Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one.
Hans Selye (Austrian-Canadian endocrinologist, 1907-1982)

For starters stress is a body reaction to CHANGE.  How to you look at change?  Easy, positive!  It may not appear easy at first but try to look at this change as a sense of difficulty yet a challenge with a victory in the end, if approached right.  Let us take the following challenges, for example –  Having a child leave home for college or marriage, losing a home with this economy, a loss of a friend in your life:  How do you look at these experiences positively?  Well for the child I would be so happy for her or him starting college life with my worries but know I raised her or him well and if he makes mistakes on the way he will learn to get up off the ground and fix them knowing he can come to me or dad whenever he has the need or if we sense a problem we would address it (Its part of life=growing up).  Another aspect to look at regarding this stress is there is loss in the parent role so fill up that loss with a new hobby, or get active in whatever organization you are in (Ex. Church, Temple, School, to just taking up ceramics or do more traveling with your spouse and friends).   I had my falls with the stresses that I have come across but got up every time to stand again, some quicker than other times.  How do you deal with losing a home with this economy? Appreciate the good memories you had when you had the home and pick up starting a new life elsewhere with making it a journey down the yellow brick road leading you to where the rainbow is at the end; don’t look at it as a loss. Dealing with losing a friend, again, the way I look at it is I appreciate the time I had with her or him and know they haven’t left me in spirit (if deceased).   If the person is still living know there are reasons for everything; whatever the cause was for the reason for the relationship parting and when out of my control I think of how I had a good friendship as opposed to never having one with that individual.  I accept that nothing lasts forever or indefinitely, with appreciating the time I may have had with the person.  Ending note is I look at life this way, whatever positive entity comes in my life may be taken away from me and appreciate every moment you spend with that person or thing in your life that you love so much (including my life span that only upstairs knows how long that time factor will be but I try to live a life at its healthiest optimal level with practicing positive behavior which is knowing whatever stressors come my way there is always someone worse off).

If I don’t deal with stress like this than I can expect complications that may arise, just like for anyone else who looks at challenges coming their way in a negative sense.  You commonly see stress become a neg- ative experience when a person faces continuous challenges/stressors without relief or relaxation between the them.  The ending result is the person becomes overworked and stress-related tension builds.  Stress that continues without positive resolution at some level can cause a condition called distress, which is a negative stress reaction.  The physical reactions that happen to your body due to negative stress:

-Elevated high blood pressure –Headaches –Chest Pain –Upset Stomach   –Insomnia –Grinding of the teeth –Jaw Tension –Teeth grinded down –Irritability –Anger –Panic episodes –Vasoconstriction to our vessels  causing increases to the heart rate –Decreases sex drive –Depression (Research even suggests that stress also can bring on or worsen certain symptoms or diseases.)

Stress costs American industry more than $300 billion annually.  The lifetime prevalence of an emotional disorder is more than 50%, often due to chronic, untreated stress reactions.

Stress is a normal part of life.  Many events that happen to you and around you — and many things that you do yourself (Ex. Work 40 to 60 hrs a week in a highly stressful job, like a policeman) – will put stress on your body. You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts.  You can also cause the stress to impact your body with first just signs and symptoms (s/s) developing, that are listed above, but without relief of the stress these s/s can lead you into a disease/illness forming or even make the diagnose (s) you already have even worse.

Many signs and symptoms pick up when exposed to continual stress or stresses that just build up on top of each other causing some people in developing unhealthy habits, poor dieting, and the lack of desire to be as active as they were which in turn develops conditions that would not have occurred if this negative behavior didn’t happen over a long period of time.

This behavior with the stress or stresses you are experiencing increases the probability of health conditions starting to take place in your body or if you’re with certain diagnoses already the stress can possibly impact your body by worsening the condition.    The conditions that can develop from any age of being under continual stress over a period of time are:

-ADD or ADHD –Panic disorders –High blood pressure –Anti-arrhythmias -Cardiac Disease -Diabetes 1 or Diabetes 2  -Stroke –Irritable Bowel Syndrome –Weight Gain/Obesity –Fibromyalgia –Complex Regional Pain Syndrome –ETOH -Depression and so much more.

