The Surprising Link Between Your Closet And Your Health

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The most common resolutions made at New Year this year were health-related: according to YouGov data, 50% of resolution-making Americans planned to exercise more and 43% wanted to eat more healthily. Diet and exercise are usually the first things that come to mind when you think about improving your health, but for a holistic approach to good health, there are many more factors to consider. Perhaps one of the most surprising is clothing choice. Choosing your clothing carefully can contribute to a picture of overall good health — and just as importantly, it can benefit the environment too. 

Chemicals are often used in clothes production 

Chemicals are a concern in the production of all consumer products, but there have been few studies into the effect of chemicals in clothing on our health. However, the fashion industry uses a lot of chemicals, and there are some health problems associated with them. For example, garments advertised as being ‘wrinkle-resistant’ often contain formaldehyde, and this has been linked with skin allergies and eye irritation. Formaldehyde isn’t the only chemical found in our clothes though: other chemicals used in the fashion industry include nanosilver (found in ‘antimicrobial’ clothes), azo dyes (used for coloring), dimethylformamide (found in acrylic fabrics) and phthalates (found in faux leather and waterproofs).

There is no concrete evidence that the chemicals used in clothing production cause serious health problems, but allergies and skin irritations can be exacerbated by them. Furthermore, existing clinical research suggests that the chemicals frequently found in clothing may be linked to kidney, lung and liver disorders, cancer and neurotoxicity. While chemicals are frequently used in clothes manufacturing, this isn’t necessary, and the best way to avoid them is to look for natural fabrics like cotton, which doesn’t require any chemicals to process. Cotton has the added advantage of being a renewable resource, which has some environmental benefit, although it should be noted that it also requires a lot of land and water and sustain. Other natural fabrics that require little chemical processing include linen, silk, wool and hemp. 

Shapewear and tight fits cause health problems 

While we’re sold the idea that a smooth figure makes us look healthier, using shapewear to achieve it isn’t great for our health. It’s designed to be very tight, and this puts pressure on our internal organs. If it’s worn for long periods of time, this can bring health problems, as well as increasing the chances of heartburn and acid reflux. Furthermore, shapewear or tight-fitting pants like skinny jeans can cause nerve damage by constricting your thighs, and this has even been associated with compartment syndrome (caused when body tissue swells and pressure builds up). Yoga pants bring similar concerns, with the addition of the risk of fungal infections due to sweating in them. Aim for clothes with a looser fit that allow your skin to breathe. Anything that constricts your body isn’t great for your health.

Similarly, an ill-fitting bra — one that’s either too loose or too tight — can cause you health problems. A well-fitted bra should support the weight of the breasts, removing the pressure from your spine, back and shoulders. If your bra leaves you with indentation marks, the fit isn’t correct, and your body is taking unnecessary strain. Always get a bra fitted in the store you’re buying from, as sizes can vary dramatically between manufacturers. 

Whole health requires us to look at every aspect of our lifestyle – from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. To improve the health of your closet, look for natural fabrics and avoid tight-fitting clothing. You’re bound to feel more comfortable, and you might be surprised by the number of mild irritations that subside.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful accredited health program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

Why Successful Dieting Goes Beyond Simple Calories

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According to the CDC, over 70% of Americans classify as overweight to obese – a rather sobering statistic. However, as awareness grows, an increasing number of Americans are choosing to make active decisions to curb their caloric intake and reduce their weight. For those new to dieting or nutrition, it can seem complex and overwhelming, but the reality is quite simple. There are a number of methods for long-term success, from making colorful meals to intermittent fasting, but the important thing is to find a method that works for you. 

The importance of nutrition and variety

The composition of your diet is an integral part of long-term weight loss and whole person health. While it is true that you can lose weight eating fast foods, the amount you could consume and stay below your calorie limit is so low that you would be constantly hungry. It stands to reason, then, that before setting out on your diet, you must consider the sources from which you’re taking in calories. 

