5-HTP Definition   by Chester Ku-Lea

What is 5-HTP?
The Griffonia Extract is rich in 5-HydroxyTryptophan (5-HTP), which comes from an African vegetable, the Griffonia simplicifolia seed, and contains 30% 5-HTP. 5-HTP is an amino acid that is a direct precursor of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter having pain soothing and relaxing effects. 5-HTP is not present in significant amounts in a typical Diet. The human body manufactures 5-HTP from L-tryptophan, a natural amino acid found in most dietary proteins. However, eating food that contains L-tryptophan does not significantly increase 5-HTP levels.

5-HTP and Serotonin
5-HTP is the precursor to serotonin. It improves mood, anxiety and is beneficial in weight loss. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain.

5-HTP and Carb Cravings
Researchers believe that inadequate serotonin levels are in part responsible for the desire to overeat. Not surprisingly, obese individuals who crave carbohydrates usually show abnormally low levels of serotonin. Taking a 5-HTP supplement half an hour before a meal can ” turn off” cravings and hunger pangs by feeding the brains carbohydrate satiety center. In this way 5-HTP can be a great asset as part of a weight-loss regime.

5-HTP and Addiction
The use of many addictive substances, such as tobacco, alcohol, caffeine and certain narcotics, elevates serotonin levels. When these substances are eliminated, serotonin levels drop drastically, causing anxiety and cravings. Taking 5-HTP can stabilize serotonin levels and help minimize the symptoms of withdrawal.

5-HTP and PMS
PMS sufferers report pain relief, as well as decreased irritability and mood swings from using 5-HTP. The supplement works by countering the hormone-induced decrease in serotonin levels that occur naturally during menstruation.

5-HTP and Sleep
Because of its calming effect, many rely on 5-HTP to alleviate stress-attacks, as well as to encourage restful sleep. Unlike sedative drugs, 5-HTP is not associated with unwanted side effects, such as disturbed sleep patterns or grogginess. It can be taken regularly one hour before retiring as a remedy for insomnia.

Side Effects
Very high intakes of 5-HTP have caused muscle jerks in guinea pigs and both muscle jerks and diarrhea in mice. Injected 5-HTP has also caused kidney damage in rats. To date, these problems have not been reported in humans. “Serotonin syndrome,” a serious but uncommon condition caused by excessive amounts of serotonin, has not been reported to result from supplementation with 5-HTP; in theory it could be triggered by the supplement. However, the level of intake at which this toxic effect might potentially occur remains unknown.

Warnings
5-HTP should not be taken with antidepressants, weight-control drugs, other serotonin-modifying agents, or substances known to cause liver damage, because in these cases 5-HTP may have excessive effects. People with liver disease may not be able to regulate 5-HTP adequately and those suffering from autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma may be more sensitive than others, to 5-HTP. These people should not take 5-HTP without consulting a knowledgeable healthcare professional. The safety of taking 5-HTP during pregnancy and breast-feeding is not known at this time.

Conditions with low serotonin levels helped by 5-HTP:
* Depression
* obesity
* Carbohydrate craving
* bulimia
* Insomnia
* Narcolepsy
* Sleep apnea
* Migraine headaches
* Tension headaches
* Chronic daily headaches
* Premenstrual syndrome
* Fibromyalgia

About the Author

Chester is a health nutrition consultant and is the owner of AstroNutrition - a provider of premium health nutrition and sports supplements.

Could unresolved emotional issues be the reason your dieting attempts always fail?   by Wayne Ennis

Copyright 2006 Wayne Ennis

Have you tried to loose weight and failed?
Do you find it impossible to stick to a Diet plan?

What if I told you that a recent exciting medical discovery has found the reason some people are overweight is due to unresolved emotional issues?

If we are being honest most people are overweight because they eat too much and do not do enough exercise. It is only for less than 1% of the population that their weight problem is due to a thyroid or glandular problem. For the other 99% of the population their weight problems are simply down to overeating and a lack of exercise.

However it is too simplistic and easy to just tell somebody they are overweight because they eat too much. If people are fat because they overeat then should we not be looking for the reasons as to why people overeat? I make’s perfect sense that if we fix the reasons that cause people to overeat then they would be able to loose weight more easily.

Does any of the following apply to you?

