True Life Blog

You only need to walk into your local pharmacy to see the enormous assortment of personal products available. Numerous companies try to out compete each other through various scents, formulas, colors and features. Ultimately however, almost every commercial personal product…

The Environmental Working Group – famous for its fabulous Skin Deep Cosmetic Data Base and annual sunscreen report, has just released a report on cleaning products used in the home and workplace, especially schools. The findings are down right scary…

A new month is upon us and I am delighted to share with you and introduce you to November’s Evolving Wellness in Action Inspirational Story. This month’s featured story comes from Tonya Kay. I first learned about Tonya Kay when…

October is over and with it we bid farewell to Vegetarian Awareness Month. Of course here on Evolving Wellness, you can always expect some vegetarian news and recipes year round! At this time, I would also like to offer…

Exercise Helps To Reduce Stress
 
There is an easy, inexpensive and drug free way to reduce stress, and it can be accomplished with one word. Exercise. Simply put, adding exercise and fitness into your lifestyle reduces stress and creates better health.

I know people have heard many times about the benefits of exercise, especially when used to lower stress. Why then, is stress, disease and fatigue so prevalent in today’s society? The simple answer is, we know what we need to do, but we just aren’t doing it.

Experts agree one of the best ways to manage stress is through exercise.

Exercise has a multitude of benefits including: eases depression, improves blood flow to the brain, burns body fat, increases oxygen to the body, wards off disease, improves the cardiovascular system, lowers blood pressure, increases endurance, tones muscles, and relaxes the mind and body, to name a few.

When our bodies respond to stress, it causes chemical reactions to occur within our bodies, preparing it for the “fight or flight” response by releasing stress hormones. This process is part of our sympathetic nervous system and when it’s constantly aroused it leads to adrenal burnout.
 
In this heightened nervous state of adrenal burnout, the body overproduces adrenaline, Cortisol and other stress hormones. Over time, since the adrenal glands are the first to respond to stress, this causes them to show wear and tear and they become depleted.

In addition, this frequently leads to impairment of the thyroid gland, which can lead to a further decline in energy level and mood. This is one of the reasons why so many women have thyroid glands that aren’t working well. As you can see, continued release of these stress hormones are damaging to our bodies. In fact, ninety percent of all visits to the doctor are for stress related disorders.
 
In the early days of human civilization, survival was a daily struggle, allowing us the opportunity to disengage our stress through our physical challenges. We were able to run away, or if needed, fight the threat immediately.

In today’s society, we do not have to fight off wild animals, or face those physical hardships of early man. Our progression to modern man, has limited the outlets we have to release stress or pent up negative emotions. Therefore, we carry it with us, thus creating emotional and physical problems.

Exercise can provide a helpful outlet for our negative emotions such as worry, irritability, depression, hostility, anger, frustration, and anxiety. These feelings can be eased or eliminated by simply enjoying a round of tennis, going for a walk or run, bike riding, or working out in a gym, etc.

Regular exercise provides the opportunity to manage the “fight or flight response” and helps the body to return to a balanced state more quickly.

When we work our bodies physically, we also enjoy the benefits of endorphins – the feel good hormone. These hormones stimulate physiological changes in the body. Endorphins work to relieve pain and stress by sending off “no pain,” signals to the brain. The increased blood flow from exercising releases the endorphins.

In addition, exercise reduces stress levels by enhancing a sense of well being and self confidence, and can improve self-esteem and self worth by improving our physical appearance.

Also, by setting and achieving exercise goals, we build our self-esteem through a feeling of accomplishment. This can lead to the desire to be more social and outgoing, and socializing and being part of a group also helps to ease stress.

Different Types of Exercise

Aerobic Exercise verses Anaerobic

Aerobic exercise is an activity which involves using our major muscle groups. Some examples of aerobic exercise are: walking, running, swimming, and cycling. This type of exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system by increasing your heart and respiratory rate and  bringing more oxygen into the body.

