Weiss Report Blog

With so many makes and models of air cleaners to choose from, it is imperative to select the air purifier model best suited to your needs. Is the air cleaner for your kitchen, living spaces or bathrooms? Is the air purifier required to battle against simple household dust and pathogens or does it need to cleanse the atmosphere of tobacco smoke and cooking odors. Effective air cleaners available today have a high air-circulation rate and collect or kill most of the pollutants of your indoor air. An effective air cleaner will:- change the air several times an hour- effectively refresh the indoor air- use modern technology to combat pathogens- be as soundless as possible- energy efficient- come with an assured warranty- blend into the interiors of your home inconspicuouslyOur respiratory tracts struggle daily against the millions of contaminants that are in the air. These contaminants include mites, dust, pollen, pet dander, tobacco smoke, chemicals from aerosols and other sprays, germs and even human hair. Poor air quality causes headaches, digestive problems, fatigue, restlessness, congestion, and many other related health problems. This is why there is such a need for air purifiers in most indoor environments. Use air purifier filter technology to give your family, co-workers, friends and pets the freshest of air supply.

Natural cures for everyday Health Issues takes many forms. We
call them Grandmas’ old remedies or natural cures, but they are
cures without using medications. Do you know how to stop a
baby’s hiccups? A little bit of sugar on your finger will take
them away after he’s done sucking off the sugar. Another one for
hiccups for someone older is to try to scare them out of them,
sipping water from a glass upside down, and then there’s my
personal favorite. Taking a big, deep breath and holding it
until you either turn blue, pass out or your body forces you to
breath. And that’s what it does; you can’t voluntarily hold your
breath to turn blue.

Some other old remedies I remember from living with my Grandma.
Do you have a cold? Then the best thing is to do a sink full of
dirty dishes and make the water as hot as you can stand it.
Personally, I would just rather go sit in the shower. Have you
ever had vapor rubbed on your chest and covered with a piece of
flannel? Been there, done that lots of times. Our cough syrup
was honey and lemon juice.

Headaches also have many natural cures you can try. Exercise is
a good idea, a brisk walk will get your blood circulating,
release contracted muscles and generally just lets you relax. My
personal favorite is a hot bath. The hot water also helps
release bunched up muscles and helps you to relax.

Did you know that dehydration could cause headaches? It’s been
printed that you need to drink at least six to eight glasses of
water a day. I have heard the excuse that you don’t like the
taste of water, but now it comes in so many flavors and without
sugar that excuse is pretty well not usable anymore. In
addition, other natural cures for headaches include acupressure,
acupuncture, and aromatherapy. You need to press or massage on
the fleshy area between thumb and forefinger, that’s one of the
pressure points for acupressure.

Other ways to get rid of a nasty headache is to lie down in a
dark room avoiding bright lights. Alternate hot and cold
washcloths applied to the area where the pain is located. If you
haven’t eaten in a while, have something to eat that is
nutritious. Do slight neck rolls and shoulder lifts to relieve
tense muscles in your shoulder and neck area.

Here are some interesting natural cures for symptoms of
pregnancy I wish I’d had when I was pregnant. To relieve
symptoms of morning sickness there are natural cures you can do
to help the situation. One of the most obvious is to cut out
spicy and fatty foods. Another is to stay away from strong odors
such as onion, garlic, and coffee. You should eat several small
meals a day instead of three big ones. Try eating a few soda
crackers with a couple of sips of room temperature water before
you get up in the morning. Again, acupressure is recommended by
wearing sea bands three quarter of an inch down your wrist in
between tendons. Last, eat what sounds good to you. My doctor
gave me that advice and it has been good for me throughout my
life. Generally, if it sounds good, you can keep it down better.

Heartburn can also be helped by many of the same remedies of
morning sickness. Some extra hints are avoiding trigger foods
that are acidic, spicy, and fatty. Avoid tight fitting clothing
after you’ve eaten which can worsen the symptoms. One other
idea, add some slippery elm powder to a cup of tea.

Natural cures are available for arthritis sufferers as well.
Ginger extract is a natural anti-inflammatory substance. It
takes damaging oxidizing agents out of the body. In other words,
it’s an antioxidant. Ginger extract is completely natural and
can be taken and have no side effects. Willow has also been used
to ease pain. The Greeks used to mash the leaves of the willow
plant with a little wine and apply it to the sore area.

