For so many years of my life my self-discipline was terrible.
This lack of self-discipline kept me running around in circles, procrastinating like a king, and always chasing the 'latest greatest idea'.
Have you ever been 'there'?
I'm glad I'm not 'there' anymore and I work daily on bringing more self-discipline into my life.
Here's the question.
Whenever you read a great success story, from Michael Jordan, Oprah, Spielberg, Frank McKinney, to famous generals and more, you always here 'this' mentioned.
"They brought great discipline to their work."
What do the most successful people in the world 'have' that allow them to bring more discipline into their lives than the rest of the population?
There might be 10 answers. Probably more.
I'm going to focus today on what I believe is the MOST IMPORTANT in order to bring more self-discipline into your life.
If you look at the globe, you see many things.
You see millions of people unhappy with their careers, you see millions of people looking for meaning in their lives, and you see millions of people that have accepted the status-quo in their lives.
If that's the choice people make, great, I know you're looking for more in your life though.
How do we make self-discipline much easier for ourselves?
How do we improve our discipline 1% each day?
What do the 'greats' do that other's don't?
The mass of people lead visionless lives.
Read this again.
The mass of people lead visionless lives.
I did as well for a long time. A long time.
Remember, what was written thousands of years ago.
"Where there is no vision, the people perish."
The word 'perish' in the past was translated to 'throw off constraints."
"Mike, what does that exactly mean?"
In means that when we don't have a VISION for our lives, we throw off self-discipline, self-control, and order.
(I'd read this 2x).
You see, without a VISION we replay the limitations and negative recurring patterns of our past.
Without using our IMAGINATION to build the better you, we use the lack in our past to keep us on a fear driven merry go round.
No fun. Not at all.
You, I, us, WE must do the inner work.
I don't care what your inner critic has to say. You were BORN with unique gifts, purposes, and talents.
You were born to lead.
You were born to fulfill a GREAT VISION.
Maybe it's being a great parent, a great business person, or great entertainer. It doesn't matter.
Build the vision for your life. It doesn't have to be perfect. Let it develop. Cultivate it.
Build it. Hold it. Pursue it.
The greatest gift in pursuing your vision, is WHO you become in the process.
(money is important, though in itself it will never give you meaning.)
Be the master artist in your life. Create a living, breathing masterpiece called your life.
Start with a bright, clear vision. Watch discipline and order enter your life in a greater way.
I believe in -you-. The thousands of other people reading this right now BELIEVE IN YOU.
(Group high five)
Your greatest days are ahead of you and can't wait to see you too.
Build your vision 1% today.
Your Coach,
Mike
Connect to Success | 37 Club Drive Suite 107 | Jericho, NY 11753
See what Abraham-Hicks has to say about the importance of visualizing your future.
UK households are to be asked how satisfied they are with their lives in survey measuring happiness.
The Office for National Statistics has published questions it is adding to an existing nationwide poll from April.
People will be asked to rank from nought to 10 how "satisfied" they are, and how "anxious" they felt yesterday.
The ONS says the aim is to get a fuller picture of "how society is doing" than can be found simply by using economic indicators such as GDP.
The first results are due to be published by the middle of next year.
'More to life'
After becoming Conservative leader in 2005, David Cameron said gauging people's feelings was one of the "central political issues of our time".
"It's time we admitted that there's more to life than money and it's time we focused not just on GDP but on GWB - general well-being," he said.
The ONS will add the subjective questions to its next annual Integrated Household Survey.
The questions will include:
* Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
* Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
* Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?
* Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?
There will also be broader questions which are designed to try to explain people's feelings.
ONS spokesman Stephen Hicks, who is managing the new elements of the research, says it is breaking ground.
"While we want to produce consistent results over time, we will initially regard the results as experimental.
"There is more work to be done to check that the questions work and that they meet public policy and other needs, including international developments."
About 200,000 interviews will take place each year, with a smaller survey of around 1,000 adults being conducted each month.
View the BBC's video report at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12566965
Government 'planning to measure people's happiness'.
From BBC Website on 15th November 2010
The government will attempt to measure the happiness of UK citizens, it is expected to announce later this month.
The Office for National Statistics is to devise questions for a household survey, to be carried out up to four times a year.
This follows calls by David Cameron, when leader of the opposition, to look at "general wellbeing", arguing there was "more to life than money".
Downing Street promised an announcement "reasonably soon".
Happiness measuring is expected to begin as soon as next spring with the results published regularly, possibly on a quarterly basis
Such a move has been proposed by two Nobel Prize-winning economists and is being considered by the governments of France and Canada.
'More to life'
After becoming Conservative leader in 2005, Mr Cameron said gauging people's wellbeing was one of the "central political issues of our time".
He said: "It's time we admitted that there's more to life than money, and it's time we focused not just on GDP but on GWB - general wellbeing."
“While it's not government's job to make people happy, regular measures of wellbeing will at least make sure it is taken into account” - Jo Swinson Liberal Democrat MP
In its recent Spending Review, the government said there was "widespread acknowledgement that GDP is not the ideal measure of well-being".
A Downing Street spokesman said: "There is a huge literature on this issue and it's something that the prime minister spoke about in opposition and it's something this government says it is going to look at.
"But as to precisely what we are going to do and when we are going to do it, you should wait and see."
Almost 30 MPs have signed a Commons motion, proposed by Lib Dem Jo Swinson, arguing that "promoting happiness and well-being is a legitimate and important goal of government".
Ms Swinson said: "This is a positive and forward-looking move by the government, which will give us a much better idea of the health of UK society.
"Relying solely on GDP to track the nation's progress excludes many of the things that we all know to be important, but that can't be measured by money.
"What gets measured gets done. While it's not government's job to make people happy, regular measures of wellbeing will at least make sure it is taken into account."
'Voodoo'
Existing surveys suggest Britons' happiness has remained broadly static for at least 25 years, the motion says, arguing that the data should be used to inform policy.
The UK's National Statistician, Jil Matheson, who will oversee the happiness measurement, said: "There is growing international recognition that to measure national well-being and progress there is a need to develop a more comprehensive view, rather than focusing solely on gross domestic product.
"Important though that indicator is, there is a need to look at broader economic measures, 'quality-of-life' indicators and the impact progress has on the environment to assess national well-being, and how the UK is doing."
But UK Independence Party MEP Godfrey Bloom said it was an attempt "to invoke voodoo sociology in the service of a bigger and interfering state".
"I can guarantee that the only results of this proposal will be greater spending, greater bossing around and a decrease in happiness across the board," he added.
