Why positive affirmations can help self confidence

By Doug

Sep

8

 In the average day, any one of us thinks negative thoughts to ourselves. Most are simple but have their profound effects. If we think of ourselves as  stupid several times a day, it can seriously change our mood and even how we feel through the next few hours. If we tell ourselves we are stupid every hour, it will probably have an impact on our mood all day long. So if we tell ourselves we are stupid every few minutes or more, then it will be likely to diminish our ability to function positively every few minutes. In a very short time period our productiveness and our ability to function will be greatly diminished, all by the impact of thinking negatively about ourselves.

Change begins with how we think about ourselves.Well the same is true if we were to think that we are brilliant every few minutes, we should become more uplifted and happy from giving ourselves over that more positive thought pattern. In theory this is true about how we think, so the next logical step is to reinforce the way we feel by saying our thoughts outloud. If we do this the impact on the mind and body is greatly increased. This act of saying a positive thought aloud to ourselves is called using positive affirmations. By choosing to say positive affirmations about ourselves and the things we need encouragement in, we can overcome many internal behavior patterns that we are unaware that we feed ourselves with daily.Change becomes reality in the way that we talk to ourselves.

Why positive affirmations can help self confidence and using them can change your life, it is so simple that it almost goes unnoticed by us all daily. We change the way we feel by having a change in moods emotionally. When we change our emotions and our self talking affirmations, we then begin to think, act or even believe differently about ourselves. This is the way to change everything from the inside and eventually we begin to show it externally. We are what we think we are in our subliminal minds and we believe what we we say we are with our words.

Change balances everything as we see ourselves, as we really are inside and out.

Alternatives All the Way to Reno

By Doug

Aug

24

It’s not necessarily true that the west coast has the strongest alternative healing community.  But it does seem to be deeply connected to it at the origin, and any trace can be related back to the Pacific.  It might have something to do with the unique propensity that practitioners have of relating everything to everything else, and is certainly likely to be connected to the mindset of meditation in general.  Meditating, from nearly any cultural or historical perspective and tradition, does tend to have the notion that everything is connected, ultimately.

However, when moving to a new city, one can find plenty of evidence that alternative healing is alive and well all over.  So finding such a welcome web in places like Reno won’t be shocking.  It’s not entirely on the west coast, but there are definitely cultural similarities.  Or it could be something much simpler, like the idea that the world is indeed smaller, and the things that work well in one place can easily translate to another.

On some level, of course, every place is connected, and every place can be its own miniature version of the whole world.  If someone is looking close enough, the things one might find in Jakarta will also be in Las Vegas.  There are some times when it takes a little more investigation, but the seeds are all contained in each pot.  One can find an expert in reflexology just as one can find a Lawyer in Reno, which just goes to show that the human being is a complex organism.

The influences of the alternative healing movement in Reno don’t end with the human, either.  True, there are a wide varieties of services one can find in the city to help deal with any number of issues related to human health.  There are also services where one can find the same care and holistic attention payed to the animal kingdom in Reno.  Here, the knowledge and wisdom that come from multiple systems of healing from all over the world are applied to taking care of pets.

So while the busy mind has tendencies to find too many connections between things, there is also plenty of evidence to show that the connections are actually there, from animals to law offices to wellness.  It’s not the west coast exactly, but sometimes, if it’s in the same universe, that’s close enough.

West Coast Weather Affects Lifestyle

By Doug

Jun

14

The weather on the west coast is much warmer than other parts of the country, which comes with advantages as well as disadvantages.

The warm weather affects people’s mindsets, lifestyles and their attitude. Many people enjoy the warmer weather as it allows them to be more active and to be outdoors more often. The warmth also puts people in a better mood as there is typically more sunshine during the day. The people who are more active are generally healthier and tend to have higher levels of self esteem.

The heat changes the way people eat, exercise, and the clothing that they wear. The warm weather generally leads to a smaller appetite and typically when it is hot people do not want to eat heavy foods. Most west coast dwellers tend to eat leaner meats, more fresh vegetables, and fruit. Grilling is also very common on the west coast as it is a healthier way to cook compared to frying. When the weather is warm, people want to be outside and they go to the park to play or go for walk rather than watching television. The exercise level is higher because the weather is more pleasant on the west coast.

While the heat has many advantages, it also has its disadvantages. During the middle of the summer when it is blazing hot outside, houses and cars heat up and can lead to discomfort and dehydration. Air conditioning bills can become very pricey in the summer and a great way to keep a house cool is to install blinds. Blinds will block out the sunlight which heats up the room and will prevent furniture from fading. Installing new blinds does not have to be expensive either, many blind companies offer deals, for example, Next Day Blinds has coupon deals which can be accessed online.

A great way to keep a car cool is to buy windshield shades and to put them up when leaving the car in the sun. Also it is a good idea to carry around a refillable water bottle, like a Camelbak, so as not to get dehydrated during the day.