Lifestyle changes can significantly impact pain levels of
arthritis. Getting some exercise daily will help the joints
moving freely and strengthens the joints. Don’t overdo, but a
little exercise will go a long way to keep you moving freely. It
helps some sufferers if they cut back on certain foods. Some of
those foods are red meat, dairy products, and tomatoes. Eat a
lot of fruit and vegetables, include plenty of Vitamin C and
you’ll find your joints will feel better but you’re also eating
healthier too.

An easy weight loss method that works every time has yet to be invented but that doesn’t mean you should give up looking; good programs are out there that can make a difference, as many dieticians will tell you. Being overweight is the cause of many medical conditions which require long term attention but obesity also affects the way we see ourselves as well.

You must not forget that the success of any easy weight loss method will be as a result of the person using it as a correct attitude is paramount. Your primary reason for losing weight must be clear whether it is too improve your looks or for health reasons; once you know this, then you must decide.

Many people forget that a number of factors must be included in any weight loss program from the amount of physical activity involved down to the type of food eaten, when, and how often. Don’t be too ambitious and set yourself impossible tasks like losing 30 pounds in less than a month; this is not sensible because it can have a vast impact on the entire body bringing about other health problems like anemia or heartburn.

To keep things simple it is easier to consider that one pound lost per week is realistically the equivalent to around 3,500 calories which breaks down to losing 500 calories a day, every day whether through dieting, exercise or both. Although most people eat far too much junk food, there is nothing wrong with a little now and then, and no-one should have to give up every type of food they enjoy although some thought should be given to how much is consumed.

Of course we often eat more when we do not feel very good about ourselves or are depressed about our life, which is often called comfort eating. These poor eating habits are causing serious concerns within the medical community as the number of people contracting type 2 diabetes increases which is usually as a result of obesity, not too mention cancer and heart conditions. The answer to permanent weight reduction is not just about easy weight loss diets but the person themselves and their psychological attitude to the problem.

One aspect that also needs to be included is how the person pursues the subject of their weight loss program as those who take a more relaxed approach are usually more successful. This type of attitude is good for a person in all walks of life as it provides the person with a positive mind frame. The great thing about weight loss is the extra energy you feel and how much more positive your outlook is to life in general which obviously has an impact on self-esteem as well.

Although they are not easy, easy weight loss programs do bring results if you persist because it is this determination that will eventually help you achieve what you want.

The method know as 3d ultrasound scanning is used in early pregnancy, it can provide 3d pictures of the unborn child. Most times these pictures are quickly collected and combined to produce a “4d ultrasound scan”.

Three dimensional scans works in a similar manner to the normal scanning methods except that the ultrasound scanning waves can be sent from multiple directions. The ultrasound waves can be reflected back then captured to provide info to construct a 3d image in very much the same way as 3d movies. 3d ultrasound was started by stephen smith and olaf von ramm.

It is important to understand that sonologists worldwide have always pictured three-dimensional images of anatomy or pathology in their minds while doing their 2d scans. However, until recently it was almost impossibel to do this kind of reconstruction on on info using ultrasound. The advent of baby scans for the first time allowed us a peek into the mechanics of thinking of a sonologist and hence letting us view the images on the ultrasound machine.

3d imaging should utilize ultrasound energy following the same limits as conventional 2d ultrasound to create the 3d images. While there is no information of harm due to 3d ultasound scanning, its use in none essential situations needs to be undertaken with the understanding of the risks.

Please remember to collect your babies umbilical stem cells by using people such as babycells.

