and often does not seem totally due to shared upbringing, so a genetic component does seem likely,’ he says.
Scientists have long believed that certain people are more susceptible to depression than others but have, until now, not been able to offer substantial proof.
Some people shrug off circumstances that would topple another person like a pack of dominoes — which is another reason why depression is stigmatised as weak self-pity. How often have I heard the words, ‘Other people are far worse off than you’. Yes, I know. And?
Whenever I write a personal account on the subject for a newspaper, the comments on the website are inevitably the poisonous, ill-informed malice that any mention of depression seems to inspire.
Here is a real quote from one   website. ‘You should be ashamed of yourself. My Nan worked in a biscuit factory for 30 years, raised three kids single-handedly and never had a day’s depression in her life.’
Well, all I can say is, lucky old Nan.Quite apart from the implications these new findings signify for effective treatments for those suffering from depression (although, still far off in the future), the discovery that a section of DNA is responsible might finally put those ridiculous, antiquated attitudes to rest. It’s bad enough suffering from any severe illness, without being harangued for it.
In fact, it is so distressing that my most fervent wish would be to lock all the doubters and sceptics in a room with my pale, mute, severely depressed daughter for 24 hours so they can witness the illness first-hand and see for themselves the terrible toll it takes.

 'For weeks I could not stop crying'

Depression affects about 20 per cent of people at some point in their lives. Severe, recurring depression affects up to  4 per cent of people and is notoriously hard to treat. That’s the form that afflicts me, my daughter and my mother.
Medication helps but it is not, as some people believe, a cure — and nor are antidepressants ‘happy pills’. That’s the Disney version. They are powerful drugs formulated to help bring neurochemicals back into balance and have extremely unpleasant side-effects. Some work, some don’t — and some make depression infinitely worse.
For the lucky minority (30 per cent) they help to alleviate the condition. I have been on 13 different antidepressants, none of which helped until, under the constant care of a psychiatrist, we finally discovered a cocktail of drugs which keep me stable — at least, most of the time.
The workings of the brain are still so little understood that treating depression is like shooting a gun into the dark and hoping the magic bullet of medication will find its  target.
Hence the comment, from Gerome Breen, leader of the team of scientists at the Institute of  Psychiatry, Kings College London who found the evidence of a hereditary link, that ‘these findings are truly exciting’. An excitable scientist is a rare creature indeed.
Ten years ago, when the episodes of depression I have suffered since childhood escalated into a full breakdown, a psychiatrist implied that my depression might be genetic because my mother suffers from it.
However, he warned, there was no scientific evidence to prove it. I wanted to shout, ‘I am the evidence’, but one woman’s voice is soundless in the face of conjecture. Scientists want hard facts, not subjective accounts.

Down days: Depression is an illness. For some of us, there are no reasons. It just is

I wanted facts too, and spent years researching depression, even wrote a book about it. I wanted to know what might have caused mine — mainly in the hope of heading off another severe episode.
Was it my childhood and the instability of being brought up in six different countries and packed off to 12 different schools? Was it my mother’s undiagnosed, untreated depression which sometimes made her retreat from her children?
Was it my father, who has Asperger’s Syndrome (high-functioning autism) so is unable to empathise or, as he puts, ‘understand the difference between happiness and unhappiness.’
In other words, was it nurture — what psychologists call environmental or psychosocial circumstances? Or was it just plain nature?
Much of the time, I am happy and optimistic — joyous even. I have prodigious energy, work and play hard and love a project such as doing up a house; summoning builders, decorators, carpenters, electricians and plumbers. My speed and impatience are something of a joke among my friends.
But when I am depressed I don’t have the energy to do the washing up, let alone call a plumber. At my worst, I washed using hot water from a kettle for nine months because I couldn’t make a phone call to get the boiler fixed.

 'I'm not living, Mum, I'm enduring'

I have a successful career, a child I adore, wonderful friends, enough money and good health. What reason do I have to be depressed? That doesn’t stop the days when, quite out of the blue, I wake up feeling black despair and all my thoughts turn to suicide.
It was only when my daughter developed depression for absolutely no reason (happy, popular, with adoring parents and a childhood very different from my own) that it hit me, as clearly and as painfully as a bolt of lightning. Depression is an illness. For some of us, there are no reasons. It just is.
As my daughter put it: ‘I’m not living, Mum. I’m enduring. I don’t want to be here any more. Not like this.’ She tried, though; screwed up every little bit of courage she could find. Stuck on the wall by her bed was a page ripped out of a school exercise book.
On it she had scrawled in biro, ‘I will get better’. Then another line, in capital letters, ‘I WILL GET BETTER’. That brave little piece of paper broke my heart.
Friends came round to try to cheer her up. She sat in her dressing gown, trying to join in, sometimes even smiling, but I’d known my daughter’s face for 17 years and I knew the difference between a genuine smile and a desperate effort to reassure her friends.

