Tag: Managing Stress

The Arthritis-Hypnosis Connection

The Arthritis-Hypnosis Connection
Paul Gustafson RN, BSN, CH

Did you know that we all have the ability to enhance self-healing, increase comfort and improve nutrition, exercise, communication and flexibility? This article explains clinical hypnosis and how it can bring relief to clients suffering from arthritis. Hypnosis is easy to learn, you can do it on your own and it empowers you to take an active role in your healthy well-being.The subconscious mind has many jobs. It quietly and effectively regulates our bodily functions and stores all of our values, beliefs and memories. It also balances our blood pressure, heart rate and co-ordinates each step we take everyday of our life. The negative effects of arthritis extend into many areas of a clients life, as does the positive resolve and relief of hypnosis. Hypnotherapy is the simple process of accessing and directing the subconscious mind to support certain positive changes. It is the language of the mind, it access the most powerful level of awareness and down loads new applications of freedom and relief.Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It causes a deterioration of the protective lining of cartilage in our joints. This deterioration occurs due to a breakdown of the chondrocytes that form cartilage. Osteoarthritis affects men and women equally. Most people over 30 years of age have some features of early osteoarthritis. The degree of limitation depends on the location of the inflammation. The major areas of concern are hips, knees and spine. The development of osteoarthritis may be related to trauma, aging or heredity.The symptoms of stress play a big role in exacerbating the situation. Communication with family and friends plays a key role in managing stress and hypnosis makes this a lot easier. Suggestions offered to a client during a hypnosis session encourage them to share whats on their mind enabling them to offload concern and frustration, giving them more time doing things they enjoy.It takes energy to deal with any physical or emotional burden. Hypnosis creates ideal sedation allowing for sound sleep. We all follow the path of our most dominant thoughts and if the last thoughts a client has at bedtime involve deep restful sleep, they are in a much better position to recharge their body and mind for tomorrows challenges. For those suffering with arthritis its often difficult just keeping up with the fast pace of day-to-day life. Hypnosis helps individuals adjust to a more appropriate pace and also to release the frustrations and anxiety associated with any limitation. Clients who routinely relax with hypnosis are more centered, balanced and less affected by things they can not control. Increasing muscle tone reduces stress to affected joints, which increases mobility and comfort. Low impact activities like swimming; walking and range of motion exercises are commonly recommended to clients with arthritis. With hypnosis its easier to integrate new regimes and to establish positive subconscious connections between healthy activity and improved mobility, comfort and freedom.The more protection in your joints, the more comfort and mobility you create. Since the subconscious controls the multitude of our bodily function, hypnosis can direct it to increase the production of chondrocytes, which increases the growth of healthy new cartilage. Pain is often the biggest issue with arthritis. Some pain, however, is necessary; it acts as a warning system telling us that something isnt right. The responsible approach with hypnosis is to only reduce unnecessary pain, leaving intact the bodys ability to signal us and protect us from further complications.Hypnosis can also be used to regulate the flow and distribution of endorphins, which are the feel good chemicals the body uses to create comfort and relaxation. Using hypnosis to regulate endorphin production plays a big role in putting the client in control. Hypnosis can also alter the perception of where the pain is located. By redirecting sensitivity away from key areas such as hips, knees and vertebrae to a less critical part of the anatomy like a finger tip, the client has much more control.The same approach can be used to attach a different quality to pain. A sharp pain can be perceived as dull; burning pain can be perceived as cool. Involving other senses is one of the distinct advantages hypnosis offers in managing the symptoms of arthritis. Another technique involves using one color to represent pain and another to represent comfort, and then blending the two offering instant relief.Lastly, by attaching a number value to pain creates the option of change. By imagining a yardstick during hypnosis a client can pick the number that best reflects their current level of pain, and then they are directed to different numbers which changes their perceived level of discomfort. With hypnosis arthritis sufferers gain a distinct advantage in managing and even reversing the limitations of arthritis. Hypnosis is simple, empowering and extremely effective. A few sessions with a hypnotherapist gets you started and with a little practice you begin to effect healthy positive changes in your life. We all have remarkable self-healing abilities and hypnosis is an excellent way to jumpstart a return to a healthier more active life. About the Author
Paul Gustafson RN, BSN, CH runs HealthyHypnosis.com of Burlington, Massachusetts. His 11 years of acute cardiac and hospice experience offer a solid foundation supporting his clinical approach to hypnotherapy. Visit HealthyHypnosis.com or call toll free at 888-290-3972.

