Archive for April, 2008

The Best Way To Learn Yoga Poses

Written by CarolHaily on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Wellness, Fitness and Diet.

The best way to learn yoga is to practice in a good yoga class with an excellent teacher, you can probably find those by asking your doctor or gym and then look the class up on the internet, most of the time you should be able to find some people who have done a class at that specific centre and write what they have experienced.

Most classes will also give you a test lesson if you ask for it. It is my experience that you will learn allot from such a lesson. You can learn if you like the teacher, if you feel uncomfortable with someone, learning yoga will be very difficult. You can also talk to the other classmates after the lesson and ask them for there experience. And you can learn if the style of yoga fits to your needs, there are many kinds of yoga and you will like some better than the other.

Yoga classes can be found at many different places, there are specific yoga schools and there are classes in health clubs and gyms and even in some community centers you can learn yoga these days. Yoga is still increasingly popular and you should be aware that there are very smart entrepreneurs around that are willing to make a profit from the ignorant and put unqualified teachers in front of the class or ask extreme prices. So be aware and do your research.

There are many kind of yoga styles and there are also many different yoga poses. And each yoga teacher has their own style of teaching. Some just give very relaxing and easy to learn poses others are more intense and some even are fun. You need to find the best kind of class for your needs and the only way is to experience the poses. For the first couple of classes it is smart sit somewhere where you can see the teacher and the other students this way you can look how the poses are done and replicate them.

Sun Salutation

Most beginner classes will start with teaching you the “sun salutation.” This is almost one of the standard series of yoga poses used in yoga classes. It is called a moving meditation and it helps to wake up you mind and body to start with the day and all the things to come. It also prepares you for the yoga poses that you will do after the sun salutation. You should focus on your breathing during the series of moves.

Other basic yoga poses are called:

The Cobra: lie down and raise your head and torso up.

Dog and Cat: up on the hands and knees, role the tail bone up and down

Trikonasana - the Triangle: stands with legs in a wide stance. both arms are raised and the body should bend to meet one foot at a time.

Sukhasana - Sit/Easy Position: sit with cross-legged and focus on your breathing

The Corpse: lie on your back on the ground, the goal is conscious relaxation.

Yoga, Homeopathy and other old wisdom’s is what Carol Haily is looking for. At her Natural Healthy Body site she tells about her quest for knowledge. Go there if your looking for homeopathy for ear ache and mild fever.

How To Find The Best Blemish Acne Cream That Works

Written by SteveKent on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Medicines and Remedies.

One of the most annoying skin diseases that anyone can experience, acne almost seems to be part of ones natural life cycle such as puberty. Unfortunately the result of acne comes in the form of ugly blemishes and pimples, it even has been nicknamed ‘zit’. It mostly appears in all areas of the face as well as the neck, back, chest and shoulders.

If you happen to be suffering from acne then you already know that if you let it, acne can affect your self esteem and allow you to digress in your self confidence. You also know that you need to find a cure for this problem and your best solution to start with is to use a blemish acne cream.

Two proven blemish acne creams that get results

Although there are hundreds of acne creams available you really should do your research in finding the top acne creams available. You need to look for the ones that have been tried, tested and proven and have at least an outstanding track record. In particular you need to find out if these acne creams treat even the most stubborn and recurring of acne problems. The following are two excellent products to start with.

Proactive

Proactiv cream happens to be one the most popular and effective creams available for anyone suffering from acne. It’s one of the favorites simply because it is suitable for all skin types and it is also very affordable. You can get Proactiv at just about any local store offering over the counter health products. Trying this product is the first step in determining an effective acne treatment.

Derma Cleanse Cleanser

A second popular recommendation for a blemish acne cream is a product called Derma Cleanse Cleanser. With excellent healing results that treat very dry to very oily skin, this product is mild on your skin but a very acne treatment providing results that you would expect in an acne cream.

Use These Tips When Comparing

When you are shopping for an acne cream you need to be aware of a few things such as the active ingredient listing that can be found right on the box and label. You are looking for the primary active ingredient that is effective in both creams and gels. That ingredient is known as benzoyl peroxide. This ingredient gives the most dramatic results in solving your acne problem. Always be sure to follow the pharmacists instructions when using any the products you purchase.