How to bypass developing conditions that can be caused from the long constant stress or stresses you experience? One method is fight back (fight or flight), and when it gets really difficult don’t turn to bad heath patterns in your life to deal with the stressors turn to a healthy diet, keeping a healthy weight for your body mass index (BMI) so you can deal better with fighting the stressors in your life (if not sure what your BMI is check online to find out how to calculated it, it is for free), and practice healthy habits.  You may be saying how to I even go about that or maybe it’s easy for me but not true.  Let me shine some light on this topic.  I was there many times before and found a resolution to help deal better with my stresses through a change in eating and I lost 22 lbs. and still I am trying with being physically challenged at this moment to get to my optimal shape.  If you want to check out how to deal effectively with your stress and live a healthier life for prevention of complications that stress can cause go to healthyusa.tsfl.com/.  You will learn both through Dr. Anderson and his book “Dr. A’s habits of health” and myself, as your health coach, with how to use Medifast in your diet with certain foods you normally eat in your diet also.  This will help you in dealing with stressors as well as boost up your health with losing weight and learning healthy habits in living.  It is surely more than just dieting which is not only for 3mths or ½ year or even 2 years but its learning for life how to eat healthy with occasionally treating yourself to treats or favorite meals to lose weight and maintain it for life, to where it just becomes a part of your life and it doesn’t feel like dieting.  It also is a program showing you behavior to learn by living healthier habits with explaining how it helps your body.  Through Dr. Anderson’s book you will learn about all 4 food groups in how to eat the foods, when to eat the foods, what portion sizes to use, with learning even about diseases and illnesses that can occur through poor habits in diet, activity, and more. This program is giving you the steps that can lead you in the right pathway of how to control your life with reaching your optimal level of heath.  You make the choices of what changes you want to make, no one else.  There is no fee, no donations, no hacking, and no obligation on your part other than just to take a peek and see if what we can provide is what you would like.  It can help you with conquering your stresses in life and reaching a healthier life which could impact even others around you especially your family and friends.  If this occurs and this news spreads throughout America it would make our country much healthier which we could use for now and in the future.  This is not a recruiting organization but a company that can help you and many others live a better and possibly longer life.  Hope I have helped you in someway dealing with any stress in your life.  Also, I hope to hear from you both with your comments on the articles you read on my blog with visiting the website in taking the right step to reach the optimal level of your heath including learning methods that help you deal the best you can with stress.

TAKE A PEEK-healthyusa.tsfl.com;)

Health is the greatest possession.
Contentment is the greatest treasure. Confidence is the greatest friend.
Non-being is the greatest joy.  Lao Tzu

People with normal metabolism upon awaking and before breakfast are able to maintain blood glucose levels in the AM ranging from 60 to 110mg/dl.  After eating food the non-diabetic’s blood glucose may rise to 120-140 mg/dl after eating (postprandial), but these then rapidly return back to normal.  The reason for this happening is you eat food, it reaches the stomach, digestion takes place during digestion the stomach brakes down fats, carbohydrates, and sugars from compound sugars to simple sugars (fructose and glucose).  Than the sugars transfer from the stomach into the bloodstream causing an increase in sugar levels.  Now, your body uses the sugar it needs at that time throughout the entire body for energy and if still extra sugar left in the bloodstream that isn’t needed at that time to be utilized it now needs to go somewhere out of the bloodstream to allow the glucose blood level to get back between 60-110mg/dl.  That extra glucose first gets stored up in the liver 60-80% and then gets stored in our fat tissue=fat storage=weight increase.  Unfortunately this doesn’t take place with a diabetic since there is very little or no insulin being released by the pancreas and over time due to the high blood glucose blood levels (called hyperglycemia) problems arise in the body over years.   When diabetes occurs there is a resolution and you have the disease the rest of your life.  You need to control your glucose level.  2 TYPES OF DIABETES:       a.) Diabetes I  b.) Diabetes ll. We have risk factors that can cause disease/illness; there are unmodified and modified risk factors. With unmodified risk factors we have no control in them,which are 4 and these are: Heredity, Sex , Age, Race.  Now modified risk factors are factors we can control, 3 of them that you can control is your weight, diet and health habits (which play a big role in why many people get diabetes II).  Look at what the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com /health/diabetes)says about risk factors:

RISK FACTOR FOR TYPE  DIABETES ONE:

Although the exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown, genetic factors can play a role. Your risk of developing type 1 diabetes increases if you have a parent or sibling who has type 1 diabetes. Based on research, we also know that genes account for less than half the risk of developing type1 disease. These findings suggest that there are other factors besides genes that influence the development of diabetes. We don’t know what these factors are, but a number of different theories exist.  Environmental factors, such as exposure to a viral illness, also likely play some role in type 1 diabetes. Other factors that may increase your risk include:                                                                                                                                                                       The presence of damaging immune system cells that make autoantibodies. Sometimes family members of people with type 1 diabetes are tested for the presence of diabetes autoantibodies. If you have these autoantibodies, you have an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes. But, not everyone who has these autoantibodies develops type 1.