- I eat to comfort myself.
- I sometimes even when I am not hungry.
- I eat when I am depressed or lonely.
- Eating makes me feel better.
- I eat when I am stressed.
- I sometimes reward myself by eating.
- After an argument with my partner I eat to console myself.
- I sometimes eat to punish myself.
- When the children play up I reach for the snacks.
- When I am under stress I crave sweet things

The above are just a few examples of emotional or comfort eating. Unless you resolve these issues then you will struggle to achieve your ideal weight and you will never be able stay slim. Dieting may work for a short while but as soon as your emotional issues re-appear you are going to be back to comfort eating. Your weight loss or gain will be decided by what is happening in your life emotionally.

The problem most people have is that they do not realise that this emotional eating is going on. They don’t realise that every time they feel stressed they reach for some chocolate or every time they fight with their spouse they reach for the biscuit cupboard afterwards.

Emotional eating affects men, woman and children. Some people do realise that they comfort eat but they don’t know how they can deal with it effectively.

So how do we deal with our emotional eating? Naturally we could try good old willpower but for most people this will be too hard. We could also try therapy but that could take months or years to resolve your issues. So what is the answer?

There is a new treatment available that helps in dealing with your emotional issues. This treatment is known as Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT for short. EFT has its basis in psychology and Chinese acupuncture. However instead of using needles you simply tap on certain designated meridian points on your upper body. Whilst you are doing the tapping you tune in/think about the problems you have. You simply tap your problems away. I know for a lot of people the idea of tapping your problems away will seem a ridiculous concept but the results back up the claims. EFT has helped thousands of people loose weight. EFT makes weight loss easy.

EFT is also perfect for addictions. Again you simply tap your addictions away. So if you are addicted to chocolate or cream cakes use EFT and tap your addiction away.

Naturally EFT will not make you loose weight overnight. You did not become overweight overnight. It was gradual process due to your overeating. So when you try to loose weight you have to be patient. It can be very dangerous if you loose the weight too quickly.

One of the great things about EFT is that sessions can be done over the phone or Internet. Your EFT specialist will tell you where to tap and what to say. Being able to do EFT sessions over the telephone and Internet means it is perfect for seriously overweight people who have mobility difficulties or people with agoraphobia.

I know for some for you reading this article all of this must be a little bit hard to take in but what if I told that not only is EFT perfect for weight loss it is perfect for nearly every emotional and physical issue you can name? EFT often works where all else has failed and often works where conventional medicine has no answers. It has been known to work for all sorts of issues such as anorexia, bulimia, self harming, depression, phobias, allergies, anger, panic attacks, stopping smoking, asthma, shingles, OCD, trauma, high blood pressure and so much more.

So if you are struggling to loose weight then what emotional issues do you have?

About the Author

Wayne Ennis is an EFT specialist and can help with all sorts of medical, physical and emotional issues. You can read all about EFT and what it can help with at http://www.advancedtherapies.co.uk

Eating Disorders And How To Treat Them   by Robert Thatcher

Many people are having problems with their weight. These weight problems are the results of a person’s eating habits. In the United States, there are about 50 million of Americans are enroll weight loss programs. However, there are also people who wishes that they would have a lesser weight and resulted to suffering from eating disorders.

Eating disorders may be categorized as a psychiatric problem. Although many experts say that obesity is not truly a psychiatric problem, they consider that the state of being obese is also a form of eating disorders. Some people who are trying to lose weight may lead to the improper obsession of thinking of a person that his dieting becomes abnormal.

Another form of eating disorder is the anorexia nervosa. This form of eating disorder may happen to those people who may have a normal or a little above the average weight. These people think that their body is always overweight. This illness may begin to those who that have continuous Diet regimens and eventually led to restraining the person’s balanced eating.

anorexia nervosa can be identified to most women that are teenagers and are in their early adult stages. Although it is not common to males and to older adults, it can also occur to these types of people. The known classic dieters do not eat any food in a day which lead them to starvation. The self-starvation of a person is the point where he suppresses hunger sensations, which may lead an individual to become skeletal in appearance. These individuals are considered anorexic by type because they suffer from phobia on gaining weight.

bulimia can be truly associated to many dieters especially to those individuals aged 17 to 25 years old. The process of bingeing and purging of most bulimics can make an individual addicted on what he has started in his Diet regimen. Most of the time a person can no longer control the binge and spurge cycle that and led a person to be underweight and or even obese. However, most bulimics appear to be normal and have a normal body weight. Most of the time, the process in which they do their dieting is kept to themselves because most bulimics are shameful of their activities of bingeing and purging.

