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| Downside looking Up |
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| A very large spine.... or a trial of smoke???? |
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Wellness
May 29,2012
I am taking a little "detour" to get to the health aspect of this post. Emotional and mental wellness is about how we feel about ourselves, and although there is a definite plus to the experience and knowledge gained with aging, most of us don't anticipate looking like we have "aged". I , for one, accept the fact that many years have gone by since I was in my teens and twenties, but that doesn't mean that am willing to accept that my body and skin have to reflect this number of years, if there are ways to help prevent it. I recently came across this article in AFPA -American Fitness Professionals and Associates ,written by Vivian Rivera and thought I would share some of it with you.
The seven most common factors of Premature Aging
I am taking a little "detour" to get to the health aspect of this post. Emotional and mental wellness is about how we feel about ourselves, and although there is a definite plus to the experience and knowledge gained with aging, most of us don't anticipate looking like we have "aged". I , for one, accept the fact that many years have gone by since I was in my teens and twenties, but that doesn't mean that am willing to accept that my body and skin have to reflect this number of years, if there are ways to help prevent it. I recently came across this article in AFPA -American Fitness Professionals and Associates ,written by Vivian Rivera and thought I would share some of it with you.
The seven most common factors of Premature Aging
Friday, 25 May 2012
Miscellaneous
YEAH!!! I won something.!!!! Special thanks to Oak Lawn Images- Photo Greeting Cards and Prints ( http://oaklawnimages.blogspot.ca/ ), as I was picked to receive an e- book called Get Skinny! The Six-Week Body Challenge by Scott Schmaltz!! I have just started this amazing book and feel better already!! Can't wait to see the results as I sure am up for the Challenge !!! Will let you know how I did really soon! Check out Scott Schmaltz at
http://facebook.com/scottschmaltz.fanpage
or http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Schmaltz/e/B005ME8NOO
Frivolous Friday
May 25,2012
It has been unusually warm and sunny for Eastern Canada in May. Consequently I have been outside much more than usual and as I am 97% retired I am thoroughly enjoying it. However, it has caused me to miss a few blogs, and instead of being contrite, I am putting things in "my" perspective. Putting my words on .... I almost said "paper" ....a blog, versus being outside enjoying the sun and working in my yard, well, even if you don't know me, you can guess which side of Lady Justice's scales are tipping!!
Friday, 18 May 2012
Frivolous Friday
OK, so this is going to be a real "off the cuff" post. There has been a string of wet, grey days lately, there are a hundred things I "should" be doing now instead of sitting here at my computer and to say that I am frazzled would be an understatement!. Ever have a time when as much as you try to be all things to all people,you fail miserably, and realize the person you have failed the most is YOU!! I have reached a point in my life when time seems to have taken on a whole new significance . It has become a lot more important and for once in my life I would like to spend some of it doing what I would like to do.
Phew, now that I have that rant out of the way, I can begin to tell you what I wanted to post for this week's Frivolous Friday. There is, ironically, a connection between my little"hissy fit"( see above) and my topic. It is called "Relaxing Places to Be"
Frequently......or would it be "often".... I never really fullly understood the subtle difference between the two... I would drive to an area near by and just sit and think or just sit and put my mind in neutral. It helps if you also have a cup of coffee, tea, or just a bottle of water with you, to refresh you as you engage in this arduous task.
Amazingly, just allowing yourself to be still and see the scenery around you has a calming and peaceful action. It is uncanny how often we "look" but don't "see". Everyone has their own name for what is around us, but I am calling it Mother Nature for now. How life unfolds, slowly, surely, and without fanfare has always and hopefully will continue to bring me peace and an acceptance of who or what I am.
Having a friend, spouse, or confidant with you can also be beneficial as you can bounce ideas and thoughts off them and perhaps gain a whole new perspective of whatever it is that has you operating at less than optimal level.
I am putting a couple of photos here as they are beautiful places at any time, but seemed especially "peaceful" on the evening last week when I snapped them. They all are of the Kennebecasis River ( say that fast three times!) on a late spring evening.Maybe later in year I will show you a few others at different times of the year. Perhaps it is the combination of water, trees, new beginnings , but whatever it was it makes me relax and enjoy life even more than I already do!!
Phew, now that I have that rant out of the way, I can begin to tell you what I wanted to post for this week's Frivolous Friday. There is, ironically, a connection between my little"hissy fit"( see above) and my topic. It is called "Relaxing Places to Be"
Frequently......or would it be "often".... I never really fullly understood the subtle difference between the two... I would drive to an area near by and just sit and think or just sit and put my mind in neutral. It helps if you also have a cup of coffee, tea, or just a bottle of water with you, to refresh you as you engage in this arduous task.