A fun and dynamic positive mental health play - designed to teach young people simple drug free techniques to feel good and improve the emotional quality of their lives - needs the votes of local residents to secure a £10,000 grant to fund its performance across schools and community locations in the Portsmouth area.
Local charity Feel Good UK - the creators of the play - last year secured a National Lottery grant to develop the script for the play and to purchase original costumes and professional equipment. The charity has now applied to Douwe Egberts (the coffee company) for a grant award of £10,000 to pay actors to perform the 25 minute play in local schools and community locations, and it needs local residents to vote in favour of them receiving the award online.
Voting can only take place via Facebook, and residents need to log onto http://apps.facebook.com/be_a_local_star/facebook/profile/120/ where they can place their vote. They can also type in ‘Douwe Egberts’ in the Facebook search box to gain access to the voting page.
Feel Good UK has been established to teach young people simple yet effective drug-free techniques to help them eliminate stress, depression and negative emotion from their lives. By educating young people at an early age in the importance of managing their mind and emotions, the charity aims to help them stop experiencing any mental stress or decline later in their life. The charity has been established in the face of alarming UK health statistics which reveal:
• Over the last 25 years rates of anxiety and depression amongst young people have increased by 70%
• The World Health Organisation predicts depression will be the second highest cause of death globally (after heart disease) by 2020
The educational play features the charity mascot Paul Feelgood – who teaches the audience the better feeling thought approach to life - and his miserable, struggling with life next door neighbour: Peter Feelbad.
“We are excited about bringing our Feel Good UK community play to the Portsmouth community, to educate young people in our simple thought and emotional management techniques, helping them to lead happier lives. To help us really make a difference to the lives of the next generation please vote for us.” Feel Good UK CEO Steven Surridge
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
Feel Good UK is a charitable organisation designed to help young people feel good and achieve in life. Through the provision of pioneering thought and emotional management and self esteem building workshops, our aim is to make young people aware of the huge power and importance of their daily thoughts, energy and emotions.
Teaching the latest discoveries of the world's Quantum Physicists, as well as the latest brain science to put this work in context, our pioneering simple to apply drug-free techniques are easier to apply than Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and can be applied by anyone, anywhere.
The benefits of our message:
• Improved levels of happiness in individuals, resulting in a moment by moment enjoyment of life
• Improved relationship with the self, resulting in significantly improved self confidence levels
• Higher rates of motivation and increased performance
• Significantly reduced sickness levels
To find out more about Feel Good UK visit www.feelgoodukonline.com
CONTACT
Feel Good UK, Unit 306 Victory Business Centre, Somers Road North, Fratton, Portsmouth, PO1 1PJ
Telephone: 07908 235 080 - Email: hello@feelgoodukcharity.com
Another food scare to faze our minds about what we eat. I remember in the 80's we were warned about eating an apple a day saying the acidity levels were damaging to our teeth and bodies. It's amazing we eat anything thanks to all the contradictory opinions flying around about the food we eat.
People should cut back on red and processed meat to reduce their risk of getting cancer, the government says.
New advice recommends eating no more than 70g a day - equivalent to three rashers of bacon or two sausages.
Experts say thousands of bowel cancer deaths could be prevented every year if people kept to the new limits.
Advisors to the Department of Health in England say the restrictions would not put people at risk of iron deficiencies.
Bowel Cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK - about 36,000 people are diagnosed every year, and 16,500 die.
Eating 100 to 120g of red and processed meat a day - things like salami, ham and sausages - increases the risk of developing the condition by 20 to 30%, according to studies.
But some commentators have questioned whether reducing red meat consumption would put people at greater risk of iron deficiency; red meat is a very good source of iron.
Iron deficiency causes anaemia, which leads to tiredness and dizzy spells, can affect brain development and result in behavioural problems.
'Avoid processed meat'
But a report from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition says if adults cut back to 70g of red meat a day, there would not be much impact on the number of people with low iron intake.
“Try and make sure as little as possible of their 70g per day is processed” Dr Rachel Thompson, World Cancer Research Fund
"Red meat can be part of a healthy balanced diet," said the interim Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Sally Davies, "but people who eat a lot should consider cutting down."
"The occasional steak or extra few slices of lamb is fine, but regularly eating a lot could increase your risk of bowel cancer."
The charity Beating Bowel Cancer welcomed the report.
"A diet high in red and processed meat may increase your risk of developing bowel cancer," said chief executive Mark Flannagan. "But the good news is that red meat can still be enjoyed in moderation."
Some experts, though, say the advice should distinguish between red and processed meat, which is thought to carry a higher bowel cancer risk.
The World Cancer Research Fund advises avoiding processed meat altogether.
"We would suggest that people following this new report's guidelines should try and make sure as little as possible of their 70g per day is processed," said Dr Rachel Thompson, deputy head of science for the fund.
Hear what sensible advice Abraham-Hicks has to give about food.
Listen to this inspiring audio clip from Abraham-Hicks about the future of healthcare. It's all about a person's mental attitude and feeling about life. Those who attract illness tend to have a chronic negative focus. But they can be healed by changing their attitude and energetic feeling state.
By Neil Bowdler Science reporter, BBC News, Washington DC
Thought-controlled wheelchairs and nerve-controlled prosthetic arms are some of the latest innovations in bionics being discussed at a science conference in Washington.
The wheelchair can be directed by brain signals detected using a cap fitted to the user and is the work of scientists at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland (EPFL).
It is part of efforts to control machines directly via brain signals, which could lead to new devices for the paralysed and disabled.
Nerve surgery
The main focus of bionics to date has been on providing prosthetics for amputees. Prosthetic arms can now be controlled by nerve signals in the remaining arm, which can be picked up by electric sensors on the skin.
Those with arms amputated above the elbow, where important nerves have been severed, can also potentially control such devices, thanks to what is called "Targeted Muscle Reinnervation" surgery (TMR).
The surgery involves repositioning of nerves into unused muscles around the remaining arm or shoulder so that clear signals can be generated to drive the prosthetic via sensors on the skin surface.
Speaking at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Washington, Professor Todd Kuiken of The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, which pioneered TMR surgery, told the BBC the next innovation may be bionic limbs which are able to "feel".
"If you touch the person on this 'reinnervated' skin, they feel their missing hand. Normal hot and cold, they feel it in their missing hand," he said. "So this is an exciting pathway for us to give sensory feedback; imagine putting sensors in their prosthetic hand to measure force."