There are side effects an individual may suffer from for being bulimic especially for women that are actively in this process of dieting. An irregular menstrual cycle may occur to some women and the decrease of sexual interest may be experienced. Most bulimics have disturbing behavior on whatever things they would like to do. There are instances where bulimics have tendencies to be drug addicts and alcoholic. Some of which have records of shoplifting and other cases that are associated in such acts.

There are some different approaches on how to treat these forms of disorders. These ways may help bring back the proper eating and correct way to have a balanced Diet. A well-known stage for bulimics could return the right eating pattern by not practicing the activity of bingeing and purging. They are able to control the incorrect dieting behavior on the Diet regimen.

A consultative approach that would be advisable to those bulimics and anorexic is the therapy program. Many of the patients have been found to cooperate well and let themselves to be educated in psycho educational programs that will give them the information on the illness.

About the Author

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides eating disorder resources on www.about-eating-disorder.info.

Weight Loss and Energy Therapy Technique EFT   by Larry Phillips

Does this sound familiar?

When I’m watching TV, I love to snack.

…and do these other statements ring a bell?

When I’m anxious I eat snacks by the carload

When I’m under unusually high stress I crave certain foods.

When I’m angry or depressed I find myself eating even though I’m not really hungry.

When I’m in an uncomfortable social situation I tend to eat more, without even really noticing I’m doing it.

When I feel sad or lonely I find myself eating to feel better.

When I’m upset I usually comfort myself with my favorite foods.

Or how about - when I’ve done something difficult, I tend to reward myself by eating whatever I want, sometimes even treating myself to foods I know that I should avoid.

If you identify with one or more of the statements above, then it could be that emotional factors may be causing you to over-eat.

Unless and until you change this, you will fail at any Diet you try. As if you don’t already know this…

Well you already know you can’t lose weight without changing your habits! But what you may NOT know is that:

You can now learn how to change your habits quickly and easily - with EFT.

Through the application of a recent discovery in the field of ‘energy therapy’ you can actually use a simple acupressure “tapping” method — applied on the spot - which stops emotional overeating quickly and painlessly, without any medications.

This exciting and unique approach to losing weight has been developed by three leaders in the field of Energy Psychology, Doctors Carol Look, Patricia Carrington and Sandra Radomski .

It makes use of the single most powerful tool for sticking to a weight loss program yet devised — a “psychological acupressure” technique known as “EFT” (short for Emotional Freedom Techniques).

Just What is EFT?

It is a new and honored branch of Energy Psychology.

It has been shown to be clinically effective in thousands of cases for stress, trauma, anxiety, pain — and numerous other health related conditions.

You may have heard about EFT - Perhaps you saw it demonstrated on TV’s Discovery Channel, or on CNN, or read that cover story on it in Women’s World magazine.

Or — you may not have heard about EFT yet — and will learn about it for the first time in this article.

How Does EFT Work? It actively programs your mind and nervous system to adopt an entirely different attitude toward food. Programming your mind is necessary for successful weight loss because a negative emotion acts like a blockage to the flow of life force along the energy pathways within you.

For the latest research on the effectiveness of EFT see the recent clinical report available at www.NoLimitEFTbooks.com

When you tap on certain acupressure points and say out loud your selected Key Phrase, this dissolves the blockage. It’s not unlike pressing the “Delete” key on your computer.

Now you can “reboot” and install the positive emotions and beliefs that you really
want and deserve - these will be ideas and phrases that naturally support your weight loss.

When EFT installs new positive attitudes and beliefs, this permanently changes your eating habits. No more self-sabotage or wild cravings… you just progress smoothly toward your weight loss goal!

And EFT Does Even More…Using EFT for weight loss, you will change your self-image from negative to positive.

Instead of telling you that you’ll always be fat and there’s nothing you can do about it, your mind will tell you that you’re slim and have a right to be. The end result — you’ll easily re-create and maintain your new, slimmer self.

Interestingly, weight loss often occurs without conscious effort when using this program

Does EFT Help Everyone With Weight Loss?

No, because weight loss is a complex matter. The Key to Weight Loss is specifically designed for those who experience a compulsion to eat because of negative emotions — whether recognized or unrecognized. Those with metabolic, endocrine, allergic, or other physiological conditions that can interfere with weight loss should seek solutions in these areas first. Those with severe eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia may benefit from the program if it is applied under the guidance of a health professional trained in EFT.