Price can be added to the list when you are comparing. Of course you need to be certain that the product you buy is not overly priced but also you don’t want to end up with the cheapest product that will provide poor results either. The best guideline is to do your homework and also by reading the labels while you are in the store. This might sound time consuming but you just want to make sure you are getting an acne cream that is best for you.

With all that said, you might think that it is not as easy to just go to the store or pharmacy and buy any blemish acne cream. While that might have a hint of truth, you of course don’t want to end up spending money only to have that acne cream sitting in your medicine cabinet either.

Just remember these important points, you won’t always have this acne problem and “it is curable” - just do a little research and you will be fine. If your problem is more serious then the best course of action is to always consult with your doctor.

Steve Kent is a highly inquisitive guy who enjoys providing helpful everyday solutions to people who need answers to their daily acne challenges. To get more effective acne treatment information, why don’t you visit Effective Acne Treatment

There are many choices that you can make when it comes to actually putting a bath and spa gift basket together. You can make your own basket or buy one that’s already made. By going to a favorite or popular bath and body store, you’ll get fantastic ideas that offer unique bath and spa gift baskets. Then, when you give these gifts you will surely surprise that special person and they will surely appreciate it.

Idea #1 - Be Creative, Make The Basket Yourself

Making your own bath and spa gift basket is quite easy and fun to do, and not to mention, this is the perfect way to make this gift special and memorable, especially if you are the significant other. The first thing you do is to find a really nice basket, let it be as decorative as you want. Line the basket with color tissue for a nice effect or put whatever decorative liner you want to use. Place a nice ribbon or lovely lace on it, then fill up your basket with things such as lotions, bath balls, moisturizers,bath salts, manicure sets, facial masks and a massage tool. Theme your creation such as vanilla spa gift baskets. You can even add a little charm by putting gourmet chocolates and don’t forget to finish it off with a spa gift certificate! The idea here is simple, you want that person to pamper themselves with the bath and spa gifts. Now all you have to do is wrap it with clear plastic, put a nice colorful bow and present it at the right moment.

Idea #2 - Not Enough Time? You Can Always Buy A Gift Basket

If you don’t have enough time to create your own then buying spa gift baskets sets is the easiest way. There are a couple ways to accomplish this. First, browse the internet to get some ideas on how to make up your gift basket, then make a list. This will also give you an idea on how much you would like to spend. Second, go to your favorite or popular bath and body store. If you’re not sure where to go, ask your friends or look up a store in the yellow pages. At the store you can have one of the sales people show you the different products to help you create your bath and spa gift baskets. While browsing around in the store you will be able to see, touch and smell the many wonderful products. To put the final touch in your gift basket you will need to get a spa certificate and by going to a day spa you can choose different packages of spas available.

When you are ready to give your bath spa gift basket to that special person, they will be totally surprised and will be sure to enjoy it. If that person just happens to be your significant other perhaps you can put a few extra items in your basket to really make it a surprise, I am sure the magic will happen. As you can see there are many terrific ideas in offering a bath and spa gift basket and whether you create your own or buy a ready made basket there will always be some special surprise in the end.

Steve Kent is a highly inquisitive guy who enjoys providing helpful everyday health solutions to people who need answers to relax their stressful daily lives. To find the best spa vacations information, why don’t you visit Best Spa Vacations

5 Natural Remedies For Panic Attacks

Written by GeorgeGoodman on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Self Help.

Panic attacks can be a terrifying experience. Often, when these attacks first strike, they appear so suddenly and are so unexpected that the person experiencing them often believes they are about to die. The symptoms match a number of symptoms related to heart attack such as light-headedness, nausea, numbness of the hands and feed, and chest pains. This is why those who experience Panic Attacks for the first time usually end up in the emergency room.

The following treatments have all been shown to be effective remedies for some people to cure Panic Disorders. Some people respond differently to different treatment - and what works for some may not work for others. So it is important that you take a close look at what the treatment offers, what it can provide you, and what you believe you can gain from it. The only treatment that will work for you will be the one that you feel comfortable with and that you believe in.

** Hypnosis **

Hypnosis gained popularity since 1958 when the American Medical Association recognized it as a legitimate form of treatment. In 1995, the National Institute of Health issued a statement commenting that the available scientific evidence favored the use of hypnotherapy for chronic pain. This has been a treatment method that has cured panic attacks for many people.