Sustainability is the key to success: a diet you can’t stick to long-term is effectively useless, and constantly feeling hungry is a recipe for disaster. Examine your favorite meals, and look for healthy, low-calorie alternatives. Meat, especially beef and pork, are notorious for being incredibly high in calories. You may be surprised to find that vegetarian meat substitutes often have a third of the calories for the same weight, and while they may not taste the same, they can be just as delicious with a bit of effort. If meat is mandatory, then look at increasing the amount of fish you eat and substituting beef and pork for chicken or – even better – turkey.

Variety is the spice of life. If you fall into a rut of cooking the same meals each week, it becomes increasingly likely that you will grow bored and binge. Research shows that successful, varied meal planning is associated with decreased obesity rates. Look for ways to add interesting twists to your week’s meals. This can be achieved in a number of ways: the internet is full of convenient and delicious recipes. Alternatively, there are now services which deliver meal kits right to your door for a monthly price. These kits allow you to try something new every week without the hassle of shopping for new ingredients, and as a result, are becoming increasingly popular among young people.

Building your plan

The first step to weight loss is building a clear picture of your physical health. This means measuring your weight, body fat percentage (if possible) and basal metabolic rate (BMR). Your BMR represents the daily calories required to maintain your current weight. It is calculated using your gender, age, current weight and height. This number will be the foundation upon which you build your weight loss plan. A good rule of thumb for consistent weight loss is to subtract 500 calories from your BMR, and set this new number as your daily limit. 

With this number in mind, it is a good idea to spend a week writing a food journal before setting out on your diet. Record what foods you eat each day and how many calories you consume. Compare this to your BMR, and chances are, you’ll be in for a shock. In today’s world, it is surprisingly easy to go a few hundred calories over your BMR.

Once you’ve built a clear picture of where you are, it’s time to decide where you want to be. Goals provide motivation and direction that will prove invaluable in the long run. You likely have an ideal weight or figure in mind. Plan around this, and use one of the many online calculators to figure out how long it will take to get there using your revised daily calorie limit. 

At its heart, dieting is a simple equation of calories in versus calories out. However, dieting successfully and maintaining a healthy lifestyle long-term relies on a range of factors which are all very personal. Everyone is different, and what may be sustainable for others may not work for you. To achieve your goals, you need both a clear picture of where you are now and where you want to be. With realistic goals and expectations in mind, anything is achievable.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health advocacy program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.


Author Credit: Allie Oliver

Our Pets Improve Our Health

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While it may be difficult to get Americans to collectively agree on the many issues, it seems that when it comes to pets and the value we place on them, there is little disagreement. The 2015-2016 American Pet Products Association survey reported that an astounding 65% of all American households have a pet. An identified 79.7 households have dogs–over 100 million of them in all. Cat owner households total 42.9 million. Fresh water fish, birds, reptiles and horses, along with small animals such as rabbits, hamsters, and others make up another 25-27 million pets.

Americans, it seems, have also come to view and treat their pets in human terms. No longer satisfied with relegating the family pet to its own domain, today’s pet lovers are demanding the highest quality products and services for those they love. The idea of buying a simple dog chew or catnip toy now takes a back seat to designer sweaters and jewelry for our beloved companions. The current trend of dog hotels instead of kennels, indoor animal toilets, perfume, a hugely popular service “doggie dates” and exotic animal sitting services have found their way into today’s pet economy.

For the most passionate pet lover, faux mink coats, lumberjack vests, designer jackets, matching jeweled leather collar and leash sets, Halloween costumes, and holiday outfits are becoming part of the new “pet fashion.” Safety seats for transporting pets in vehicles are also becoming popular. One of the larger pet expenditures is pet food. These days the pet food aisle looks strikingly similar to the rest of the “human food” aisles in chain grocery stores. Specialized, balanced gourmet meals are readily available in the refrigerator section as well as a plethora of animal treats, vitamins, and supplements. Special diet foods for the senior pet population offer life extension and prolonged health.

