Natural High

 

 

Eco-therapy is a natural therapy that encourages people to spend more time outdoors – particularly in natural environments to boost mental wellbeing. As a philosophy, it’s nothing new – after all, in the past doctors regularly recommended that recuperating patients should spend time at the seaside to hasten their recovery.

 

Today, psychologists are recommending eco-therapy as a useful treatment for depression, stress, anxiety and other mental illnesses. And most of us would agree that our moods are improved by spending time outside rather than lounging in front of the TV or sitting in an office environment.

 

But why is the great outdoors so good for our mental wellbeing? Well scientists believe that our affinity with nature is down to our evolutionary history. Thousands of years ago humans would have spent most of their time in natural environments rather than the man-made environments we inhabit today.

 

In addition research has shown that enjoying nature is calming and restorative. In one study, participants were shown images of nature and after just a few minutes blood pressure, brain activity and stress hormones were all shown to decrease whilst mood improved.

 

So whether you live in the countryside or the city, try and make time each day to enjoy the great outdoors. Here are some ideas:

 

• Ditch public transport and walk or cycle to work instead


• If you don’t have a garden, find out if there are any local community gardening projects that you could become involved in


• Consider volunteering with a local environmental charity or nature group


• Swap your city break for a camping holiday


• Don’t wait for a sunny day – even if it is wet and windy, you can still enjoy nature – just pop on your waterproofs and head off

 

For more information about eco-therapy, visit: www.ecotherapy.org.uk

 

Categories: eco therapy, mental wellbeing, Natural, natural environments, nature, nbsp, therapy, time

Ways To Improve Communication In Your Marriage

 

One of the most common challenges for those in marriages is learning how to effectively communicate with your partner. With busy schedules and raising children, it can be difficult to remain close and protect the bond with a lack of communication that develops. To improve how you understand one another and stay close in each season of life, there are several ways to improve how you practice conversation and incorporate it into your marriage.

 

Schedule a Date Night

To facilitate a healthy discussion and escape your normal surroundings, it’s important to schedule a date night several times each month to ensure that you can escape distractions or interruptions. Dine at a restaurant that is quiet and low-key to ensure that you can review your day or discuss certain topics that need to be covered.

 

Sit Down for Dinner Together

Instead of sitting in front of the TV or having dinner in separate rooms, it’s important to have dinner together where conversation can be made. This will make it easier to discuss any issues in the marriage or even relay your feelings in a private environment.

 

Consider the Timing

Timing is everything when it comes to improving conversation in your marriage, making it important to avoid sitting down to have a serious discussion after you both get home from work. Schedule a time talk for topics that are more time consuming while leaving the lighter conversation to odd hours of the day when you are both not as available.

 

Enroll in Marriage Counseling

One of the most effective ways of communicating is to have a mediator present who can offer sound advice that is not biased according to Dalton Associates, a company that does couples counseling in Toronto. To work through consistent issues and learn more about your spouse through a third party, enroll in marriage counseling for an effective way of improving your listening skills and learning steps to resolve conflict that can occur. Avoid casting blame, stay flexible, and be open to hearing your spouse’s needs to ensure that you both can feel cared for in the relationship.

 

When it comes to improving communication in your marriage and learning how to remain honest with your spouse, there are several ways to improve how you relay your feelings. By consulting professional help and scheduling time to sit down with one another, it will help to understand one another and establish skills that can lead to a successful and fulfilling marriage.

 

Categories: counseling, Marriage, relationship tips, therapy

How to Use Complementary Therapy to Boost Your Fertility

If you want to improve your chances of getting pregnant, it’s important to look after your wellness and wellbeing. As well as all the traditional, mainstream ways, you should look to gain an all-natural boost from the plethora of treatments and tips available under the discipline of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 

At a recent fertility seminar held in New York City, many natural fertility specialists highlighted the importance that Traditional Chinese Medicine and other mind/body techniques can have on a woman’s chances of having a baby.

 

For example, traditional Chinese Medicine can help to improve blood flow to the reproductive area. It is thought that a stressful lifestyle can remove blood flow away from the reproductive organs, funnelling it instead to the legs and arms as part of the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to danger. To change this, a course of acupuncture can help to redirect the blood flow back to the reproductive organs. You could also try focused relaxation (such as mentally going to your internal ‘happy place’), or a session of de-stressing yoga, or even a massage.

 

Hormones also play a big role in conception. When your hormones are all out of kilter, it can make it much tougher to conceive. Stress is often the cause of hormonal imbalance too, especially as so many women have high –stress lifestyles. Stress can cause increased production of the hormone prolactin, which may then impede ovulation. As well as cutting down on the stress in your life, there are some herbs that can be useful to fertility. You would also benefit hugely from eating a healthy, balanced diet and taking plenty of exercise. All of this will help to bring your body’s hormones back into balance, hopefully helping you to conceive successfully in the future.

Categories: blood flow, chinese, Chinese medicine, Fertility, medicine, reproductive, reproductive organs, Stress, therapy, traditional, traditional chinese

Why You Should Finish Your Physical Therapy

While it might seem tempting to skip those last few physical therapy sessions, they can be the most crucial to your treatment. The goal of physical therapy, as stated by WebMD, is to help you regain the functions necessary to make daily activities easier. Whether you are recovering from surgery, an accident or an age-related ailment, here are some reasons you should finish your physical therapy:

 

Reduce Your Liability

If you are going to physical therapy in coordination with an insurance or workers’ compensation claim, completion of the prescribed sessions is critical. Keep in mind that insurance companies and workers’ compensation case managers are responsible for collecting all of your medical records. If you miss appointments or fail to finish physical therapy, your claim could get denied. Even if you do not feel significant improvement, make it to all of your scheduled physical therapy sessions to help prove your insurance or workers’ compensation case.