To reap the full benefits of aerobic exercise, you must workout at an intensity of 60 to 80 percent of your target heart rate for a minimum of 20 minutes, three to five times a week.

To calculate your target heart rate use the following formula:
Take 220 – (subtract) your age X (multiply 60%, or 70%, etc. intensity rate.) = target heart rate, then (divide) by six for a ten second pulse count, to get your pulse rate.

So, for a 50 year old person wanting to workout at 80% of their target heart rate, the formula would look like this:

220 – 50 (age) = 170 x 80% (intensity) = 136 (target heart rate) 
Now take the target heart rate of 136 and divide it by 6 to get the pulse rate when counted for 10 seconds.
136 (divided) by 6 = 22.66 (the pulse rate for a 10 second pulse count)

After you begin your aerobic workout take your pulse for ten seconds to see if you are working at the intensity you are trying to achieve. Speed up the pace if you are below 60%.

Anaerobic exercise builds muscle strength and power. Isotonic and Isometrics are two kinds of anaerobic exercises.

Isotonic workouts use an object to contract your muscles against it through movement. Weight lifting or resistance training is an example of isotonic exercise. The benefits of isotonic exercise include: stronger, toned muscles, stronger bones, helps prevent injuries, releases endorphins, has a positive effect on your hormone levels by increasing the fat burning ones and decreasing the catabolic hormone Cortisol, and condenses and shapes muscle for better esthetics.

Isometric exercise is contracting your muscles against resistance without movement. Such as lifting an object like a dumbbell and holding a position. By holding a position in this manner, you are isolating that muscle. Isometrics works the muscles through contraction.

To build healthy, lean, strong muscles and maximize strength, use both types of anaerobic exercises.

The required amount of exercise time required to decrease your stress level is minimal. The key is to select activities you will enjoy and can do for at least 20 minutes, three to five days a week. Incorporating activity into your life does not necessarily mean hitting the gym every day or turning it into a chore. It can simply be a 30 minute walk around your neighborhood or dancing to some tunes.

Try to think “activity” verses “exercise.” Before long, exercise will become habit, part of your weekly routine. You may start to notice how you purposely park a little farther away, do stretches at the computer, take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc.

Make a commitment to begin being more active and stick to your activities for 21 days. Why 21? Research has showed it takes about 21 days to create a habit. Document how your feel after the 21 days. Your stress levels should be lowered, you should feel more energized, and see some physical changes such as a slimmer physique if you were carrying a few extra pounds.

You may already know the benefits of exercise but are you doing any? Start by making a decision, begin slowly, then gradually work up to longer or more intense workout sessions.

The bottom line is stress results from feeling out of control. You have the ability to reclaim control of your life and to start taking care of yourself. No one else is able to do it for you. Only YOU. Exercise can be the the first step.

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Stinky Feet

Our feet have their share of normal bacteria, which produce stinky sulfurous odor when they come into contact with moisture from socks and shoes or when your feet become sweaty.  The solution is to always keep your feet dry.  Your socks should be made of absorbent cotton and your shoes from breathable materials, like canvas and leather.  Sprinkle a drying powder in your shoes every morning, and place a desiccant in them when you put them away.  Treat your feet to a relaxing and cleansing soak in a basin of regular tea to let the tannins in the tea to inhibit sweat production temporarily.  You may have fungal or bacterial infection if your feet are red, swollen, or scaly, and you should see a doctor for proper treatment.

Bad Breath

The mouth is teeming with bacteria, most of which have the sole purpose of preventing other disease-causing bacteria from thriving in the moist and warm environment.  These bacteria live in the throat and on the tongue, not on the teeth; so brushing the teeth really only masks bad breath and prevents cavities.  When the mouth does not get oxygenated, these bacteria produce sulfur compounds which cause the smell.  The bacteria lose access to oxygen when you use alcohol-based mouthwashes, take certain medication, or sit with your mouth closed for a long time.  Garlic and onion contain the same sulfur compounds, which is why eating them also gives your bad breath.

