Stress…The word itself makes one feel stressed. Some words have powerful connotations. By simply reading them you tend to start believing in their power. Imagine, if the word disturbs you so much and is capable of affecting your mind even momentarily, what happens when you are actually stressed?

How Stress Affects Us

Stress wrecks havoc not only on your mental well being but shows up on your physique. It is a major cause that contributes to the aging process among humans. A research conducted on the effects of stress on telomere – the protective layer on the DNA that protects it from damage – indicated that a stressed person’s telomeres start getting damaged or frayed more than a person who is not under any kind of stress. This generally happens after a person starts aging biologically. The research was conducted on mothers who had to take care of loved ones that were ill, chronically. The research also noted an interesting point; mothers with positive attitudes had normal telomeres than those who let the stress get them.

This indicates that stress not only affects the mental state of a person but it permeates to the cellular level causing it damage and subsequent premature aging.

On another level, the neuroendocrine system (nervous + endocrine system) works in tandem to maintain various functions in the body. It also protects human body from internal as well as external threats by performing functions as accelerated heart beats, increase in blood flow, and release of stress hormones such as cortisol to deal with an actual or perceive threat. When the body is exposed to too many stressors, the system cannot cope and a person is said to be stressed chronically.

This contributes to long term damaging effects on the brain (Alzheimer’s), arteries (thickening of arteries), heart (cardiovascular diseases) apart from the mental disorders in mild or severe forms (depression). Thus a person might end up aging prematurely due to elevated stress levels.

Image Credit: Helga Weber

How To Avoid Stress

One can safely say that there are as many stress coping methods as there are stressed individuals. The coping mechanism differs in each and every individual. There are no quick fixes and formulas when you are dealing with stress as causes may differ. Albeit, we can provide a general guideline which would help all the people coping one way or the other with stressors at varying degrees:

• Identify The Stressors – Identify the root cause of stress. This will help you avoid them in a proactive and positive manner.
• Eat Nutritious Food – At the root of many physical and mental ailments is nutritive deficiency. By eating food that comprises of organic vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses and whole grains you will do your body and mind a great favour. Do not skimp on breakfast; skimp on sugar and calorie loaded junk food.
• Sufficient Snooze Time – Clock in sufficient sleep to keep your brain and body from being over worked. Sleep induces the ‘happiness’ hormone – serotonin, apart from the growth hormone – HGH which is responsible for the wear and tear of tissues in the human body. A good night’s sleep ensures that a person is well rested and ready to tackle the day to day activities in a proactive manner. Sleep is also said to fight wrinkles in popular folklore. So if you want to keep the signs of aging at bay, sleep for 6 – 8 hours per day.
• Be Active – If you do not have the time to exercise, ensure that you at least take a brisk walk round the block – be it to your work place, around the park, or back home. You can even use a bicycle to move around which will increase your metabolism and exercise your muscles apart from making you feel good (you see you will be doing your bit for the environment!). Research indicates that even moderate levels of exercise helps people stay and look young.
• Be Positive – A positive attitude towards life’s little and big problems helps you cope with stress better. Do away with the negative self talk, stay away from pessimism in any form and believe in your ability to deal with all kinds of stressors.

Aging is also a state of mind and so are stressors. If you take care of the latter, the former is bound to improve. Keep stress to minimal if you cannot avoid it and stay fit and enhance your lifespan a bit more.

The author has authored articles on topics that deal with the physical and mental well being of individuals apart from acne treatments, hair loss removal and growth hormone related issues.

While it can seem scary for your doctor to order blood work, there are actually several common reasons for lab work to be done. Whether it’s to determine the cause of fatigue or to get a more complete view of your health, doctors order blood work on a daily basis. The following are just five common reasons your doctor will order blood work.

Fatigue

Those suffering from fatigue may have a number of medical conditions. While fatigue can be caused by something as simple as poor sleeping or eating habits, there can be a more serious condition causing the problem. Doctors will often order a complete blood count to determine whether or not there is a problem with your blood count.

Glucose Problems

If you’re experiencing the signs of diabetes, a doctor will order a glucose test to be preformed. Many glucose tests are done in the office and require only a prick of the finger. Other glucose tests may require more blood to get a more accurate and lengthier view of your levels. Either way, a fast is usually required before the test is done.

Cholesterol

Another common aliment that doctors routinely check for is high cholesterol. A doctor may run a test to check your lipoprotein levels which will give an accurate view of your good and bad levels of cholesterol. High cholesterol does not come with any symptoms and this test is necessary to determine whether or not your numbers are in line.

Complete Blood Count

A complete blood count is done to check for a variety of illnesses. Those complaining of fatigue, weakness or even depression may be asked to have a complete blood count preformed. The count gives a view of how many white and red blood cells are in the blood along with the number of platelets. These numbers are used to determine whether or not you suffer from anemia, kidney disease and other disorders.

Insurance

Last, but certainly not least, many doctors order blood work not because it is necessary, but because your insurance will pay for it. The problem is when you really do need blood work done, you may be charged for it. Always ask why the doctor is ordering the blood work and if he doesn’t have a good answer, don’t get it done.

There are a number of reasons why blood work is needed by your doctor. Unfortunately, many doctors also put in requests simply because you have a good insurance plan. Be weary of doctors that order blood work too often, especially when you’re only there for a routine checkup.

About the Author: Fatimah Palmeter, NAC, CNA, NHA loves her work in the healthcare field. She started as a CNA and recently went to a phlebotomy training program so that she could start working more in patient care. Visit http://www.associationphlebotomytraining.com/ if you’d like more information about phlebotomy work.