A Stress-free Guide to Managing Stress

Anxiety is a condition that is neither welcome nor enjoyable. This condition can effectively reduce a persons productivity and ability to cope with various situations. Add to that the fact that periods of anxiety are uncomfortable and bring with it a host of nervous illnesses palpitations, cold flushes, clammy hands, and a boiling sense of dread in the pit of the stomach among others.

While it has been the subject of many studies and researches, scientists are agreed that anxiety is still not fully understood even today. However, as a result of their researches, they have been able to help people effectively manage and avoid anxiety.

1. Avoid Stress Stress is the greatest predisposing factor to anxiety attacks. If one is to avoid any anxiety-related illness, that person should reduce the amount of stressors experienced per day.

While not completely avoidable, one can at least create an environment where stress plays a lesser role on they body. Make sure you put the stressors that can be avoided away from your immediate vicinity. You could try lounging in an area that is peaceful and quiet.

You will be surprised at what a good five minutes of relaxation can do for a stressed-out body. You could also come up with good coping mechanisms for stress related issues. You could listen to soothing music, meditate, and do other relaxing activities.

2. Avoid Drinking and Other Substances Studies have shown that various substances can predispose one to bouts of anxiety. These substances play around with the normal balance of chemicals in the brain, effectively increasing the chance one acquires anxiety illness.

While some people drink or take drugs to soothe their nerves it actually has a counter-effect that will discourage those that do so. Drugs for example can increase the release of a chemical called dopamine in the brain.

Dopamine is a chemical that is associated with pleasure in the body. While activities such as sex and eating good food increase dopamine release anywhere from two to three times, drugs haywire the brain and cause an increase in dopamine anywhere from four to ten times.

While this may seem like a good thing for some people, this sudden and unwarranted increase in dopamine can actually cause havoc to the chemical balance of the brain. And while it makes those that take them giddy for some time, when a persons high wears off, the sudden loss of dopamine will induce a great amount of depression, stress, and anxiety.

3. Sleep Right People need the right amount of sleep to retain a calm, restive demeanor. If you have noticed, you are usually a lot crankier and anxious the day after you pull an all-nighter. This is because sleep is a necessity for good health physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

Not only is the amount of sleep important, but the regular schedule for it as well. If possible keep your sleep patterns regular, as an irregular pattern can cause an undue amount of stress and anxiety.

4. Eat Right The body needs certain nutrients to keep itself healthy. Not only does it need these nutrients for energy and building processes, it also needs certain nutrients to keep the chemical balance in the body at normal rates.

This makes the intake of healthy food important. The intake of the right kind of food is integral to the health and well-being of any person. Anxiety is, as studies have shown, directly related to diet.

Avoid taking food substances that can alter your body chemistry in the wrong way. Coffee and alcohol are some of the food stuffs that can play with ones chemical balance and cause anxiety as well.

Overcome Chronic Fatigue With Simple Measures

Chronic fatigue is an illness that you must not take for granted. If it persists for a long time, it can lead to serious other health troubles specifically related to the immune system. In most cases, chronic fatigue is suffered by almost all people those who have hectic schedule, bad lifestyle habit, and even those who have complete sleeping hours.

So, if you find yourself having bouts of the symptoms, perhaps it is time for you to check your lifestyle and health habits. Here are some simple yet proven ways to overcome or avoid the illness.

Keeping Healthy

Though there are other causes, fatigue and tiredness often is the result when you have chronic flu which lasts for months. The lack of proper nutrition in your body decreases the immune system; therefore, making your body weak and more susceptible to sicknesses. Vitamin C is a great booster to your immune system so include this in your diet along with healthy food intake and enough rest.

Managing Stress Level

High stress level is never good for anyone’s health condition as it makes you get tired so easily. High stress level is often achieved when you are having heated arguments with another, having problems at the office, having a conflict with another that cause your anger or emotional level to rise up. When you can’t manage your stress level, it is easy for you to be targeted by the chronic fatigue syndrome. But the good news is it is easy to get rid of your stress. Just try to do exercises, maybe a walk on weekends around the park or any kind of exercise regimen that will refresh and relax your body.