About the Author

Larry Phillips is an EFT practitioner and author and entreprenuer.

Does Someone You Care About Have anorexia?   by Charles Kassotis

anorexia is an eating disorder that develops when someone stops eating enough food for adequate nutrition. It can happen slowly, over several months or even years, as when some people grow older or develop an underlying disease like cancer. As their appetite dwindles, they may stop eating altogether or gradually eat less and less. Without taking in enough calories or nutrients, a person can get sick or become weak. Any other health condition that develops during this time can then further compromise that person’s health.

Another type of anorexia is based on personal self-image. People who are trying to lose weight sometimes take extreme measures by reducing the amount of food they eat and eating much less frequently. While it can be easy to lose several pounds each week in this way, such dramatic weight loss can lead to unhealthy consequences, including heart arrhythmias, weakness, dehydration, loss of concentration, and nutritional imbalances, among others. If left undiagnosed and untreated, some of these results can be fatal.

If you suspect someone you care about has anorexia, here are some of the possible symptoms that may indicate the presence of this situation.

1. The person may eat little or nothing for many meals. Watch to see how much food is placed on the person’s plate, whether she eats it all, and if she has second helpings. If she picks at her food, spits some bites into her napkin, or leaves some on her plate, this could signal that she isn’t getting much nutrition, especially if it happens frequently. She may sip water instead or poke at her food instead of taking regular bites, chewing, and swallowing.

2. The person may binge and purge. You might see the person stuffing her face with regular or high-calorie foods, and then disappearing into the bathroom soon after eating. Excessive eating followed by fasting, or binging following by prolonged bathroom visits may be signs that the person is not processing food correctly.

3. The person may use Diet aids or medications to slow eating. If you have access to her medicine chest, or feel comfortable enough asking, you can find out if the person is taking diuretics to make her urinate more frequently and eliminate extra water for temporary weight loss. An anorexic also may be taking appetite suppressants that cause her to feel less hungry and to eat less. She also might have medication to cause frequent bowel movements, or even take enemas fairly often. This, however, may cause the intestines to become sluggish and stop working much on their own.

4. The person might show signs of moodiness, fatigue, or depression. These, however, also may represent other conditions as well, so urge the person to see the doctor if you’re not sure anorexia is the cause.

If someone under your supervision shows symptoms like these, take her or him to the doctor. If the person is an independent adult, make yourself available as a confidante, and when opportunities arise, be ready to advise a medical examination.

About the Author

For more information on anorexia and bulimia, Visit anorexia and bulimia.com

Eating Disorders: A Teenager Needs Advice   by Dr. Jennifer Sowle

Dear Dr. J.

I am 16 years old and I think I think I have an eating disorder. My mom loves me very much and
she’s always supported me in my dream to be a model. Ever since I can remember, my mom
has tried to help me find the right clothes, talk right, and get exercise and eat in a
healthy way. Up until this year, I really thought I wanted to be a model, but now I’m
in my junior year of high school and I think I want to go to college to be a teacher or
maybe join the Peace Corps. I’ve never had a boyfriend before and now I’m going with
Tim who thinks I’m beautiful whether I wear makeup or not. In fact, he says he
likes the “natural look”. I’ve stopped wearing so much makeup and I’ve been eating
more when I go out with Tim.

It was Tim who noticed that I hardly eat anything when I’m out. He wonders if I have a
problem. His sister had anorexia and had to go away to a treatment place. He’s worried
about me. I’m trying to show him that I don’t have anorexia like his sister, but now I
feel terrible because I’ve been throwing up since I was 13. I feel like I should tell him,
but I don’t want to lose him. My mom is mad because she says I look “terrible” and that
I’m “letting myself go”. I have gained a little bit of weight and Tim thinks I look
pretty. My mom keeps asking me if I’m exercising. She made a deal with me that I could
go out more if I exercise and stop eating sweets. She had some chocolates hidden up in
the pantry and I got into them and ate some, and she found out and was really mad.

Tim is really nice and is popular and studies and is planning to go to college.
His parents go to our church and are really nice too. Now my mom says I’m spending
too much time with Tim and wants me to limit it to once every two weeks. I don’t
understand why she’s so mad.