Amazingly, just allowing yourself to be still and see the scenery around you has a calming and peaceful action. It is uncanny how often we "look" but don't "see". Everyone has their own name for what is around us, but I am calling it Mother Nature for now. How life unfolds, slowly, surely, and without fanfare has always and hopefully will continue to bring me peace and an acceptance of who or what I am.Having a friend, spouse, or confidant with you can also be beneficial as you can bounce ideas and thoughts off them and perhaps gain a whole new perspective of whatever it is that has you operating at less than optimal level.
I am putting a couple of photos here as they are beautiful places at any time, but seemed especially "peaceful" on the evening last week when I snapped them. They all are of the Kennebecasis River ( say that fast three times!) on a late spring evening.Maybe later in year I will show you a few others at different times of the year. Perhaps it is the combination of water, trees, new beginnings , but whatever it was it makes me relax and enjoy life even more than I already do!!
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Wellness
May 15,2012
I've spent the last wee while trying to decide what mental health wellness topic to peruse for today's blog. With Mother's Day just behind us for another year I was thinking how that "day" made me feel. Many years ago when I was a child, I would pick violets for Mum as they were the only wild flower in bloom at this time of year. They had their stems carefully wrapped in dampened paper and presented to her as if they were made of gold!!And amazingly the gift was received with equal admiration. Now this is where the thought part comes in.
It is not the "gift" but the thought that was so special to both the "giver" and "receiver".
We all have mothers or mother figures in our life at one time or another so we can relate to this emotion. What happens here is that we spend time and effort trying to make someone we care about feel special. Now, just for a moment imagine if that type of emotion could be experienced on a daily, or at least very frequent basis, how it might cause a pleasurable ripple effect to those around us. We don't have to even know the person, just imagine that they too, could benefit from the gift of your concern or at the very least your acknowledgement.
Let's take an example: Start with something simple, say a smile. Walking down the street, glance up and smile at a passerby. This is particularly helpful if you are engrossed by texting on your phone, as it also allows you to check your surroundings and prevent walking into a wall or falling off the curb!! If you are fortunate enough to receive a smile in return there is a tiny little spark in you that is happy. It's OK to admit it, others feel it too!!
Another example: Going into or out of a store, bank, or other building, hold the door open for the person behind you. So easy to do, and the effect it has on the shopper usually causes them to do likewise, in the "pay it forward" fashion. Now, you say this is "just being polite", and although you are right, it does make the recipient of your manners feel just a little "special" for that moment. Correct me if I'm wrong but who do you know that does not like feeling "special"???
You get the point I am trying to make here. By treating others in a respectful and compassionate manner two wonderful events take place on a small but meaningful scale. You feel better about yourself and the other person feels better about themselves..
I am not naive enough to entertain the idea that we live in a Pollyanna world but come on, watch that lonely soul across from you and your friends at the coffee shop and see how they respond to a smile or nod as you pass by them.
Worse case scenario is no one retaliates in a positive fashion, but you tried . Maybe next time.
Be well!
It is not the "gift" but the thought that was so special to both the "giver" and "receiver".
We all have mothers or mother figures in our life at one time or another so we can relate to this emotion. What happens here is that we spend time and effort trying to make someone we care about feel special. Now, just for a moment imagine if that type of emotion could be experienced on a daily, or at least very frequent basis, how it might cause a pleasurable ripple effect to those around us. We don't have to even know the person, just imagine that they too, could benefit from the gift of your concern or at the very least your acknowledgement.
Another example: Going into or out of a store, bank, or other building, hold the door open for the person behind you. So easy to do, and the effect it has on the shopper usually causes them to do likewise, in the "pay it forward" fashion. Now, you say this is "just being polite", and although you are right, it does make the recipient of your manners feel just a little "special" for that moment. Correct me if I'm wrong but who do you know that does not like feeling "special"???
You get the point I am trying to make here. By treating others in a respectful and compassionate manner two wonderful events take place on a small but meaningful scale. You feel better about yourself and the other person feels better about themselves..
Worse case scenario is no one retaliates in a positive fashion, but you tried . Maybe next time.
Be well!
Disclaimer
The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.Friday, 11 May 2012
Frivolous Friday
May11,2012
After recently attending an entertaining evening of stage hypnosis, I thought that would be a good topic for the Frivolous Friday post. Like many people, I have over the years, been to a few such shows and found them quite entertaining and a bit frivolous and just left it at that. After checking a bit, it is worth noting that there are some beneficial results from hypnotherapy that are used in the medical field. It is important to be aware of the difference in the two terms, however.
Wikipedia describes "hypnosis" as "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."The use of hypnotism for therapeutic purposes is referred to as "hypnotherapy", while its use as a form of entertainment for an audience is known as "stage hypnosis"
.