 

Gauge Your Results

Physical therapy often produces the best results toward the end of treatment. You will be able to look back at your initial sessions and track progress, which is a crucial component of treatment. For instance, range of motion progress and pain levels are documented at each appointment. Physical therapy cannot be deemed a failure or success until the very last session. Whether you go to Westmount Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation in Hamilton or to a clinic near you, you should always finish physiotherapy to know the definitive results of your complete treatment.

 

Learn DIY Techniques

The goal of physical therapy, as stated earlier, is to help you regain normal function. For this reason, you will likely learn many techniques that can be used outside of the physical therapy setting. These exercises can be important for pain relief, range of motion or motor skills. These calisthenics might need to be performed indefinitely or just periodically, but you won’t know your therapist’s recommendations until you finish your physical therapy.

 

Know Future Needs

If you have been referred to physical therapy by your general doctor or a specialist, your physical therapy results will be used in your overall treatment plan. If physical therapy is successful, then no further action will be immediately needed. However, unsuccessful physical therapy can pave the way for a surgical procedure or pain management treatment. Finishing physical therapy will rule out or confirm future healthcare needs.

 

Physical therapy is important for legal liability and your long-term health. Completion of physical therapy treatment will impact your future healthcare needs. If you do not regain normal function during your scheduled sessions, your doctor will rule out physical therapy as a treatment and make further recommendations. If you have specific questions regarding your physical therapy treatment, ask your physical therapist.

Categories: compensation case, future healthcare, normal function, physical, Physical Therapy, regain normal, techniques, therapy, therapy nbsp, therapy sessions, therapy treatment

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Be Used for Cancer Patients?

In 2011, Chris Francis, of Newport, Australia, underwent radiotherapy after having a small skin cancer removed from her shin. Not only did the treatment destroy the cancer cells, but also the surrounding tissue. According to Chris, ‘I had a great big hole in my leg. Just to stand up and clean my teeth and go back to bed was agony.’ Eventually, she was referred to a therapy that would improve her wellbeing forever.

In January, Chris went to Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital’s hyperbaric unit. It took six weeks of daily therapy and regular wound care until her ulcer was ‘looking really good’, and now it has all but disappeared. The main health concern that people believe hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used for is “the bends” or decompression sickness in divers. However, most of the patients undergoing hyperbaric therapy at hospital-based hyperbaric units across Australia are similar to Chris; with half of the patients at PoW being treated for damage to bone or soft tissue incurred during radiation therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is also used to improve the wellness of those with necrotising infections, carbon monoxide poisoning and Crohn’s disease.

While in normal air under water is 21% oxygen, for the treatment you sit or lie in a sealed chamber and breathe 100% oxygen at depths equivalent to 10-20 metres. Your lungs are saturated with oxygen while the increased atmospheric pressure drives the gas into your body’s tissues much more quickly than under normal atmospheric conditions. Therefore, your tissues can get the blood and oxygen it needs to heal to begin the healing process.

Associate professor Mike Bennett, a doctor at the PoW unit and president of the South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society, explains that for some people with cancers in the pelvic area, for example, and have suffered tissue damage during their treatment, ‘their problem is just unremitting and the only solution until recently [has been] very major, radical surgery – removing the bowel, removing the bladder, having all sorts of bags and tubes permanently attached to your tummy.’

‘Hyperbaric has turned around some of these people’s lives,’ he notes. ‘It allows the tissue to repair itself, so the bowel or the bladder or whatever’s damaged, over a period of weeks to months, slowly repairs itself and normal function, or close to normal function, is restored.’ Chris enthuses, ‘Just to be able to walk outside and hang the washing on the line, do housework – I never thought I’d enjoy that, but I’m just enjoying all that. Being free.’

Categories: cancer, chris, hyperbaric, hyperbaric oxygen, Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment, normal, normal function, Oxygen, oxygen therapy, The Bends, therapy

Benefits of Massage Therapy: 5 Ways to Get Rid of Pain

Ongoing research into the benefits of massage therapy are adding to the body of evidence showing how it can help with numerous diseases and disorders. As a result, a once reluctant medical community is now embracing therapeutic massage. Many hospitals now feature on-site massage therapists and spas for the treatment of pain patients and post-surgery patients because of the undeniable effects of massage in speeding the recovery process.

 

Relieves Stress

Stress is felt occasionally by everyone and is not always a bad thing. Whenever an energetic action is needed, your body generates energy that can be used productively by you. Adrenaline raises your heart rate, and cortisol boosts your blood sugar, which is what our ancestors needed for a fight or flight response. However, when stress lingers, it can be a problem. Massage therapy is great for lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and secreting certain neurotransmitters like endorphins that encourage feelings of calm and relaxation.

 

Improves Circulation

Another benefit of massage therapy is improved blood circulation. Poor blood circulation can lead to pain because of fluid pooling in the extremities. It can also cause a buildup of lactic acid in muscles. Massage therapy can improve blood circulation, leading to much improved blood circulation.

 

Improves Posture

Poor posture is a common cause of neck and back pain. For example, when you are hunched forward, some muscles are forced to work harder than others. This leads to muscle tension and pain. Massage therapy can relax and loosen muscles made sore by poor posture, encouraging your body to resume a normal posture.

 

Relieves Headaches

Studies show that most people who have chronic headaches have migraines. These incredibly painful and debilitating headaches are disruptive to the lives of millions. Massage works in two ways to relieve headaches. It prevents stress and tension headaches. It also eases pressure caused by migraines. Pain in the head, neck, and shoulders is relieved through massage.