The country’s household expenditures on pets for 2015-16 was in excess of 62.75 billion dollars. It is easy to imagine that this number must be a mistake as this is more money being spent on pets in the United State than the gross national product numbers for all but 64 countries around the world. This 62.75 billion dollar figure also represents almost double the approximately $35 billion dollars Americans spend on going to movies, playing video games, or for listening to recorded music.

The approximate 20% of non-pet households are for the most part made up of individuals with allergies, or who live in apartments or other environments that do not welcome pets, and those who have no time left in their over-scheduled lives to care for a pet. It seems people of all ages, ranging from infants to very elderly, enjoy and welcome the company of pets. The presence of pets is so popular today that some nursing facilities now have therapy pets at the facility on a regular basis. The one down side to this practice is that sometimes the residents start arguing and competing over who gets to keep the cat, dog, or bird with them for the day.

What fuels our passion for pets? It is really quite simple. Our pets love us unconditionally. They listen to us when we speak, provide companionship without politics or the agenda of most relationships. They accept our love and affection the way we chose to give it, without complaint, and they provide us in return with affection and loyalty. They are the ultimate loving family member, and we are now treating them as such. Can anyone blame us?

Social networking has become the way we communicate and “do” relationships. These days it is often over e-mail and texting messages that we are starting relationships or ending them, sharing major life events–even proposing marriage. The intimate contact of human connections we had even 15 years ago before the dominance of the internet and cell phones is now being replaced by our pets.

Pets are not only beloved companions, but they are also taking on the role of healers. Dogs have been long known for their service as seeing eye dogs, but the use of dogs and other pets in many areas of healing and health monitoring are becoming more widespread. Dogs who alert their companions for seizures or “sniff out” cancer or horses that assist with helping autistic children to interact with others are easily found on the news or internet.

A recent study by researcher Dr. Karen Allen at the State University of New York at Buffalo identified that individuals suffering from hypertension when adopting a dog or cat had lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than their counterparts who did not have a pet companion. The National Institute of Technology Assessment Workshop, Health Benefits of Pets, identified that pets provide greater psychological stability, which us protects not only from heart disease and other stress related conditions but also reduces depression. In the same study, pets have been shown to lower the cost of health care as individuals with pets make fewer doctor visits, especially “for non-serious medical conditions.”

A Perdue University study demonstrated that when seniors face traumas or other forms of adversity, the affection received by their pets and the bond between them helps prevent depress and loneliness. As a means of enhancing our psychological and physical well-being, pets have the power to love us, heal us, and help us to live longer. If only we could get other humans to do so with the same honesty and loyalty that our pet companions provide us.

Sources:

For more whole health discussions, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

The Life-Enriching Benefits Of Becoming A Holistic Nurse

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Graduating as a Whole Health nurse opens up a world of fulfilling work opportunities in the realm of healthcare, which combines conventional treatments with effective alternative methods. Whichever area of nursing you choose to enter, training as a Whole Health nurse is bound to benefit you, your colleagues, and patients alike.

There’s never been a better time to enter holistic nursing — it’s a profession that’s expected to experience the same growth as conventional registered nurses and expand in number by 16% by 2024, which is a faster rate than many other occupations, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals. As a Whole Health nurse, you’ll focus on recognizing each individual patient as a whole —  mind, body, and spirit — to help patients and families of all ages to live healthier lifestyles. Whichever area you specialize in, it’s a rewarding profession that helps both patients and nurses thrive.

Plenty of options

After graduating from a Whole Health nursing program, you’ll find there’s a number of different exciting fields you have the opportunity to enter afterwards and hone your knowledge. Reading the thoughts and experiences of people currently working in medicine can help you get a feel for the different areas and decide which one is the best fit for you. In particular, a family nurse practitioner is trained to provide health care services to people of all ages. Typical duties include diagnosing and treating illness, conducting physical exams, and prescribing treatment.