In your biology? The discovery of a genetic link could shed light on depression

There is no blood test for depression, no easy answers and, sadly, no easy remedies. I have spent countless hours talking to therapists, but when I am severely depressed, no words can reach me.
Depression is not my nature; it is my biology — just as it is my mother’s and daughter’s. I have an illness that causes an imbalance of chemicals in one of the major organs in my body — my brain. To put it another way, I may as well have a chat with my liver and tell it to cheer up.
The discovery of a genetic link does not mean that, because depressive illness is present in a family, it is inevitable. But it may mean severe emotional stress is more likely to trigger an episode in somebody if there is a history of familial depression than in somebody who has no record of mental illness.
In other words, it is a pre-disposition rather than a predetermination. Psychiatrist Adrian Lord says he generally sees the former but admits that, in some people, ‘it is so strong, it does seem almost predetermined’.
Do I suffer from guilt from passing on such a terrible illness to my daughter? Hell, yes. My only consolation is that I know the condition so well, I could get her help fast.
Her solace is that she has a mum who understands and doesn’t dismiss her misery as adolescent mood swings. We call depression our ‘shadow side’. Where there is darkness, there is also light.
Despite missing so much schooling, she got her place at Oxford University, where she is excelling. I am so proud of her, it hurts.
So, for anybody who still believes that depression is strictly for lazy, self-indulgent losers, may I introduce you to my daughter?

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1391742/Depression-Scientists-say-genetic--family-proof.html#ixzz1Nfhi0j2y

FOODS TO LIFT YOUR MOOD

I came across this interesting little article on Yahoo, something I have known for many years and worth noting. Some of those food below you may not be keen on especially with Marmite, you either love it or hate it. I personally love it, if you don't like the UK version there is an Australian product you may prefer the flavour of and that is Vegemite I don't think it tastes as good as Marmite but either way both products will supply you with a good source of vitamin B complex. You don't need to spread it on toast or crackers you can add it to stock for casseroles or stews and it makes a good hot drink, a teaspoon dissolved in hot water.

As for chocolate below the best type is dark chocolate and the higher the cocoa solids the better 1 oz a day of plain chocolate will supply all your needs of iron for the day and its not too sweet either, you are more likely to be satisfied with a small amount of plain chocolate as opposed to a larger bar of milk chocolate.

As for bananas being a great source of tryptophan, they are a good source of potassium and milk too is an excellent source of tryptophan.

MPB (c)

Marmite

If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or depressed, a dose of B vitamins could help to lift your mood. B vitamins are important for normal brain function and producing mood-boosting serotonin, with vitamins B12 and B6 being particularly beneficial for regulating your mood.

To up your intake of B vitamins, try snacking on Marmite on wholegrain toast. As Marmite is fortified with vitamin B12, this is a particularly good choice of food for vegans and vegetarians who may struggle to get their recommended intake.

Oily fish

Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish are well known for being good for the heart. However, they are equally beneficial for our brain health and mood. A study by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine found that participants who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood were more likely to be moderately depressed and have a negative outlook.

Furthermore, a study has found surprisingly low rates of seasonal affective disorder in Icelanders, where the diet is high in omega-3 rich fish. To follow in their footsteps and help ward off the blues, try eating two portions of oily fish a week, or up to four for men.

Chocolate

Many people find themselves reaching for chocolate to ease a bad mood, and this could in fact be no bad thing. Research has shown that chocolate contains many chemicals which can help beat the blues, including relaxing magnesium, calming anandamide and pleasure-inducing phenylethylamine.

To up the mood-boosting benefits further, try snacking on chocolate-dipped strawberries for a healthy treat. Strawberries are not only a good source of vitamin C, which helps in the production of endorphins, but they are high in mood-enhancing flavonoids too.

Bananas

Bananas are high in natural sugars, making them a great remedy for low energy levels which can leave you feeling down. On top of this they are packed with mood-lifting nutrients to help put a smile on your face.