 

Speeds Injury Recovery

One of the greatest benefits of massage therapy is its positive effect on injury rehabilitation. According to health professionals of physiotherapy and rehabilitation centres of Ontario who help injured patients with physiotherapy in Courtice, massage helps push more nutrients and oxygen into bodily tissues, promoting faster healing. It allows injured areas to be more flexible and improves blood flow.

 

If you have been skeptical about the power of massage therapy, put your doubts aside and try the treatment for yourself. If you are suffering from pain, consult a massage therapist in your area to discover the many benefits of massage therapy and how you can utilize this treatment to have a better quality of life. The only thing you have to lose is your pain.

Categories: Benefits, blood circulation, Heart Rate, improved blood, massage, massage therapy, nbsp improves, nbsp relieves, Pain, poor posture, therapy

IV Vitamin Therapy: Is It Really Necessary For Our Health?

In the world of health and fitness, there seems to be a new craze every other day. But how many of them do we really need, and are they doing our health any good? The latest to join the ranks is IV Vitamin Therapy in which vitamins and nutrients are quite literally fed through to the body via an IV drip. The practice itself isn’t anything new – it was developed around 50 years ago by a Baltimore Doctor naked John Myers for treating fatigue and depression. But in modern day medicine, the popularity has increased and seen a resurgence of late in people creating their own cocktail of nutrients to drip feed into their bodies. Wellness enthusiasts claim that the procedure delivers nutrients directly into the bloodstream and supercharges your energy levels and immune system. Whatever ails you can supposedly be treated with this practice, from digestive complaints or sleep problems, with everything from vitamin D and folic acid flooding your veins to injectable vitamin C. But one of the main reasons why it has become so popular of late is the rumour that it could be a fantastic anti-ageing weapon.

 

There have even been reports by some people that, in place of Western medicines, this works as a way of improving the success rate in couples conceiving. In fact, IV drips are so ubiquitous in Los Angeles that you can get one along with your facial. But is this simply a holistic fad that joins the pile with crazy diets and anti-ageing remedies we now balk at? It seems that this is something altogether different from such magazine fodder.

The process is incredibly high tech, using equipment that measures bone density and takes ultrasounds. Your initial visit will require a look at the body as a collection of parts rather than one machine, making the treatments tailored to your specific needs. Most doctors will need to get a comprehensive look at your body and ailments before going straight in with the needle. Everything from your family history to your sex life will be included so that the physician can get a thorough look at your health as it currently stands. Including the initial consultation and then regular weekly injections, this isn’t a cheap service, heading well into the hundreds for this health-boosting therapy. From the first go, you may feel slightly groggy which your physician will warn you of, rather than the bolt of energy you may be expecting. But that will change – after a couple of hours, when you begin to exercise, work or go about your daily tasks, you’ll notice that you have far more energy than you usually do.

You’re able to go that extra mile without feeling drained because of it. And as you get more of this vitamin-rich therapy, the benefits improve all the while. Your fatigue levels will drop, you’ll have boundless energy and you’ll notice your skin becomes more plump and glowing. This isn’t vitamin popping in the same way that you do when you purchase a pot of multivitamins in the supermarket. These are pure grade vitamins which really make a difference. You’ll be more alert, your concentration levels will go through the roof and your appearance will really benefit. If the reviews are to be believed, then you’ll find that IV Vitamin Therapy becomes more popular by far – time will tell if it catches on in other parts of the world, following the example of top LA medical centres.

Categories: anti ageing, energy, health, holistic, iv vitamin, ll notice, New Treatment, nutrients, therapy, vitamin, vitamin therapy, vitamins

What is Financial Therapy and How Does it Help You?

Anyone who has ever had an argument of debt or expenditure will know that your emotions are absolutely linked with your financial habits. In this stage of the recession, with so many people looking for jobs or finding that the rising costs of living are becoming difficult to cope with, money has become a big issue in many households. Until the past few years though, the emotional side of the situation was more important than the numbers themselves – therapists are now looking more into all elements of the situation though, rather than just the one  side. A new practice coming into play is known as financial therapy. This practice bridges the gap between traditional therapy and finance. Many financial planners are focused on money only and become uncomfortable when the subject of emotions arises. By the same token, most therapists don’t have the knowledge to navigate clients’ financial difficulties. Some education providers are even bringing this subject into the curriculum, such as the psychology of personal finance so that people are aware of what it takes to plan for their goals. This is a growing industry that more educational providers have realised.

 

Experts compare this gap to the notion of diet and exercise. People know that diet and physical activity is important for their health, yet the increasing obesity crisis shows that  vast proportion of people don’t act on it. The emotional aspect of finance is where people get stuck – how do they stop doing something they don’t want to be doing? For example, gambling, overspending or under-spending could be some of these problems. Understanding the emotional side of finance helps to open up a dialogue about it and can strengthen couple’s bonds over money and accounts. Therapists may counsel people on the boundaries they set with their children about financial handouts or making decisions on money as a family. The way your parents acted with money may well impact how you do too, yet these decisions might not always suit the lifestyle you’re trying to lead. Financial therapy can close in on these issues and find a way out of them.

The Financial Therapy Association Network lists over three dozen members who provide services in this area. The field is still developing, and most people aren’t yet aware of the industry as a whole, but it is growing. In a time when so many people are struggling to make ends meet and trying to survive on less money, through unemployment or increased prices in the supermarkets, financial therapy could be the way forward for a lot of people. And if there isn’t a financial therapy service in your area, there is the wonder of technology – many counsellors work via Skype or the internet. Because there is no official certification for financial therapists yet, because the industry is so new, experts recommend looking to the educational background of therapists, or any licenses they may hold. Look at the average number of client meetings they hold, how they get paid and their hourly fee. Are they getting commission from referrals, and is the fee insurance based? These questions will help you to determine how valid and authentic your therapist is. It will also help you to determine if the therapist has any biases. How they approach financial therapy themselves says a lot about their practices and how they teach, which varies from person to person. What you’re looking for may not be taught by one person, but you may find that another therapist can help you.