Alternatively, graduates interested in helping patients improve their mental and emotional health should consider becoming a mental health nurse. This role involves diagnosing and treating psychological disorders, as well as providing counseling services to help address the root of the problem. Whole Health graduates also have the opportunity to work in various institutions, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, private practices, hospices, universities, and holistic health centers. Additionally, some Whole Health nurses may choose to become health and wellness coaches to help clients set, achieve, and maintain individual health goals.

Deliver better patient care

Whole Health nurses are qualified to deliver superior patient care, which in turns creates greater job satisfaction. This is essentially because patients are provided with personalized care tailored to their unique conditions, which is carefully designed to lower the risk of injury or illness developing and increase the chances of positive health outcomes. As a Whole Health nurse, you’ll also be informed on each patient’s individual struggles and strengths, which enables you to better support patient progress and recovery.

Additionally, holistic nurses have the unique opportunity to combine modern Western medicine and holistic nursing; knowledge of illness and disease is paired with an understanding of the physical, emotional, and spiritual ramifications a condition has on a patient. Whole Health nurses therefore have a greater ability to provide personalized care and the best treatment possible for every patient. 

Emphasis on self-care

Although patient care is a top priority for holistic nurses, it’s equally important to take proper care of your own mental, physical, and spiritual health. Nursing is a demanding role, which can be both physically and mentally draining. If you’re not in good health, you won’t be able to support your patients. Fortunately, holistic nursing places an emphasis on good health for nurses, which includes the importance of self-care, spirituality, self-responsibility, and personal reflection. This focus on self-care provides holistic nurses with greater support and encouragement to maintain awareness of their own needs while working. You’ll be better able to stay in holistic health and thrive in your job.

Graduating as a Whole Health nurse opens up a world of fulfilling work opportunities in the realm of healthcare, which combines conventional treatments with effective alternative methods. Whichever area of nursing you choose to enter, training as a Whole Health nurse is bound to benefit you, your colleagues, and patients alike. 

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful accredited health program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

Nurture The Thymus To Empower The Immune System

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The Thymus, in yoga and energy circles is often referred to as “the heart” chakra. In an integrative whole health approach to patient care, the Thymus is considered a primary source of all immune cells being formed through the stimulation of “T” (thymus) cells and “B” (bird – because they were first discovered in birds) cells. In encouraging behavior that nurtures the thymus, a whole health nurse coach can assist in empowering the immune system.

From the very early stages of our embryology the Thymus is the primary mover in the development of our immune systems. It shrinks after early childhood but still plays a roll in communicating with the early T and B cells it populated back when we were still in our mother’s uterus.

The Thymus is the self-esteem component of Maslow’s Hierarchy. This is evident in as much as our immune function is an expression of how we care for and think about ourselves. To see this at work, the observation of HIV positive patients, who have a high self-esteem and self worth, rarely manifest AIDS; sometimes never does it manifest, or only when the individual is confronted with profound stress such as loss or grief which lowers the immune system function. Less than 50% of HIV positive patients ever develop AIDS and much of this is contributed to the individual’s self-esteem level. Physically the Thymus is intimately connected to our Immune System and Neurotransmitters.

Regarding Selye’s Stress Model, the Thymus can express Infections/Compromised Immunity – which is a loss of self protection. The Thymus is the environmental (internal and response to the external) component of the Whole Health Five Aspects.

So far we have gone over FIVE (5) of the SEVEN (7) aspects. The last three, as we saw with the reproductive glands, the adrenals and pancreas, clarify the emotional and behavioral aspects of each specific endocrine gland.

The VIRTUE of the Thymus is HOPE – the individual who sees the world as good and holding promise for the future has hope and feels positive about life and what is to come. This also creates a positive sense of self and self-esteem. Hope fills our life with thinking about the future and that we can fulfill our dreams and goals, rather than directing our attention to what others have and we don’t have. With hope comes the belief that we can be valued, loved and belong in this world – which is an important component to being healthy and having a strong immune system.  