The west coast is a beautiful place to live and has many advantages. Although it does have some disadvantages they are not difficult to adapt to.

Effective Interventions

By Doug

Feb

16

Drug and alcohol addiction seems to be a never ending problem in American society. In spite of the ongoing “War on Drugs,” use and abuse of narcotics , non-prescription drugs, and alcohol, continues to grow.

Addiction has far reaching effects on society. The addict faces medical, financial, and relationship problems. Impaired driving and working leads to accidents, injuries, and even deaths. Crime rates go up, which translates to higher costs to maintain the criminal justice and penal systems which makes taxes go up.

There is never an easy to solution to something as complex as the problems associated with drug abuse. However, it is possible to do things to affect individual addicts. Getting an addict to end their habit and seek treatment is the purpose of interventions.

Effective intervention programs bring together the addict with his family, co-workers, and friends. These are the people who are most directly effected by the addiction and who care about the addict’s health and well-being. A good intervention is going to be overseen by a qualified professional, usually associated with a rehab center or program. They will facilitate the intervention so that each participate gets the chance to speak about how the addiction has impacted their relationship with the addict and how concerned they are for his health. As the addict begins to accept responsibility for the consequences of his actions on their friends, he should become willing to seek treatment. The effective intervention ends with the addict enrolling in a rehab program.

Who Needs Visitor Insurance?

By Doug

Oct

15

Every day people travel overseas without any thought for how they would handle a medical emergency, however minor. For most people, it isn’t an issue, however, there are several categories of people who should not travel without purchasing Visitor health insurance .

The first category is students traveling abroad . In most cases whatever program the student is part of will have group rates for insurance or can direct parents on how to purchase insurance. Whether it’s a group of high school kids traveling for a few weeks or a college student spending a year studying abroad, health insurance is not a luxury.

Another group of people who need to invest in visitor insurance is anyone doing regular business overseas. Sometimes a company will assign workers to live abroad for the duration of a project or will require repeated trips back to the same region. If possible, the employer should cover at least a portion of the insurance, just as they do with standard medical insurance.

The final category are those people who take extended travel vacations or actually live part or most of the time abroad . This is especially important when the travel involved multiple countries or when a couple or family may spend time in separate countries. Insurance needs to cover all likely scenarios and provide coverage in any and all countries on the itinerary.

People Over 50 Worry Less

By Doug

May

20

A recent study suggests that people over fifty may experience less negative emotions such as anger, stress, and sadness. Provided is a short synopsis of the article, but WebMD has more information on the study. People in this age range are also more likely to feel good about themselves and to be happy with the way they look and the way they live. The reason why, they said, was because as people get older they increase their emotional intelligence as well as wisdom. They are also less likely to remember bad things, and more likely to remember good things. This keeps them calmer and less negative.

Over Working Can Hurt Your Heart

By Doug

May

14

Scientists have once again proven something that people have known all along. Even if most people don’t act like they know it. It stands to reason though that the more you work the more of a strain it is on your heart. This study in particular said that people who work ten or more hours a day are at greater risk for heart problems. The study consisted of nearly 6,000 people, with an average time following their careers of around 11 years per person. What they found was that people who worked ten hours a day was significantly more likely to have heart problems as a person working seven, eight, or nine hours a day. Something about ten hours seems to be the magic number.

Roman Exercise and Two Person Hot Tubs

By Doug

Sep

21

A hot tub can be a wonderful thing, and a private hot tub in your own home is even better.  You have the luxury of having a wonderful stress reliever at your fingertips, and a half hour soak can do wonders on the muscles and the mind.  A tired mind can get calmer, and ready for a perfect night’s sleep, or a preoccupied mind can get clarity.  The pleasures of hot water and massage have been celebrated by all cultures, with a long and fascinating history.  With our 2 person hot tubs you can enjoy the benefits of this history with the most advanced technologies.

The effects on physical health are numerous.  The way the heart responds to the hot water can match the way it responds to aerobics, and it can have the effects of exercise.  Historically, there are many cultures who combine an exercise regimen followed by time spent in a hot tub or sauna.  The Roman baths in particular had a very formalized way of bathing, and built elaborate structures entirely dedicated to the bath.  There were a multitude of ideas in ancient Roman culture about the bath, and how it was a cure for practically everything.

With the Roman baths, however, the system was much more complex than what you’ll have in your home.  They had enormous bath houses with many different baths of different temperatures.  Exercise was taken for its own sake, but also to stimulate sweat.  When this is followed with a bath, it helps to open the pores of the skin, and get rid of all the toxins.  It’s possible, then, to join in this tradition.  You don’t need to take on the Roman exercise regimen and prepare for becoming a gladiator, but can simply enjoy the combination of exercise and your hot tub.  It’s a splendid way to get in shape and enjoy all the benefits of water on the skin and muscles.