Categories: financial, financial therapy, money, people, Relationships, therapists, therapy

Can Therapy Help Paedophiles to Resist their Urges?

Minnesota is one of 20 states that have passed civil commitment laws. This means that courts in these states are able to confine child molesters, rapists and other sex offenders who have finished their prison sentences but are deemed too dangerous to re-enter the community. For these offenders, therapy isn’t a complementary wellness add-on, it’s crucial to their overall wellbeing. Without the proof that therapy has made them safe to leave, the former inmates can stay in prison indefinitely.

 

According to David Prescott, a licensed therapist who has spent years sitting face to face with paedophiles trying to evaluate their progress, ‘So far, research shows that treatment very definitely can work.’ However, critics of the treatment argues that psychotherapy does nothing for the wellness of sex offenders – or, indeed, their potential victims – if the person drops out or is kicked out of therapy. Moreover, the treatment centres can cost tens of thousands of dollars each year – and that’s per person. In 2011, a government audit showed Minnesota spent $120,000 annually per person in civil commitment.

 

Researchers have been working with sex offenders for two decades now, but still we are without a cure for deviant urges. Therefore, the job of a therapist is to help paedophiles resist their urges. Dr. Fred Berlin, director of the Johns Hopkins Sexual Disorders Clinic in Baltimore, comments, ‘We don’t know how to change the fact that a person is sexually attracted to children, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be successful treatment.’ From the research, we know it is better to take an empathetic tone with paedophiles, rather than a harsh or confrontational one, which can be a challenge for therapists.

 

Prescott, a past president of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers who is now the clinical instructor of the Becket Family of Services Centre in Maine, clarifies, ‘Let me just be clear, you can be very challenging by being warm and empathic.’ If someone resists group therapy, for instance, Prescott notes he might respond by saying, ‘You don’t like the term sex offender, and yet your victim was willing to testify against you?’ Robin Wilson, an assistant professor of psychiatry at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, points out that many paedophiles have issues with their personal boundaries and interpersonal violence, and treating these issues may keep them from abusing others.

 

However, Wilson continues, it is more important to have a support system of people around the sex offender who will hold him accountable for good behaviour once he re-enters the community. (Wilson estimates 5% or less of paedophiles are female, hence the use of “he”.) Wilson asserts, ‘There’s a common misperception that sex offenders are sex offenders all the time. That’s not necessarily true. Under certain circumstances they do have normal relationships.’ Dr. Richard Krueger, who is in the group working on updating the information about paedophilia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, adds that the “pedohebephilic” type of paedophile, who is sexually attracted to both prepubescent and pubescent children (rather than the “hebephilic” type, who is sexually attracted solely to pubescent children) can sometimes be nudged into focusing on adults.

 

Still, Krueger, who is the medical director of the Sexual Behaviour Clinic at New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York, also points out that paedophiles who fall under the “classic type,” and are attracted only to prepubescent children, usually under the age of 11, often don’t change their focus. He argues, ‘With some paedophiles who are fixated, you can’t really make much of a dent; you may not be able to change their sexual interest pattern. In these situations pretty much you can only repress things, and you would use androgen [drug] therapy to do this.’

Categories: civil commitment, civil commitment law, nbsp, offenders, paedophiles, Paedophilia, pubescent children, sex offender, sex offenders, sexually attracted, talk therapy, therapy

The Serious Problem Of Women With Low Sex Drive

It is true that we are sometimes guilty in modern society of assuming that men always have a higher sex drive than women – and by extension that women naturally have a low sex drive. But the fact of the matter is that the neither of these two statements are necessarily true and indeed it is an example of where we should not simply rely on cliché and stereotype for our beliefs and opinions. The reality of the situation is that it is far more complicated – some women have a high sex drive, some men have a low sex drive and while in general it may be true that men are more likely to have a high sex drive, and women more likely to have a low sex drive, it is damaging to always make assumptions.

 

What is actually natural is that the sex drive of women fluctuates throughout life, rather than it being a constant of either high or low. Depending on major life events such as a relationship starting or ending, a pregnancy, an illness or going through the menopause, it’s true that the sex drive of a woman can change all of the time. So having a low sex drive should be looked at to see if there are external causal factors or whether it is some sort of illness or condition that is responsible. Some medications can cause a low sex drive, for instance.

 

But in the case where there are no obvious causal factors for low sex drive, it can be due to hypoactive sexual desire disorder – which can cause a consistent lack of personal interest in having sex or engaging in sexual activity. This can be a very distressing condition and it is worth going to the doctor if you are worried that you may be suffering from it. But it is also important to note that you can seek help even if you don’t meet these medical criteria – if you are bothered by your low sex drive it can be well worth getting help as there are many techniques that you can use including sexual techniques and lifestyle that can help to increase your sex drive.

 

The truth is that there is not necessarily going to be a way that you can define having a low sex drive. Everyone has a different sex drive and having less of a sex drive than your partner doesn’t necessarily mean that yours is especially low – it could just mean that theirs is higher than yours. And it is worth pointing out that having a low sex drive does not necessarily mean that your relationship is in trouble – it could be as strong as even but there are other factors causing problems for your sex drive.