Researchers are also looking to devise bionic limbs that can respond to multiple signals from the body - what is called "pattern recognition" - with some suggesting these could lead to bionic hands with individually controllable fingers.
But there is also now the prospect of devices for paralysed or severely disabled individuals with the arrival of brain-controlled devices, of which the thought-controlled wheelchair is just one example.
Professor Jose del R Millan and colleagues from EPFL, who have developed the wheelchair, brought with them to Washington a thought-controlled robot that a paralysed individual could control with brain signals.
"It could help disabled people by substituting some of those lost motor capabilities," said Professor Millan. "People could be 'virtually elsewhere' because they can see what the robot sees."
Elective amputation
Such is the pace of progress with bionics that there are now patients choosing bionic limbs over real ones.
Last year, a young Austrian man named "Patrick", who sustained traumatic injuries after being electrocuted at work, opted for the elective amputation of his left hand, which no longer had any function. He has now been fitted with a prosthetic arm with which he can grasp and lift objects using nerve signals in his amputated arm.
His surgeon, Professor Oskar Aszmann of the Medical University of Vienna, says the use of a hybrid bionic hand attached to his dysfunctional hand convinced him of the benefits of the amputation.
"By then he realised he'd probably be better off with a bionic hand rather than his own flesh and blood hand," Professor Aszmann told the BBC after a recent lecture at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.
"For him the most important thing is not really the loss of his non-functional piece of anatomy but the gain of functionality. He could see after two hours that he could do tasks that he hadn't done for two or three years."
Later this year, a second of Professor Aszmann's patients will undergo elective amputation in favour of a bionic replacement.
View video and audio material about this story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12490048?print=true
The true issue in most people's lives is that they don't really like themselves much. Their thoughts about themselves are more negative than positive.
Hear these empowering and deeply insightful audio clips below from Abraham-Hicks on how to fix this universal problem (don't worry, you are not alone...)
Food allergy is a complex area, further complicated by food intolerance, which can mimic the effects of an allergy.
Dr Adrian Morris last medically reviewed this article in February 2008.
First published in September 1999.
Taken from the BBC's website:www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/in_depth/allergies/allergicconditions_food.shtml
Common food allergies
In children, common allergy-provoking foods include cow's milk protein, egg white from hens, wheat, soya bean, cod fish and peanuts. Contact your GP to discuss any suspected food allergies or intolerances before putting a child on a restricted or elimination diet. Self-diagnosis can lead to malnutrition.
In adults, nuts including Brazil, almond, hazelnut, peanut and walnut are common allergens. Seafood such as fish, mussels, crab, prawn, shrimp and squid may also cause allergic reactions.
Localised oral allergies may occur in young adults in association with silver birch tree pollen allergy. They get an itchy mouth and throat on eating certain fresh fruit (apple, cherry, peach and nectarine), raw vegetables (carrot, celery and potato) and nuts.
Symptoms of food allergies
Typically, an immediate food allergic reaction will involve the immune system. Within minutes, traces of the offending food in the diet can trigger generalised rashes, itching, diarrhoea, vomiting, swelling of the lips and soft tissues, breathing difficulties and even shock.
Peanut anaphylaxis is a good example where traces of the food are absorbed in the mouth or intestine. This leads to the rapid release of histamine from cells and allergic tissue swelling.
Delayed reactions to food may also occur, which can aggravate eczema in infants. Coeliac disease is a delayed immune reaction to the gluten part of wheat.
This damages the intestinal lining, resulting in abdominal bloating, discomfort, diarrhoea or constipation. It also decreases absorption of essential foods from the intestine resulting in anaemia, lethargy and nutritional deficiencies. These changes may be subtle and can easily be missed.
Food intolerance
Food intolerance reactions are of slower onset than allergic reactions, don't involve the immune system and aren't usually life threatening. They're often called pseudo-allergic reactions.
Lactose intolerance, for example, is the inability to digest the cow's milk sugar lactose, caused by deficiency of the sugar-digesting enzyme lactase in the intestine.
This is common in people of southern European or African descent and results in smelly diarrhoea, pain and bloating after drinking cow's milk or taking in dairy products. Lactose intolerance doesn't cause rashes, weight gain or lethargy.
Natural histamine may be absorbed too rapidly from food in the diet and effectively lead to a histamine 'rush' with headaches, palpitations and flushing that mimics an allergy.
Then there are adverse reactions to chemical preservatives and additives in food, such as sulphites, sodium benzoate, salicylate, monosodium glutamate (MSG), caffeine and tartrazine.
These reactions are usually dose-related, with small amounts of the food being tolerated but larger amounts leading to reactions such as urticaria, flushing, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Food toxicity and aversion
Natural poisons occur in some foods, such as mushrooms and potatoes. Bacteria in putrefying meat and fish can cause toxic food poisoning.
These reactions occur in all people who consume the toxic foodstuff and don't involve any digestive intolerance or an immune reaction.
Some people have a food aversion and convince themselves, with no sound basis, that they're 'food allergic' and will vomit if given the particular food. If the food is concealed or hidden, they consume it with no ill effects.
Their reaction is psychological and it can be difficult to convince them that they're not allergic to a particular food.
Diagnosing food allergy and intolerance
Food allergy can be diagnosed by means of skin-prick tests to various foods or by a RAST (radioallergosorbent test) on a blood sample. Skin testing with fresh food extracts is more accurate.
The gold standard in food allergy testing is the double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) under careful supervision in a hospital, but it is time consuming and costly.
If no food can be identified, but an allergic reaction is strongly suspected, an elimination diet lasting two to four weeks should be instituted. This involves eating only a limited number of foods that are unlikely to cause allergies, such as lamb, rice, pears and sweet potato.
Once the allergic symptoms settle, foods are slowly reintroduced one at a time to identify the offending substance. This should only be done under the supervision of a dietician, as children can end up in a state of malnutrition on a prolonged restriction diet.
Food intolerances to pseudo-allergens are difficult to diagnose as there are no reliable blood or skin tests available.
Preventing food allergies
For high-risk families (those with severely allergic parents or siblings), it's recommended pregnant women avoid cigarette smoking and prepare to breastfeed exclusively.
Exclusive breastfeeding seems to reduce the incidence of allergies, especially allergic infantile eczema.
Although in the past doctors have advocated that breastfeeding mothers avoid allergenic foods such as cow’s milk, hen's eggs and nuts, as traces may appear in breast milk, recent studies indicate it makes little or no difference to allergies what the mother consumes in her diet while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Expert allergists and consultant dieticians have pointed out that avoiding all potentially allergy-provoking foods after weaning is more likely to cause malnutrition and less likely to have any long-term benefit for preventing allergies.