I think I have bulemia. What should I do? I don’t want to hurt anybody’s feelings,
especially my mom, but I think she’s too much in my business. Everyday when I get
home, she asks about what this girl said, or that girl said. She wants to know
everything Tim says and then gets mad when I tell her. Maybe I should just break up
with Tim so he doesn’t get hurt.

Marcie

Dear Marcie:
Yes, I certainly think you do have Bulemia Nervosa. You can check the specific symptoms
here on the website. If you are vomiting after you eat as part of trying to control your
weight, you have a problem. It is very important for you to get help with this right away.

Up until recently, your mother has been totally in charge of your decisions. She decides
what you should wear, eat, and do. She is way too involved and way too controlling.
Part of the clinical picture for a Bulemic is an overinvolved mother. Your mother needs
to get therapy to help her find a more healthy way of relating to a teenage daughter. Perhaps
she could be a part of your therapy at some point. It appears that your mother has revolved
her life around you and that isn’t good. She
may even be trying to live her life vicariously through you. Because of this, if you don’t
do as she expects, she becomes frustrated and angry, and tries anything to get you back
under her control. She is going to try to break up your relationship with Tim because he
has an influence on you that is running contrary to hers. I know this sounds harsh, but
somebody has to say it….your mother needs to back off and let you be who you want to be.
Hopefully, you will go away to college and at least create some physical distance with your
mother.

Because you have this enmeshed (too close) relationship with your mother, you have never
developed an internal guide to help you make your own decisions. Now that you have Tim
in your life, you’re now trying to please him too. The stress of being caught between
the needs of these two powerful people in your life could make your eating disorder worse.
As strange as this seems, your eating disorder gives you a sense of control. Even though
you feel out of control when you’re in it, it is the one thing you do have control over.
This does sound strange, and that’s why you need to get into therapy with somebody who
understands the complexities of this condition. Even if you attach yourself to the
therapist for awhile and try to please her, at least you will have the influence of
somebody who has your best interests at heart. Eventually, however, the purpose of
the therapy is to help you find your own inner voice which tells you what you need and
want. My guess is that you have anxiety about being perfect and not making mistakes.
You mentioned that Tim is your first boyfriend and he’s probably the first person outside
the family who has had a different opinion. This can throw you into quite a turmoil
on a very deep level. Depression and anxiety are probably part of what you are experiencing
right now. Check with your school and see if they can help get you a referral to a therapist
or eating disorder group facilitated by a professional. The school counselor could also be
a valuable mediator in approaching your mother about getting help. She will be very
threatened by your seeking therapy. She will be afraid the therapist will blame her and
I’m not sure her ego strength is that solid. Whatever you do, do not take responsibility
for the feelings of these loved ones. It is up to them to deal with their own feelings.
It’s your job to focus on yourself so that you can begin to recover from this eating disorder.
Dr. Sowle

About the Author

Dr. Jennifer Sowle, PhD., is a Licensed Psychologist and Marriage and
Family Therapist. She is also a certified Sex Educator and Counselor.
Dr. Sowle’s website, http://here-to-listen.com gives information on
psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders. She also provides help for Relationships, such as conflict resolution, family finances, communication techniques, divorce, parenting,and sexuality.

The Importance of Developing Self Confidence   by Robert Kokoska

Ideally, self confidence is something you develop early and maintain throughout life. For many of us, though, that just isn’t the case - either the process of developing self confidence is stymied early on, or we lose confidence because of life events. Nowadays, it is relatively rare to meet someone who is entirely satisfied with his or her self confidence. Interestingly, this can also be true of people who might seem (to the casual observer) to exude confidence - in fact, they can even appear brash or over-confident. Sometimes, this is just a front for the lack of confidence that individual is hiding.

Developing self confidence is important, because a lack of confidence can really hold you back. First of all, it can manifest in a great variety of ways. Many people with poor self confidence stay in unsatisfying careers because they don’t believe in themselves enough to think that they can do better. Of course, this leads to a self-perpetuating problem - if you aren’t happy with what you’re doing, you are unlikely to be working to your full capacity. Then, less than stellar results from your work efforts reinforce the idea that you are a mediocre or poor worker. Your self confidence naturally suffers as a result. All of us deserve to know what it’s like to work at something we truly love.

