This is the podcast from year 7, column 12.
It’s 6:47 in length. It’s about what I would do if I Was King of the World – with emphasis on making it easier to lose weight.
You can download it by clicking here.
You can read the column here.
Recognize Stress Before it Kills You!
Part 1 of 3. (Part 2 can be found here.)
Everyone suffers from stress at different times throughout their day.
We all know that “good” stress can peak your adrenaline and actually help increase your performance and abilities in getting a job done. This kind of stress is critical on the battlefield. It’s when stress begins to control us, instead of us being in control of it, that it turns into “bad” stress. This decreases our ability to react and respond properly in situations and can be damaging to ourselves and others. Stress, much like high blood pressure, can be a “silent killer.” In a three-part series on Stress, we’ll look at how to recognize stress, what you can do to reduce stress, and how to create a stress management plan.
What is stress?
Stress is the response your body makes to outside anxieties and stimuli that may seem out of your control. Most stress is normal and necessary to our overall physical and mental health. “Good” stress allows us to become protectors of those around us in dangerous situations and triggers a lifesaving “flight or fight” response. Stress levels depend on the degree, intensity and frequency of demands put on us. When does stress cross the line and become harmful? When it has a negative and prolonged affect on your moods, physical health, aggression and the people around you.
Become aware of stress symptoms.
Always be aware of your own body and when it’s acting in a way that’s not normal. Stress shows up in many different ways and can often be overlooked or interpreted as something different. ALL of these symptoms don’t have to be present, just a few at a time.
Look for:
- Symptoms that resemble a heart attack – chest pain and shortness of breath
- Prolonged increased blood pressure
- Outbursts of anger
- Feelings of “helplessness” and depression
- Withdrawing from normal activities and people
- Not responding to true danger around you – misinterpreting the situation along with confusion
- Dizzy spells, weak muscles and trembling, disorientation
- “Butterflies” in your stomach
- Frustrated thinking in problem solving and decision making
- Headache, sweating and “clamminess.”
Are you more susceptible to stress?
Of Dietary Supplements and Flying Unicorns
Why is the diet industry replete with so many phony claims?
Recently, I was exposed to yet another “miracle diet product” that got my hackles up — and rest assured you don’t want to be around when I have elevated hackles.
The radio ad began something like:
“We are looking for a select few people in this listening area that want to be involved in a new weight loss study who want to lose no more than two pounds a day.”
Firstly, announcements referencing “this listening area,” are not from “this listening area;” they’re part of a national or regional campaign pretending to sound local. Should they be homegrown, they would say something such as, “We need people in Northern California…” Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with national advertising; however, the fact that it’s disingenuous raises the first in a series of red flags.
Speaking of such, let’s wave some more.
Indeed, there are countless people “in this listening area” who would easily want to shed the required poundage at approximately two pounds every 24 hours. It ain’t gonna happen. Granted, they reference “no more” than two pounds a day. I mean, who would be upset if all they shed was a pound a half a day?
In one month, I have the perfect body. How cool is that?
An important admonition: One cannot lose weight — and sustain it (and that’s essential) — that rapidly without sacrificing one’s health. Therefore, the set up is not only promoting unrealistic and unhealthy expectations, but it’s setting up “participants” to feel like failures should they lose the more realistic one to two pounds per week.
Being your dedicated diet detective, I ventured to the website to suss out the details. What I discovered was that we could purchase a new miracle supplement “electromagnetically encoded to copy the effects of homeopathic formulas.” To get the aforementioned results, one consumed a few drops regularly and followed a “VCLD” (very low calorie diet) of approximately 500 calories per day.
Let’s put that in perspective.
Audio: Of Diet Supplements and Flying Unicorns
Happy Heart Month! Take Care of Your Heart
by special guest author Eliz Greene. (Note: Join Eliz as our special guest on Feb 22, 2012 at 10AM in a live interview. There is no charge and you can find out more here.)
Each February EmbraceYourHeart.com focuses on Women’s Heart Health – to build awareness, improve treatment, and end research disparities.
Over the past ten years, we’ve done a pretty good job! Most women recognize heart disease as the number one killer of women of all ages.
Are you putting your heart as your #1 priority?
To celebrate Heart Month 2012 – here are 12 ways you can Embrace Your Heart. Share them with a woman you love and ask her to take care of #1 (her heart)!
- Wake Up! The majority of women don’t know their own personal risk of heart disease. Take the time of get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar checked and have a conversation about your family history, weight, and lifestyle with a medical professional.
- Know The Signs: Women’s symptoms of heart attack can be very subtle. Any unusual pain in your jaw, neck, shoulder, torso – really anywhere from the top of your head to your hips – can be a symptom of heart attack. Uncomfortable pressure, burning or squeezing in your chest, shortness of breath, dizziness, cold sweat, and nausea can all be symptoms as well. Play it safe – call 911 and get help right away.
- Call A Friend: Stress increases your risk of heart disease – one easy way to reduce stress is to talk to a friend. Women who maintain positive relationships with other women reduce their risk by 30%! Girl talk is good for your heart! [Read more…]