The DEADLY SIN of the Thymus is very opposite of the virtue of the Thymus – hope and belief in the future, seeing the world as good and abundant; the sin of the Thymus is that of ENVY – resentment towards what others have; feeling diminished and less valued because another may be perceived as having more than us. Envy, jealously and resentment are poison to the heart, the mind and the body. Envious thoughts send messages to the cell membranes of our immune system that are toxic to the body’s health and function.

Once again we can see the value and importance in understanding how the body works a whole integrated being. The Thymus is a major player in the endocrine system, disabling or empowering the immune system to keep us healthy or make us sick.

The outcome of our Thymus function is up to us – our thoughts, behaviors, virtues and negative actions all play a role in this amazing gland’s function.J


For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama. Also available on iHeartRadio.

Health Caution: Travel at Your Own Risk

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travel risks airport girl

Summer is one of the most heavily vacation trafficked periods of the year, when millions of people, “take to the skies and roads.”  Unfortunately, for 3-5% (yes, that is 3-5%) of the people who get off of airplanes, buses, trains, or auto transport will develop blood clots, often not detected until many weeks after their trip.

As American health care consumers, we know in today’s environment we must be pro-active and take control of our health through health information and prevention. Staying healthy while traveling is one very important preventative situation that we can all be more aware of to circumvent an unwanted health crisis.

Three years ago, the World Health Organization published the WRIGHT report (WHO Research Into Global Hazards of Travel) which identified the extent of the problem and who was at risk. The report identified the population most at risk are females, over 40 years of age, with a prior history of deep vein thrombosis.

Others identified  to be at risk include older travelers, obese travelers, pregnant women, anyone with varicose veins or a prior history of venous thrombosis, women taking birth control pills or estrogen, travelers with a history of a major operation, cancer, heart failure, highly trained athletes, and those with recent surgery or injury.

In spite of the evidence, however, there are still airlines in denial over the problem as many fear increased litigation. One major US airline has a published statement on its websites as a response to concerned travels that reads: “There is no epidemiological evidence that air travel causes blood clots.”

However, published experts would re-word that statement to read: “It would be more accurate to say, “Every credible scientific study of the subject has found that air travel [and other forms of confined travel] cause blood clots, including all of the most recent large sophisticated studies.”

What can you do to prevent blood clots?

1) Do not be immobile for more than 1 hour when traveling by air or in confined transportation

2) Dress in loose-fitting clothes and shoes. No socks or garments should have banded constriction.

3) Stay well hydrated, but avoid alcohol.

4) Exercise your legs and feet every chance you can (e.g. every 20 minutes).

5) Consider fitted, compression stockings – compression of 20 mm. Hg or more is best.

6) It is not a guarantee that taking aspirin to avoid thrombosis will work but as it prevents platelet clumping which causes clots, if you are at risk, it seems reasonable to take aspirin daily, starting a day before departure and continuing for a day after the flight terminates.

7) Sit in an aisle seat – you will have more room and it is easier to stand up and move around the plane, bus or train.

Hope this helps. For more information search for “blood clots and travel”. There is an enormous amount of information on the subject and if you are getting ready for that big trip, having this information should be part of your “packing”.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health advocacy program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Why Am I Always Hungry?

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Why Am I Always Hungry? Snacks. National institute of Whole Health Article

Hunger is a natural response by the body when it has used up the caloric intake from our last meal and we need to replenish. When we are in a constant state of hunger, or hungry very shortly after our last meal, this can signal a health problem such as hormonal imbalance or other either genetic or chronic health conditions. The hormones from the thyroid, pancreas, reproductive glands, and pituitary or adrenals glands are all possible contributors to constant hunger.

There are also other factors that can play a large role as well. A diet that is very low in fat can create a constant hunger. Our bodies require a certain amount of fat each day to regulate our metabolism and these healthy fats (such as avocado, nuts or olive oil). These fats trigger a hormone called leptin that curbs or stops the appetite.