Dietary factors. A number of dietary factors have been linked to an increased risk of type 1 diabetes, such as low vitamin D consumption; early exposure to cow’s milk or cow’s milk formula; or exposure to cereals before 4 months of age. However, none of these factors has been shown to cause                                                                                                                                                                                  Race. Type 1 diabetes is more common in whites than in other races.                                                      Geography. Certain countries, such as Finland and Sweden, have higher rates of type 1 diabetes.

RISK FACTORS FOR DIABETES TYPE 2 AND PREDIABETES
Researchers don’t fully understand why some people develop prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and others don’t. It’s clear that certain factors increase the risk, however, including:

Weight. The more fatty tissue you have, the more resistant your cells become to insulin.

Inactivity. The less active you are, the greater your risk. Physical activity helps you control your weight, uses up glucose as energy and makes your cells more sensitive to insulin. Exercising less than three times a week may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Family history. Your risk increases if a parent or sibling has type 2 diabetes.

Race. Although it’s unclear why, people of certain races — including blacks, Hispanics, American Indians and Asians — are at higher risk.

Age. Your risk increases as you get older. This may be because you tend to exercise less, lose muscle mass and gain weight as you age. But type 2 diabetes is also increasing dramatically among children, adolescents and younger adults.

Gestational diabetes. If you developed gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, your risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes later increases. If you gave birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds (4 kilograms), you’re also at risk of type 2 diabetes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome. For women, having polycystic ovary syndrome — a common condition characterized by irregular menstrual periods, excess hair growth and obesity — increases the risk of diabetes.

High blood pressure. Having blood pressure over 140/90mm Hg is linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Abnormal cholesterol levels. If you have low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol, your risk of type 2 diabetes is higher. Low levels of HDL are defined as below 35 mg/dL.

High levels of triglycerides. Triglycerides are a fat carried in the blood. If your triglyceride levels are above 250 mg/dL, your risk of diabetes increases.

RISK FACTORS FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Any pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes, but some women are at greater risk than are others. Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:

Age. Women older than age 25 are at increased risk.

Family or personal history. Your risk increases if you have prediabetes — a precursor to type 2 diabetes — or if a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, has type 2 diabetes. You’re also at greater risk if you had gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy, if you delivered a very large baby or if you had an unexplained stillbirth.

Weight. Being overweight before pregnancy increases your risk.

Race. For reasons that aren’t clear, women who are black, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian are more likely to develop gestational diabetes.

The key not to get diabetes is taking Prevention Measures (especially regarding type II) but even diagnosed with diabetes there are measures you can take in helping to control the glucose and decreasing the chances of increasing the side effects of what it can cause to the human body organs overtime especially cardiac disease, kidney disease, neuropathy, retinopathy to blind from having hyperglycemia frequently over years; in time it thickens the blood making circulation difficulty effecting tissues furthest from the heart= feet/lower extremities where skin ulcers occur for not getting enough oxygen to the tissues in the feet or lower extremities that can lead to necrosis causing amputation of toes to foot to below knee amputation to even above knee amputation.  It also increases chance of heart attack and stroke.  PREVENTION first and CONTROL second when diagnosed with DM, is so vitally important.

“Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”

Albert Einstein

Now, how do we reach that, you say?  In review of part 1 (yesterday’s article), we now know from yesterday’s article Part 1 – the basics of how the brain waves operate with how the brain waves work with a healthy brain as opposed to unhealthy brain but now we need to know how do we reach that steps of keeping the brain healthy and there are a few steps to take.  Those steps will train your brain waves to become balanced more effectively in both motor and cognitive function.  This includes the following:

1.) Diet (foods you eat on a routine basis 24 hours/7days week on your routine diet foods, with including exceptions of occasionally treats when you are in ideal weight range or ideal body mass index range)

2.) Balance both rest and exercise

3.) Learning healthier habits (from types of foods you eat including all the food groups, when to eat, how large a meal, how many times a day, what exercise keeps you healthy, and how the body works with our metabolism).

4.) The hardest and most promising ingredient, if it’s reached, is you are effectively training & practicing the healthy habits of daily living with having all brain waves working appropriately.

To obtain this goal you need to know the area(s) that need to be improved to make your life a healthier one.  You know what your routine lifestyle is like now and what health habits you’re not doing now. (Ex. Either needing to sleep more=8hrs a day is healthy, or increase your cognitive/problem solving more with the brain from reading to crossword puzzles daily to looking at the news daily or even college classes register for or  take up a hobby=ceramics to simply learning how to play an instrument, or just simply eating better foods).  At first this may take discipline but then it becomes a natural way of living or just a routine you adapted in your life style.