Another frequent result of poor self confidence is addiction or other self-destructive behaviors, such as eating disorders. Most eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia, result from a feeling that you are inadequate and that you need to be perfect in order to accept yourself. As a result, some young women (who are particularly susceptible to this type of problem) have literally starved themselves to death. Developing self confidence early on is probably the best defense against developing addictions or eating disorders later on.

Finally, if you have poor self confidence, you are unlikely to be enjoying fulfilling relationships with friends, partners or family. One thing that may happen is that you project your negative self-worth onto someone else, often a child. You might also be willing to put up with abusive behavior if your self confidence is poor. All in all, developing self confidence is a way to avoid a whole range of debilitating problems.

About the Author

Do you want the confidence to do everything you desire?

Learn to live your life with Unstoppable Confidence

Announcing a breathtaking 21st century medical breakthrough   by Wayne Ennis

Copyright 2006 Wayne Ennis

I hope this doesn’t sound too grandiose but you are about to read about the most successful health innovation in the last 100 years. As you read this article you may think of ways it can be of benefit for yourself.

Do you believe in miracles?

What if I told you there was a stunning new therapy that involves you simply tapping Chinese pressure points on your upper body and it can help with all of the following and a lot more besides:

weight loss, stopping smoking, depression, fears and phobias, anorexia, bulimia, self image, obsessive compulsion disorders, ADD, ADHD, asthma, shingles, panic attacks, dyslexia, emotional pain, physical pain, trauma, addictions, allergies, arthritis, high blood pressure, anger, PTSD, carpel tunnel syndrome, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, cancer, sports performance and jealousy.

What if I also told you this therapy often works where all else has failed and often works on things conventional medicine struggles with? Naturally you may think I had gone mad.

Well there is an exciting new breakthrough that is causing quite a buzz in the medical world. This therapy is known as Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT. EFT has its basis in Chinese acupuncture and psychology. Instead of using needles you simply tap on certain pressure points on your upper body while you think about (tune into) your problem.

The world-renowned Gary Craig developed this Emotional Freedom Technique in the USA in the mid 1990s. Gary has a life long fascination with alternative therapies and it was his curiosity that steered him to this amazing and exciting creation. Gary studied a scientific discipline called Thought Field Therapy with a psychologist named Dr Roger Callahan. Once Gary fully understood Thought Field Therapy he could see that by combining Thought Field Therapy alongside other alternative therapeutic skills he could take matters to a higher level. Gary found that by balancing the body’s energy system it will allow it to eliminate most negative emotions within minutes and promote the body’s own healing ability. He also learnt that by getting rid of our negative emotions we can promote natural healing and we can cure illness. Gary and other specialists such as myself have witnessed amazing and outstanding results in all aspects of medical areas.

EFT is rightly being hailed as a 21st medical miracle and is being used more and more by the medical profession. Due to the incredible high rate of success EFT has spread rapidly throughout the world. It is now even been used in some specialist areas of the National health Service in the United Kingdom. EFT works on just about every emotional and physical issue you can name. Unlike other therapies with EFT you often see results in minutes. Emotional Freedom Technique stands alone as a cutting edge therapy. It can dramatically improve your health and the quality of your life.

We often overlook our emotional health and concentrate on the physical side. It was ascertained that the underlying cause of an illness could be negative emotion. The disruption to the body’s energy system can indeed create medical, physical and psychological ill health. Emotional freedom technique gets rid of negative emotions and restores your bodies’ natural energy system quickly and painlessly. EFT works well with any emotional disturbances such as phobias, panic attacks, depression, as well as with many physical and medical problems. Emotional freedom techniques works by clearing emotional blockages from your body’s bio energy system. Good emotional health is absolutely essential to your physical well-being and healing - no matter how dedicated you are to keeping fit or eating a proper Diet.

EFT is easy to do, it involves no medication or equipment and it works on babies to adults. It often works where all else has failed and where conventional medicine is unable to help. It does not work by a placebo effect and will work on the hardest of sceptics.

Emotional Freedom Technique will give you relief from any old or new problems that you may experience. Most people often feel energised after a session. After using EFT you become relaxed, reinvigorated and you sleep better. Using EFT you can become truly stress, worry, illness & pain free!

One of the other amazing things about EFT is that sessions can be done over the telephone or Internet using things like Skype, MSN messenger, Yahoo messenger and ICQ. That means it is perfect for people with mobility difficulties or agoraphobia. It also means you do not have to travel to your therapist or pay parking costs.