There's good evidence that exclusive breastfeeding for the first four to six months has some allergy-protection effects, but avoiding potentially allergy-provoking foods such as cow's milk, hen's egg, wheat, soy, fish and nuts in the infant's diet beyond this period offers no benefit to the allergy-prone child.
Infant dietary advice has been a controversial area of allergy and, despite previous recommendations to avoid cow's milk and eggs in the first year and peanuts or nuts for up to three years, the current evidence indicates this practice will have no beneficial effect in preventing allergy.
A healthy, nutritious diet is more important for a growing child and avoiding certain basic foods offers no benefit to the allergy-prone child unless he or she has a diagnosed food allergy. But it's prudent to slowly introduce new foods one at a time into a baby's diet and if any adverse reaction is noted (such as rashes, swelling or vomiting), immediately discuss this with your GP or practice dietician who may then refer your child for appropriate food-allergy tests.
Once a food allergy has been confirmed, the most effective preventive treatment is complete avoidance of that food. If the food can't be avoided, oral sodium cromoglicate may be taken continuously, but it is expensive and only moderately effective in preventing adverse food reactions.
Sodium cromoglicate is very safe and can be bought without prescription.
Dietary diary
Before visiting your GP or an allergy clinic, it's important to keep a detailed diary of all foods consumed and symptoms over a two-week period. This should list all meals, snacks, drinks, medication and supplements taken. Any allergy symptoms should be recorded with a note of time and intensity.
The allergy clinic nurse or dietician will go through the diary with you, looking for a pattern of reactivity and causal relationship of symptoms to foods and drinks.
This diary and your personal allergy history are important in directing allergy tests to the correct culprits. Allergy testing without a good personal allergy history is usually unhelpful and often leads to an incorrect food-allergy diagnosis.
Simple elimination and restriction diets
In suspected food allergy, with the aid of your detailed food diary and symptoms, you'll often be able to isolate a particular food as the cause of your allergy. It's then recommended you eliminate all sources of that foodstuff for two weeks to confirm diagnoses.
If your assumption is correct, elimination of that food should lead to full symptom relief and reintroduction of that food should bring the symptoms back. If that doesn't occur, you have implicated the wrong food and need to consider other possible culprits.
Girl drinking juiceIf cow's milk is eliminated from the diet, calcium needs to be supplemented in growing children. Glucose (as in sugar) doesn't provoke allergies and shouldn't therefore be eliminated from the diet.
Sometimes children and adults may have typical food allergy symptoms attributed to meals, but despite keeping a thorough food diary remain unable to identify any culprit foods. A short, two-week 'hypo-allergenic' or restriction diet is then recommended. This contains only foods that are unlikely to cause allergies.
If this diet is continued beyond two weeks, calcium, vitamins and essential oils need to be supplemented under the supervision of a qualified dietician. Such diets will lead to malnutrition in infants and small children and should only be done under medical supervision.
A typical restriction diet includes:
* Meat - chicken, turkey or lamb
* Rice - cooked rice, rice cereal, rice cakes, fortified rice milk
* Cooked vegetables - sweet potato, carrot, squash, parsnip, beetroot, asparagus
* Cooked fruits - cooked or stewed apricots, apples, pears and peaches
* Fresh juices - dilute fresh grape and apple juice or bottled water
Avoid all food additives, preservatives and added colourings.
Here is what Abraham-Hicks has to say about any food allergies and it simply being another physical manifestation of us ignoring our not feeling good.
Scientists at the UK's Institute of Cancer Research have prevented breast cancer spreading to other organs in mice by blocking a chemical.
In their experiments, they showed that blocking the enzyme LOXL2 prevented metastasis.
They said their findings, published in Cancer Research, provided a "fantastic drug target" and were "highly likely" to be used in a clinical setting.
Cancer charities say the research shows great promise.
The authors of the report say 90% of cancer deaths are due to tumours migrating around the body.
When they looked at patients with breast cancer, they showed that high levels of the enzyme LOXL2 were linked with cancer spread and poor survival rates.
They also showed that LOXL2 was important in the early stages of cancer spread. It helps cancerous cells escape from the breast tissue and get into the bloodstream.
Continue reading the main story
“This laboratory research shows great promise and we look forward to seeing how it translates into patients” Arlene Wilkie Breast Cancer Campaign
In their studies on mice, they used chemicals and antibodies to block the activity of LOXL2. This stopped breast cancer spreading to other tissues.
Lab to Medicine
Dr Janine Erler, team leader at the Institute of Cancer Research, said: "LOXL2 is a fantastic drug target, it's highly likely to be used in a clinical setting."
She said the findings were not just important for drug development, but also for developing a test which can predict the likelihood of cancer spreading and as a result, patient outcomes.
Arlene Wilkie, Director of Research and Policy at Breast Cancer Campaign, which funded the study with the ICR and Cancer Research UK, said: "Dr Erler's results are very exciting, as although currently we can treat breast cancer that has spread, we cannot cure it.
"By using LOX2 to predict whose cancer will spread and drugs to block the enzyme to stop this from happening, many more lives could be saved. This laboratory research shows great promise and we look forward to seeing how it translates into patients."
Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "Cancer spread is an important problem in breast and other cancers, and scientists are searching to find new ways to stop cancer spread and save many more lives.
"The team have shown that targeting the molecule LOXL2, which plays a key role in spread, could offer new approaches to tackle this problem."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12525109
See below for empowering Abraham-Hicks audio clips about health and illness. Again, the 'cure all' for everything is within our own minds.
Thousands are 'at risk of alcohol death' say doctors.
Poor alcohol regulation could cost up to 250,000 lives in England and Wales over the next 20 years, doctors warn.
Writing in The Lancet, leading liver disease specialists say measures including a minimum price of 50p per unit are urgently needed.
They also said the coalition government was "too close" to the drinks industry.
But the Department of Health said it was taking "tough action", while the drinks industry said it was "playing its part in tackling alcohol misuse".
The scientists predicted UK deaths from liver disease in four different scenarios.
The best case was based on the UK following the example of France, which had a deep-seated problem in the 1960s, with high liver disease deaths linked to the consumption of cheap alcohol.
Drinking levels there were reduced by imposing strict marketing restrictions.
Following that example, the doctors predict the UK could reduce the current level of deaths from liver disease of 11 per 100,000 by a third.
But they warn if nothing is done, deaths from all alcohol-related causes - including cancers and road accidents - could claim the lives of 250,000 people in England and Wales over the coming two decades.