Hypnotherapy allows you to modify how you perceive the feelings and perceptions from your body. It helps you to focus and concentrate on your thought processes, and allows you to concentrate more on relaxing, rather than getting overwhelmed by the symptoms that are experienced during an attack.

** Humor **

While many people may never have heard of it, there is also a treatment methodology called Therapeutic Humor. This therapy is a form of visualization - where you are taught to recall a scenario that caused you to laugh uncontrollably. This is much like training that actors go through in order to recall intense feelings from their past for acting scenes. This treatment will help you to instantly recall the positive feelings of laughter when you need it most.

Since a panic attack is essentially a series of negative thoughts that compound upon each other, this approach simply short-circuits those negative thoughts by interrupting them with a powerful recall of very positive feelings and thoughts.

The medical evidence does exist that offers this therapy some credibility. Anxiety is known to increase the body’s natural level of stress hormone called cortisol. Laughter has been shown to naturally reduce the levels of that stress hormone in the body.

** Energy Psychology **

Another natural treatment option is called Energy Psychology. Energy psychology is derived from the ancient Eastern technique of acupressure - involving the tapping of certain critical points on the body that is believed to be points of the body that produce an energy field, otherwise known as the “chi”.

It is believed within this Eastern-based school of thought that every thought that we have generates an energy field, and that this energy field serves as a catalyst for chemical and biological changes in the body.

The goal of this therapy is to tap these specific energy points in order to discharge that negative energy, which is associated with the negative thought patterns that led to the panic attack. This form of therapy is considered a bit more alternative than others - however a fair number of people believe in this form of therapy, which also goes by the more common name of acupuncture.

** Desensitization **

Desensitization is a unique therapeutic approach that has the patient focus on those situations or events that case the most panic. The patient is asked to focus on that situation and to imagine the worst case scenario. The goal of this form of psychotherapy is to help the patient teach themselves that there is not any outcome that can turn out as badly as they fear. Once all of the “worst case” scenarios are played out - the patient can then remain confident that they can put themselves in that situation and survive it without any major catastrophe.

Desensitization helps you to learn that sometimes our fears are grossly exaggerated, and that going through the experience that we fear is not going to lead to imminent crisis.

** Cognitive Behavioral Therapy **

Finally, currently the most effective treatment that has been proven to treat panic disorder is cognitive behavioral therapy. This form of treatment is also used for a variety of other mental disorders, but it is especially effective to treat panic disorder.

The tremendous benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy are that you carefully examine your existing beliefs and then determine whether those beliefs are realistic or distorted. Many of the fatalistic thoughts that enter your mind and compound the building panic could be averted through restructuring those thought patterns using the techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy.

Did you find this article on panic attack natural remedies helpful? If yes, visit our site today to find out how to deal with panic attacks once and for all…

Protect Your Investment By Getting Home Insurance

Written by ElizabethMurphy on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Finances.

The home is probably the single most important investment you will make in your life. It is a large purchase and is more likely going to be the place that shelters you and your family for the rest of your life. However, there are things that can occur that can take away the home faster than it took to acquire it in the first place, so it is good to be prepared if one of these things do happen. At anytime the home can catch fire, be damaged in a flood, or suffer a wind event such as a tornado or a hurricane. We do not expect these things to happen, but we can always be prepared for them. One great way to be prepared for such events is home insurance.

It is a dream come true when someone purchases their first home. It is what defines what the American dream truly is. It is what many strive for when they migrate from other countries. They look for good jobs and to ultimately buy the perfect home. However, there have been those that have achieved that dream and have had it wiped out from underneath them. Perhaps they did not insure their home or, if they did, they didn’t have adequate insurance that would allow them to get back on their feet.

Importance of home insurance

It is obvious to see at this point that home insurance is indeed important. It is heartbreaking to have to deal with a home being consumed by fire or being blown away by some terrible natural event. It is good to educate yourself when building or buying a home. Do such things as:

• Learn about the neighborhood and what the crime rates are. This could raise the risk of theft. Chances are the insurance company already knows about these risks since they zone off certain areas of the community based on their degree of risk. Insurance companies also zone risks based on their prevalence for tornadoes and hurricanes.

