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Positive thinking

A Season Of Slumber (Winter)

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In times past, the bare-limbed trees, long nights, and biting chill of winter signified to all that the time had come to slow down. Humanity emulated the animals, retreating into cozy dwellings where they sustained themselves on foods harvested late in autumn and passed the time in peaceful reflection. Today, most people proceed ruddy-cheeked through winter’s frosts, ignoring the profound effects cold weather has on their bodies and their minds. Yet the beauty and significance of wintertime cannot be so easily overlooked. As the temperature plummets, leaving the air crisp and the landscape bare, we tend to crave warmth and relish rich foods. The presence of loved ones seems more comforting when blustery winds rattle window panes and we feel compelled to conserve our energy by engaging in only the most soothing of activities.

Though your daily schedule may remain more or less the same no matter what time of year it is, you will find in winter many opportunities to honor the way in which you are impacted by this most magical of seasons. At first glance, the world may seem desolate during the coldest months. Yet there are many unique and stimulating sensory experiences to be had—in the intricate beauty of individual snowflakes, the patterns of frost that form on your windows, the tang of smoke from wood-fueled fireplaces, the crunch of freshly fallen snow under your feet, and the briskness of the air. Do not be afraid to venture joyfully out into the cold and the snow as you may have when you were a child. A tingling and reddened nose is a small price to pay for a clear mind and invigorated soul. If your body articulates a desire to rest, give yourself permission to spend your free time reading, writing in your journal, daydreaming, engaging in artistic pursuits, playing board games, working a puzz! le or meditating.

Many plants, like the tulip and the apple tree, would not blossom in the springtime were it not for the period of dormancy that is the gift of winter’s chill. Their example can inspire us to use this season of slumber to cleanse ourselves of spiritual and emotional detritus like flora shedding lifeless foliage so that we, too, may emerge from under the frost refreshed and renewed when spring arrives.

Source:Daily Om

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News on Health & Science

Optimists may live longer

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Optimists may enjoy longer lives than people with a dimmer outlook on the future, a long-term study suggests. Researchers found that of nearly 7,000 adults followed since their college days in the 1960s, those who were optimistic in their youth had a lower risk of dying over the next 40 years than their more pessimistic peers…..CLICK & SEE

On average, the most pessimistic study participants were 42% more likely to die of any cause than the most positive participants, according to findings published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings medical journal.

The results echo those of a number of past studies on personality factors and health, including research that has linked optimism to longer life. One study of elderly adults found that those with a positive view of the future were less likely than pessimists to die over the next decade — regardless of their health at the start of the study.

The current findings could be explained by any number of factors, according to the study authors, led by Dr Beverly Brummett of Duke University Medical Center.

For example, they say, optimists are less likely to suffer from depression than are pessimists, which could, in turn, affect their physical health. They may also maintain a healthier lifestyle, paying more attention to their diet and
exercise habits.

These findings are based on a 40-year follow-up of 6,958 men and women who entered the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in the mid-1960s.

At the time, they took a standard personality test that gauges a person’s tendency to be optimistic or pessimistic.

In general, optimists believe negative events are only temporary and don’t let them affect their overall attitude about themselves and the world.

Pessimists, in contrast, take such events to heart, often blaming themselves and believing that the bad times will last forever.

Source:The Times Of India

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Healthy Tips

The Essential Multivitamin

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More Americans take a daily multivitamin than any other supplement. It’s an easy, safe way to get numerous benefits from a variety of nutrients without having to pop a handful of pills every day……..CLICK & SEE

Taking a daily multivitamin is especially important for older adults because as we age, our bodies become less efficient at absorbing vitamins and minerals from food. And if you follow a vegetarian diet, you may not be consuming enough of certain vitamins and minerals to begin with.

When choosing a multivitamin, pick a brand with high quality control, high reported bioavailability (this means your body can absorb the vitamins), and few additives. These include multis by Thorne, PhytoPharmica, and Vital Nutrients. Don’t choose a multi that contains iron unless you’re a woman who is still menstruating or your doctor has recommended that you take additional iron.

Multivitamins got a boost in June 2002, when the Journal of the American Medical Association published two articles by Harvard doctors on their benefits. The doctors recommended that everyone, regardless of age or health status, take one. We agree. Among the heart-related benefits you might reap are a lower homocysteine level and less oxidation of LDL. Some of the nutrients most likely responsible include:

B vitamins. One of the best reasons to take a multivitamin every day is to be certain to get your fill of B vitamins. This family of vitamins — thiamin, riboflavin (B1), pyridoxine (B6), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), cobalamin (B12), folic acid, biotin, choline, inositol, and para-aminobenzoic acid — plays a critical role in every function inside your body. But the vitamins really shine when it comes to your heart. Folate, B6, and B12 help prevent a dangerous buildup of the amino acid homocysteine. If homocysteine levels rise too high, they damage endothelial cells (which line the arteries), blocking the production of nitric oxide and leaving arteries more prone to plaque buildup. Keeping homocysteine in check is a good enough reason by itself to take a multivitamin.

Another B vitamin, choline, helps your body process cholesterol. And vitamin B5 can actually lower LDL and triglycerides and raise HDL, at least at high doses. The vitamin apparently works by reducing the amount of cholesterol your liver makes.

Generally, a multivitamin will give you all of the B vitamins your body needs. But if you have elevated homocysteine levels, talk to your doctor about taking an additional B vitamin supplement. Should you decide to do so, don’t exceed the recommended dosages. Because they are fat soluble, many of these vitamins can build up in the body to toxic levels.