About the Author

Wayne Ennis
Advanced Therapies
http://www.advancedtherapies.co.uk
wayneennis@dsl.pipex.com

Women Hold Up Half the Sky   by Arthur Buchanan

Mental illnesses affect women and men differently. Some disorders are more common in women, and some express themselves with different symptoms. Scientists are only now beginning to tease apart the contribution of various biological and psychosocial factors to mental health and mental illness in both women and men. In addition, researchers are currently studying the special problems of treatment for serious mental illness during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Research on women’s health has grown substantially in the last 20 years. Today’s studies are helping to clarify the risk and protective factors for mental disorders in women and to improve women’s mental health treatment outcome.
Depressive Disorders
In the U.S., nearly twice as many women (12.0 percent) as men (6.6 percent) are affected by a depressive disorder each year.1 These figures translate to 12.4 million women and 6.4 million men. Depressive disorders include major depression, dysthymic disorder (a less severe but more chronic form of depression), and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness). Major depression is the leading cause of disease burden among females ages 5 and older worldwide.
Depressive disorders raise the risk for suicide. Although men are four times more likely than women to die by suicide, women report attempting suicide about two to three times as often as men. Self-inflicted injury, including suicide, ranks 9th out of the 10 leading causes of disease burden for females ages 5 and older worldwide.
Research shows that before adolescence and late in life, females and males experience depression at about the same frequency. Because the gender difference in depression is not seen until after puberty and decreases after menopause, scientists hypothesize that hormonal factors are involved in women’s greater vulnerability. Stress due to psychosocial factors, such as multiple roles in the home and at work and the increased likelihood of women to be poor, at risk for violence and abuse, and raising children alone, also plays a role in the development of depression.
While many women report some history of premenstrual mood changes and physical symptoms, an estimated 3 to 4 percent suffer severe symptoms that significantly interfere with work and social functioning. This impairing form of premenstrual syndrome, also called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), appears to be an abnormal response to normal hormone changes. Researchers are studying what makes some women susceptible to PMDD, including differences in hormone sensitivity, history of other mood disorders, and individual differences in the function of brain chemical messenger systems. Antidepressant medications known to work via serotonin circuits are effective in relieving the premenstrual symptoms. Women with susceptibility to depression may be more vulnerable to the mood-shifting effects of hormones.
Postpartum depression is a serious disorder where the hormonal changes following childbirth combined with psychosocial stresses such as sleep deprivation may disable some women with an apparent underlying vulnerability. NIMH research is evaluating the use of antidepressant medication and psychosocial interventions following delivery to prevent postpartum depression in women with a history of this disorder.
NIMH researchers recently found that women who suffer depression as they enter the early stages of menopause (perimenopause) may find estrogen to be an alternative to traditional antidepressants. The efficacy of the female hormone was comparable to that usually reported with antidepressants in the first controlled study of its direct effects on mood in perimenopausal women meeting standardized criteria for depression.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders, which include panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder, affect an estimated 13.3 percent of Americans ages 18 to 54 in a given year, or about 19.1 million adults in this age group. Women outnumber men in each illness category except for OCD and social phobia, in which both sexes have an equal likelihood of being affected.
Results from an NIMH-supported survey showed that female risk of developing PTSD following trauma is twice that of males. PTSD is characterized by persistent symptoms of fear that occur after experiencing events such as rape or other criminal assault, war, child abuse, natural disasters, or serious accidents. Nightmares, flashbacks, numbing of emotions, depression and feeling angry, irritable, or distracted and being easily startled are common. Females also are more likely to develop long-term PTSD than males and have higher rates of co-occurring medical and psychiatric problems than males with the disorder.
Eating Disorders
Females comprise the vast majority of people with an eating disorder?anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder. In their lifetime, an estimated 0.5 to 3.7 percent of females suffer from anorexia and an estimated 1.1 to 4.2 percent suffer from bulimia. An estimated 2 to 5 percent experience binge-eating disorder in a 6-month period. Eating disorders are not due to a failure of will or behavior; rather, they are real, treatable illnesses. In addition, eating disorders often co-occur with depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders, and also cause serious physical health problems. Eating disorders call for a comprehensive treatment plan involving medical care and monitoring, psychotherapy, nutritional counseling, and medication management. Studies are investigating the causes of eating disorders and effectiveness of treatments.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is the most chronic and disabling of the mental disorders, affecting about 1 percent of women and men worldwide. In the U.S., an estimated 2.2 million adults ages 18 and older, about half of them women, have schizophrenia. The illness typically appears earlier in men, usually in their late teens or early 20s, than in women, who are generally affected in their 20s or early 30s. In addition, women may have more depressive symptoms, paranoia, and auditory hallucinations than men and tend to respond better to typical antipsychotic medications. A significant proportion of women with schizophrenia experience increased symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum.
Alzheimer’s Disease
The main risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a dementing brain disorder that leads to the loss of mental and physical functioning and eventually to death, is increased age. Studies have shown that while the number of new cases of AD is similar in older adult women and men, the total number of existing cases is somewhat higher among women. Possible explanations include that AD may progress more slowly in women than in men; that women with AD may survive longer than men with AD; and that men, in general, do not live as long as women and die of other causes before AD has a chance to develop. Research is being conducted to find ways to prevent the onset of AD and to slow its progression.
Caregivers of a person with AD are usually family members. Often wives and daughters. The chronic stress often associated with the care-giving role can contribute to mental health problems; indeed, caregivers are much more likely to suffer from depression than the average person is. Since women in general are at greater risk for depression than men are, female caregivers of people with AD may be particularly vulnerable to depression.