• Find out how old certain components of the home such as electrical wiring, construction materials used and the various systems are. This can have an impact on the rate.

• Know how much coverage is enough coverage. Over half of Canadians with home insurance are underinsured. This means that the homes are not insured up to replacement value, which could mean repairs and home replacement could suffer in some way. Replacement value is something completely different than the home’s market value. This might be the cue to raise the amount of coverage, which will also raise the premiums. Simply go with what you can afford.

• Do such things as find out how much “article floaters” are for those high value items that are not covered by the original policy. If you have expensive jewelry or electronic items, this is a great thing to do to make sure these items can be replaced.

No one wants to be hit with the unexpected and be left homeless and have to start over with no money to do it with. That is what is so wonderful about home insurance. You are able to replace your home in time and not be faced with the reality of having to start from scratch. It is amazing how fast lives can change, but home insurance can certainly make the impact hurt much less and gives a doorway that allows the homeowner and their family to get back on their feet considerably faster than if they did not have any coverage at all.

Purchasing a home is a big responsibility. Since it is probably the biggest purchase you

A Day In The Life Of The Happy Oasis Retreat

Written by KevinGianni on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Wellness, Fitness and Diet.

This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni’s Raw Food Summit which can be found at http://rawsummitarchives.com. In this excerpt, Happy Oasis shares more on her experiences living with tribes around the world and attitudes and relationships with foods. She always shares insight into what a day is like for her living at the Happy Oasis Retreat.

Raw Food Summit Excerpt with Happy Oasis, the founder of The Raw Spirit Festival.

Kevin: Okay. It’s pretty incredible. With the people that you’ ve been talking about, what is the belief about the day? Like what are their beliefs around food? What do they eat and then what are their beliefs about the day?

Happy: Well, there’s this feeling of sacredness and not a sacred necessarily of seriousness like that we have to be Protestant serious, this is a somber situation. It’s a sense of a joyful, deep reverence like a wonder and awe.

This feeling of gladness that become some kind of heavenly habit that we just begin with and end the day with this feeling of life, of joy, of celebration. A friend of mine just sang a song for me just before this interview and his words are “rejoice, dance, and sing. Celebrate everything.” And so, I think it’s the attitude of embracing everything, even embracing moments of sadness and moments of pain.

And for example, here I’d like to say that our relationship with food mirrors our relationship with life. And so that, if we can learn to close the refrigerator when we’re feeling sad or angry or fearful, and open our heart instead to reach into heart, you just breathe. So, just feel what’s there and to accept it into a very quiet, silent way to just give ourselves a huge hug to feel the love that is in the ambience.

You know, somebody was asking me the other day about Jasmuheen and HRM who are coming to our festival and they’re known to be “breatharians.” Now, they don’t really call themselves breatharians. They’re more in the solar gazing and into spirit embracing. However, the the question is, “what really is a breatharians?”

For years, HRM and Jasmuheen have all concurred that breatharians are every one of us because food – let’s face it, it’s just a snack. It’s just a supplement that all day long, we’re breathing. All day long, we’re inspiring. We’re inspiring our self, we’re becoming inspired and then we expire if we relax and this gives us space to take in new energy and calmness and clarity. And so, a breatharian is one who is conscious of breathing.

There are conscious and unconscious breatharian, of course. But to be fully conscious of every breath and to see what is happening as a result of that breath because for example, as a meditator, we know that the inhale creates very different thoughts than the exhale. It takes a different speed, a different quality, a different color of thoughts.

Our relationship with food can also relate with our relationship with breathing. We’ll notice that if we’re grasping and clinging onto food or being repulsed by food, there might be a similar response happening with our lungs and if we can calm our lungs and allow the oxygen and all life-force and what’s behind and beneath and inside the oxygen and the other elements that comprise the air, which is actually the love vibration. If we can embrace that in a great gentle way, then we are embracing our entire existence and existence itself in that very tender and sacred and precious.

Kevin: As you’re talking about getting up in the morning and as you with the people that you lived with and you have this awaking sense of just wonderment, what is…is the next thought food? I mean I don’t know. I want to completely understand, you know, the day of someone who doesn’t have any Westernized anything. That to me is just so fascinating.