Scraping your tongue or simply brushing your teeth will not remove these sulfur compounds.  The key is to keep your mouth oxygenated by drinking plenty of water and using an oral rinse which contains chlorine dioxide when you wake up and before you go to sleep.  Chlorine dioxide helps neutralize the sulfur compounds.  Parsley and celery are oxygen-rich vegetables and chewing on them will also help diminish bad breath.  If the problem persists, go to your dentist.

Excessive Sweating

Excessive sweating is usually a benign and inherited trait that shouldn’t be cause for serious concern.  But if you have continual heavy sweating, you should consult your doctor to rule out underlying problems like an overactive thyroid, a low glucose level, and other health conditions.

You can try products that control excessive sweating like an antiperspirant deodorant.  Liquids and food that causes your heart rate and respiration to speed up should also be avoided.   These include coffee, tea, chocolate, and other caffeinated food or liquid.  Hot and spicy foods also contribute to excessive sweating. You can also try Sweat-Less, a homeopathic remedy that relieves excessive sweating exacerbated by nervousness.

Bikini Rash and Ingrown Hairs

Waxing and shaving too closely causes inflammation and redness when the hairs split and loop around under the surface of the skin as they grow back.

What you shouldn’t do is rub the bumps to free the trapped hairs with a loofah.  What you should do is exfoliate the top layer of your skin by applying an over-the-counter aspirin solution twice a day for at least two days.  Other options are going to your dermatologist for a cortisone injection to reduce inflammation and laser treatment to prevent hair growth.

Spider Veins

Spider veins may be inherited or caused by pregnancy and trauma to the leg.  Vitamin K cream constricts blood vessels and applying this on your legs is supposed to make the veins less visible.  However, for this to work, the cream has to penetrate the skin and be absorbed into the veins, and the cream cannot do this.  Slerotherapy is still the best option; a 95 percent improvement can be seen after three treatments.  Your dermatologist will inject saline solution to irritate the veins and cause them to swell shut.

Butt and Back Bumps

These bumps are not pimples but are caused by a skin condition called keratosis pilaris.  These unsightly bumps can be sloughed off by rubbing a mixture of petroleum jelly and water or cold cream, in equal parts, on the skin.  You can also use prescription Retin-A but this might cause irritation.  The best product to use is prescription LactiCare-HC Lotion 2.5 percent applied onto the bumps twice a day until they disappear.  The lactic acid in the lotion will dissolve dead skin cells and the hydrocortisone will prevent irritation.

Toenail Fungus

When you get athlete’s foot from sharing showers or borrowing shoes, the fungus spreads to the toenails.  This takes a long time to treat because the toenail takes almost one and half years to fully grow out.  Always wear shower slippers when you use the showers at the gym and avoid borrowing or sharing your shoes.

Stained Teeth

Stained teeth are mainly caused by smoking and excessive consumption of dark liquids, like coffee, tea, and red wine.  Don’t wait too long to remove the stain as it will only get more difficult to do so.

Ask your dentist about bleaching treatments using a highly-concentrated peroxide get administered via a laser or by wearing a custom-fitted mouthpiece for one hour everyday for 10 days.  This treatment can lighten your teeth up to eight shades brighter.  There are also less expensive bleaching kits available at the drugstore but these are not as effective.  You can also use whitening products like toothpaste with carbamide peroxide or floss with the whitening agent silica.  Remember to use the whitening toothpaste just once a day so as not to dry out your gums. For the best teeth whitening products, go to NovaWhite Teeth Whitening

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are not only caused by pregnancy or large weight fluctuations.  Anytime your skin is stretched and thinned, white marks result.  You may develop stretch marks on your tummy, thighs, or hips during normal growth spurts, which also causes your skin to stretch.

There is no guaranteed treatment to completely remove stretch marks.  The best that can be done is to make them less noticeable.  You can go to a dermatologist to get laser treatments, which lessens the brightness of recently acquired red marks, or microdermabrasion, which treats white marks.

