You’d like to do something— anything —to speed up your metabolism, but it’s out of your control. Right? Not quite. Although genetics and your age both play a role, recent studies suggest you have plenty of say over how well your metabolism—which involves your body’s ability to break down food into usable energy—functions. In fact, you can all but negate the metabolic slowdown that happens after 40 by tweaking your diet, exercise, and sleep habits. “Think of your body as an engine—your metabolism is the rate at which your engine runs,” explains Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist in Atlanta and author of Hormonal Balance: How to Lose Weight By Understanding Your Hormones and Metabolism . “By making adjustments to these three elements, you can actually make your engine rev higher.” The eating and exercise plans on these pages were designed to keep your metabolism humming to the tune of up to 10 pounds off in 21 days. Read on for the keys to not only losing, but losing for good. Key 1: Eat early Your basal metabolic rate—the number of calories your body burns at rest—is based on things like age, height, and body type, so there isn’t much you can do to alter it. But there is a lot you can do to change the number of calories you burn above that, beginning with your diet. Specifically: Eat breakfast. We already know the reasons you may not want to (you don’t have the time/energy/stomach for it), but leaving for work on an empty stomach is like hitting the pause button on your metabolism. Here’s why: When your brain senses your stomach is empty, it sends a message to your cells to conserve energy in case another meal doesn’t arrive. In other words, your body holds onto the fat stored in your cells instead of helping you burn it off. “Breakfast triggers a process called thermogenesis, where the body signals the brain to activate the metabolic process of turning food into energy,” says Mark Hyman, MD, author of The Blood Sugar Solution . Key 2: Eat often To keep your metabolism humming, Dr. Hyman suggests eating small meals every three or four hours. Aim to make each of those meals at least one-quarter protein—whether it’s animal protein, beans, or dairy, says Marissa Lippert, RD, who designed the eating plan on page 39. A recent study in the journal Neuron suggests that consuming protein stimulates the cells responsible for switching on the body’s calorie-burning mechanism. Foods high in sugar and processed carbs, on the other hand, can lead to another problem: insulin resistance. “As we get older, it’s crucial to pay attention to how much sugar we’re consuming,” says Diane Kress, RD, author of The Metabolism Miracle . “Too much messes with your metabolism by causing your body to store extra calories as fat.” Next Page:  Key 3: Sweat off the weight Key 3: Sweat off the weight Even more important? Exercise. “Not only does it affect your metabolism while you’re doing it, but research shows you can keep burning calories up to 24 hours after you finish because your metabolism stays elevated,” Dr. Isaacs says. That’s especially true if you challenge yourself: A new study in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests that intense bouts of exercise can “turn on” genes responsible for energy metabolism. Researchers found that the activation of these fat- burning genes was higher in cyclists who pedaled at 80 percent of their aerobic capacity versus those who did a more moderate cycling session at 40 percent. So although you can’t permanently change your DNA (if only!), experts say exercise can fire up certain genes that initiate the fat-burning process. Exercise is particularly helpful once you pass the age of 40, when your metabolism naturally begins to slow down. Experts used to believe it slowed due to an inevitable loss of muscle mass. However, a study in the journal The Physician and Sports Medicine found that fit women ages 41 to 81 who continued to exercise four to five times a week as they got older had little change in body composition. The real reason you lose muscle with age? You stop using it. “We now know that women who keep up a regular vigorous fitness routine don’t experience the metabolic decrease,” Dr. Isaacs says. Key 4: Sleep away the pounds No, it’s not your imagination. Too little sleep can cause you to gain—and not just because you’re spending those extra waking hours in front of the TV nursing a bag of chips. Research suggests that people who sleep two-thirds of their usual amount (five hours instead of eight, say) eat an average of 549 extra calories the following day without realizing it. Experts believe this is because too few zzz’s upset the balance of important appetite-regulating hormones. But that’s not all: A Swedish study found that even one night of disrupted sleep can cause the body to burn up to 20 percent fewer calories the following day. “Sleep deprivation impacts multiple hormones related to metabolism,” Dr. Isaacs says. “Resistance to leptin—a hormone that regulates body weight—increases, while levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals to your brain that you’re hungry, also increase.” Aim for seven to eight hours of pillow time a night, advises Dr. Hyman. “Just a small change in your sleep schedule can make a big difference in your health.” Not to mention your ability to burn calories.

