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LATEST NEWSCancer Benefit From Vitamin D? June 8, 2007 – A study released today concludes that increased vitamin D intake reduces the risk of developing cancer. more...Omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood pressure A diet with liberal servings of fish, nuts and seeds rich in nutrients called omega-3 fatty acids can help lower a person's blood pressure, according to a study released Monday. more... Pink Grapefruit Juice Most Nutritious Pink grapefruit juice provides more nutrients per calorie than any other 100 percent fruit juice, according to a new study that analyzed several juices commonly found in major U.S. markets. more... Fatty dairy foods 'could help women conceive' Eating dairy foods which are high in fat could increase a woman's chance of getting pregnant, new research suggests.more... BMJ editor hits out at pharmaceutical industry The editor of the British Medical Journal (BMJ) has stated that the pharmaceutical industry must be brought to account for misrepresenting its products. more... Vehicle fumes 'stunt lung growth' Exhaust fumes contain toxins Living too near a busy road could stunt a child's lung development more... Old News : Looking for an article that's no longer listed? Check our list of old articless here |
  BODY Our lifestyle can have an enormous impact on our health. The three main areas that have an impact are exercise, diet and stress. There are other important factors too, such as pollution, toxins in household products, exposure to chemicals at work etc., but for now I'm going to focus on the big three. Exercise We all know that we should exercise regularly, but do we actually manage to put our good intentions into practice. If you want to exercise, but don't seem to be able to manage to do it, then there are a few things worth considering. Firstly pick something that you enjoy and if you don't enjoy any exercise pick the thing you hate the least. If the idea of going to a gym makes your blood turn cold, then don't join a gym, do something else. If your best friend loves running, but you know you hate it, then don't keep beating yourself up for not going running with her, do something else that you will enjoy. Think about what you enjoyed as a child, maybe you can find a dance class, play football in the park with the kids, buy a skipping rope, or play hop scotch! If you are too embarrased to exercise in front of other people then do something at home - buy some exercise videos, a cycling machine, a skipping rope, a trampoline, but again pick something you will enjoy. Plan when you are going to exercise and stick to your plan. Make a plan that is actually possible, there's no point planning to do an hour every day if you know you are never going to find the time. Instead plan 30 mins a day, or one hour three times a week. Remember doing something is better than planning to do lots, but actually doing nothing. If you know you find it difficult to stick to a plan then get people to help you. Maybe you can find a friend to exercise with, or your partner can become your coach. If you are really struggling and have no one to help out then you might want to consider seeing a life coach who can help you to set realistic goals and motivate yourself. Diet We are constantly being told what we should and shouldn't eat. It can be difficult to keep up to date with the latest advice, in fact it can be totally confusing. Most advisors now agree that we should aim to:  
, or have a look on our Book page for other recommendations. If its all too confusing then you might like to consult a nutritionist , who should be up to date on the latest theories. They will be able to make tailored recomendations to help you improve your diet.Stress This seems to be the modern buzz word. Everyone it seems is suffering from stress. A certain amount of stress is only natural and can actually be good for us. The problem seems to be that many of us are now in a constant state of stress. This wears down our bodies and our immune systems and leads to various health problems, both physical and psychological. So what can we do to reduce our stress levels? Some stress is avoidable and if we are really suffering then we may need to think seriously about making big lifestyle changes. Many people with top City jobs are deciding to quit their high pressured, high stress careers and do something less stressful. However, most people are probably not prepared to send the kids to live permenantly with their grandchildren and retreat to a buddhist monastry, so what other alternatives do we have? The most important thing is to make time for yourself. However busy you feel you are, you are important, your health is important, so prioritise taking care of yourself. You are no good to your children, your partner, your dependent mother if you collapse! Make time for yourself every day, even if its only 15 minutes, but try to find longer periods of time too. One of the best ways to beat stress is to learn to meditate. Other options include massage, shiatsu, reiki and yoga. Equally good can be listening to relaxing music or doing something you really enjoy (not just something you think you should enjoy) like reading, seeing friends, exercising, watching a movie etc. If your stress is more deep rooted then you may need proffesional help from a counsellor or hypnotherapist to get you back to a more relaxed state. You can find our more by visiting our 'Mind' pages. READ ARTICLES ON HEALTH TOPICS : CLICK HERE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIESWHAT ARE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES?Complementary therapies, in their widest sense, are anything that can help us to feel better and be healthier. The term 'complementary' rather than 'alternative' is used to indicate that they can be used along side conventional medicine. Most of the therapies are not meant to replace conventional medicine completely, although they may well help you to see less of your doctor. Some of the therapies could actually be viewed as alternatives in many ways, as they claim to be able to treat virtually anything and have their own comprehensive approaches to diagnosis and treatment. However, even these do not generally claim to be able to replace surgery in certain circumstances and most therapists will refer you to a doctor if they feel this is necessary.WHY COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES?Many people are finding that conventional medicine is no longer meeting their needs. We may still rely on doctors and hospitals to fix a broken bone or to carry out life saving operations after an accident, but they often seem unable to help with persistant illnesses and conditions. A number of people have told me recently that their doctors have said they must learn to live with a condition or with pain, indeed I've had this experiance twice myself. Often our GPs seem rushed, unable to really listen to us, sometimes the treatment they give us seems to make us worse. In light of this many people are seeking other ways to recover from illnesses and to improve their health. People are starting to want to take control of their bodies and of their health rather than placing all their trust in doctors.Part of this is about information. Rather than just accepting what our doctor tells us, we want to check the facts for ourselves, to see if there are other views, other options. The internet allows us access to information that was previously only available to experts. However, this carries its own dangers, as much of the information on the internet is unverified and contradictory. So we need to take care. Taking action to improve your health can be seen as falling into two broad catagories; lifestyle changes and seeking help from a therapist for a particular condition. I have addressed lifestyle on this page and you can find out more about a whole range of therapies on this site. Just use the drop down menu under 'Body' at the top of this page. ************************************************************************ You can discuss therapies and health issues with others on our Community Forum The aim of this site is to provide information about various therapies. We do not recomend any particular therapy in general, or for any particular condition. The therapy outlines are written by individual therapists and any claims made have not been validated by Inspirational Friends. To contact us email: admin@inspirationalfriends.co.uk |
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