Mayo Clinic describes this procedure as "Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus, concentration and inner absorption. When you're under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and you can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions." Hypnotism is used for a number of reasons intended to help you gain more control over undesired behaviors or emotions or to help you cope better with a wide range of medical conditions. Hypnosis isn't considered a treatment or a type of psychotherapy. Rather, it's a procedure typically used along with certain treatments and therapies to help a wide variety of conditions.Some of these include pain control, smoking cessation, allergies, asthma .Skin conditions and Gastrointestinal problems are also among the areas that benefit from hypnosis.
Hypnosis that's conducted under the care of a trained therapist or
health care professional is considered a safe complementary and
alternative medicine treatment.
Stage hypnosis is performed in front of an audience for the purposes of entertainment, usually in a theatre or club. Expert opinion is divided over whether participants' responses are best explained as being due to an altered state of consciousness ("hypnotic trance") or by a combination of deliberate deception and ordinary social psychological factors such as disorientation, compliance, peer pressure, and ordinary suggestion.
A modern stage hypnosis performance regularly delivers a comedic performance rather than trying to impress and audience with the powers of persuasion. Stage hypnosis performances often encourage
audience members to further look into the benefits of mind powers.
It was the latter that I attended and had a wonderful evening out and certainly had a lot of laughs, but am I a "believer"....... well, let's say that it has indeed encouraged me to delve more into the amazing power of our mind. Close your eyes......you are getting sleepy!!!!! ;-)
Information found at www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypnosis/MY01020 and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis
Hypnosis
Wikipedia describes "hypnosis" as "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."The use of hypnotism for therapeutic purposes is referred to as "hypnotherapy", while its use as a form of entertainment for an audience is known as "stage hypnosis"
.
Mayo Clinic describes this procedure as "Hypnosis, also referred to as hypnotherapy or hypnotic suggestion, is a trance-like state in which you have heightened focus, concentration and inner absorption. When you're under hypnosis, you usually feel calm and relaxed, and you can concentrate intensely on a specific thought, memory, feeling or sensation while blocking out distractions." Hypnotism is used for a number of reasons intended to help you gain more control over undesired behaviors or emotions or to help you cope better with a wide range of medical conditions. Hypnosis isn't considered a treatment or a type of psychotherapy. Rather, it's a procedure typically used along with certain treatments and therapies to help a wide variety of conditions.Some of these include pain control, smoking cessation, allergies, asthma .Skin conditions and Gastrointestinal problems are also among the areas that benefit from hypnosis.
Stage hypnosis is performed in front of an audience for the purposes of entertainment, usually in a theatre or club. Expert opinion is divided over whether participants' responses are best explained as being due to an altered state of consciousness ("hypnotic trance") or by a combination of deliberate deception and ordinary social psychological factors such as disorientation, compliance, peer pressure, and ordinary suggestion.
A modern stage hypnosis performance regularly delivers a comedic performance rather than trying to impress and audience with the powers of persuasion. Stage hypnosis performances often encourage
audience members to further look into the benefits of mind powers.
It was the latter that I attended and had a wonderful evening out and certainly had a lot of laughs, but am I a "believer"....... well, let's say that it has indeed encouraged me to delve more into the amazing power of our mind. Close your eyes......you are getting sleepy!!!!! ;-)
Information found at www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypnosis/MY01020 and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Wellness
May 8,2012
Wow! Hard to believe that it has been almost 5 weeks since the last time I posted on this page. I have enjoyed the challenge and the work involved for the annual A-Z Challenge. Now it is time to get back to basics. For those of you who may drop by and have not been here before, let me get you up to date. Every Tuesday I try to post something that is relevant to .... you guessed it....wellness. In my case, as I am a Registered Nurse, and have spent that last eight years working on a Mental Health Unit...aka, Psychiatric Unit, I am unabashedly biased when it comes to what I post! If you have the time to go back and check the previous post, by all means do so, but if not, I will try to sum it up thus far.
I am trying very hard to change, in my own little way, the manner that the general public perceives mental health. The negative connotations associated with anyone who has or had an illness of their mind are running rampant! Therefore I am attempting to keep these posts upbeat and light with just a hint of seriousness about a disease or diseases that can, if not properly and timely treated, be very tragic.
On March 13th, we discussed how important good physical health is to proper emotional and mental wellness. There was a list of subjects that would help us to accomplish this and on subsequent posts , a couple were discussed in more detail. I hope to continue in that vein starting next week. For now, though I will be satisfied to just get back in the swing of things. Keep in mind...ooops there's that word again.... that this is a brand new blog (aprox 2 1/2 months old) and I have a lot to learn and hopefully to pass on to you. Please let me know if there are any particular topics that would be of interest to you.
Take care..
The following is an excerpt from a recent CTV video amd news clip, that explains how one man, Steve Stoesz, feels about his experience with mental health issues.
Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20120506/steve-stoesz-speaks-out-120506/#ixzz1uEYPUQPx.
