Monday, February 20, 2012

Coping With Emotions

Emotions control every aspect of our physical and mental being. Negative emotions cause chemical reactions in the body, just as positive emotions do, but if suppressed, these negative emotions create all sorts of harm and problems and can lead to serious illnesses Share your problems with a close friend. Feelings of loneliness, isolation, lack of confidence, unattractiveness, feeling unfulfilled, trapped... so many possibilities for a crisis. If you can't share these with your partner or a close friend, speak to your health practitioner and you may also benefit from a self-help group, trained counsellor, bereavement counselling, etc. This can give you the opportunity for exploration and personal growth Resolve to finish unresolved jobs or conflicts. Keep a pad of paper and pen by the bed and /or in your main living area. Write things down then look at them at the appropriate time - not in the middle of the night! This helps to take the problem out of the worry cycle in your mind. Try to let go of old hurts, practising love and forgiveness, because the only person who really suffers is the one that holds on to the past. And the only person who can change what you feel is you! Express yourself! An emotion loses its power once it is expressed and bottling things up corrodes the psyche. Expressing sadness, anger, jealousy and negative thoughts helps to dispel them, while bottling them up increases their intensity. Would you ever think of holding back feelings of joy or happiness? Feelings repressed over many years end up making us ill. Simple ways to express yourself include screaming as loud as you can - in an empty room or alone in your car so as not to scare the neighbours! Scream your fears down the toilet bowl and flush it away. For the more physical person, punch your pillow or a cushion. Or, write about your anger and pain and keep a regular journal to record your feelings. These forms of expression take the emotion out of 'you' and dissipate it in a physical action. Power is always in the present, so don't waste time fretting over the past, over things we cannot change. The past only exists in our minds and in the way we choose to look at it in our minds. This is the moment we are living and experiencing. We can't do it yesterday. We can only do it today, NOW. Helpful therapies Homeopathy is a gentle, effective and safe system of medicine which assists the natural ability of the body to heal itself. It addresses the cause of the problem rather than merely removing symptoms and the homeopathic practitioner recognises that mental, emotional and physical problems may be connected and takes all these factors into account when prescribing. In this way homeopathy treats the whole person and is therefore highly individual. If you are undergoing homeopathic treatment, check with your practitioner first before trying other therapies, as some of these can affect the efficacy of your homeopathic treatment. Cranial osteopathy can treat musculo-skeletal problems and tension in muscles and soft tissues. By employing a very specific, skilled, light pressure it can assist the natural ability of the body to release stresses and tensions. Consider also counsellors trained in Creative Arts, Life Coaching and in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) as one of these may be specifically helpful for you. The 'touching' therapies can help stress levels; massage, reflexology and aromatherapy can all be very healing, soothing and beneficial. Reiki is a very simple but effective therapy promoting deep relaxation and well-being. Some of these therapies can reach levels others cannot. Research your local practitioners for more information. At http://www.naturaltopia.net, we are committed to informing you of the best deals worldwide in natural healthcare products, and alternative therapies that support our ethos. If you're looking to enhance your well-being and overall health, at naturaltopia you will find articles and news on natural health and alternative therapies. And the benefits, both short term and long term, of using natural products and therapies. We will be writing regular reviews on the products that we recommend and why we believe these are great for your natural health and well-being.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Benefits Of Having Good Flexibility As We Age

As we age there are many changes that happen to our bodies we become a little short sited, less agile, a little hard of hearing, we don't heal or recover as quickly as we previously did, however although we cannot hold back the tide of time, we can stem it somewhat by keeping being fit and healthy and taking care of ourselves. Being fit and healthy as we age definitely helps us stay active, however many of us tend not to notice how unfit we have become until it seems like it's too late. In fact it's never too late to become fit and active again and one great way of building our fitness up is by partaking in low impact, user controlled activities like stretching. Stretching offers us a myriad of benefits not the least of which is flexibility. Being able to bend over to pick up something you have dropped or reaching the shelves in the cupboards, all the little things we take for granted when we are younger. Additionally stretching helps muscle tone and range of motion, both important to being able to carry out day to day activities. So if you are a bit out of shape, and a little older than you would like to admit, the best way to start stretching is by using some kind of stretching equipment. The benefits of using stretching equipment is two-fold, firstly as a motivator - it will come with instructions and flexibility exercises, and secondly it allows you to control the stretches yourself, push yourself a little and you don't need assistance from someone else. Now if the word 'equipment' sounds like some bulky machine you would find in a gym, never fear, you'll find that some of the flexibility aids are similar to an elastic band - they are designed to be light, easy to carry around and even easier to use. This means if you don't have adequate space inside your home, or it's simply a beautiful day and you want it get out and enjoy it then you can pop the stretching device into your bag and head to the nearest park. Flexibility equipment like this allows you to stretch at your own pace, and as you feel your muscles toning and strengthening, your range of motion increasing, and improved circulation you'll be able to push yourself to stretch a little farther, all the while maintaining control the entire time. Don't let old age slow you down, start stretching today and regain some of your youth.