You know yourself better than anyone else and if you feel you need a little help to get in the right direction in reaching a healthier state than you came to the right blog for a helping hand.  Our diet plus Dr. Anderson’s guidance with his book “Dr. A’s Habits of Health” will help increase the brain’s function with learning what healthy habits are and you choosing what changes to make for your life regarding diet, exercise & habits.  First doing this you need to learn this knowledge in steps using an outlined, structured, and time period that is suitable for you.  So set a goal for yourself that you find reachable.  Most importantly, you actually practicing the healthier habits forever which become a breeze for you when you understand the logic behind the diet and healthy habits we teach you.  Learning proper eating, proper health habits routinely is not just for 6 months or less but for life with understanding why you’re making the change so you’ll be more inclined to  doing them.  Brain wellness.com even further expands my article with the following; it agrees that the following are important in your life advertising to learn about 11 DOMAINS of brain health:

To learn all about foods, food groups, with supplements, our metabolism, how fast foods work as opposed to healthy ELEVEN (11) DOMAINS OF BRAIN HEALTH™
1. Nutrition and Hydration: Memory Preservation Nutrition®
2. Physical Exercise
3. Mental & Cognitive Stimulation including Cognitive Education/The Serper           Method™, Memory Techniques & Medication Management
4. Management of Stress and Depression
5. Social Engagement & Support
6. Sleep needed for brain health
7. Balanced Chi (Energy)
8. Music (listening to and playing music) and Other Creative Arts & crafts, story-telling.
9. Spiritual Practices – Pray, Meditate, Forgive, Let Go, Be Kind & Loving, Practice Gratitude, Be Positive
10. Humor, Fun, Laughter & Joy
11. Sense of Meaning and Purpose in Life

If you want to learn healthy habits to bring into your routine day to day schedule with learning about all 4 food groups, how to eat the foods you like 5-6 times a day every 3 hours to 4 hours a day, and for those who even want to learn how to lose weight safely and effectively.  Yes you’re interested, than what are you waiting for click onto heathyusa.tsfl.com.   We are not just a diet to lose weight but much more.  All these ingredients will help keep your brain healthy and even enhance it depending on what you choose to achieve (the ball is in your court).   The key is to live a healthy life with all your body systems.  This consists of diet, exercise or activity and practicing healthy habits routinely in your life that will help prevent or assist you in treating illnesses/diseases (not add to them like obesity and anorexia can).  Ending result it makes you feel great both inside and out.  The better we treat ourselves regarding health the higher the odds we will live a longer, more active and healthier life.

There is not just one food to eat or one type of exercise to do or one healthy habit to perform that will keep you healthy; there are choices.  Come onto my website which is no fee, no charge, no hacking, it will just let you check us out to look further in understanding how to take a shape for your life with Dr. Anderson and even myself as your health coach in helping you learn what these healthier habits or changes are for a better life that will help keep your brain and overall body healthy (again, mind and body).   It allows you to make all the decisions in what you want to do regarding what to eat (diet), do as exercise/activity, and practice as healthy habits added in your life.  We just provide the information and even the healthy foods in your diet; you decide if you want them.  I eat them 5 to 6 times out of the day with one meal my meat or fish (high protein) and vegetable (lean and green) to help keep my metabolism on a steady rate.  I have lost over 20 lbs. and find it to be cheaper than the foods in the supermarket.  You make all the choices.  Wouldn’t you want less disease/illness for yourself and for even others throughout the nation including the future generation.  Well than click on over and take a look with what Dr. Anderson and myself provide.  We both have been in the health care system; Dr. Anderson over 30 years and myself over 25 years.  Dr. Anderson is the co-founder and medical director of “Take Shape for Life”; so click on to http:// healthyusa.tsfl.com.  Thank you for reading my blog.  I know you will benefit from it, and from my blog you will learn daily about health, disease and illness caused by just bad habits, poor diet and no exercise/activity in your life.  So don’t stop reading my blog articles and I hope to hear from you soon at my website under comments.  Listening to other mind perceptions is an open mind.