'Serious situation'
The medics, led by Professor Sir Ian Gilmore who has long campaigned for action on alcohol misuse, welcomed the coalition government's plans to keep duty rises on alcohol at 2% above inflation.
But they say plans to ban the sale of alcohol at below cost price, and to increase duty on beer stronger than 7.5% proof, are "inconsequential" because only a tiny percentage of sales fall into that category.
Sir Ian told the BBC there had been a "very close link" between the falling prices in real terms over the last 20 years and the amount Britons drank.
"Alcohol is not an ordinary commodity like soap powder," said Sir Ian.
"It is a drug, it happens to be legal, but it is a drug and there are more than 1.5 million people addicted to alcohol. We think, like other areas of public health, like smoking, like seatbelts, there is a strong case for tougher regulation and the most effective regulation would be around price."
This paper highlights the stark future we face if the government continues to pander to the agendas of the drinks industry” Professor Jon Rhodes British Society of Gastroenterology president
Sir Ian said recent figures had shown a slight decline in the level of alcohol consumption.
But he warned: "Fewer people are drinking more".
He added the claim that the government was "too close" to the drinks industry had come from the health select committee, who said ministers listened too much to the drinks industry and not enough to their own health experts.
The doctors also criticise government moves to include representatives from the drinks trade - but not alcohol health experts - on its "responsibility deal" board, which will help steer public health policy on drinking.
Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: "How many more people have to die from alcohol-related conditions, and how many more families devastated by the consequences before the government takes the situation as seriously as it took the dangers of tobacco?"
Don Shenker of Alcohol Concern added: "Government needs to decide whose side it is on, that of the general public or drinks industry shareholders?
"We have to accept that in order to save both lives and our quality of life, certain measures which the industry won't like must be introduced to protect the public's health."
But a spokesman for the Wine and Spirit Trade Association said: "The authors ignore the fact that alcohol taxes and prices are among the highest in Europe, in contrast to France, a country with low prices yet cited as a nation having achieved a reduction in liver-related deaths."
He added that the drinks industry was "committed to playing (its) part in addressing the issues associated with alcohol misuse".
David Poley, chief executive of the Portman Group, which also represents UK drinks producers, said: "Latest government statistics show alcohol related deaths actually fell in the UK last year and we want to see that continue.
"That's why the industry puts its energies into funding health education campaigns and working with people who are serious about reducing alcohol misuse in the UK.
"Creating doomsday scenarios is not in anyone's best interests, least of all the responsible majority of people who enjoy alcohol in moderation as part of a healthy lifestyle."
A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "The government has wasted no time in taking tough action to tackle problem drinking, including plans to stop supermarkets selling below-cost alcohol and working to introduce a tougher licensing regime."
She claimed the government was "taking a bold new approach" to public health.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12506127
As usual, society is feuding over the manifested evidence of feeling bad and how people cope with low emotion, instead of identifying the true mental causes of the problem. Hear below these audio clips on alcoholism, illness, and the only solution to all addictions.
Listen to the following audio clips below for a controversial but fundamentally empowering perspective (as always) on illness, health and our bodies. Our health is determined by our own personal energy flow, which is determined by our own individual thought patterns. It's as simple as that!
We have within our physical makeup the tools for self healing and complete wellbeing.
Read below and listen to the following audio clips from Abraham-Hicks on the importance of breathing, to our bodies and our physical health. And its connection to our mind and how our thoughts can interrupt our natural flow of breathing.
"Your breathing is a very big part of your well-being. Because with that deep breath there is activation on a cellular level. In other words, it is the current that carries the vitality to the extremities of the cells. And so the more you are breathing the more you are thriving. That's why athletes find themselves hardier than most. Because in their running or their stronger movement, the breathing comes natural. It is the breath that is the greatest advantage in all of that. Some say it is how the spirit moves, - and we would say even more specifically, it is the way life moves most efficiently through your physical body. THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of your physical experience - and fortunately it is something that has not left your conscious mind - you don't have to prompt yourself to breath. It happens. But you can prompt yourself to breath more.
We would encourage that you would deliberately take some air in.
And then before you let it out - take some more air in -
and then before you let it out, take some more air in -
and then before you let it out, take some more air in -
and then before you let it out, take some more air in -
and then before you let it our, take some more air in -
and then before you let it out, take some more air in -
and then before you let it out, take some more air in -
and then before you let it out, take some more air in,
and then before you let it out, take some more air in -
and you say - "I can't take any more in because there's no place for it to go, and we say "yes there is" - take some more in. Expand, expand your capacity.
What happens is, your lungs are like balloons that can be all shriveled up or can be expanded fully. And as you move on a regular basis, they expand somewhat. But they don't expand fully. As you deliberately breath deeper, so that it becomes natural for them to become fuller, before you know it will be involuntary thing. You will just naturally breath deeper without even thinking about it. In the beginning, you have to coach yourself to breath deeper. When you're running you don't have to think about it, your body demands it. When you're moving your body you don't have to think about it. Your body demands it. But when you are sitting like an environment such as this, it is very helpful for you to deliberately breath in more, breathe in more, breath in more, breathe in more, breathe in more, breathe in more, breathe in more, breathe in more. And right when you think that you cannot breathe in any more, breathe in more, and then experience the deliciousness of a long easy out.. out.. out.. out.. out. out.. out. And then breathe in more, breathe in more, breathe in more, and as you do this more deliberately, you will do it more involuntarily and your bodies will thrive. It's even more important than water, but it's right up there with life."
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also known as ME, should be treated with a form of behavioural therapy or exercise, say British scientists.
Writing in The Lancet, they argue that the approach preferred by some charities, managing energy levels, is less successful.
Action for ME disputed the claims, which it said were exaggerated.
A quarter of a million people in the UK have the condition, yet its cause remains unknown.
Symptoms include severe tiredness, poor concentration and memory, muscle and joint pain and disturbed sleep.
This study looked at which treatments were the most successful. It compared CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy - changing how people think and act), graded exercise therapy - gradually increasing the amount of exercise, and adaptive pacing therapy - planning activity to avoid fatigue.
All of the 641 people who took part in the study had chronic fatigue syndrome, but were not bed-bound.
The authors say cognitive behavioural and graded exercise therapies were the most successful, both at reducing fatigue and increasing physical function.
“This study matters, it matters a lot.”
Professor Willie Hamilton, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry
With cognitive behavioural therapy, 30% of patients returned to normal levels of fatigue and physical function.