Cuisine of Bali

By Doug

Aug

17

The gourmet market Bali Deli in Seminyak is fantastic with their own cafe and fast wi-fi. We left our hotel in Bali Indonesia to try a warung for real tasty Balinese food. In Ubud distrct you can get Western wines and the local lunch sausage, meats and breads. You can get sambal, vegetables with spices, all carefully sauced and delicious.

We tried the Lawar here, which can be had in almost every village. It’s made from pig’s blood and all kinds of other ingredients like coconut, green string beans, and paste made from shrimp. It’s so common as to be almost a stereotype of Balinese food, and for many Westerners a taste that one must acquire. It’s the meat that really makes the difference. It can be beef, pork, chicken, turtle or even made with dragonflies (it takes a lot of dragonflies) but not everyone in Bali goes for this and rather have vegetarian lawar.

Bali’s most famous dish is probably Babi guling, Balinese suckling roast pig. It’s not likely found in tourist areas as it takes so long to make. A suckling pig is filled with a mixture of ginger, garlic, lime leaves, chilies, lemon grass, fresh turmeric, and other spices. The outside is rubbed with water mixed with turmeric, giving the skin its characteristic yellow color, and seasoned with salt. The pig is roasted at high heat, over 400 degrees for about an hour. After resting for fifteen minutes, the skin is removed and the meat sliced. A dollop of stuffing is placed on a plate and topped with the skin and meat. It is served with steamed rice and Jukut Nangka Mekuah, jackfruit with coconut milk.

Vegetarians will enjoy Balinese cuisine too. Rice is a staple, try it with Gado Gado, steamed cabbage and sprouts, tofu and nut sauce. You can find this and other non meat items at Padang food places, Sumatran spots with beautiful stacks of food in the window.

Gastric bypass surgery

By Doug

Jul

15

Weight loss surgery is major and not something that should be taken lightly or without the proper recommendation from a doctor. People who have gastric bypass surgery are those who have to use the surgery as a last resort for significant weight loss.

People who are morbidly obese sometimes have gastric sleeve surgery before proceeding onto gastric bypass surgery. Unfortunately, gastric sleeve cost is a completely different expense then an eventual gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric bypass is the preferred weight loss surgery in the United States. Doctors believe gastric bypass surgery is the one with the least complications.  Gastric bypass requires that its patients make significant lifestyle changes.  Gastric bypass surgery is where the stomach is stapled across the top so it becomes sealed off from the rest of your stomach.

This allows only for about an ounce of food to be held in the walnut-sized pouch. This allows for the food to bypass your stomach, hence then name of the surgery, and the food, instead goes straight into the small intestine. This allows for fewer calories to be absorbed, resulting in weight loss.

Gastric bypass surgery can be performed by opening up the entire stomach, which is the traditional method for the surgery. Now more often the surgery is being performed or laparoscopically. Doing the surgery laparoscopically usually makes for a shorter hospital stay because it is far less invasive.  However, not everyone can have the less invasive type of surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery might be the most common form of weight loss surgery in the United States, but it is also among the most expensive. That is why medical tourism, Mexico, usually based surgery is becoming more and more popular.

By having gastric bypass Mexico based surgery most patients are able to save a lot of money compared to what they would pay for the procedure in the United States.

Stretching and Relaxation, The Beneficial Effects of Hot Tubs

By Doug

Jun

30

Exercise is a very important element to healthy living, one of the most important in fact.  Exercise is important for keeping the joints mobile and keeping the muscles strengthened, and as people age having a lifetime of exercise behind them will prevent some of the problems most people encounter as the body gets older.  Moving the body regularly also serves to keep waste flowing out of the body, as well as moving  the nutrients through the body.  There are various kinds of exercise that benefit the body in different ways.  One of the elements in exercise is the prevention of injury.  Hot tubs are a great way to accomplish this, as well as should injury occur they are one of the best ways to alleviate pain.  More information can be found at choosehottubsdirect.com.  Soaking in a hot tub prior to working out will loosen up muscles and ensure that one will be able to stretch with the least likelihood of pulling a muscle.  Soak afterward will help the body rid itself of the chemicals that could cause sore muscles in the morning.

When one begins it is best to complete a series of stretches that will ensure a range of motion, the range that will give one the ability to move without injury.  Stretching for any athlete, be it football players or ballet dancers, is something that should be done on a daily basis, whether or not a full work out is in the plan for any given day.  Stretching after work outs, just for a brief time will prevent stiffness as well. Those who suffer from arthritis will also benefit from stretching, and soaking in the hot tub.  This may be difficult at first, as the chronic pain may tend to make some people shy away from movement, afraid to try or in too much pain to try, but with small, gradual attempts the pain will subside.  When one stretches, the muscles will become strong, which will in turn have the effect of the removal of pressure on the joints.  That pressure is the cause for much of the pain, and when the muscles are holding the body up, the joints take less shock.