 

There are a huge number of causes ranging from sexual problems that you are having, other medical problems in your life, medications that you are taking, alcohol or drugs that you consume on a regular basis, recent surgery or even fatigue. Aside from these physical issues it can also be down to hormonal changes such as the menopause or through pregnancy. And it is even true that it can be down to either psychological or relationship issues.

 

There are a number of potential treatments that can range from anything from medications, counselling or hormone therapies – your doctor will be able to recommend the best course of action for you. You can also choose treatments such as lifestyle changes including getting more exercise, setting aside more time for sex and removing stress from your life.

Categories: causal factors, drive, drive nbsp, high sex, life, low sex drive, nbsp, necessarily, Sex Drive, therapy, Women

How to Use the Wisdom of Ancient Therapies for Modern Issues

You may think that ancient complementary wellness practises are all in the past, but actually there are several alternative therapies still in use today. In fact, these methods have a great deal of prestige in many cultures, and are used to prevent various ailments and enhance overall wellbeing, without the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Let’s take a closer look at five of the most popular wellness therapies, and what they might be able to do for your wellness:

 

1. Hydrotherapy: Water is a natural part of your body, making up 69% of your chemical makeup. This is the thinking behind applying water as a therapeutic form of treatment to relieve stress, toxins, ailments and other diseases from your body. Known as hydrotherapy, the healing effect of water is used through the medium of hip baths, spinal baths, Jacuzzis, steam baths, saunas and sheet packs. Whether the water is cold or hot, it can invigorate your cells and help you to find relief from a number of health concerns, including bloating, gas, constipation, arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure, stress and migraines.

 

2. EFT Tapping: This is a form of physical therapy based on the fundamental principles of acupressure. A practitioner will apply pressure to the points along the Meridian System of your body, which is an energy channel “map” that connects all of your organ. The aim behind this is to positively influence the activity of the corresponding organs, and deal with negative feelings. EFT stands for emotional freedom techniques, which is the name given to the motion the practitioner uses. It basically involves rapidly tapping key body points with their finger tips to “alert” certain good energy flows. This therapy is perfect if you suffer from panic disorders, phobias, sadness, anger and frustration, but aren’t too keen on the idea of the needles used in acupuncture.

 

3. Yoga Therapy: This form of treatment is used to help cure mental and physical ailments while incorporating balance and tranquility throughout your entire body. Scientific procedures in carbon dating and astronomy verify that yoga therapy is between five and six thousand years old, meaning it contains ancient wisdom designed to help you relax and manage your daily stress. Yoga is also a great workout to include in your exercise regime, as it helps to enhance your fitness, flexibility and strength. In fact, many people have used yoga to deal with major health issues, including anxiety, depression, weight problems high blood pressure and even cancer.

 

4. Mud Therapy: This treatment dates back centuries as mud has long been associated with health and wellness. Mud is an integral part of the five elements known to aid the human body as it contains a variety of minerals that help to treat numerous diseases and skin conditions. Your nutrient-packed mud pack contains sulphur, bromide, magnesium and zinc to name just a few, all of which, when applied to your skin, strengthen your immune system, unclog your pores, eliminate toxins from your body, improve your blood circulation and repair your skin.

 

5. Meditation: If you suffer from heart disease, high blood pressure, extreme levels of pain, anxiety, depression or stress, meditation can help you to reduce your symptoms by more than 40%. This interesting form of healing therapy connects you to your inner self, helping you to focus on a particular object and learn to breathe in a healing way through the various techniques. According to recent studies, meditation has a vastly positive effect on ADD and ADHD, as the thinking process actually shows calming levels deep inside the brain tissue.

Categories: anxiety depression, Blood, blood pressure, body, high blood, meditation, Mud Therapy, nbsp, therapy, Wellness, yoga, yoga therapy

Could Light Therapy Improve Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Does winter leave you feeling low and lacking in energy? Do you feel your health starting to slip as soon as the nights draw in? If this is the case, your wellness and wellbeing may be affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which is now a well-recognised condition.

 

It is thought to be caused by the human body’s reaction to a lack of sunlight that occurs in certain countries in winter. It affects nearly half a million people each winter in the United States alone and is usually only seen between September and April, with symptoms peaking in the darkest months of December, January and February.

 

The good news is that there is now a lot of help available to sufferers of SAD. There is some evidence that seems to show that the further someone lives from the equator, the higher their chances are of developing the condition.

 

The good news is that the condition is now so well known that a range of treatments are being developed. Some with the disorder are low in vitamin D, for example, so treatment can include a high dose of the vitamin, and can also involve light therapy.

 

This disorder can occur in anyone of any age, but it usually starts when someone is between the ages of 18 and 30, even if they don’t recognise it at the time.

 

Physical activity can help to elevate the mood and reduce the fatigue, but light therapy is one of the primary options available for treating the problem. This usually comes in the form of a therapeutic light box which emits a specially designed light. This is placed close to the sufferer for around 30 to 60 minutes every day. It can also be done through light visors, which the patient wears on their head over their eyes, if they don’t have time to sit in front of a light box.

 

Natural light is the most effective, however, and research has shown that going for an hour’s walk in winter light can be as effective as nearly three hours of artificial light.

Categories: Light, sad, therapy

Emotional, Social, Physical: The Parts of Teen Mental Health

There are so many wellness issues facing teenagers today I don’t know where to start; you’ve got sexting, body image disorders, cyberbullying – no wonder teen mental health is so under threat! If you’re concerned about your teenager’s wellbeing, perhaps it’s time to consider therapy.