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Food Addiction Can Lead to Death   by Paul Wilson

Food has been described as ambrosia and the elixir if life. For some, eating is a biological necessity for others it is a passion that can turn into an obsession. Experts define food addiction to be a disorder where the addict is preoccupied with food, the availability of food, and the pleasure of eating. There are three recognized addictions:

* Overeating, where the addict has no control over the amount or the number of times he eats. The person has no concept of being overweight or the servings a person must eat normally. Being an overeater, the addict will indulge in uncontrolled eating binges. Being obese, the addict will be prone to hypertension, diabetes, heart diseases, arthritis, and cancer.

* Bulimisa Nervosa, where the addict binges and then tries to maintain weight by vomiting, using laxatives, excessive exercise, or even fasting. Such addicts will develop dental problems like thinning of enamel, excessive number of cavities, swollen salivary glands, fluid and electrolyte disturbances, as well as calluses and scars.

* anorexia Nervosa, where the addict fears weight gain and so starves himself. Obsessed with weight gain and body shape anorexics will exhibit obsessive behaviors in maintaining themselves. In the process, they develop problems like disruption of menstrual cycle, emancipation, hair loss, unhealthy skin pallor, and a lack or fluids.

The most common health problems are obesity, alcoholism, diabetes, bulimia, food allergies, and food intolerance.

The signs that you are addicted to food are:

* Uncontrolled cravings for particular foods. Some are addicted to sweets, others to soft drinks, yet others to coffee.

* Continuous or frequent eating. No fixed meal times an addict will eat throughout the day.

* Sharpened hunger on consumption of specific foods.

* Anxiety attacks, feelings of nervousness, low sugar, a headache, stomach gripes and grumbles.

* Withdrawal symptoms.

* Fatigue.

* Extreme irritations.

* Intolerance to foods.

* Feelings of guilt at having eaten.

The very cornerstones to curing the addiction are to:

* Identify and avoid what are known to be trigger foods or drinks.

* Put into practice a Diet that is nutrient rich, healthy, and helps maintain or loose weight.

* Make lifestyle changes. Adopt a healthier lifestyle and include plenty of fresh air as well as exercise.

* Focus on personal and spiritual development. Seek inner peace, calm, and joy. Practice meditation and deep breathing.

* Plan to have activity filled days to distract the mind from food.

Even if you have a niggling doubt that you may be a food addict you must seek help. Nip the problem in the bud before it grows into something unmanageable and serious. You must consult a nutritionist, doctor, psychologist, or an eating addiction center or specialist. There are programs run by groups like Overeaters Anonymous that run 12-step programs which are extremely beneficial.

About the Author : Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/food/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Food Forum, including topics on all about food, food network, food recipe, health food, food gift, different food and more. His article profile can be found at the premier Food Article Submission Directory http://www.1888Articles.com/food-and-drink-articles-13.html

About the Author

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/food/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Food Forum, including topics on all about food, food network, food recipe, health food, food gift, different food and more. His article profile can be found at the premier Food Article Submission Directory http://www.1888Articles.com/food-and-drink-articles-13.html