Happy: It depends on each culture. It depends on each day. Certain cultures, they will pray for hours in the morning.

Kevin: Really?

Happy: Hours and just as certain people believe that it’s really important to deserve our food through exercise; other cultures believe it’s so important to deserve our food through prayer and that prayer can take many forms from chanting outwardly to chanting inwardly to climbing a mounting, to dmaking love with their beloved, to caring for their children in a way of massaging their children, to going out into their garden, to lying in a hammock high up in a tree in the forest, to chasing after the only ray of sunshine by climbing the tree deep in the forest and placing one’s faith right in the sunlight, to going out on a pond and singing to the divine,to just creating the most spontaneous and delicious and driving story that they can.

So, and it depends on the individual. But for example, the Khasi of Bangladesh, when they greeted me and knew that I did not speak a word of their language, they all went into silence, started a fire, and we sat together and we gazed into each other’s eyes for hours.

And I always remember those flickering faces and everybody laughing on each other and everybody having such honor and respect for me that they didn’t speak a single word of their language to each other just so we could get beyond language and be deeply intimate soul to soul around that fires together.

Kevin: So, it’s fascinating. Now, when they’re praying, is it for food or is it for life? I’m still western here so I’m like trying the grasp this. I want to get the full understanding because it’s fascinating. It’s amazing.

Happy: It’s actually not for food. It’s not for life. It’s giving back. It’s like in the west, people pray because they want something. Many tribal people, they have kind of a dog-like devotion to service, and it’s that just vast appreciation to the being or to the essence of creation and just wishing to give back directly. They never miss a sunrise and secondly as soon as they wake up, they’re in joyous chanting. And the sweetness of some of these people’s voices as people who lhave lived near people who live in Ashram can contest. They have the sweetest voices on the planet and that sweetness is a result of that devotion to nothing that we can grasp to life itself to the sunrise, to the morning to the very essence of the air as if we could hug and embrace and kiss the air with such gladness.

In fact, the people who live here at the Happy Oasis retreat we all in our own way commence the day with this feeling of devotion to the divine. For example, I wake up often before sunrise and the first thing I love to do and the last thing I love to do, is to gaze up into the stars and to just say good night and good morning to the stars. This morning, for example, I woke up before dawn and cuddled with my beloved and went out by myself and ran eight miles and went over its deep boulders and into the canyons and I have this game that I played with myself. I live out here in the wilderness and this game is that I can never take the same path twice. And then, I go into this pool and there’s a waterfalls.

My crown chakra is being splashed upon a torrent of living water that would just pour down from the crowd. Yesterday, we’re having the monsoon season here in Arizona now. And then I go swimming. I take baptism, and this water is so clean that I can drink it while I am swimming.

So my body is drinking. My mouth and the feeling of oneness with the water – it’s a really holy feeling and it makes me really happy. And to stand the first two or three hours of the day doing this and then come home, and start work at nine o’clock and being of service to the world and going out first of all into the garden.

Yes, so I collected my breakfast in the wild from yarrow plants. So for example, this morning, I had fresh oak leaves for breakfast followed by yarrow which is dynamite for the liver. And then, upon running home after the baptism, I went into the garden and munched on parsley and nasturtium and nasturtium flowers, arugula, chard, duck, parsley, and clover.

I had this fantastic salad on my hands and knees before you even enter the home. So, how could somebody be any less than happy with the lifestyle like this? And then all day long for the next eight to ten hours, the Raw Spirit Festival for us is happening every day of the year.

And so, we are so privileged and delighted and really amazed by the people who contact us from around the planet every day and just inspire us and delight us in bringing us to a new level of communion with humanity. So that’s my day every day.

Kevin: It’s fantastic. It sounds like an amazing way to go through the day. It sounds a lot easier than some people’s days, yes?

Happy: It’s really beautiful and it seems that one of my definition for wealth is that do not get in the car for an entire day is wealthy. Something else, it’s really important. A very important part of the raw vegan diet and for optimal health is fasting. So, as much as we love food and we love to eat and it sustains us, and we go for the yummiest food we can get.

I advocate minimizing fruit as much as we can and eating as many dark leafy greens as we can including seaweeds including blue- green algae and what I love to do is take the pond scum off the ponds and the streams hat are right near my house.