There  is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies.   My brain and my  heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.
Dalai  Lama

Let’s start with how the brain operates; think of the human body as a car for a moment.  The brain of the car is a computerized disc that allows a lot of the operations to take place in making the engine and more run proper and safely when the key is turned on (if that car is at least late 1980’s or newer).  The battery is like the nervous system allowing connection of electrical currents to many parts of the car enabling them to do their job (Ex. lights turned on at night).  Well we can’t live without the brain (sort of like the computerized disc in the car).   Our nervous system works with the brain in allowing currents to be sending messages to our body parts to function (sort of like our car battery).  To provide a MD with accuracy in evaluating how your brain is operating or if dysfunctional (Ex. Seizure disorder, Alzheimer disease-dementia, etc…) he or she uses a tool that is called an electroencephalogram (EEG) and he looks at your brain waves (alpha, beta, delta, & theta waves).  Well how the car is diagnosed is through a diagnostic scanner that connects to your car telling the mechanic how the car is functioning, to see why certain car lights are on at the dash board when they shouldn’t be (ex. Like when the brake light or engine light or temperature light is on) well the doctor uses as a diagnostic tool also to evaluate these brain waves of the human body called an electroencephalogram (EEG).  Well during certain times of human functioning the brain shows certain brain waves which gives information to MD’s on the patient’s brain normality regarding its function.  There are the 4 traditional brain waves that researches in 1930-1940 have identified.  These brain waves show us what is going on in the body.  The following is a breakdown of what these waves represent in action:

Alpha-appear when you are relaxed and calm.

Beta-appear when we are actively thinking or actively doing problem solving.

Delta-appear during sleep

Theta-are associated with deep relaxation (like a hypnotic relaxation), in sleep, and visualization.

These brain waves are measured in what we call Hertz=Hz, for abbreviation. So Alpha=(8-13 Hz), Beta=(13-38 Hz), Delta=(below 4 Hz) Theta=(4-7 Hz). Since these brain waves were introduced into medical profession, other types of brainwaves have been identified and the traditional 4 have been further subdivided into 2 other groups; they are: 1)Sensory Motor Rhythm- This involves with some brain and motor function and 2)Gamma rhythm- This is more involved with mental activity of the brain.  Our overall brain activity is a mix of all the frequencies at the same time, some in greater quantities and strengths than others.

So what is the meaning of all this?   The answer is Balance with having Flexibility.  This generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working.  We don’t want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency.  Just like the car, if you’re constantly in overdrive or the opposite it will stress the overall engine and its associated parts to the point that the car is no longer running effectively or productively.  This is the same with the brain; it should not constantly be in cognitive thinking or problem solving 24 hours/7days a week, but not a zombie either.  Living your life in keeping your brain waves balanced along with eating a balanced diet and doing regular exercise (2 to 3 times a week up to daily) with rest will help you maintain a good weight that is beneficial for your mind and body.  Same principle as the car just constantly doing one of these activities, staying in the same gear or activity mode will hurt you (Ex. Prevent vitamin deficiency like calcium deficient which puts bones at risk of getting a fractured or broken bone.  From too much work out with no rest=sprain or injury of the body.   Without staying within a healthy weight can put you at risk for anorexia or obesity and both can cause injury to the body, like anemia or cardiac/diabetic diseases.)

How do you make or manage a healthy brain?  Well, first being able to control the brain through balance and flexibility with resilience; that is the capacity of humans to come out of an extreme shock, damage, injury and trauma followed by getting back to a normal life (like run with the ball but don’t drop it.)  Simply it is saying we bounce back positive after a negative stress in our lives (deep depression, become hateful or resentful, drink heavy to increasing or a smoker with increasing packs smoked/day rather than quitting cold turkey=unhealthy for the brain and their overall body).   This is surely not saying it’s easy but that is why brain training yourself with healthy habits will help you deal with stress in your life better.   Stay in a negative state, this keeps your brain in the same mode (Ex. Depression) and become stagnated.  It can be hard to get out of especially the longer you stay in it; and it brings yourself down further into the negativity (depression, lack of confidence in oneself).  So whatever stresses, injury, emotional hard time, pain, or fatigue that is due to never balancing your life (brain waves) you need to take the step to support your health both mentally and physically by directing your brain waves to something else positive in particular.  It may not always be simple but no matter the hardship there is someone else in this world in the same boat as you or worse off than you.  The more you think along those lines the easier it gets in dealing with life.  Without brain balance, flexibility with resilience we holistically cannot function effectively; just like the car without the battery or computerized disc in today’s vehicle the car won’t function properly, unless it runs on electricity but it still won’t function correctly if the computerized disc is not working.  We need all our brain waves balanced to sustain our wellness and health.  Again, this generally means being able to shift ideas or activities when we need to or when something is just not working (like being healthy).  We don’t want to regularly produce too much or too little of any brainwave frequency.

Well now you know how the basics of how the brain operates, how the brain waves have to operate to stay healthy but now we need to know how do we reach that step and that’s tomorrow’s article Part 2 but if you want to know how to get healthier for your brain and the body overall right now than go to my website http://healthyusa.tsfl.com/. , otherwise see you tomorrow for Part 2.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha