Obesity Is Reaching Epidemic Proportions

I was in an airport over the weekend and the one thing I noticed above everything else, was how many overweight people there were.

It was almost like an epidemic and the biggest shock was how many obese kids there were. But, I have to say, it wasn’t very surprising when I saw these kids tucking into burgers, chips, milkshakes, chocolates and just about everything else that was bad for them. And, the parents were the ones buying the food and drink.

What is wrong with parents today that they let their kids get this way? They have to take responsibility and not blame advertising or the prevalance of junk food. It’s up to them to teach their kids about being healthy and getting enough exercise.

I have 6 grandchildren ranging in age from 16 years to 20 months, and not one of these kids is overweight. Their parents monitor what they eat and they also regulate their exercise. They have all the computer games like X-Box and Wii, but their time on the computer is strictly limited and they are encouraged to participate in outdoor activities.

When I was growing up we were more active as we didn’t have the luxury of computer games and we also didn’t have so much junk food available to us. Our parents were not as affluent as most people are these days, and couldn’t afford to buy junk food anyway. About once a month our treat was fish and chips, and we were happy because we didn’t know any better.

Just think of the medical costs in the years to come when dealing with obesity. It doesn’t just affect the obese person, it affects the whole of society and we’ll be the ones to pay for it in the future.

We have to start educating kids from an early age how to be fit and healthy so that future generations won’t end up facing the same health problems we have today.

Teenagers and Depression

Teenagers can feel depressed for all sorts of reasons and their moods can vary, from feeling a bit blue to feeling overwhelming sadness and hopelessness.

• Around 20 per cent of teenagers experience depressive moods, but clinically significant depression in young people is often not recognized.
• Stresses that sound small to adults may be very important to teenagers and should be taken seriously.
• When teenagers are suffering with depression, they aren’t always able to ask for help and may even refuse your help at times.
• If your child won’t go for help and you are worried, go by yourself to get advice on how to best handle the situation.

Don’t try to tell your teenager that they’ll be alright, or they’ll get over it, as sometimes this can make the situation a lot worse than it is. Issues that you think are irrelevant may be of immense importance to your teenager, so listen sympathetically if they want to talk about it. Don’t criticize or condemn, as this can have a disastrous effect on their mood.

There is a range of different treatments available for depression, including counseling and therapies. Antidepressant medications should be given with caution for young teenagers because of possible side effects. The right treatment depends on the individual needs and the situation of the teenager. It is important to persist until the right treatment is found, as young people are often particular about whom they will talk to.

My new ebook, "Conquering Anxiety and Depression: Learn How To Rebuild Your Self Confidence", tells of my experience dealing with depression and what I did to overcome it.

As a parent you need to look for the signs and find the proper treatment so that your teenager can live a normal life again.

Overcome Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Is your mental health preventing you from achieving your dreams and aspirations?

I used to suffer from severe anxiety and panic attacks, and they did stop me from doing a whole lot of things. All I could think about was my fear! It was so bad that I became Agoraphobic and was too scared to leave my house. I couldn’t even walk to my letter box without having an attack. It was no way to live.

If you’ve never experienced a panic attack before then check the list below to see if you suffer from any or all of these symptoms.

• Tightness in throat and chest- shortness of breath
• Feel as though your heart is racing and will jump out of your chest
• Hot flushes all over your body followed by waves of anxiety
• Feelings of fear and negative thoughts
• Not feeling connected to what is going on around you
• Overwhelming fear that the anxiety will push you over the edge

The first time a person experiences a panic attack it can feel like their world is falling down around them. Nowhere feels safe as the anxiety becomes like a stalker lurking in the background.

When this happens people begin to either avoid situations that make them anxious or they medicate themselves to the point where they are numb to the fear. I am sure you will agree neither of the above is a satisfactory solution.

There are new ways to treat this disorder and I have tried quite a few. Some successful and some not. I have found that the only way to overcome the anxiety and panic attacks is to use a technique which immediately stops you fearing another panic attack. It is very simple yet amazingly effective, without the use of medication.

To find out how this technique will work for you click HERE now!

Your Thoughts Can Predict Your Outcome

Have you ever really listened to what your thoughts are telling you, and how we are programmed to believe certain issues when it comes to health?

As an example, it’s almost Spring here in Australia, and already we are being bombarded with ads about Hayfever treatments. Because it’s coming up to Spring and there are flowers, pollens, dust mites etc. in the air, we are sure to suffer a bout of Hayfever, therefore we need to use medication now to prevent it!

Have you noticed that with each change of season, we are fed a list of the treatments we should use so that we don’t catch the latest "bug"? We are being brain washed to believe that we will suffer one way or another, from these viruses. I heard someone telling a Pharmacist one day, "I usually get 3 colds a year and so far I’ve only had 2, so I’m due for the third one around October".

He was talking himself into getting another cold before the year was out, and he’d even identified the month it was going to happen!
"Our best friends and our worst enemies are our thoughts. A thought can do us more good than a doctor or banker or faithful friend. It can also do us more harm than a brick!" Dr Frank Crane.

We attract everything into our lives whether it’s bad or good, with our thoughts. If you are constantly focusing on how unwell you feel, then guess what? You’ll get more of the same.

Wouldn’t it be better to turn those thoughts around to feeling alive and fantastic every day? You will feel so much better within yourself that your inner glow will show through and you’ll be a picture of health.

If someone asks you, "How do you feel?" answer them by saying that you feel great…even if you don’t. You’ll feel better just saying those words.

Don’t let your thoughts dictate a negative outcome. Always try to be positive no matter what the circumstances are.

Are You A Snorer?

There are as many reasons for snoring as there are anti-snoring devices and products. For some people that snore, it may have been a problem for as long as they could remember, but for others, snoring may be a new problem for them. For those that have most always had a problem with snoring, there are many areas of exploration to be looked into for resolutions.

When trying to find out why you are now snoring, one of the first things to do is examine any side effects of all of you medications, both over-the-counter, and all medications given by your doctor. This can easily be done by going to your local pharmacy, and having the pharmacist explain any side effects your medications may have. You can also do detailed searches on the Internet for each medication that you take. It is more common than you think for snoring problems to be directly related to your medications.

There are several health areas to explore, like colds, sinus issues, asthma problems, and allergies. Every one of these health issues are commonly related to snoring problems. Since snoring is created within the throat area, any kind of congestion, allergy and even asthma problems are the likely culprits to clog up the air flow. If it is a cold or allergies, the appropriate medication should fix the snoring problem. If it is more serious, like sinus or asthma, then you must consult your doctor. Another important tip is to add a humidifier to your room, to add more moisture to the air.

Several other culprits that cause snoring are excessive weight gain, cigarette smoking or constant exposure to cigarette smoke, excessive alcoholic beverages, especially right before bedtime, and believe it or not, there are certain kinds of food products that can start a non-snorer to snore. Excessive dairy products right before bed can cause thicker saliva or mucus to sit within your throat airway passage area and literally cause you to snore. The best way to pin point if this is a problem, is to cut out all dairy products for a week, and see what the final results may end up being. If dairy is your problem, start to substitute soy products. If you are a smoker or drinker, get help to stop smoking and only have an occasional drink before dinner.