They say that adaptive pacing therapy is little better than basic medical advice.
Professor Michael Sharpe, co-author of the study from the University of Edinburgh, said: "One of the difficulties in the field is ambiguity, what is the cause and most importantly, what is the treatment?
"The evidence up to now has remained controversial. The helpful thing about this trial is that it actually gives pretty clear cut evidence about effectiveness and safety."
Exaggerated
But the charity Action for ME said the conclusions were exaggerated and questioned the safety of graded exercise therapy.
Its CEO, Sir Peter Spencer, said: "The findings contradict the considerable evidence of our own surveys.
"Of the 2,763 people with ME who took part in our 2008 survey, 82% found pacing helpful, compared with 50% for cognitive behavioural therapy and 45% for graded exercise therapy.
"Worryingly, 34% reported that graded exercise therapy made them worse."
The authors suggest that poor advice, such as suggestions to just go to the gym, could be responsible for bad experiences with the exercise therapy.
They said that the amount of exercise needed to be tailored to each person.
The Association of Young People with ME welcomed the findings.
It said it hoped that fears about graded exercise and CBT were laid to rest, and that the study needed to be repeated in children.
Professor Willie Hamilton, GP and professor of primary care diagnostics at Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, said: "This study matters, it matters a lot.
"Up until now we have known only that CBT and graded exercise therapy work for some people. We didn't know if pacing worked. This caused a real dilemma, especially for those in primary care. We didn't know whether to recommend pacing, or to refer for CBT or GET.
"Worse still, not all GPs have access to CBT or GET, so ended up suggesting pacing almost by default. This study should solve that dilemma."
NICE (the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) said the findings were in line with current recommendations.
Dr Fergus Macbeth, director of the centre for clinical practice at NICE, said: "We will now analyse the results of this important trial in more detail before making a final decision on whether there is a clinical need to update our guideline."
From www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12493009 - 18/02/2011
Another news article showing the medical world has yet to provide a solution to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I myself suffered from this illness for about 12 years - from my early twenties to my mid thirties - and it was only when I came across the Abraham Hicks message which taught about the directions of our thought patterns that I was able to make a complete recovery. As usual, the solution to all our illnesses and problems in life lies within us; it's up to us to realise that.
A patient's belief that a drug will not work can become a self fulfilling prophecy, according to researchers.
They showed the benefits of painkillers could be boosted or completely wiped out by manipulating expectations.
The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, also identifies the regions of the brain which are affected.
Experts said this could have important consequences for patient care and for testing new drugs.
Heat was applied to the legs of 22 patients, who were asked to report the level of pain on a scale of one to 100. They were also attached to an intravenous drip so drugs could be administered secretly.
The initial average pain rating was 66. Patients were then given a potent painkiller, remifentanil, without their knowledge and the pain score went down to 55.
They were then told they were being given a painkiller and the score went down to 39.
Then, without changing the dose, the patients were then told the painkiller had been withdrawn and to expect pain, and the score went up to 64.
So even though the patients were being given remifentanil, they were reporting the same level of pain as when they were getting no drugs at all.
Professor Irene Tracey, from Oxford University, told the BBC: "It's phenomenal, it's really cool. It's one of the best analgesics we have and the brain's influence can either vastly increase its effect, or completely remove it."
The study was conducted on healthy people who were subjected to pain for a short period of time. She said people with chronic conditions who had unsuccessfully tried many drugs for many years would have built up a much greater negative experience, which could impact on their future healthcare.
Professor Tracey said: "Doctors need more time for consultation and to investigate the cognitive side of illness, the focus is on physiology not the mind, which can be a real roadblock to treatment."
Brain scans during the experiment also showed which regions of the brain were affected.
The expectation of positive treatment was associated with activity in the cingulo-frontal and subcortical brain areas while the negative expectation led to increased activity in the hippocampus and the medial frontal cortex.
Researchers also say the study raises concerns about clinical trials used to determine the effectiveness of drugs.
George Lewith, professor of health research at the University of Southampton, said: "It's another piece of evidence that we get what we expect in life.
"It completely blows cold randomised clinical trials, which don't take into account expectation."
By James Gallagher Health reporter, BBC News - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12480310?print=true
UPDATE - 9th March 2011
I have just received the following information which fully supports the above:
"In 2003, a top executive of the pharmaceutical giant Glaxo-SmithKline -- worldwide Vice President of genetics -- confessed that "The vast majority of drugs -- more than 90% -- only work in 30 or 50% of the people."
Dr. Allen Roses is the pharmaceutical industry insider who made this shocking confession. Although it's been an open secret within the pharmaceutical industry that most of the drugs it produces are ineffective in most patients, this is the first time that a high-ranking pharmaceutical executive has gone public.
Some industry analysts said that the confession of Dr. Roses is reminiscent of the famous words uttered by Gerald Ratner, a British retail magnate in 1991, who said that his high-street shops are successful because they sell "total crap."
But it's one thing for a company to sell worthlessproducts ... and it's another thing altogether to sell worthlessproducts that kill instead of heal.
FACT: In the U.S, the odds of being killed by conventional medicine are almost 20 times (2,000%) greater than being killed in an automobile accident and almost 30 times (3,000%) greater than being killed by a gun.
It's no wonder that the majority of doctors are frustrated. They entered the medical profession wanting to cure people --- but the only tools that medical school training provides them for treating patients are ... drugs and surgery.
Doctors have been thrust headlong into a marketing culture that relies on selling as many drugs as possible to the widest number of patients. It's a culture that has made Big Pharma the most profitable industry in the world -- even though most of its drugs are useless, at best -- and even possibly harmful or deadly for many patients.
Dr. Roses, an academic geneticist from Duke University in North Carolina, further states: "Drugs for Alzheimer's disease work in fewer than one in three patients, whereas those for cancer are only effective in a quarter of patients. Drugs for migraines, for osteoporosis, and arthritis work in about half the patients."
The growing sentiment among doctors is that they want to offer their patients more treatment choices for curing disease than the medical system offers. One member of that growing number of doctors is Dr. Paul Beals.
"I want to do more for my patients than what's offered by the pharmaceutical industry because I realized earlier on that modern medicine has become, unfortunately, more of a big business than a healing science." -- Paul Beals, M.D., C.C.N. Georgetown University School of Medicine (Course Instructor 1996-2004: Introduction to Complimentary and Alternative Medicine)
As you may know, the Feel Good UK philosophy comes from the teachings of Abraham Hicks, who has a great deal to say about the power of 'expectation' in these following audio clips:
Hannah Booth asks experts for their ultimate tips. From The Guardian, Saturday 15 August 2009
Additional interviews by Charlotte Northedge, Becky Barnicoat, Kiki Loizou and Abhinav Ramnarayan.