Building Self Esteem in Children with Autism and Asperger
Syndrome by Karen L. Simmons “If you had a brain, you’d take it
out and play with it” were my father’s words to me as I was
growing up. This wasn’t a compliment or encouragement of my
questioning nature. Through my early years, my self-esteem was
low for a neuro-typical child. As Yoda would say, “Devastated, I
was, from years of deep emotional abuse.” After finally
realizing that I couldn’t be “that bad”, in my early 30’s I
sought help through a self-esteem building group. We shared
stories and together began the slow road of healing by using
certain, carefully chosen techniques. The most powerful tool was
the use of positive affirmations. I was assigned “I am lovable,
capable and beautiful”, and given instructions to say it ten
times a day. At first I almost gagged. How could I lie like that
to myself? A dear friend, also in the group, gave me a Teddy
Bear we appropriately named L.C.B., short for Lovable, Capable
and Beautiful. Some days I would hold that Teddy Bear for dear
life. To this day, I consider him my savior. Finally, after
weeks of persistence with using the affirmation, I began to
believe that it had merit. Looking back, I now realize how much
that affirmation really did for me.

Spiritual Affirmation Process This seven-step process, done in
the first person, can provide peace, tranquillity and harmony to
individuals with autism/AS. 1. Recognize the existence of a
spiritual presence 2. Unify child with the presence 3. Affirm
the purpose of the affirmation 4. Choose to claim power over any
obstacles in the way of achieving the affirmation 5. Reaffirm
the purpose of the affirmation 6. Give thanks for the completed
result of the meditation 7. Release these thoughts into the
universe for divine energy to do the highest good. We practice
this affirmation with our son, Jonathan and people in his autism
circle. I know there is one loving energy. This divine energy is
everywhere. I am a part of this joyful and happy energy and
loved by this spirit. I know that I am confident and well
behaved in the things that I do as my confidence and awareness
of my greatness shows. I choose to claim my power over anger and
fear or any other limiting ideas, because I know a better truth.
I see myself as the universe sees me, whole, perfect and
complete. As I see my strength, my confidence is shown to me. I
recognize the uniqueness and magnificence of my being. I know
that I have enough love from everyone, including my friends, my
family and myself. Happily, I release these words into the
divine light and let them come into being. I am one with spirit.
Children with autism have a much harder time with their
self-esteem. They often perceive the constant correction of
their behaviors and their social interactions as criticism. The
frequent visits to doctors, or speech therapists, or OTs, the
testing and the stream of interventions that we try with them
can easily leave them feeling like they’re under the microscope,
a specimen that warrants investigation, a person who needs
fixing. Expressive and comprehensive communication also have a
direct impact on a child’s self-esteem. These are areas that do
not come easily to children or adults with autism/AS.
Understanding subtle jokes and participating in human interplay,
actions natural to their neuro-typical peers, further increase
their feelings of ‘not fitting in’ and erode their self-esteem.
Combine all this with the expectations of siblings and the
all-too-frequent bullying interactions from many peers and it’s
easy to understand how devastated a child with an autism
spectrum disorder can feel. What can we do? It’s critical for
us, as family members, educators, and professionals to learn
strategies and techniques! In our not-too-distant past,
institutional placement was the standard intervention for people
with autism/AS. While that is not the case today, we still
encounter lack of understanding and appreciation for the unique
qualities of the person with ASD. Everyone, especially these
visual learners, need a constant reminder of how special they
truly are. We must find ways to give them their own Teddy Bear
(or dinosaur!) so they will feel “L.C.B.” on their own. It
Starts with US But how do we really build their self-esteem? It
starts with us examining our own ideas of how we view children
with autism/AS. We must believe in their value ourselves before
we can ever change their minds. These kids know when we’re
faking our compliments or arbitrarily handing out encouragement
because the therapy book says we should give 5 positive comments
to each correction. It involves empathy, walking in their shoes,
rather than sympathy; no one wants to be felt sorry for. Each
child is a gift, with his or her own special qualities. We just
need to look for these special gifts, tune into the child with
our hearts, and bring their essence out. It Goes on to Others
Knowledge is power and no where is it more powerful than in
helping people better understand what it’s like to have
autism/AS. Explain autism to everyone involved with the child.
This will increase their empathy and provide opportunities for
genuine praise and encouragement. Explain autism to the child,
too, when he is able to understand his disability. Who are we
really kidding, other than ourselves, when we pretend a child
does not have the autism label or we try to camouflage it? Who
are we hurting? It’s the child with autism who is hurt in the
long run. Go to conferences, read books, research and share
information that takes into consideration the many sensory,
social, behavioral and communication challenges faced by the
child at his/her functioning level. Armed with this
understanding of how the disability affects the child, you and
others can better find ways to help him or her fit in. Remember
to teach extended family, educators, other parents and
professionals all you can to help integration and provide a