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Has your pooch become less energetic? Does he seem quite sluggish? This is the case for many dogs around the world. After becoming part of the family and being treated more human, dogs tend to adapt to our eating habits. At times they end up grazing all day long, begging for junk food rather than eating a nutritious and balanced diet. If you notice your dog becoming overweight, a change with his diet, you’ll have taken the first necessary step – admitting the problem.

Realizing the importance of maintaining a proper diet is essential for your pup’s optimal health. Just as there are health risks associated with humans being overweight, the same holds true for our four-legged friend. Studies show that being overweight can reduce the life expectancy of dogs by two years. There are other serious risks associated with weight gain, like diabetes and hypertension that should be considered.

Even if your pup is already overweight, it is not too late. You’re the one that is in control. Most times, a dog becomes overweight for one reason; he is ingesting more calories than he is burning. To help your pup lose weight you need to reduce the number of calories he eats and increase his physical activity to burn them.

It’s not always as easy as it sounds though. Your dog has become accustomed to his current eating habits. Whether he is a grazer, eating all day long, or a beggar, asking for snacks from you – it needs to end now. You may have to endure some serious whining and maybe a bit of barking, but it’s essential you stick to the diet plan if you are going to give your dog the gift of a healthier, longer life. If your dog’s attitude becomes unbearable, you may want to consider getting a dark bark collar, to help with the retraining his eating habits. Much like a child, if you give into their demands, they will only keep up their tantrums in order to get more.

Now that you know what you must do, there are some healthy snacks that you can try offering your dog to help adjust to this sudden change to his diet. Take note that any one thing in excess is not good – especially if your dog is not exercising enough. Your dog must burn more calories than he is ingesting.

Healthy Snack Alternatives for Your Dog

If your dog is used to eating all day long, or getting delicious treats like ice cream, these snacks may be a shock to his system and spirit, but given time he will warm up to the idea, especially if he really is hungry.

Carrots: Offer your dog the delicious, sweet and crisp vegetable. Your pup will enjoy the crispness of this good-for-you food. Plus, it will offer benefits with its vitamin-packed goodness. Offer baby carrots or cut up regular size carrots.

Canned Dog Food: Canned dog food typically is more nutritious than its dry counterpart. There are less ingredients and less fat. Most importantly, this food is high in protein which is very important for your dog’s nutrition needs. However give your dog just a little bit as a treat – not an entire can.

New Chew Toys: While this is not exactly a snack, the intense chewing on new toys can help distract your dogs desire to snack and is the best option in helping your dog reduce his caloric intake.

Dogs really do not even need to eat every day to maintain their health, but depending on what your dog is used to eating, that could be a stretch. Take your time, pace yourself, keep track of the adjustments and your pooch’s weight will be under control in no time.

Practicing veterinarian Susan Wright often writes articles on the proper care of domestic pets. Susan is the staff expert for dog bark collar

Guest Post: It may sound unusual but there are many ways to lose weight at home. Where do you usually spend your time, eat most of your meals and rest? It can be unnoticeable but what you do at home can affect your weight. How can you lose weight while at home? Here are some tips.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

How can sleep help you lose weight? It can have some good and bad effects on the body.  Current studies show that people who lack of sleep tend to have an imbalance with hormones which can affect metabolism. That can mean that if you don’t sleep enough you usually eat more due to the increased appetite and in addition, metabolism is affected and can slow down. This can be avoided with a good 8 hours of sleep. But the length of time is not the only factor in terms of sleep. It also includes comfort and the environment in general. Make your home or your room as sleep-friendly as possible. Get a good sleep at home and then you will be managing one factor in losing weight.

Fit Healthy Meals into Your Schedule

Breakfast and dinner are best taken at home. Some of us may skip breakfast and go to work directly, but we usually save dinner and or at least try our best to get home by then. This certainly affects your weight as these are two major meals for the day. It is never advisable to skip meals when losing weight. Also you don’t have to eat more than enough. The best way is to prepare your own meals that are appropriate for weight loss. Tag your family along if it is a healthy meal and avoid eating too much fast food, fried foods and sodas. Make it as much healthy as possible.

Stock Up on Power Foods

Positive foods for your weight loss are those that help you burn calories and fat.  Start replacing too much processed foods like hotdogs and corn beefs. Try to go for healthy and natural food items that promote weight loss. This goes for bread and cereal as well, it is best to choose whole grains. The list may include but not limited to fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats like olive oil and finally water. Stock more water and drink more water.

Do Your Chores

You may find an excuse not to do your exercise at home but you shouldn’t when it comes to chores. Anyhow, chores can be considered as a good physical activity that can help you burn enough calories needed in a day especially if you are dieting already. This is one reason you can use when thinking of cleaning the house. Think of chores as a way to burn some calories.

There are a lot of these tips and things that you can do. You can even buy some aerobic CDs and DVDs and do a workout at home. Explore and apply it if it works for you, your home has everything and you can do everything inside it.

As part of our plan to get fit and stay fit in 2011 – we have created a Facebook Community page for Slim Fit Mama.

Personally I would love to lose this last 20 pounds before warm weather returns and I’ve come to the conclusion that I can’t do it alone. I’m very much a team person and rely heavily on a support environment when making such big life changes. If you would like to be part of a community that focuses on getting fit – we’d love to have you join up.

There are two people in my life that have been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and another with high blood pressure – this is an effort for them as well.

We’d love to share our own experiences – but would like to learn from the experiences of others as well.

So what are you waiting for? Join our Slim Fit community and lets make 2011 the year to get healthy and stay healthy.