Work can be a real burden for some people. They feel overwhelmingly exhausted and cynical toward their workplace environment, and believe their efforts are not valued.  In other words, they are burned out. A new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition connects these sentiments with overeating and controlled eating behaviors. The experiment involved 230 working women. Those who were experiencing workplace burnout at the beginning of the experiment were more likely to have emotional and uncontrolled eating than those without burnout. This held true even after 12 months. Among those without burnout, uncontrolled eating decreased significantly over the year. "Among overweight and obese subjects, failure to make changes due to burnout and reduced resources may impair self-esteem and self-efficacy, which are important for achieving success in weight maintenance," the study authors wrote. Consistent with previous research, body mass index tended to be associated with uncontrolled eating and emotional eating. And overweight and obese individuals were more likely to engage in these behaviors, too. However, there was no significant difference in weight between people with and without burnout. And almost half of the people with burnout were of normal weight. There are, of course, individual differences when it comes to responding to stress – some people actually eat less when they are stressed out, while others eat more. Weight loss and gain under stress varies, also. The researchers also did not take into account the participants' weight history, whether they had made significant changes before the study in terms of weight loss. This could have impacted the results. A study involving more participants is needed to corroborate the findings of this particular investigation. But from what is known so far, experts recommend confronting the burnout head-on. "What I find in a lot of people is that food is not the issue. They’re not necessarily eating the food for a physiological reason, but they’re doing it for a psychological reason. It just happens that food is so readily available," says Meagan Mohammadione, R.D., L.D., at the Emory Bariatric Center in Atlanta, who was not involved in the study. Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician and nutrition expert for CNNHealth.com, also views stress as a critical issue for nutrition. If stress isn't addressed and managed in a long-term way, dietary and exercise changes are very challenging, she wrote in an e-mail. In fact, short-term diet changes could actually aggravate the stress women feel by altering their brain chemistry and decreasing critical nutrient intake. For example, reducing carbohydrates could lower mood, which is already low. "This really ties in to the growing body of research looking at the 'medication'-like properties of food in some cases, their impact on neurotransmitters in the brain, and also the interaction of the hypothalamic/adrenal(stress)/pituitary access and weight control," she wrote. And note that this study was only done on women. Mohammadione says she sees many more women than men suffering from emotional eating. And while women tend to eat a lot when they're overwhelmed, men's emotional eating seems to be more tied to the perception that they need to finish everything on their plate – at least, in Mohammadione's view. So what about cravings when you're at work, when the vending machine is tempting you with junk food? Mohammadione recommends planning to have healthy snacks readily available at work, such as baby carrots and apples, "so that [when] you absolutely do have to eat, you have a better choice." Also, take a walk, she said. Just stepping away from your desk and getting a little exercise can replace that chocolate bar you were going to munch on. "The emotional eating, it hits very quickly," Mohammadione said. "Your response to it has to be very quick as well." Mindfulness techniques are being used to help people with eating problems. It's a way of being conscious and nonjudgmental about the emotions you're having, and translating that awareness to the practice of eating. For more information, check out the Center for Mindful Eating . Filed under: Healthy Eating , Obesity , Occupational Health , Weight-loss Tagged: Elizabeth Landau – CNN.com Health Writer/Producer

Early-morning workouts aren’t possible because you’re far from a morning person, and evening workouts just seem too late. That leaves the good old noon workout, but that too can have its drawbacks. Here are four things that make midday workouts hard to swallow, and how to fix them. I’ve Got Food on the Brain Noontime is lunchtime, and many of us have been programmed to eat at 12 p.m. ever since elementary school. In order to prevent hunger pains from ruining your workout, plan ahead and eat a healthy snack around 11 a.m. Focus on a mix of protein and carbs and keep your snack to under 200 calories. If you forget to eat, here’s what you can nosh on 15 to 30 minutes before you exercise . You’ll have the energy to exercise at noon, and once your workout is complete, you’ll have a satisfying meal to look forward to. The Crowds at the Gym Noon is a popular time to sweat it out since most people find it easier to make a break for the gym with schedules loaded with calorie-busting group classes. If your schedule allows for it, try shifting your workout 30 or 60 minutes earlier to beat the rush. If that’s not a possibility, choose less-popular ways to exercise. If most people are on the treadmill, hit the indoor track. If the indoor cycling class is consistently packed, hop on a stationary bike and do this interval workout . If the crowded gyms really annoy you, take a workout or two away from the gym: hit up a local yoga studio, meet a friend for a run in the park, or bring a fitness DVD to work and exercise in your office. Keep reading for two more noon workout gripes and two solutions.