deeper understanding when trying to teach particular skills. Be
intuitive when advocating for children and persistent in your
approach, though not abrasive. Having a positive mental
attitude, especially when advocating, helps others want to
cooperate with us. After all, who wants to deal with anyone
cranky? Bridge the interactions between peers and the child with
autism. Visually and verbally interpret what you think they both
are thinking and/or feeling based on your own experiences when
you were their age, and your understanding of autism. By
teaching others about autism, more people will become aware of
this invisible disability. When people understand
empathetically, they will more naturally accept the child with
autism, as he is. This is often effective in reducing or
eliminating bullying from peers, too. Learn to correct behaviors
by sandwiching the correction in the middle of positive
feedback. For example, “Sammy, you are doing a great job
cleaning your room. If you pick up the clothes over there it
would look even neater. Boy, you sure are a good listener.” Be
Positive! Children with autism often times have an incredible
sense of humor. I have to stop myself from laughing so my own
son doesn’t feel like I’m laughing “at” him, causing him to feel
inadequate. Sometimes I’ll even say “I’m not laughing at you,
Jonny, I’m laughing with you.” Stress the positives! Look for
the good in every child, even if you don’t see it at first.
Pretending to be Pollyanna can only help, but make sure you’re
genuine in what you say. Stress the good effort your child is
making, if he hasn’t yet achieved a goal. Show your confidence
in his abilities by telling him that you believe he can succeed.
Saying things like this that may not be 100% true initially will
contribute to your child’s trust and belief in himself, raising
his self-esteem and encouraging self-motivation to continue
trying. Model a mental attitude of “things are great”. Express
yourself in the positive, rather than the negative. Kids with
autism/AS are masters at copying what others say, so make sure
they’re hearing things that are good for them to copy! When we
say, “you are great!” to a child often enough, he, too, will
believe it and feel valued for who he truly is. Encourage
children to share their thoughts and feelings; this is so
important and often sheds new light on existing situations. My
son, Jonathan was temporarily removed from the bus after cutting
the seat. At first we thought he was acting out, so we had him
write an apology to his bus driver. When we read his letter, we
discovered that he was being bullied by another student on the
bus and that it had been going on for quite some time. We
intervened appropriately. The other child was reprimanded and
Jonny was taught appropriate methods of expressing his anger in
the future. Balance the Physical with the Mental and Spiritual
Like most people, kids with autism feel better about themselves
when they’re balanced physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Since they are often very picky eaters and gravitate towards
junk food, it’s important to try supplementing their diet. Also,
provide regular physical activity, when possible, to relieve
stress and clear their mind. Set the stage for success by
acknowledging their achievements - however small - and reminding
them of their past accomplishments. Keep their life manageable
and doable, refraining from overwhelming them with so many
activities that they become too challenged physically and
mentally to succeed at anything. Provide choices to them
frequently so they understand they have a say in their own lives
and even let them be in charge sometimes. These are all great
ways to build self-esteem! Don’t overlook giving them
opportunities to connect with their spiritual side through
religious avenues or by communing with nature. This can help
them feel purposeful, that their lives have meaning and
connected with their source. A strategy that helped raise
Jonathan’s self-esteem, especially in overcoming his victim
thoughts and feelings, was spiritual affirmations. Using
affirmations took some time, but we found that it brought calm
and peace to Jonathan and our family. Dr. Jerry Jampolsky,
author of Love is Letting Go Of Fear and founder of the Center
for Attitudinal Healing, offers many principles I find helpful
in teaching us to love ourselves, thereby enhancing self-esteem,
both in ourselves and then with others. Some of his principles
include: * The essence of our being is love * Health is inner
peace * Live in the now * Become love finders rather than fault
finders * Learn to love others and ourselves by forgiving rather
than judging * We can choose to be peaceful inside regardless of
what’s going on outside * We’re all students and teachers to
each other. Part of Jerry’s message is that by focusing on life
as a whole, rather than in fragments, we can see what is truly
important. His concepts, when embraced, positively affect how a
child with autism thinks and feels about him or herself. Anger,
resentment, judgment and similar feelings are all forms of fear.
Since love and fear cannot co-exist, letting go of fear allows
love to be the dominant feeling. Look for the Miracles Daily,
there are miracles and good things happening all around us.
Learn intimately the challenges that children with autism/AS
face in their everyday lives. Be on their team by tuning into
who they truly are - unique expressions of divine light. Empower
them to be themselves, perfectly okay with who and how they are.
Do this by loving them for who they are now, today, not who you
think they should become, after ABA, or speech therapy or
learning ‘appropriate’ social skills. Consider that children and
adults with autism/AS are wonderful beings here to teach us
empathy, compassion, understanding and most importantly, how to
love. Most importantly, do whatever it takes to include them in
life rather than merely integrate their presence.