Wow! Hard to believe that it has been almost 5 weeks since the last time I posted on this page. I have enjoyed the challenge and the work involved for the annual A-Z Challenge. Now it is time to get back to basics. For those of you who may drop by and have not been here before, let me get you up to date. Every Tuesday I try to post something that is relevant to .... you guessed it....wellness. In my case, as I am a Registered Nurse, and have spent that last eight years working on a Mental Health Unit...aka, Psychiatric Unit, I am unabashedly biased when it comes to what I post! If you have the time to go back and check the previous post, by all means do so, but if not, I will try to sum it up thus far.
I am trying very hard to change, in my own little way, the manner that the general public perceives mental health. The negative connotations associated with anyone who has or had an illness of their mind are running rampant! Therefore I am attempting to keep these posts upbeat and light with just a hint of seriousness about a disease or diseases that can, if not properly and timely treated, be very tragic.
On March 13th, we discussed how important good physical health is to proper emotional and mental wellness. There was a list of subjects that would help us to accomplish this and on subsequent posts , a couple were discussed in more detail. I hope to continue in that vein starting next week. For now, though I will be satisfied to just get back in the swing of things. Keep in mind...ooops there's that word again.... that this is a brand new blog (aprox 2 1/2 months old) and I have a lot to learn and hopefully to pass on to you. Please let me know if there are any particular topics that would be of interest to you.
Take care..
The following is an excerpt from a recent CTV video amd news clip, that explains how one man, Steve Stoesz, feels about his experience with mental health issues.
CTVNews.ca Staff
Date: Sun. May. 6 2012 10:56 PM ET
Afghanistan war veteran Steve Stoesz survived multiple combat
injuries, but his biggest fight was a psychological one -- and it was
waiting for him when he returned home.
The Canadian soldier who has been battling anxiety and depression continues to defy what he said was a direct order from the Department of National Defence not to talk publicly about proposed cuts to mental health services for soldiers.
Three days after he spoke to CTV News about his own struggle with mental health issues and obstacles veterans face when looking for treatment, Stoesz appeared on CTV's Question Period Sunday, despite being under investigation for talking to the media.
"I was ordered not to do this interview," he told Question Period. "But at the end of the day, I have to live with myself, and I couldn't live with myself not getting this info out there and making a difference."
"This cause is more worthy than the cause in Afghanistan, and I was willing to die for the cause in Afghanistan to me, so it goes to show how much this means to me," Stoesz said.
He is critical of proposed National Defence job cuts and the proposed closure of a mental health facility in Ottawa, which opposition MPs say will make it harder for soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder to get help.
While Stoesz hasn't been diagnosed with PTSD himself, he said fighting in Afghanistan took an emotional and mental toll on him. Things only got worse when he completed his tour of duty and returned to Canada, Stoesz said.
"Most of my psychological injuries are coming from not getting the proper physical care," Stoesz said. "Since I've been home I've been fighting non-stop for my own kind of deal, and that's just brought such a psychological toll on me that it's been devastating to my whole life and my whole mental state. I have a battle with the medical system, and then as well one with Veterans Affairs."
Stoesz said he didn't meet the full criteria for a PTSD diagnosis even though he has "14 out of 15" symptoms of the disorder.
The Canadian soldier who has been battling anxiety and depression continues to defy what he said was a direct order from the Department of National Defence not to talk publicly about proposed cuts to mental health services for soldiers.
Three days after he spoke to CTV News about his own struggle with mental health issues and obstacles veterans face when looking for treatment, Stoesz appeared on CTV's Question Period Sunday, despite being under investigation for talking to the media.
"I was ordered not to do this interview," he told Question Period. "But at the end of the day, I have to live with myself, and I couldn't live with myself not getting this info out there and making a difference."
"This cause is more worthy than the cause in Afghanistan, and I was willing to die for the cause in Afghanistan to me, so it goes to show how much this means to me," Stoesz said.
He is critical of proposed National Defence job cuts and the proposed closure of a mental health facility in Ottawa, which opposition MPs say will make it harder for soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder to get help.
While Stoesz hasn't been diagnosed with PTSD himself, he said fighting in Afghanistan took an emotional and mental toll on him. Things only got worse when he completed his tour of duty and returned to Canada, Stoesz said.
"Most of my psychological injuries are coming from not getting the proper physical care," Stoesz said. "Since I've been home I've been fighting non-stop for my own kind of deal, and that's just brought such a psychological toll on me that it's been devastating to my whole life and my whole mental state. I have a battle with the medical system, and then as well one with Veterans Affairs."
Stoesz said he didn't meet the full criteria for a PTSD diagnosis even though he has "14 out of 15" symptoms of the disorder.
Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20120506/steve-stoesz-speaks-out-120506/#ixzz1uEYPUQPx.
Disclaimer
The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition with your health practitioner.
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