Why Am I Always Hungry? Snacks. National institute of Whole Health Article

When any one of many things that can create imbalances or that can override the body’s normal metabolic function occurs, we can short circuit the body’s ability to sustain normal appetite and food consumption. Most commonly these are hormone or neurotransmitter imbalances that create hunger due to the interruption of the normal hunger/hormone chemical.

Stress can play a large role in this condition, as well as excessive or chronic long term carbohydrate intake. Excess carbohydrates can result in both a decrease and an increase in insulin secretion which can then trigger several metabolic problems and syndromes.

If you are experiencing, chronic persistent hunger it is important to consult with your physician. There are many situations that can also contribute to your hunger such as hyperthyroidism, menstrual irregularities, Von Gierke disease, bulimia, Prader-Willi syndrome, diabetes, medications or hypoglycemia.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health coach certification information for holistic nurses and health advocates.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

What We Believe Becomes Our Reality II

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real

Given the way the health sciences have been taught in nursing and medical schools, it is perfectly understandable for physicians and nurses trained more than 25 years ago to think the placebo effect didn’t make sense and was instead a popular explanation for a sudden healing – a “spontaneous remission.” It is a leap for many to accept that a person could think or believe something and that simple act of belief could heal them.

Up until the last twenty or so years, research scientists did not have a grasp on how the brain and our emotions worked to create our reality. The subject of emotions has been and still is very much “uncharted waters” in behavioral science. However, what is well documented today is how the various brain waves function and what part of the brain each of the various brain waves control and stimulate and, most importantly, what emotions actually are.

The “beta waves” are the brain waves that allow us to focus on the words on this blog and comprehend, in the moment, what is intellectually being communicated. These waves are produced in the frontal lobe which is the seat of intellectual functioning. Thinking, analyzing, reasoning, and so forth occur in this part of the brain.

The “alpha waves,” which are the slower brain waves, originate in the mid-brain are the brain waves that allow us access to our unconscious thinking or what some refer to as the soul. All thought processes, be it from the beta wave or alpha wave region of the brain, are actually chemical reactions that produce specific proteins that communicate with our immune cell membranes and other cell membranes of our body.

The specific thoughts we think and the region of the brain they originate in have an identifiable chemistry that has been shown to create dramatic changes in our physical bodies. In Dr Paul Pearsall’s groundbreaking book “The Hearts Code” he tells many amazing mind/body stories but one, in particular, that is a striking example of how powerful thoughts and images are, is the story he tells about a schizophrenic patient who demonstrated completely different disease states depending on the personality she was exhibiting. Ultrasounds, cat-scans, lab tests all confirmed that one of her personalities had a massive cancerous tumor and yet when she went into a different personality state all of her previous pathology disappeared as well.

Our brains are the ultimate manifesters of matter. The chair you are sitting on was a thought before it became that chair. Thoughts ARE “things” – thoughts in action are what manifest reality. For the woman who was cured of her stiffness after the sham surgery, her mind manifested a different set of thoughts through her hope and expectations for the outcome of the surgery. Her brain waves and proteins created positive chemistry which communicated with her immune system through its cell membranes. The results – she became healthier and could “stride across the room”

The idea of mind over matter is a powerful one. This science, and our understanding of its amazing chemistry, is in its infancy stage. In the future, we will take the possibility of healing ourselves with thought and imagery for granted just as we now do about people having an organ transplant – which was thought unheard of not that long ago.

In the meantime, we can all improve our health, success, and happiness but learning to improve our “self-speak” and reinforce our bodies and minds with positive words, thoughts, and images.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Female Hormones and Depression

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depressi

Recent research review by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) looked at hormonal dysfunction in women as potential causes for depression. This should be of interest as it lends to the mindset of clients with depression.

The focus of the review by the investigators and their subsequent report was on how the female reproductive system interacts with the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the body’s stress response. This mechanism can set up a biochemical environment for psychological disorders in females. It was noted that females are twice as likely as men to experience depression.