In genuine star sapphires there are tiny imperfections and
inclusions that reflect light perfectly to form a star in the
stone. Each child with autism is like this precious gem, unique
in every way. Without the tiny inclusions, there would be no
star. It is our job as parents, educators and professionals to
“bring out the stars” in all of our special children by shining
the light on their natural beauty. In so doing, we see their
different abilities rather than their disabilities. And, then
they will see them, too. Recommended Reading: What Does It Mean
To Me? by Catherine Faherty Autism-Asperger’s and Sexuality:
Puberty and Beyond by Jerry and Mary Newport Asperger’s and Self
Esteem: Insight and Hope Through Famous Role Models by Norm
Ledgin Special People, Special Ways by Arlene Maguire
Starbright, Meditations For Children by Maureen Garth Love is
Letting Go of Fear by Dr. Jerry Jampolsky Little Rainman by
Karen L. Simmons

Many sober, law abiding people who would never dream of knowingly ingesting a mind- altering drug, actually consume one every day. Before you say that you don’t take any drugs at all, can you guess what mind altering drug is so common? It’s caffeine!

Caffeine is so pervasive in our culture and in many other cultures that we often forget it is literally a drug that affects our brain. Caffeine is present in coffee, tea, many cola drinks and over the counter medications.

The real question isis caffeine a bad drug, or is it “okay”? Is caffeine even better than “okay”, does it do good things for us?

The verdict on caffeine, particularly when taken in the form of coffee, seems to be mixed. There are nutritional advisers who claim that coffee makes us age faster, wears out our adrenal glands, and causes all sorts of untold damage to our cells. Other researchers claim that coffee, especially if it’s freshly roasted and ground, is full of antioxidants, and therefore good for us. Most doctors say that drinking one or two cups of coffee a day is probably not harmful. And of course there are others who say we ought to avoid caffeine altogether.

Many of us feel that we cannot really get going in the morning until we have had our first cup of coffee. We often continue to use it throughout the day whenever our energy appears to be flagging and our brain seems to need additional help to think more clearly.

Does caffeine really enhance mental performance, or is that just a myth? Yes, caffeine does give a temporary boost to brain cells. But the amount required to improve mental performance is not very high. Even half a cup of coffee will be enough to give your brain a boost that lasts several hours.

Oddly enough, more caffeine is not necessarily better. In one test done when high-level executives were given the equivalent of fourteen cups of coffee in a day, they made their decisions faster, but the decisions were not of very good quality.

Not every person reacts to caffeine in the same way. Some people experience greater mental clarity, alertness and productivy after a cup of coffee. Others become jittery, anxious, or depressed. Although caffeine will keep most of us awake if taken at night, it does not have this effect in everyone.

In some older people, coffee or tea can improve memory and alertness enough to partly offset the effects of aging.

It is true that caffeine is mildly addicting for most people. Some people can quit using caffeine with absolutely no withdrawal symptoms, while others will feel headaches, fatigue, and experience cravings for caffeine for weeks.

Caffeine works by blocking one of the neurotransmitters–adenosinewhich normally tells brain cells to calm down. Brain cells that have been affected by caffeine will remain excited and on high alert for several hours.

The most noticeable negative effect of caffeine is that it can interfere with sleep. In most people, drinking coffee, tea or cola in the late afternoon or in the evening will cause insomnia. The quantity and quality of sleep will be greatly reduced, setting in motion a vicious cycle, where the person affected will feel so tired all the next day that he drinks a lot more coffee in order to try feel awake.