Be Positive
"Positivity makes you more attractive and resilient, with lower blood pressure, less pain, fewer colds, better sleep. Increase the number of positive emotions in your day, however fleeting. One can lead to another and so on, until we're in an upward spiral of positivity. Take a moment to find the good in a situation. Don't over-generalise ('I can never hold down a relationship'), jump to conclusions ('I'll never finish this job') or ruminate endlessly. Any healthy distraction – a run, a swim – that lifts your mood is good."
Barbara Fredrickson is Kenan distinguished professor of psychology, University of North Carolina.
Be Brave
"Studies show people regret not having done things much more than they regret things they did. Why? We can rationalise an excess of courage more easily than an excess of cowardice, because we can console ourselves by thinking of the things we learned from the experience. We hedge our bets when we should blunder forward. In fact, large-scale assaults on our happiness – a lost job or failed marriage – trigger our psychological defences (and hence promote our happiness) more than smaller annoyances. The paradoxical consequence is that it is sometimes easier to achieve a positive view of a very bad experience than a bad one. And yet we rarely choose action over inaction. Knowing we overestimate the impact of almost every life event makes me a bit braver and more relaxed because I know what I'm worrying about probably won't matter as much as I think it will."
Daniel Gilbert is professor of psychology, Harvard University.
Meditate
"Meditation helps us better manage our reactions to stress and recover more quickly from disturbing events. This is key to happiness. One study took people in high-stress jobs and taught them meditation for eight weeks: they felt happier after and even remembered why they liked their work. Before, they were too stressed to see it. Beginners can benefit from meditation, but it takes practice to see real benefits. I recently spent an evening with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, the Tibetan lama dubbed 'the happiest man in the world'. How did he get that way? Practice. Observing his behaviour, I noticed he recovered quickly from upsets and this is one way science measures a happy temperament. If you start to get upset, let go of the negative thought, deal with the problem – and then let go of that."
Daniel Goleman is a psychologist and author, based in Massachusetts.
Be Kind To Yourself
"The way we relate to ourselves – kindly or critically – has a major influence on our wellbeing, contentment and ability to cope with setbacks. If you're feeling self-critical, stop, take a few breaths, slow down and try to think of the ideal qualities you might have, such as kindness, warmth, gentleness. It doesn't matter whether or not you actually have these qualities – like an actor taking on a part, feel yourself become them. In a journal, make a note of what happens to your self-criticism when you do this. Then turn your attention to what you're about to do."
Paul Gilbert is professor of clinical psychology, University of Derby.
Use Your Pessimism
"Defensive pessimists expect the worst and expend lots of energy mentally rehearsing how things might go wrong. But by doing this, they can improve the odds of achieving their goals. It's a useful skill for everyone to learn. Imagine what might go wrong in a situation by focusing on specifics. If you're terrified of public speaking, try to articulate whether you're afraid of fumbling with your notes or tripping on your way to the podium. Then imagine what happens next: if you drop your notes, will someone laugh? By doing this you shift the attention from feelings to facts, so you can plan effectively to avoid (or at least deal with) negative outcomes if they occur."
Julie Norem is Margaret Hamm professor of psychology, Wellesley College, Massachusetts.
Find A Calling
"Work less, earn less, accumulate less and 'consume' more family time, holidays and other enjoyable activities. Pursue goals but remember, it's the journey, not the end result, that counts. If your work is not a calling, can you reframe it to see it as more than just a pay cheque? If not, try to find a noble purpose outside work – religion, teaching, political campaigning. Find activities that fully engage your attention and you're good at: singing in a choir, painting, driving fast on a curvy country road. This is known as 'flow'. Happiness is not a shallow state of feeling chipper all the time, or something you can achieve directly. We need love, work and a connection to something larger. Get these conditions right, then wait."
Jonathan Haidt is professor of psychology, University of Virginia.
Act Happy
"My research compares happy and unhappy people, and underpinning this is the 40% solution: the degree of happiness it is within our power to change, through how we act and think. I've identified 12 happiness-enhancing activities – things happy people do naturally. They may sound corny, but they're scientifically proven. You don't have to do them all – decide which fit you best. One, express gratitude. Two, cultivate optimism: visualise a future in which everything has turned out the way you want it, then write it down. Three, avoid obsessing over things or paying too much attention to what others are doing. Four, practise acts of kindness – more than you're used to. Five, make time for friends; be supportive and loyal. Six, develop coping strategies: write down your feelings when you're feeling upset and try to see that traumatic events often make us stronger. Seven, learn to forgive. Eight, immerse yourself in activities and be open to new ones. Nine, savour life's joys – linger over a pastry rather than mindlessly consuming it. Ten, work towards meaningful goals. Eleven, practise religion and spirituality. And finally, exercise. You won't see the results from these activities right away: like anything important, you have to work at it."
Sonja Lyubomirsky is professor of psychology, University of California.
Or you could just continually look for thoughts that feel good to you!
A pioneering new football project - designed for unemployed males aged 16 to 25 years living in or around the Portsmouth area - is set to pilot next month, the brainchild of local positive mental health charity Feel Good UK.
Offering 2 x 1 hour training sessions with coaches from the Pompey Sports and Education Foundation, and 2 x 1 hour classroom coaching sessions designed to help the players dramatically improve their performances on the pitch, the pilot project funded by Feel Good UK is set to take place between Monday 7th and Thursday 10th March 2011.
A partnership between Feel Good UK, the Pompey Sports and Education Foundation and the ‘Goals’ Soccer Centre, the pilot project is part of the charity’s commitment to creating attractive and engaging youth focused initiatives to help up-skill disengaged and hard to reach young males living in the local area. Feedback from the pilot will help the charity secure funding to roll a larger longer running project out later in the year, which will include the formation of the charity’s own football team which will be entered into local and national leagues.
The pilot project is looking to recruit 50 local unemployed males aged between 16 and 25 years, who will commit to both workshops and provide valuable feedback on their experience. Participation will be free of charge.
Interested applicants should either telephone Feel Good UK on 07908 235080, or email the charity at hello@feelgoodukcharity.com to express their interest in taking part. Those selected will be given detailed information about the course nearer the start date.