Nothing fresher. Each life is fantastic; however, there’s nothing better than your own backyard.

To read the rest of this transcript as well as access the Raw Food Summit experts just like Happy Oasis, please click here! Kevin Gianni is an internationally recognized health advocate, author & film consultant. He has helped thousands of people take control of their own health naturally through teleseminars and programs. For more information visit raw food diets and holistic nutrition.

3 Simple Tips On How To Deal With Nocturnal Panic Attacks

Written by GeorgeGoodman on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Self Help.

Many people who experience panic attacks or suffer from panic disorder during their daily lives will, at some point, suffer from a nocturnal panic attack. Once these are experienced, the fear of them can sometimes make a recurrence much more likely.

Research has shown that these nocturnal panic attacks appear to take place during the change from various levels of sleep, such as dreaming sleep to deeper REM sleep, or from dreaming sleep to waking up. Nocturnal panic attacks are also not related to nightmares or dreams, but instead are related to the same psychological and physical causes as the daytime attacks.

A nocturnal panic attack is much more difficult to deal with because you are not aware of the approach of the attack as you are during the day. When you are awakened by the attack, you are suddenly conscious of all of the physical symptoms all at once - and this sensation can be very terrifying. It is this overwhelming physical sensation upon becoming conscious that creates such a powerful fear of these nocturnal attacks.

However, if you are aware that you are having nocturnal panic attacks, you can use that awareness to your advantage. This awareness will help you plan a strategy to eliminate these nocturnal panic attacks.

** Medicate **

While using sleeping medication isn’t always the preferred approach, since many of these medications can disrupt the normal sleeping rhythms of your body. Also, often the side effects of the drowsiness can linger into the following day. This can make it very difficult to get to work on time, or to perform to the best of your abilities when you are still feeling groggy or tired from the sleep medication that you took the night before. Furthermore, some of these medications are addictive.

However while there are side effects to the medicines - the benefits may very well outweigh the risks. If facing another nocturnal panic attack is more than you can possibly bear - then using medicine to help you sleep through the night will alleviate that fear. And removing fear from your mind is definitely the very first priority in your recovery from this disorder.

** Prepare for Bedtime **

A more natural, yet very effect approach, to reducing stress before bedtime and drastically lowering the chances of a nocturnal attack, is to prepare for bed in a way that provides for the best night of sleep that you can possibly hope for. By preparing your mind and your body for sleep - you are signaling to your mind that you intend to relax.

You can do this by allowing your body to relax as much as possible prior to bed time. Avoid drinking anything with caffeine or drinking anything with sugar. Don’t eat heavy or fattening foods late in the day, because the digesting of that food in your stomach can take away from the depth of your sleep. Before going to bed, practice your preferred approach to meditation and relaxation. This might include slow stretching and exercising, or it might simply consist of slow and measured breathing techniques to lower your heart rate.

Aromatherapy, either on its own or in combination with the techniques above, also has the ability to induce a calm and relaxed feeling. Research aromas that are known to have the most calming effects and test different varieties to learn what works for you. Another excellent technique to sleeping well is introducing white noise or soothing music in your bedroom while you are sleeping. Often external noise will focus your mind during dreaming and deep sleep, and soothing noise will help to calm your mind while you are not conscious enough to do it yourself.

** Self-Talk and Relaxation Techniques **

Finally - just as you’ve learned to practice powerful relaxation and self-talk techniques to manage your daytime panic attacks, you need to practice the same techniques at night. However the disadvantage to suffering from nocturnal attacks is that when you are conscious, you are already in the middle of a full-blown panic attack.

They key upon waking to such a scenario is to immediate work on focusing and quickly orienting yourself to your surroundings and where you are. Then calmly and carefully talk yourself down using the same techniques that you’ve learned to manage your daytime attacks.

Using any one, or all, of the techniques described above will help to reduce, or completely get rid of, all of the nocturnal panic attacks that you may be suffering from.

Did you find this article on panic attacks at night helpful? If yes, visit our site today to find out how to deal with panic attacks once and for all…

What Can Cause A Panic Attack?

Written by GeorgeGoodman on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Self Help.

No one knows for certain what causes panic attacks to occur, however a number of factors have been identified by researchers. These factors include genetics, physical illness and/or taking medications that affect the part of the brain that handles fear, major life stresses, and psychological disorders.