If this is happening to you, cut back on the amount of caffeine you consume each day. You may experience fewer withdrawal symptoms if you cut down gradually. You may wish to substitute green tea for some of your cups of coffee. Green tea has some caffeine, but not as much as coffee.

Better yet, consider substituting exercise for some of those cups of coffee. If you can’t leave your workplace, at least get up from your chair periodically. Do a few stretches, walk around a bit, and jump up and down a few times. Take some deep breaths. A little exercise break can revitalize your brain without giving you the caffeine jitters.

Remember that your brain won’t really benefit from more than one or two cups of coffee in a day.

About the author:

This article is taken from the new book by Royane Real titled “How To Be Smarter - Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better and Be More Creative” Download it today or get the paperback version at http://www.lulu.com/real

The other night I lay in bed watching Oprah’s 20th Anniversary DVD collection - a gift given to me by my best friend. Story after story of incredible people that have touched and changed the life of Oprah caused my tears of inspiration to flow. One particular person I really identified with - the story of Rudine. Rudine suffered severely from anorexia nervosa. She wanted so badly to battle and win this condition, but her emotional relationship with food and herself was so damaged.

You see, I can identify with this woman because at the age of 13, I came face to face with anorexia nervosa. It followed two very painful events in my life. Looking back, I now understand I was unable to cope with all the emotions I encountered. The anger and hatred I felt - because I could not outwardly express it - was turned inward. I began to hate my body and food became the enemy. I exercised like crazy and eventually ate only 1 small meal per day. After finally breaking that cycle, I swung to the other extreme and began to binge eat late at night. Other things replaced food until, at the age of 21, I got serious about facing and healing my emotions.

I share this with you because I think it is important to understand the devastating effects our relationship with food can have on our health. Maybe you’ve never suffered from anorexia nervosa, bulimia or obesity, but your emotional relationship with food is still worth examining. In an ideal relationship with food, you eat when you’re hungry, and you eat the healthy foods your body needs. Your body weight is healthy and you aren’t experimenting with the latest diet. Healthy eating is your way of life, and your physical wellbeing reflects that - not just your body, but your energy level, mood and internal health as well. So come on this journey with me and let’s explore some of the common emotions or situations that can trigger unhealthy eating. Pay attention to whether any of these strike home for you. If so, try substituting some of the alternatives I suggest so you can begin healing your emotional relationship with food.

Angry Eater: When you are very angry with yourself or someone else, do you turn to food? Maybe you’re mad because you made a mistake and so you beat yourself up with food. Try confronting and expressing your anger in a healthy way, and then forgive and let it go.

Stress Eater: According to Dr. Phil, “when you are under stress, your body releases hormones that automatically stimulate your appetite and set off cravings, prompting you to eat huge quantities of fattening food”. Take 15 minutes of quiet alone time or a 15 minute brisk walk instead.

Convenience Eater: You don’t have time or don’t feel like making something healthy to eat, so you grab whatever is convenient - fast food or take home, chips, donuts, etc. Keep healthy and convenient foods around the house and at the office - fruit, granola bars, Lean Cuisines, string cheese, and yogurt.

Tired Eater: Morning comes around or the afternoon energy runs out and you need a kick of sugar to keep you going. You load up on cookies, cake or other sugar snack foods and you’re off and running until you crash. Try getting 8 hours of sleep at night, exercising regularly, taking vitamins or taking a short cat nap.

No Waste Eater: Were you taught to never waste food? Were you reminded of all the poor children that had nothing to eat? Now you cannot bring yourself to leave anything on your plate or throw away any food. Put smaller portions on your plate. Give yourself permission to stop eating when you’re full. Work in a homeless shelter serving food or give food to the poor so you don’t feel guilty.

Self-Disgust Eater: You look at yourself and hate what you see; you eat or deprive yourself of food to mask the feelings you have, and so starts the cycle of abuse. Work on loving yourself in every way you can - pamper yourself, repeat positive affirmations, stick up for yourself. Invest in gaining confidence and self-esteem.

Boredom Eater: This is me. I don’t feel like doing laundry or cleaning the house. I’m tired of working, playing cars or watching TV. It’s cold outside and so I open the food cabinet. Hmmm. I wonder what I can eat. Get creative and find something fun and different to do. Switch projects and start something new. Make a phone call to a friend.