From:Cut Your Cholesterol

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Healthy Tips

Stop Smoking Now

Get serious about quitting smoking with this customizable plan.

Fill in the dates of start of plan. Click on the “Print this” option above for a printable version of this form.

1.Start walking thirty minutes every day, no excuses, every day. Start this now. __________________.

2. Fill prescription. Ask your doctor for prescriptions for 100 milligram Wellbutrin tablets, and nicotine patches dosed according to the amount you smoke as indicated below:
For 1/2 a pack a day, take 7-10 milligrams

For 1/2-1 pack a day, take 14 milligrams

For 1-2 packs a day, take 21 or 22 milligrams

For more than 2 packs a day, ask your doctor

3. On ____, (Day 31: two days before you plan to stop smoking, take 1 Wellbutrin (bupropion).

Next two days, take 1 Wellbutrin each morning.

4. Apply your nicotine transdermal patch system on Day 33 (this is your stop smoking day). Place one patch on your arm, chest, or thigh (replace daily).

5. On subsequent days, take Wellbutrin each morning and each evening. Most folks wean off Wellbutrin between days 90 and 180.

Continue walking thirty (to forty-five) minutes each day; feel free to drink as much coffee or water as you wish.

6. Make a chart of your daily activities.

7. Phone or e-mail your support person daily to discuss your progress.

8. Begin weightlifting on Day 37 (___, or earlier). Do not increase your physical activities by more than 10 percent a week.

9. Decrease dose of nicotine in patch every 2 months (you can cut patches in half) until no longer needed.

From “You: The Owner’s Manual” by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D. (HarperResource)

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Colds and Flu

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Sooner or later, just about everyone comes down with a miserable cold or case of the flu-and some unfortunate people seem to get infected again and again. Vitamin C is probably the most familiar natural remedy for these viruses, but it’s not the only one.

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Symptoms
Head and chest congestion.
Sneezing and cough.
Sore throat.
Watery nasal discharge.
Muscle aches.
Fever and chills.
Headache.
Fatigue.

When to Call Your Doctor
If your temperature is above 100F for three days or ever goes to 103F or higher.
If you have a sore throat combined with a fever that stays above 101F for 24 hours — it may indicate strep throat, which requires antibiotics.
If mucus is green, dark yellow, or brown — this may be a sign of a bacterial infection in the sinuses or lungs.
If you have chest pain, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing — this may mean you have pneumonia, especially if you also have a high fever.
Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements

What It Is
Because the common cold and the flu are both respiratory infections, determining which you have may be difficult. Generally a cold comes on gradually, and the flu strikes suddenly — you can feel fine in the morning and lousy by afternoon. The classic cold symptoms — congestion, sore throat, and sneezing — are usually less severe than those of the flu, which often include fever, extreme fatigue, muscle aches, and headaches.
The amount of time needed to recover is different too. In general, a cold lasts about a week, but symptoms may trouble you for only three or four days if your immune system is in good shape. You can be sick with the flu for up to 10 days, and fatigue can persist for two to three weeks afterward. A cold rarely produces serious complications, but the flu can lead to bronchitis or pneumonia.

What Causes It
Both colds and flu are caused by viruses that attach themselves to the lining of the nose or throat and then spread throughout the upper respiratory system and occasionally to the lungs as well. In response, the immune system floods the area with infection-fighting white blood cells. The symptoms of a cold or the flu aren’t produced by the viruses but are actually the result of the body trying to stave off the infection. Colds and flu are more common in winter, when indoor heating reduces the humidity in the air; this lack of moist air dries out the nasal passages and creates the perfect breeding ground for the viruses.

How Supplements Can Help
The supplements listed in the chart assist your body in combating cold and flu viruses, rather than suppressing symptoms. For this reason, you may not feel better immediately after taking them, but you’ll probably recover faster. In some cases, prompt treatment may prevent a cold or the flu from fully developing. Start the supplements when symptoms first appear and, unless otherwise noted, continue until the illness passes.

What Else You Can Do
Wash your hands often to reduce your chances of catching an infection.
Use a humidifier or cool-mist vaporizer in winter to keep indoor air moist.
Consider getting a flu shot. It takes six to eight weeks to build up a viral immunity, so get vaccinated in late fall before the flu season begins. Different flu strains emerge each year, so you’ll need to have an annual shot.
Don’t smoke. Smokers are twice as likely to catch colds as nonsmokers, according to a study from the Common Cold Unit of the Medical Research Council in Salisbury, England.

Supplement Recommendations

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Echinacea
Zinc Lozenges
Garlic
Goldenseal

Vitamin A
Dosage: 50,000 IU twice a day until symptoms improve; if needed beyond 7 days, reduce dose to 25,000 IU a day.
Comments: Women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy should not exceed 5,000 IU a day.

Vitamin C
Dosage: 2,000 mg 3 times a day until symptoms improve; if needed beyond 5 days, reduce dose to 1,000 mg 3 times a day.
Comments: Reduce dose if diarrhea develops.

Echinacea
Dosage: 200 mg 5 times a day.
Comments: For prevention, take 200 mg a day in 3-week rotations with the herb astragalus (400 mg a day).

Zinc Lozenges
Dosage: 1 lozenge every 3 or 4 hours as needed.
Comments: Do not exceed 150 mg zinc a day from all sources.

Garlic
Dosage: 400-600 mg 4 times a day with food.
Comments: Each pill should provide 4,000 mcg allicin potential.

Goldenseal
Dosage: 125 mg standardized extract 5 times a day for 5 days.
Comments: Don’t use during pregnancy or with high blood pressure.

Source:Your Guide to Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs

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