Panic attacks are the body’s biological alarm that allows people to appropriately and quickly respond to an immediate threat to their health or their life. It’s a survival mechanism that is deeply programmed into our psyche. Unfortunately some people are susceptible to this mechanism being triggered unnecessarily when there’s no imminent danger.

** Genetics **

Panic attacks are the most common psychiatric illness in the U.S. Panic attacks are twice as common in women as in men. Research has found that panic disorder appears to run in families, indicating that genetics may play a very strong part in a person’s risk of developing panic disorder.

** Stress **

The most common precursor to a panic attack is when life stress levels have risen dramatically in a person’s life. This may be an illness in the family, a job change or job loss, or any other major change that creates an overwhelming feeling of uncertainty and anxiety in a person’s life. It is known that people who have tendencies to take on excessive responsibility tend to suffer most often from panic attacks.

Another cause of panic disorder is also an underlying psychological condition called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Studies have shown that people who suffer from PTSD exhibit a far higher rate of panic disorder than the rest of the population. While the causes of panic disorder are unknown, this correlation seems to indicate that stress plays a tremendous part in the triggering of a panic attack.

** Physical Illness and Medication **

Many times, the initial panic attack a person experiences may not be related to stress at all. Sometimes the attack is purely biological. Anyone who suffers from an illness that induces symptoms similar to panic or anxiety can trigger a panic attack. This is even more likely when medications are being taken that has side effects that might affect body or brain chemistry which might induce feelings of fear, anxiety or panic. Once those feelings are triggered, if they can not be managed properly, and the feelings and thoughts can very easily snowball into a full-blown panic attack.

One example is hypoglycemia - a condition where insulin receptors in the brain malfunction, which alters the production of glucose into energy for the brain. This lack of energy causes the brain to signal the adrenal glands for more adrenaline for energy.

While the adrenaline is a survival tool that the body uses to prevent brain starvation, an unfortunate side-effect is that adrenaline will also likely trigger a panic attack.

** Hyperventilation **

While hyperventilation is a panic attack symptom, it can also be a cause. It stems from the body having too much oxygen. In order to use oxygen absorbed into your blood, your body needs a certain level of carbon dioxide. When people don’t breathe properly, or they breathe shallower due to nervousness or highly stressful situations, they do not allow the body to retain enough carbon dioxide, and as result, their body can not extract needed oxygen from the bloodstream.

Improper breathing, especially during difficult or stressful times, can contribute greatly to the onset of a panic attack unless breathing is slowed and relaxation techniques are practiced.

Did you find this article on panic attack causes helpful? If yes, visit our site today to find out how to deal with panic attacks once and for all…

How To Green Your Baby’s Nursery

Written by LisaBeres on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Family Concerns.

Taking toxic materials out of the nursery is becoming a top priority for new parents. Creating a green nursery just makes sense since your delicate little one will spend up to 17-hours a day in there! Consider everything your baby comes in contact with and choose your nursery furnishings with natural, organic materials in mind.

Use Non-Toxic Paints and Finishes– Before baby comes home from the hospital you can start preparing your green nursery. Painting should be done at least a month before the new addition arrives and it should be done by someone other than a pregnant mom. Avoid residual toxic chemicals found in typical paints and finishes by choosing Zero VOC or Low VOC options. Babies are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) found in common commercial oil and water based paints.

Using healthy non-toxic paints and finishes for the creation of an organic baby nursery is a must. The crib is your baby’s “home” and needs to be as pure as possible in every way. Choose real wood and natural finishes.

Choose Safe Flooring– You can be sure your baby will spend a lot of time on the floor, so stay away from new carpeting. Instead choose natural and hard surfaced flooring like wood (with a low VOC sealant), linoleum or cork. Hard surfacing is easier to maintain and less likely to trap potential contaminants than wall-to-wall carpeting. If an area rug is needed, be aware that VOC’s can be found in carpet backing, adhesives and the fibers themselves, as well as stain or water resistant treatments that have been applied to the carpet. Make sure to choose natural fibers and untreated options.