Alternatively, you can use StretchEasy Formula. StretchEasy Formula contains biochemic tissue salts of Calcium fluoride, Calcium phosphate and Natrium muriaticum. Tissue salts are naturally occurring in the human body and are safe to use during pregnancy. It work internally to prevent stretch marks.

Facial Hair

If your face is moderately hairy, meaning you need to trim your brows or shave your upper-lip area once a month, this is a normal, inherited trait.  However, if your hair sprouts on a daily basis, there may be an underlying condition like having high levels of male hormones (polycystic ovarian syndrome) or an adrenal gland problem.

You can have your facial hair removed permanently by having electrolysis treatments for one year.  Laser hair treatments can also significantly decrease hair growth for months. But these methods can be costly. Use Finally Free instead, an incredible affordable new PERMANENT hair removal system that painlessly and permanently removes unwanted hair from anywhere on your face or body.

Shiny, Oily Face

There are a lot of causes for excessive oil on the face.  The most common is a cleansing routine that may be too harsh for your face.  Alcohol-based cleansers and gritty scrubs may irritate and over-dry your skin.  As a result, the skin compensates by producing more oil.  Another cause is over-sensitivity to male hormones, which we all have and which causes production of excess oil.  A hormonal imbalance can also be the underlying cause, especially if you have stopped having your period and are losing your hair.  In this case, you should consult your doctor.

You can regulate oiliness without over-drying your face.  Try this morning routine: wash with an oil-free cleanser and follow up with an alcohol-free toner and an oil-absorbing gel.  Throughout the day, you can use blotting papers to remove oil.  Repeat this routine in the evening but don’t use the gel.

Hand Warts

Hand warts are caused by both a genetic predisposition to the condition and contact with an infected person.

You can remove the warts yourself by using a nail file to gently slough off the top layers daily.  You should not use this nail file for anything else.  Apply an over-the-counter salicylic acid solution, like Occlusal HP, to dissolve the warts.  If the warts still persist for months, go to your dermatologist.  You can get other treatments like laser therapy and liquid nitrogen treatments.  Warts can come back even after treatments, so be careful about contact, especially during sexual activity.

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Last week, Gavin, over at Insanity’s Musings shared a powerfully open and honest post. And in his closing, he asked his readers to share a secret and a regret.

Today, I would like to elaborate a little more on my answers.

Secret….

I am fearful.

My own mother was shocked when I told her this, because she always saw me as being fearless.

Actor friends of mine have always said to me, “I would have never known you had tremendous stage fright, because you seem to be so confident.”

And my response has always been, “Yes….I’m confident that I’m afraid.”

You see, just because I do things doesn’t mean I don‘t fear them.

Fear has always been my greatest teacher, because I was born with a cornucopia of fear.

There have been so many things throughout my life that I have feared. Such as…..

Being accepted, being judged, intimacy, failure, death, not being smart enough, flying, talking in front of a large group of people.

And I can always tell when my life needs a good kick in the ass, because a fear will suddenly plop itself right down in front of me and say, “ Now…what are you going to do with this? You can either run away, or walk into it and see what happens.”

I think the only reason people see me as being fearless, is because I refuse to allow my fears to paralyze me. So, I guess they assume I’m not afraid.

But I am…really.

There is tremendous truth in the saying, “There is nothing to fear, but fear itself.”

I believe it’s the fear of fear that overwhelms me. Not the actual fear.

On one hand, being afraid makes me feel vulnerable to the unknown. And yet, on the other hand, it’s the catalyst that propels me forward.

Regrets….

I can honestly say I have no regrets.

Because like mistakes, as long as I learn from them there is nothing to regret. That’s why I don’t believe there is such a thing as a mistake.

Everything in my life happens for a reason. So, to say that I regret something is like saying that I regret the path of my life.

If I grow….what need is there to regret?

For me, fear and regret go hand in hand.

As long as I am willing to walk through the door of my fears….

….then there is nothing to regret.

Thanks, Gavin…..you’re an inspiration.