Bananas are a great source of tryptophan, an essential amino acid which boosts serotonin levels, helping to regulate your mood. Furthermore, they are rich in magnesium, which can help you to relax and vitamin B6, which can help to relieve depression.

Nuts

Walnuts are the perfect good-mood food, offering the combined mood-boosting properties of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6 and tryptophan. The nuts are also a good source of folate (vitamin B9); the deficiency of which has been linked to depression.

As well as snacking on walnuts, another good nut to add into your diet is the Brazil. Brazil nuts are an extremely rich source of the mineral selenium, with research suggesting that just one Brazil nut a day can provide you with your recommended daily intake. As low levels of selenium can lead to depression, irritability and anxiety, snacking on Brazils could be the perfect healthy way to boost your mood.

WHY THIS DOES NOT SURPRISE ME (ANTIOXIDANT VITAMINS AND MINERALS)

To me this is not news nutritionists and dietitians have known this for donkey ages, it stands to reason. It's a message us in the industry have been trying to get across for so long and it's pretty basic. The problem lies in peoples' diet these days and the cause of many a problem, too many people have come to rely on fast foods and processed convience foods. I say processed convience foods because nature has its own convience foods, salads and fruit and many vegetables don't take long to prepare and these are rich in these vitamins and minerals. Does the problem lie with peoples' parents these days? or does it stem from the education system that food and nutrition doesn't focus so much in schools? but then why should it? Personally I feel parents' have a duty to educate their children to why it's important to eat a well balanced diet.

If you tell a child or anyone for that matter, to do something or not do something, especially when it comes to eating 'greens' they are going to rebel, especially small children as they are born with a sweet palate, so education should start at an early age. Tell them as they grow up what nutrients do for our bodies, children are like little sponges they absorb facts and it will stay with them. If you say they must eat them without saying why, they will stubbornly refuse and that goes for educating adults as well.

Over cooking can also destroy vitamins, especially the water soluble ones such as  the B complex and Vit C, so steaming and microwaving, which don't use much water are idea. Frozen vegetables often contain more vitamins as they deteriorate rapidly after harvesting, whereby vegetables harvested for the frozen market must be picked and frozen straight away so the vitamin content is preserved.

Minerals are elements that originate in the soil and cannot be created by living things, such as plants and animals. Yet plants, animals and humans need minerals in order to be healthy. Plants absorb minerals from the soil, and animals get their minerals from the plants or other animals they eat. Most of the minerals in the human diet come directly from plants, such as fruits and vegetables, or indirectly from animal sources. Minerals may also be present in your drinking water, but this depends on where you live, and what kind of water you drink (bottled, tap). Minerals from plant sources may also vary from place to place, because the mineral content of the soil varies according to the location in which the plant was grown.

 Selenium
Men need 70 mcgs/day.
Women need 55 mcgs/day.

• Selenium is a part of several enzymes necessary for the body to properly function. Generally, selenium functions as an antioxidant that works in conjunction with vitamin E.
• Selenium deficiency is rare in humans.
• Most fruits contain a small amount of selenium, but dates have a significant amount. 
Bananas 
Breadfruit 
Guava 
Lychee 
Mango 
Passionfruit 
Pomegranate 
Watermelon
• Vegetables: 
Asparagus 
Brussels Sprouts 
French Beans 
Lima Beans 
Mushrooms 
Parsnip 
Peas 
Spirulina
• Most nuts contain selenium, but the following nuts have a significant amount: 
Amaranth 
Barley 
Brazil Nuts 
Buckwheat 
Cashews 
Coconut 
Rye 
Wheat - Durum 
Wheat - Hard Red
• Meat and Proteins: 
Beef 
Cheddar Cheese 
Chicken Breast 
Chicken (dark meat) 
Eggs 
Anchovies 
Caviar 
Cod 
Herring 
Perch 
Pollock 
Salmon 
Sardines 
Tuna 
Lamb 
Pork 
Soy Beans 
Turkey Breast 
Turkey Bacon 
Veal 
Turkey Leg 
Roast Duck 
Hamburger 
Bacon 
Ground Turkey
• Most legumes are a good source of Selenium but these are the highest. 
Black Eye Peas 
Fava Beans 
Garbanzo Beans 
Lima Beans 
Mung Beans 
Navy Beans 
Pigeon Beans 
Pinto Beans 
Soy Beans 
Winged Beans

ZINC
Men need 15 mgs/day.
Women should get 12 mg/day.
Children need 10 to 15 mg/day.