Choose Organic Baby Clothes, Organic Bedding and Natural Toys– Choose certified organic cotton that’s been untreated, unbleached, and unprocessed for bed sheets, baby clothes and toys your baby will use. Also make sure that colored dyes in the fabric have all-natural ingredients derived from nature’s plants and minerals.

Make sure your baby sleeps on an organic mattress that is free of dangerous flame retardant chemicals like the Green Nest organic crib mattresses, which are made from certified wool, natural rubber and organic cotton.

In 2007, 12 million children’s toys were recalled. Be aware of imported toys from China, which may contain lead, a neurotoxin. But that’s not the only toy hazard. Most toys sold in major toy stores are made from plastics. Plastic is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. There are many natural cloth and wood toys available on the Internet.

Use Safe Baby Bottles– Bisphenol-A is a hormone-disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment and is found in common plastic baby bottles. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach Bisphenol-A into liquids. Studies have been shown that very low levels of Bisphenol-A in a baby can cause behavioral effects like hyperactivity, and impaired learning. Make sure to use BPA free plastic baby bottles or glass bottles for feeding your baby.

It may not always be possible to determine which materials are used in nursery products, or their safety, but there is one tool you have that you can rely on to evaluate any product—your nose. If the smell bothers you, it will bother your baby, so don’t put it in the nursery. Once you have a natural, organic, green nursery, keep it safe by using only natural and nontoxic cleaning products and pest controls.

A good book for parents and children is

Effective Medications For Panic Attacks

Written by GeorgeGoodman on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 in Self Help.

There are a wide variety of medications on the market that are used to treat Panic Attacks. The medications that are used to treat this disorder are targeted to focus on the two major stages of a panic attack - the anxiety, and the panic attack itself.

The first stage of the panic attack that is treated with medication is the anticipation of the panic attack. This is called “anticipatory anxiety” and it plays a large part in the buildup of panic toward a full blown attack. The medicine that treats the first stage of symptoms takes care of the physical symptoms and the negative thoughts that make up the anticipation of the panic attack.

The second stage of the panic attack that needs to be managed through medicine is the severe symptoms associated with the attack itself. Some drug treatments handle each stage separately, and other approaches manage both stages with the same medicine.

The following classes of medicine are used to treat panic attacks.

** Beta Blockers (Propranolol, Atenolol) **

Beta blockers treat the physical symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks including racing heartbeat and trembling or shakes.

** Tricyclic Antidepressants (Doxepin, Desipramine, Clomipramine) **

This family of antidepressants is mostly used for anxiety associated with depression; however it is sometimes used to treat panic attacks.

** Benzodiazepines (Diazepam, Lorazepam, Oxazepam) **

Benzodiazepines are long-term medications for severe conditions that can be taken for years. These are said to be extremely effective in 70-80% of patience who suffer from panic attacks. It has fewer side effects than other medication; however in some people it actually causes anxiety, so it should be used under close supervision.

** Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors - MAOI (Phenelzine, Tranylcypromine) **

These medicines are family of anti-depressant medicines which are sometimes used to treat patients who suffer from panic attacks. The choice of MAOI’s over other medicines for panic disorder can sometimes be related to other psychological or medical issues. Sometimes existing depression will be treated along with the panic attacks with a single medication - and this is often when the MAOI is used.

** Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors - SSRIs (Fluoxetine, Paroxetine) **

SSRIs were first prescribed for depression under the name Prozac. Subsequent to this, it was recognized that the fact that SSRIs maintained appropriate levels of serotonin in the brain meant that this class of medication could also be used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, which have also been found to respond to an increase in levels of serotonin in the brain.

The most common prescribed medications for panic attacks are benzodiazepines which appear to be most effective, although they are often used in combination with SSRI in order to treat more of the symptoms of anxiety and depression that surround the panic attack episodes.

The most important aspect of medications for panic attacks is to recognize that they are not a solution. Medication serves to relieve the symptoms of the disorder so that you are able to focus your attention and energy on developing more positive thought patterns, improving your “self-talk”, and creating methods to confront and conquer the stresses and anxieties that have caused the panic attacks in the past. The only way to truly cure a panic attack is not through medication, but through a combination of medicine and an intensive treatment plan with a qualified therapist.

Did you find this article on panic attack medications helpful? If yes, visit our site today to find out how to deal with panic attacks once and for all…



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