Through the HP-axis, stress in women impacts the reproductive hormones which can upset patterns of ovulation. This upset can contribute to the lost of menses and to infertility. If the inter-relationship of stress and female reproductive hormones becomes chronic, then behavior and mood disorders and depression can increase significantly.  We know that when oxytocin is suppressed due to excessive stress hormones, fertilized eggs cannot implant into the uterus. This is believed to be a primary cause of infertility in American women, owing to our highly stressful lifestyle.

Depression, eating disorders, alcoholism or other addictions may occur with the estrogen-induced disruption of normal HPA function. The key to preventing or correcting the problem as we find in many physiological conditions is to create a more balanced, less stressful lifestyle. If the body’s stress adaptation system becomes overwhelmed, and cannot appropriately adapt to the environment and demands of everyday life, many disorders and conditions can develop, depression being just one of them.

Regarding postpartum depression, the investigators identified that chronic hypersecretion of the stress hormone cortisol during pregnancy creates a temporary suppression of adrenal function following delivery. This coupled with the sudden drop of hormonal levels of estrogen after birth may be a significant factor in postpartum depression or subsequent immune dysfunctions such as postpartum thyroid conditions.

It is very important for women, because of our very integrated hormonal and nervous systems, to work towards a balanced, low-stress lifestyle. Unlike our male counterpart, our hormonal system immediately lets us know when we are “off-center” by delivering loud messages through hormonal dysfunction.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful health coach certification information for holistic nurses and health advocates.

Avoid Boredom To Live Longer And Healthier

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boredom

Do you know anyone who is often bored? Do you find yourself feeling bored? A study, conducted in the United Kingdom identified a connection between individuals who experience chronic boredom and a shorter life expectancy. The expression being “bored to death” has some literal truth in it, according to the 1980’s UK study that followed 7,500 civil servants in the UK for a period of 25 years. In this blog, NIWH explores the study to see what applications can be derived from the results.

Bored To Death

The study conducted interviews on the civil servants, recording their attitudes and outlook on life. The updates continued until 25 years after the initial interviews. The data found that subjects who stated they were bored in the original interview screening were almost 40% more likely to have died during the 25 year period than those who found life to be interesting.

This same study revealed that people living with “high levels of tedium” were 2.5 times more likely to die of heart disease than those who lived a more varied lifestyle. This particular study is a wonderful example of the connection between our mind and body and how our thoughts and feelings have a huge impact on our health and even longevity.

Examining Discontent

boredAccording to Daily Health News journalist Lauren Zander, most of us live with experiences of boredom, but when our lives take on a chronic sense of boredom, the effects can be destructive to our work, relationships and, ultimately, our health and longevity. When we are willing to examine what aspects of our lives feel “boring,” we can identify in which areas of our life we feel stuck, frustrated or unfulfilled. This allows us to make a plan and take action toward change.

Boredom is a loss of interest or enthusiasm for aspects of your life. You “go through the motions” rather than being engaged and enjoying life. For instance, in personal relationships, it is easy to get in a rut and not look for new ways of enjoying the company of the people we care about most. By taking a step back and looking at our relationships as if we were meeting the person for the first time, this brings a renewed perspective and interest in what we may take for granted on a daily basis.

Renovate Your Life

This information lends to several suggestions. If your work, family life, or love life is leaving you disinterested or bored, try “renovating” your relationship by adding new and imaginative ways to refresh your communication or shared experience. Kiss your special someone in the car instead of waiting to get home to physically connect. Bring home some special “treats” your kids or partner will love and serve it with breakfast, lunch or brunch instead of going out to eat. Plan a lunchtime activity at your office with co-workers or a mystery party at home with your friends to liven up rapport.

Find new ways to refresh your relationships and your life. Encourage those around you to do the same. It’s not only fun, but this can help you live a longer and healthier life!

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.