• Vegetarians need about 50 percent more zinc in their diet than meat eaters.
• This metal is important in a number of key activities, ranging from protein and carbohydrate metabolism to the immune system, wound healing, growth and vision.
• Severe deficiency can contribute to stunted growth. Deficiency can sometimes be seen in white spots on the fingernails. (Though not always as damage to the matrix, the growing area under the cuticle area, can also cause these white spots)
• Most fruits contain a small amount of zinc, but the following have a significant amount: 
Avocado 
Blackberries 
Dates 
Loganberries 
Pomegranate 
Raspberries
• Vegetables:
Amaranth leaves 
Asparagus 
Bamboo Shoots 
Brussels Sprouts 
Corn 
French Beans 
Lima Beans 
Okra 
Peas 
Potatoes 
Pumpkin 
Spirulina 
Swiss Chard
• Most nuts have some zinc, but these have a significant amount: 
Buckwheat 
Cashews 
Oats 
Pine Nuts/Pignolias 
Pumpkin Seeds 
Rye 
Sunflower Seeds 
Wheat - Durum 
Wheat - Hard Red 
Wheat - Hard White
• Meat and Proteins: 
Beef 
Cheddar Cheese 
Chicken Breast 
Chicken (dark meat) 
Eggs 
Catfish 
Herring 
Sardines 
Lamb 
Pork 
Soy Beans 
Turkey Breast 
Turkey Bacon 
Veal 
Yogurt 
Turkey Leg 
Lowfat Yogurt 
Roast Duck 
Hamburger 
Bacon 
Beef Sausage 
Beef Jerky 
Hot Dog (Beef) 
Ground Turkey 
Ground Chicken
• Most legumes are a good source of Magnesium but these are the highest 
Adzuki Beans 
Black Beans 
Black Eye Peas 
Fava Beans 
Edamame 
Garbanzo Beans 
Kidney Beans 
Navy Beans 
Soy Beans 
Split Peas 
White Beans 
Winged Beans

Vitamins are organic food substances found only in living things, i.e. plants and animals. They are essential for our bodies to function properly, for growth, energy and for our general well-being. With very few exceptions the human body cannot manufacture or synthesize vitamins. They must be supplied in our diet or in man-made dietary supplements. Some people believe that vitamins can replace food, but that is incorrect. In fact, vitamins cannot be assimilated without also ingesting food. That is why it is best to take them with a meal. Synthetic vitamin supplements can be of varying quality, so it is a good idea to get your supplements from a reliable source. 

Vitamin A
10,000 IU/day (plant-derived) for adult males.
8,000 for adult females - 12,000 if lactating.
4,000 for children ages 1-3
5,000 for children ages 4-6
7,000 for children ages 7-10

• Vitamin A helps cell reproduction. It also stimulates immunity and is needed for formation of some hormones. Vitamin A helps vision and promotes bone growth, tooth development, and helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. It has been shown to be an effective preventive against measles.
• Deficiency can cause night blindness, dry skin, poor bone growth, and weak tooth enamel.
• Alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and retinol are all versions of Vitamin A.
• Most fruits contain vitamin A, but the following fruits have a significant amount: 
Cantaloupes 
Grapefruit 
Guava 
Mango 
Papaya 
Passionfruit 
Tomatoes 
Watermelon
• Amaranth Leaves 
Bok Choy 
Broccoli 
Brussels Sprouts 
Butternut Squash 
Carrots 
Chinese Broccoli 
Chinese Cabbage 
Kale 
Leeks 
Peas 
Pumpkin 
Rapini 
Spinach 
Squash - summer 
Squash - winter 
Sweet Potato 
Swiss Chard
• Chestnuts 
Pecans 
Pistachios
• Cheddar Cheese 
Cream Cheese 
Cows Milk 
Whipping Cream 
Eggs 
Tuna 
Goat Milk 
Goat Cheese 
Sour Cream
• Most legumes do not contain a significant amount of Vitamin A

Vitamin C
60 mg for adults - 70 mg for women who are pregnant and 95 for those lactating.
Children need between 45 and 50 mg

• Vitamin C is one of the most important of all vitamins. It plays a significant role as an antioxidant, thereby protecting body tissue from the damage of oxidation. Antioxidants act to protect your cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the body’s metabolism. Free radicals can cause cell damage that may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Vitamin C has also been found by scientists to be an effective antiviral agent.
• Black Currants 
Breadfruit 
Grapefruit 
Guava 
Kiwi 
Lychee 
Mango 
Mulberries 
Orange 
Papaya 
Passionfruit 
Pineapple 
Strawberries
• Amaranth Leaves 
Bok Choy 
Broccoli 
Brussels Sprouts 
Butternut Squash 
Green Pepper 
Kale 
Swiss Chard
• Other than 
Chestnuts, most nuts do not contain a significant amount of vitamin C.
• Cod 
Perch 
Goat Milk 
Soy Beans 
Lowfat Yogurt
• Other than Edamame, most legumes do not contain a significant amount of vitamin C.