 

According to marriage and family therapist Esther Boykin, LMFT, co-owner of Group Therapy Associates, ‘Therapy is an excellent resource to help address [teen] issues, develop effective coping skills, and improve family relations. While I am an advocate for therapy as a way to prevent major crises as well as a solution for dealing with them, I know that often parents and teens struggle to decide if their problem is “big” enough for therapy. While nearly every issue can be helped by having the support and guidance that therapy can provide; it is not always a feasible option.’

 

So how do you determine whether or not your teen needs therapy? Boykin notes, ‘I find that most of us, whether we admit it or not, think of mental health either being crazy or not. The truth is that mental health, just like physical health, is a complex set of many factors. These factors can roughly be divided into three categories- psychological (or emotional) factors, social (or relational) factors, and biological (or physical) factors. You may even hear therapists and other mental health professionals refer to it as your bio-psycho-social functioning.’ Let’s take a look at what each set of factors looks like, so that you can assess whether or not your teen needs help.

 

1. Psychological/Emotional: This is probably the area of mental health that you think of first; your mood and ability to manage your emotions. Boykin explains, ‘Managing your feelings is not the same as stuffing or hiding them. In fact a healthy emotional state is one in which you feel a wide range of emotions, including so-called negative emotions such as anger, sadness and worry. Healthy individuals are able to identify their emotions and act in socially appropriate ways in response to them.’ Therapy and medications become appropriate avenues to pursue when your teenager has detrimental thought patterns, as occurs with anxiety, body image and self-esteem issues. If your teenager’s way of thinking has an overwhelming effect on their mood and behaviour, it needs to be addressed.

 

2. Social/Relational: There’s no denying we’re social creature, so it’s not hard to see how the way we relate to one another is vital in keeping us mentally healthy. When it comes to teenagers, developing and maintaining relationships is an important part of development. ‘Sometimes the social part of mental health is specific to one relationship in your life, such as getting along with your parents,’ Boykin comments. ‘But at other times, teenagers can struggle to make new friends or have difficulty maintaining a healthy relationship with peers…learning to establish healthy boundaries, resolve conflict, and maintain your identity within close relationships is all part of keeping yourself mentally healthy.’ The time to seek help is when your teenager’s relational problems become so overwhelming that it interferes with the management of day-to-day life.

 

3. Biological/Physical: We can overlook this component of mental health, but biology plays a role in many mental health disorders, hence medications can help with things like depression and anxiety. Plus, physical health problems can lead into mental health issues. Boykin explains, ‘Physical conditions such as obesity or severe asthma can change how you live your life possibly limiting your physical activity or your ability to engage with peers. These changes impact your social and emotional experiences.’ According to numerous studies, the most effective treatment for many physical disorders is a combination of talk therapy and pharmacology.

Categories: Body image, factors, health, mental, Mental Health, mentally healthy, physical, physical health, teen mental, Teenagers, therapy

Home Nursing: Is it Ideal for Seniors?

Health care is vital for everyone specially the elderly and the disabled individuals. But it is not just the regular type of health care they need rather the high quality one. For some, they immediately go to a medical facility whenever they need health care. Several medical facilities are readily available willing to provide utmost health care services. With expensive facilities, seniors can rest assured of excellent service. However, there are elderly who prefer to stay and get the care at home.

 

What is home nursing?

As an alternative to medical facility, home nursing is designed to cater to the needs of seniors in the convenience of their own home. This means all forms of health care needed are performed at home. Thus, there is no need for the elderly to go to the medical facility and stay there to be treated. Patients who opt for home nursing will likely undergo similar services offered in medical facilities. In some cases, the overall environment has an impact on the recovery of the patient.

 

Primary benefits of home nursing

Is home nursing ideal for your senior? Maybe you are still wondering what benefits you and your senior will enjoy from choosing this option. Just like in heath care centers, home nursing boasts tons of notable benefits.

 

• Privacy and Comfort of Own Home - Familiarity is considered as the prime benefit of staying at home. Being familiar with the surrounding makes it more comfortable to move around and stay independent. Some seniors easily get fret if they are in a different environment. Other seniors might not even get enough sleep if they are not at home. Meanwhile, if they are taking home nursing, they can still do their day-to-day routine or they can still stay functional. Being at home could also mean higher sense of security.

 

• More Practical (monetary aspect) – For families who do not have extra or sufficient budget for medical facility, home nursing is the most ideal option. Let’s face it. Admitting your senior in a medical facility could mean shelling out certain amount of cash to ensure dependable health care. In home nursing, you only need to allot a budget for the healthcare provider and other stuff needed. Check different rates of medical facilities and compare.

 

• More Homey – If you are living with your senior, it would seem like nothing has changed in your daily routine. There are so many things you can still do together including eating dinner or breakfast, watching TV, relaxing at the garden, etc. When you get home from the office, you can still see them waiting for you. And the list goes on. All these scenarios are beneficial to your senior.

 

Types of home care services

There are numerous forms of home care services. Thus, you need to determine what kind of home nursing service you need for your elderly.

 

• Wound Care


• Physical Therapy


• Psychiatric Care


• Occupational Therapy


• Medication and disease education


• Dietary management and education

 

For basic services, home nursing would be a perfect option. Is it ideal for seniors? There are different basis you must consider to decide whether to go or not to go for home nursing. Always take into account your elderly. Does he/she needs to be in a medical facility? No matter if you live in one of those apartments in Dallas or in a big mansion in Beverly Hills, it is always good to be at home.

Categories: home nursing, seniors, therapy

How to Work Out Which Type of Talk Therapy is Right For You

There are different types of talking therapy, but chances are you’re more familiar with counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or psychotherapy. Some types of talking treatments are more suitable than others for particular people and situations, and so it’s important to explore your options before you opt for a less-effective therapy. It may be helpful to discuss your options with your GP, but here’s the basic run-down of each talking treatment and how they might be beneficial for you.