The project builds on the phenomenal success that the charity had with its 5-day residential course, held at Fairthorne Manor in Southampton, last summer. The charity took 9 long term unemployed participants with them on a 5-day self development activity focused course, and since then over 60% of participants have made huge changes in their lives, securing work and training opportunities or taking steps towards achieving their life ambitions.
Feel Good UK teaches easy to apply drug-free techniques to improve how people feel, releasing people from the negative emotions of stress and depression, activating within them drive and motivation to help them start living the life they have always dreamed of.
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION
Feel Good UK is a charitable organisation designed to help people feel good and achieve in life. From young children to the elderly, through the provision of pioneering thought and emotional management and self esteem building workshops, our aim is to make people aware of the huge power and importance of their daily thoughts, energy and emotions.
Teaching the latest discoveries of the world's Quantum Physicists, as well as the latest brain science to put this work in context, our pioneering simple to apply drug-free techniques are easier to apply than Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and can be applied by anyone, anywhere.
Our message is the following
• The thoughts you think determine the quality of your life, no exceptions
• To change your life, change your thoughts
• Your thoughts create your feelings & emotions
• You can control your thoughts by paying attention to the way you feel in every moment
• Reach for the better feeling thought in every situation to improve your life experience
The benefits:
• Improved levels of happiness in individuals, resulting in a moment by moment enjoyment of life
• Improved relationship with the self, resulting in significantly improved self confidence levels
• Higher rates of motivation and increased performance
• Significantly reduced sickness levels
To find out more about Feel Good UK visit www.feelgoodukonline.com
Do you remember the last time you laughed until your sides ached?
Laughter is a natural skill we are all born with as infants. Children laugh approximately 200-400 times a day, whilst adults average a mere 15 times. So what happens to our laughter as we age? What are the benefits of laughing regularly and how can we learn to increase the amount we laugh?
Cultivating a Playful Nature
When we become adults with responsibilities and obligations, our mind wanders constantly, contemplating future actions or dissecting past events, instead of relishing the Present moment. When we learn to be playful in our lives; to explore the world once more with childlike curiosity, we learn to utilise our senses and to delight and laugh at the unusual, the colourful and the surprising.
Being playful is not normally encouraged in everyday adult life, so we need to discover a way to cultivate this essential skill for accessing joy. Singing, dancing, laughing, writing, drawing or gardening amongst other activities, are all routes that can lead to uninhibited joy, if we allow ourselves.
Benefits of Laughter
Laughter has been used frequently as a distraction from pain. In 1964, Norman Cousins suffered from an agonising, degenerative spinal condition. Whilst enduring this illness he began to watch laughter clips in order to manage his pain-relief. He discovered that enjoying ten minutes of hearty laughter would provide him with two hours of pain-free sleep. He went on to return to write up his astonishing experience in Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient (W.W.Norton, 1979). This work led to many other studies on the beneficial effects of laughing.
Recent research has shown that laughter:-
o Strengthens the immune system
o Releases natural pain-killers (endorphins) and reduces stress hormones in the body
o Acts as an aerobic work-out for the heart and lungs
o Lowers blood pressure and improves circulation
o Releases tension, promoting relaxation and deeper sleep
o Cleanses the body of stale air and toxins
o Increases levels of positivity, creativity and energy
o Provides an antidote to anxiety and worry, giving us fresh perspective
o Re-motivates us and lifts our spirits
Laughing For No Reason
In addition to giggling at comedy shows, watching children playing and other humourous stimuli, we can also learn to laugh for no reason, even on ‘the bad days’. Laughter Yoga, a method invented by Dr. Kataria in India in 1995, is a process of combining laughter exercises with playfulness, deep breathing and movements all designed to open up the body, mind and Spirit to laughter. The notion of laughing for no reason, however bizarre, is a powerful one. It negates the need for a sense of humour, and does not rely on circumstances to be ‘funny’ for the chuckles to emerge.
Of course when we are happy, laughter naturally radiates from our being. This is because the outer reflects the inner, but it is also true to say that because the inner and outer are inextricably linked, the outer will to varying degrees affect our inner lives. By way of a simple demonstration, as you read this, just smile. You will notice that the smile radiates inwards and makes you feel more positive.
Giving Ourselves Permission to Laugh
The great news is that laughing is a skill that can be re-learnt if the heart is willing. The body cannot tell the difference between a fake laugh and a real laugh, so when you begin to laugh, even if it is pretend to begin with, endorphins get released and create a ‘feel-good’ effect almost instantly.
By bringing laughter to the body first, the mind soon follows. Practised regularly, laughing becomes more and more natural and spontaneous. Gentle exercises can be introduced in solitary moments at home, with friends or family, or in a Laughter Club, wherever laughter is wanted or needed. Laughing doesn’t make problems go away, but it does put us in a better place to deal with them.
Universal Laughter
Laughter cuts across all boundaries, cultures and religions. Sharing laughter connects people and provides a foundation on which to build open and trusting relationships. Laughter, regardless of physical ability, age or gender, unites us all with the Present moment and each other. It encourages forgiveness for ourselves and others, releases anger and tension, allows us to express our joy and releases us from the mundane.
Taken from http://meetrelaxlearncreate.co.uk/blog/
Tamzin Outhwaite has opened up about her battle with depression.
The ex-EastEnders actress revealed that she has faced "dark times" during her life but was brave enough to seek help for the condition.
She told Good Housekeeping: "Life at the moment couldn't be much better, but there have been times and situations in my life when waking up in the morning has not been fun.
"It's no longer a taboo to seek help at dark times, be it from a professional or a friend, and I did that when I was younger."
Outhwaite went on to say that her former struggles have made her appreciate the good things in her life even more.
"It helped me realise what's worth holding on to in life and what you're allowed to let go," she added. "Being a little older, having gone through periods I don't want to go back to, means I appreciate life so much more now."
Outhwaite is married to fellow actor Tom Ellis. The couple have a 2-year-old daughter together named Florence.
By Christian Tobin, News Subeditor - www.digitalspy.co.uk
We've now added a daily 'feel good' quote section to our blog. Be sure to visit it every day for a nugget of life changing wisdom. Abraham-Hicks is the original source of all the 'feel good' material that we teach. While we admit that some it can seem quite complicated and jargony, we see it as our mission to simplify it and make it accessible to the mainstream and youth audience.
The power of this message is truly life-changing. And our research shows that the majority of the world's self-help literature is heavily influenced by this teacher.
Visit www.abraham-hicks.com for more information. And view the video clips below to get an understanding of where this most powerful and empowering message is coming from. (It may take a couple of replays for you to begin to fully understand what they are saying, but once you do the message is life changing.)