Fear of Intimacy Eater: Do you eat to hide yourself and avoid getting too close to someone? Sometimes reaching out to people can be a very scary and hard thing to do. Maybe you’ve been hurt too many times by loved ones. Seek help to heal your pain. Search for supportive and loving people that you can depend on. Take baby steps to reach out and trust someone.

Hopeless Eater: Have you just completely given up? Maybe you’ve tried too long to lose weight or given too much to your marriage, and nothing seems to change. You feel hopeless and so you just say, “Who cares? I’m just going to eat whatever I want”. Or maybe you’ve lost your appetite all together. Change your thoughts. Focus on the positive and keep a gratitude journal. Look for the bright side of everything. Search for the sunshine and you will find it.

“See Food” Eater: You know the saying, “I’m on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it”. Are you the type of eater that constantly grazes? If the food is in front of you, you eat it without really thinking about it. You may or may not be hungry - it’s just a habit. Graze on low-fat and healthy foods. Keep the fattening foods at the grocery store. Work on being more conscious of how much food you are taking in.

Social Eater: You love to be around people and what better way to spend time with friends than going out to lunch or dinner. Socializing is great! Eating out is expensive and not always very healthy - not to mention the additional calorie intake. Add a couple glasses of wine and you’ve consumed in one meal what you should have for the day. Limit your social gatherings at restaurants to once or twice a month. Start a walking group with friends. Participate in a movie or book club. Have a board game night and serve soup and salad.

Comfort Eater: Sadness or loneliness threatens to swallow you up. Depression seems to be your best friend. Food is your source of comfort. Somehow you feel better after indulging in your favorite meal and dessert. Until the feelings strike again. It’s time to face your sadness or loneliness. Maybe you need to grieve the loss of someone or something. Perhaps you need to reach out more to a community of people. Developing a relationship with God may supply the consolation and companionship you need.

Whatever your relationship with food, ask yourself if it’s a healthy one. Facing your emotions head on is the only way to heal them. Denial only causes your feelings to go away temporarily. When I watched the story of Rudine on Oprah, a recovering anorexic pleaded with her to feed her brain and give herself the nourishment that it needed. With sad-filled and hopeless eyes, Rudine simply said, “But how?” Isn’t that the essential question we are all faced with when making change? How? Change starts with awareness. It’s fueled by desire and commitment. And it ends with taking action. Take the steps you need now to develop a healthy relationship with food.

Lori Radun, CEC - certified life coach for moms. To receive her FREE newsletter for moms and the special report, “155 Things Moms Can Do to Raise Great Children”, go to http://www.true2youlifecoaching.com

As a previous sufferer of panic attacks, I know only too well what some of the symptoms are.

In my case it was a racing heart, hyperventilating and crying at the same time and a feeling of dread during the attack.

Other panic attack symptoms include a tightness in chest and throat leading to shortness of breath, dizziness leading to a feeling of panic, a racing heart combined with tingling sensations, obsessive worries and unwanted thoughts, and a feeling of overwhelming fear that something awful is going to happen (like having a panic attack).

When I suffered my first panic attack I was at work. Luckily, no one saw me. I couldn’t believe I was actually having one. I wasn’t a usually nervy or anxious person at this stage. In my case, I was doing a task that I hadn’t done for a while and must have been so worried about it subconsciously that a panic attack occurred. It was quite a scary experience. Although it only lasted for a couple of minutes, it felt like a lifetime.

I suffered my last panic attack on a train going home from work. My anxiety about going home on the train triggered this attack. I had the same symptoms as previous attacks, a racing heart, crying and hyperventilating at the same time and a feeling that I was going to die. This attack was more severe than previous attacks and I knew it was time I did something about it.

I wanted to be free of panic attacks and anxiety. I never wanted to experience the awfulness of a panic attack again. So I searched for a solution. I searched online and offline for months. And at last I found what I was looking for.

I finally got rid of the anxiety that had been dragging me down. I finally broke the fear of suffering another panic attack. I was able to return to my normal every day life that I had before I suffered my first panic attack.

The amazing technique that I learned has totally eliminated my anxiety and panic attacks. And I feel wonderful!