 

1. Counselling: As the best-known talking therapy, counselling is the most readily available at your GP surgery, with the NHS usually offering six to 12 hour-long sessions. In confidence, you talk to your counsellor about your situation and yourself, and he or she will support you and give you practical advice. This is a good complimentary wellness therapy for people who are otherwise healthy, but need help with current crises like anger, relationship problems, bereavement, redundancy, infertility and the onset of a serious illness.

 

2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): In CBT, you change your mindset so that you can cope with difficult situations in a healthier way. With your therapist, you set goals and carry out tasks between sessions, over a period of six to 15 weeks. Again, this is more to do with your present than your past, which is why CBT can help you deal with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and some eating disorders, especially bulimia.

 

3. Psychotherapy: This is different to counselling and CBT in that psychotherapy involves talking more about your past to help you overcome problems you’re having in the present. There are many types of psychotherapy, but the main aim in all variations is to help you to understand yourself, your life and your relationships. As psychotherapy tends to last longer than CBT and counselling, it can be especially useful if you have long-term or recurring problems of which you don’t know the cause.

 

4. Family therapy: A therapist or a pair of therapists will meet with you all as a family, in order to understand your problems and enable you to communicate better with one another. This can be useful when one member of the family has a serious problem that’s affecting the rest of the group, such as child and adolescent behavioural problems, mental health conditions, illness and disability, domestic violence, drug and alcohol addiction, and separation, divorce and step-family issues.

 

5. Couples therapy: When your relationship wellness is at risk, be it because of a big event (like an affair) or lots of little things, couples therapy can help you work through it. You and your partner speak to a counsellor, who can help you find where you’ve gone wrong, and work on ways to change your relationship for the better. As a result of couples therapy, many people learn more about their partner’s needs and how to communicate better.

 

6. Group therapy: For group therapy, you meet up with around 11 other people and a therapist, in order to share a common problem and get support and advice from people who know exactly what you’re going through. Not only does this mean that you’ll get better advice than you would if you just talked to a friend or someone who hasn’t gone through the same things, but just knowing you’re not alone in your experiences is, in itself, beneficial to your wellbeing. Plus, you may just find that you’re a social person, and prefer being in a group to individual therapy.

Categories: behavioural therapy, cognitive behavioural, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Counselling, couples therapy, Group Therapy, nbsp, psychotherapy, talking therapy, therapy, therapy cbt

What Everyone Ought to Know About Complementary Medicine

Complementary medicine is an expanding field, and one which could greatly benefit your wellness and well-being if you were able to get to grips with it. NCCAM is an organisation which covers the field of alternative and complementary  medicine, and defines this as a group of diverse health care systems, products and practices which are not currently thought of as part of the conventional medical system.

 

Whole Medical Systems vary from practices, and these systems generally comprise the following different therapies.

Homeopathy uses the body’s ability to self-heal by using extremely small doses of strongly diluted remedies. In larger doses, these remedies would produce negative symptoms, but these lower doses are thought to work with the body in a way as to immunise itself against them.

 

Naturopathic medicine is a medical system that works in harmony with the body’s self-healing ability. Dietary and lifestyle changes are used as part of this system, alongside natural remedies, massages, herbs as well as joint manipulation.

 

Ayurveda is an Indian medical system, which aims to integrate all areas of wellness and treat the whole body rather than one part of it. It focuses on the mind, body and spirit and works in a holistic way to help prevent as well as treat all kinds of diseases. In this medical system there are various herbal remedies, yoga and massages used to help treat the patient in every way possible.

 

Finally, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) works on the idea that diseases are the result of blockages of energy (Qi) in the body, and that disease results from imbalances of positive and negative energy in the body – also known as the effects of yin and yang. Therapies used in this treatment include massage, medication (herbal), acupuncture and meditation.

Categories: Alternative, body, complementary, complementary medicine, Medical, medicine, nbsp, remedies, therapy

Are There Ways To Prevent Suicide In Teenagers?

The issue of teen suicide is a growing concern, accounting for a third of all deaths in young people aged 15 to 24. Suicidal distress can be caused by a number of factors, from social and environmental to psychological. These factors vary depending on the age, gender, ethnicity and life events of the individual – More than 90 percent of people who die from suicide have these risk factors. In teenagers, the risk of suicide is vast, as the change in body, hormonal fluxes and the onset of adolescence leaves them vulnerable to depression and other mental health problems. The national suicide prevention efforts have placed more of an importance on crisis centre hotlines, school education programmes and screening programmes which can help to identify at-risk teens. The latter has proved to be effective as research shows that suicidal people show signs of emotional distress or depression beforehand – effective treatment could put an end to this before it develops into a suicidal risk. For example, antidepressants or therapy could help combat the depression before it gets out of hand.

 

Although the figures seem to be distressing, suicide is still a relatively rare event. It’s difficult to accurately predict whether people with the risk factors will actually attempt suicide. There are some warning signs though – people who are at risk of suicide tend to talk about dying, jumping or disappearing, as well as other forms of self harm; they may have experienced a recent loss, such as a friend or family member, a broken relationship, or be showing a loss of interest in friends or activities they once enjoyed; their personality may change, and they may become anxious, tired, apathetic or withdrawn; their behaviour or sleep patterns may change, as well as their eating habits; they may also be displaying low self esteem and fearing that things won’t ever improve. Studies show that in 2003, eight percent of adolescents attempted suicide, which represents around one million teenagers – around 1,700 teens die by suicide each year. In combating the problem in the early stages before it develops into a higher risk, we could save many lives. This means being aware of the symptoms or signs, and knowing which services in your area are able to help with the issue.