Avoiding Too Much Night Activities

It isn’t always easy to avoid the night life. It just feels good to visit the local nightclub, search for restaurants offering unique foods, and hang out with friends. However, being up until early in the morning is never good for the body as it is meant to rest a certain amount of time. It causes fatigue the following morning especially if you are going for work or school.

Avoiding Caffeine as Energy Booster

Coffee has always been the good companion especially of people who need to wake up in the middle of the day and at night. But using it as energy booster can lead to health problems as it only gives temporary measures and can aggravate chronic fatigue condition.

Drinking Dark Chocolate

It is found at the pilot study that eating or drinking dark chocolate which has high contents of cocoa is good for overcoming chronic fatigue syndrome. This is because it contains a chemical, serotonin, which has been found to be responsible for giving benefits to the brain.

Also, dark chocolates contain polyphenols, another chemical which was found to have great benefits in reducing blood pressure. It can also provide relief to patients who suffer with chronic fatigue. So, instead of coffee, you may opt to take dark chocolate into your diet to help overcome your fatigue problems.

Chronic fatigue is an illness that one must never neglect as it can lead to more serious problems. Avoiding it to go serious by taking the above simple ways will bring significant impact to your life. Living a simpler life is always one effective way of leading a healthy lifestyle, free of illnesses, which not to mention, can be very expensive to attend to.

Managing stress through self hypnosis

If you have even a passing interest in the topic of hypnosis, then you should take a look at the following information. This enlightening article presents some of the latest news on the subject of hypnosis.

The stress levels of people now are much higher compared before. This is one of the reasons why exceeding and more of them are finding ways to manage stress so considering not to affect their overall health. One of the ways that peopleespecially those that have super stressful jobsprefer is self hypnosis. This is because the practice can help them relieve and manage stress the most natural part possible.

Why use self hypnosis?

When the word ” hypnosis ” is mentioned, many people are hesitant to stab it because of the simple misconception that it can manipulate one to do things beyond his or her wishes. Not many of them envision that this is not always the case. If truth to be told, hypnosisthrough self hypnosiscan show one of the best therapeutic tools that a person can use. This is because people can use this in overcoming their fears. It will also be able to help them in withstanding pain and manage varying levels of stress that they observation in their lives.

Nowadays, the horror of hypnosis is being poles apart because of the rise in excitation in its seemingly endless possibilities by using it in a therapeutic way. In fact, more and more establishments now are quite open to give hypnosis services to people. This is to prove that hypnosis can embody a good article if it is practiced or conducted by a licensed or a professional hypnotist. It is good to take note the are various types of hypnotists. In the industry of hypnosis, types of hypnotists include showroom hypnotists that regularly work in bars and clubs and whose subjects are those people whose idea of good time by joining hundreds of people in places where alcohol is used considering a social lubricant and clinical hypnotists, on the other hand, are those who alertness with people that have problems and those who consider hypnotherapy as a means of relieving pain and overcoming addiction, fear and confusion.

But, if you still dont have enough trust to other people in hypnotizing you because they might cause you to do something without your consent or well-suited awareness, it is best to conduct self hypnosis. This is because you are quite sure that nobody would try to hurt you or make fun of you since you will symbolize conducting it yourself. Aside from ensuring that you are safe, you will also be able to save lots of time and some money since you won’t have to travel all the way to a certain clinic and pay for the services of the hypnotist. All you have to do is do some research and you will learn how to use your own voice during the process.

Self hypnosis as a stress buster

Many people are finding it best to use self hypnosis as a stress buster because it does not really require so much time, pay or effort. In fact, many people would agree that self hypnosis can be one of the easiest means of relieving stress by means of being clout a relaxed state where you can directly inscription the tensions that you feel and somehow trigger your body’s response to relaxation. This is helpful to be able to avoid chronic stress that may lead to many health problems. It can also lift you achieve a healthier life because heartfelt power lead you to develop good habits that can veer you momentarily from activities that have bitchy effects not only to your physical body but to your emotional state for well.

That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.