Vitamin E
30 IU for most adults. Children need between 6-11 mg/day. (1 IU is equal to approximately .75 mg)
Note: some researchers and medical experts believe that with all of the positive studies using higher doses of vitamin E, this daily recommended intake is not high enough.

• Like vitamin C, vitamin E plays a significant role as an antioxidant, thereby protecting body tissue from the damage of oxidation. It is important in the formation of red blood cells and the use of vitamin K. Many women also use it to help minimize the appearance of wrinkles, and mothers use it to help heal minor wounds without scarring, as it is valued for its ability to soothe and heal broken or stressed skin tissue.
• Avocado 
Blackberries 
Black Currants 
Blueberries 
Boysenberries 
Breadfruit 
Cranberries 
Guava 
Kiwi 
Loganberries 
Mango 
Mulberries 
Nectarine 
Papaya 
Peach 
Pomegranate 
Raspberries
• Butternut Squash 
Parsnip 
Potatoes 
Pumpkin 
Spirulina 
Swiss Chard 
Taro
• Almonds 
Filberts/Hazelnuts 
Pine Nuts/Pignolias 
Sunflower Seeds
• Eggs 
Herring 
Sardines 
Turkey Bacon
• Edamame 
Pinto Beans

Article below from the Daily Mail

Could a simple pill costing 30p a day be the answer to getting pregnant?

               

Pregnant: The new pill helped 60 per cent of women conceive

A 30p multi-vitamin pill could more than double a woman’s chance of having a baby, according to a study.

It found that 60 per cent of those taking the supplements while undergoing IVF became pregnant compared to just a quarter who did not take them.

Researchers say the pills contain nutrients that may boost fertility such as vitamins A, C and E, zinc and selenium, that are often absent from our diets.


The study carried out at University College London involved 56 women aged 18 to 40, who had all tried unsuccessfully to fall pregnant using IVF for at least a year.

Half were given a multi-nutrient pill to take every day and the other half given folic acid pills to take daily.

The micronutrient pill also contained folic acid which prevents birth defects and has also been shown to help boost fertility.

The team found that 60 per cent of women taking the multi-nutrients fell pregnant, and did not miscarry in the first three months when it is most common.

This compared to 25 per cent of women in the group taking folic acid who were still pregnant after three months.

The study published in the journal Reproductive Biomedicine also found that women taking the micronutrients needed far fewer attempts to become pregnant.

Of those who fell pregnant, 75 per cent conceived in the first course of IVF.

By comparison just 18 per cent of those on folic acid who became pregnant did so after the first IVF course.




The study carried out at University College London, pictured, involved 56 women aged 18 to 40, who had all tried unsuccessfully to fall pregnant using IVF

The particular pill, Vitabiotics Pregnacare-Conception,contains folic acid, vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, selenium and some antioxidants.

It costs just over £10 over the counter for a month’s supply.

Lead researcher Dr Rina Agrawal said: 'The implications of this study are far reaching as they suggest that prenatal micronutrient supplementation in women undergoing ovulation induction improve pregnancy rates.


Vitabiotics Pregnacare-Conception,contains folic acid, vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, selenium and some antioxidants

'There is a large body of evidence establishing the relationship between placental development, foetal growth, pregnancy outcomes and adequate nutrition, particularly vitamin intake.'

But other scientists pointed out that the study was very small so the results should not be taken too seriously.

Dr Allan Pacey who specialises in fertility at the University of Sheffield said: 'The influence of nutrition on our fertility is of general interest to the public and professionals, but there are relatively few studies which have examined this systematically and few which have shown direct benefits of taking supplements to enhance things.'

'Therefore, on the face of it, this study is interesting but we should acknowledge that this is a relatively small number of patients and the study would need to be repeated in a larger trial before we could be certain of the results.'

A woman’s fertility is known to be affected by a number of factors including her age, weight, alcohol consumption, whether she smokes.

High levels of stress and even drinking too much coffee have also been shown to reduce the chances of falling pregnant.