 

You may be able to help a young person who is struggling emotionally by listening to them and encouraging them that you do take their concerns seriously. You should acknowledge their fears or sadness, and tell the individual that you care about them regularly. You should aim to provide reassurance but try not to dismiss the problem. Getting professional help is also important, as unbiased support can be beneficial to those who don’t feel able to discuss their problems with people around them. There are a number of sources you can turn to, including therapists, hotlines and counselling services which can help the person at risk to combat their problems. If you’re worried that the individual may be thinking about suicide, it’s important that they seek advice and help as soon as possible – your local GP is a good place to start as they will be able to prescribe antidepressants and advise of services in your local area who can help. The most important thing is to ensure that the teen in question knows that they have people who care about them. Many people who suffer with depression often feel lonely or unable to talk to people, so by ensuring that they maintain plenty of contact with other people and don’t isolate themselves, they can attempt to rebuild their confidence and overcome the problem.

Categories: depression, teen suicide, therapy

What Is Holistic Therapy And Can You Try It At Home?

Complementary therapy is usually used to treat people who are suffering from a medical condition. They may or may not also be receiving traditional medical treatment in a hospital at the same time. Complementary therapy usually focuses on treating the patient in a holistic way, that is treating the whole body and soul of the person rather than focusing on the specific area that is giving concern.

 

Often these therapies have the added benefit of being relaxing, and can help to reduce stress and improve wellbeing at the same time as treating any specific wellness issue. Aromatherapy can be part of this, as the oils used in the process can serve the dual purpose of treating the ailment with their chemical properties and making the person feel relaxed, too. For example, lavender oil is often used to help people sleep, because it contains high levels of esters, which are used as sedatives. What most people don’t know, however, is that they also can be used as a pain reliever due to their analgesic properties. There are also different qualities and strengths of lavender oil, and therapists will use different ones depending on your specific health complaint.

 

This is different to beauty therapies, which are not carried out in a clinical environment and are mainly used to help people look better or simply for relaxation, without any tailoring to make them specific to any health conditions.

 

Therapeutic massage is also often used in complementary therapies, and these involve specific techniques such as deep tissue massage or other types such as lymphatic drainage massage, to help with specific medical conditions.

 

These hands-on techniques vary from a gentle and relaxing massage to a deep and thorough massage, which treats specific muscle problems and tightness, and may be less relaxing and more invigorating.

Categories: complementary therapy, conditions nbsp, holistic, Home, lavender oil, massage, nbsp, people, specific, therapy, treating

Could Family Therapy be the Answer to Your Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder affects family wellness as well as the wellbeing of the individual sufferer. Family therapy could be a way to improve the wellness of all concerned, as it can help to limit the stress that the disorder is placing on everybody.

 

When someone suffers from bipolar disorder, their close friends and family often help them to deal with the condition, and are exposed to some of the more serious symptoms of the disease.

 

Psychotherapy (which is also known as talk therapy) is often used in these cases, to help with the management of the disorder and to help those around them help to manage their own feelings and the repercussions that the disease can have on them.

 

Talking therapy is generally the preferred method as it helps patients to learn more about their own condition and they can then understand a little better about why the condition has the effect on them that it does, and how this translates into an effect on the people around them. It can also help them to learn healthy ways to deal with the issues that arise from their condition.

 

Family and friends who are feeling the strain of a loved one suffering from bipolar disorder can participate in family therapy, where the members of the family all take part in talking therapy together. This is meant to help improve communications between members of a family and to help them interact and deal with the problems they are facing. The goal is generally to identify any unhealthy interactions and improve them, and to put coping mechanisms into place to help the family learn the best ways to protect their loved one – and themselves.

 

This kind of therapy is widely available through the NHS and through private medical practices that specialise in mental health. Some employers also offer the therapy as part of a wellness at work initiative.

Categories: bipolar, bipolar disorder, condition, Disorder, Family, family therapy, nbsp, talking therapy, therapy

Could a Sex Therapist Be The Answer to Your Problems?

Complementary wellness encompasses different types of therapy, including the talking therapies and sex therapy. This is a form of psychotherapy that deals with the sexual wellbeing of couples or individuals.

 

In recent times, seeing a sex therapist to deal with sexual problems has become less of a taboo subject, fortunately, but it is still not something that is openly talked about, and therefore there are still many unknowns when it comes to this area. Others find it extremely difficult to imagine talking to a professional about such an intimate topic.

 

It may be, however, that sex therapy is exactly what you need to get your relationship back on track. Sex therapists often prescribe specific, structured erotic experiences for the couple to explore together, and then they will feedback on this during their sessions and the sex therapist will help them work through any issues that they may be experiencing.

 

The decision to see a sex therapist is a serious one. Before you decide whether to engage the services of such a professional, have a look on the internet to see if you think that this type of help could improve your anxieties and change your behaviour and attitudes towards sex.

 

In addition, you should bear in mind that most sex therapists advice couples to see a doctor as well as a therapist, to make sure that the problem is not physiological. There are certain problems such as hormone instability, or gynecological problems that cannot be overcome with sex therapy. IN addition, drug or substance abuse can reduce sexual performance.

 

In addition to this, you can do a little research on your own, studying books and informative videos to work out whether you can solve your problem on your own without the help of a therapist. If you do end up engaging a therapist, however, most will follow a certain pattern, which starts with education and counseling, moves on to a structured task (of a sexual nature) and then is followed up with a review of how this worked, further treatment and some sort of assessment of how the behaviour has advanced.

Categories: nbsp, problems, Sex, sex therapist, sex therapists, sex therapy, sexual, therapist, therapy