The Food and Drug Administration questioned the clinical benefit of using Amgen’s bone drug Xgeva to prevent or delay the spread of prostate cancer to the bones. Xgeva is currently approved to delay fractures and other bone injuries in patients whose cancers have already spread to the bones. The company is seeking approval for use of Xgeva to prevent the spread of prostate cancer in a group of men that has not responded to other therapies. Xgeva will be reviewed Wednesday by the FDA’s oncologic drugs advisory committee, which is made up of non-FDA medical experts. The FDA today posted a review of Xgeva in preparation for the meeting. Amgen conducted a study of Xgeva in 1432 men with prostate cancer that had not responded to previous therapies, but had not spread to the bones. Many types of cancer spread to the bones and cause tumors to grow, destroying the bone around the tumor, causing fractures and other problems. Half of the men were treated with Xgeva while the other half received a placebo. The study examined the time until men developed bone metastases or died, whichever occurred first. The study showed Xgeva prolonged median bone metastatis-free survival by 4.2 months compared to men in the placebo group. While the FDA said the study met its primary objective, the agency said it was unclear whether the results were “clinically meaningful” given that there was no difference in overall survival between the two patient groups. The agency said the risk-benefit ratio of Xgeva must also take into account the overall toxicity of the drug. One of the side-effects includes a risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw, or ONJ, a rare jaw-decay problem. Michael Severino, Amgen’s vice president of research and development, said today that the company believes Xgeva does provide a clinically meaningful benefit because it delays the spread of cancer to the bone, which causes significant pain and other problems such as incontinence. Xgeva is also sold under the brand name Prolia as an osteoporosis treatment but is administered at a lower dose and less often than used to treat cancer-related bone complications. Xgeva and Prolia’s combined sales in 2011 topped $550 million. The drugs target a protein called RANK Ligand, which helps regulate cells called osteoclasts that break down bone. (This post originally ran on Dow Jones Newswires.)

Work, school, social life, family – life gets busy, which, for some, means exercise gets put on the back burner. There are a lot of tricks and tips to squeezing workouts into busy days . From filling pockets of the day with short bursts of activity to turning a social outing into an active one, there’s almost no valid excuse to not work out! But for people who need a little more organization in their lives (take me for example), a calendar is key to staying on track. When planning out my week, I pencil in workouts the same way that I do meetings, happy hours, and other engagements - it’s a surefire way that keeps me from double-booking. It also keeps me committed. Once a workout is on my calendar, it’s hard for me to back out, especially if it’s a fitness date with a friend - no one likes a flake! Do You Put a Workout Schedule on Your Calendar? Yes No

In an effort to keep my carbon footprint in check, I keep reusable bottles and fill ‘em up with tap water. Since tap water is more regulated than bottled water , I tend to not worry about contaminants. Although lately, my tap water has tasted and smelled a bit off, making me wonder: should I start using my Brita again, or is it time to invest in a more sophisticated filter? I am a fan of easy hydration, so I decided it was time to learn a bit more about the water coming out of my kitchen faucet. Here’s how to know if it’s time to start filtering your tap water.

Mark asks… anxiety, panic attacks for a 12 yearold? Alright, so basically I have anxiety . And I had my first panic attack a month and a half ago. Like this dizzy feeling, lightheadedness, palpitation. I am 12, weighing currently 65 kilos(around 130 pounds) and 5 feet tall. Can you cure anxiety without medication? If so, what are the natural remedies ? There are famous sites that cure anxiety , and alot of people reviewed on it and said it works, though I don’t want to pay for it. Does anyone know those natural remedies , besides going to the doctor, therapy, etc. btw, I went to the doctor the first day, when I had my first panic attack, the first man said he wasn’t sure if I had anything wrong with me, my blood pressure was perfect for my age. We went to another doctor just to get another opinion, she said I’m absolutely fine, I’m just a little too stressed for my age. So, that hopefully, must lead to anxiety . Since I have the symptoms. numbness/tingling/slight coldness at times in toes/fingers. dizziness sometimes, and shortness of breath, chest pain. I need your help please (: Also, the day I had my panic attack I weighed 68 kilos, now 65. and I’ve heard about easycalm.com, the linden method, and a few more. Has someone joined one of them, if so what did you do, and could to give me the advice that they gave you? please, & thankyou ! Jonjune answers: You are a pretty well informed 12 yr. Old. My dr. Has said that if anxiety is treated when young you may not have to be on medication forever. This is because the brain patterns are not as developed and you can change them. I on the other hand being much older must be on meds for rest of life. He says Paxil works on young people, and the risk of suicide is usually because the suicide tendencies were there before the drug. Anxiety can turn into depression. Linda asks… anxiety, treating, curing for a 12 yearold? Alright, so basically I have anxiety . And I had my first panic attack a month and a half ago. Like this dizzy feeling, lightheadedness, palpitation. I am 12, weighing currently 65 kilos(around 130 pounds) and 5 feet tall. Can you cure anxiety without medication? If so, what are the natural remedies ? There are famous sites that cure anxiety , and alot of people reviewed on it and said it works, though I don’t want to pay for it. Does anyone know those natural remedies , besides going to the doctor, therapy, etc. btw, I went to the doctor the first day, when I had my first panic attack, the first man said he wasn’t sure if I had anything wrong with me, my blood pressure was perfect for my age. We went to another doctor just to get another opinion, she said I’m absolutely fine, I’m just a little too stressed for my age. So, that hopefully, must lead to anxiety . Since I have the symptoms. numbness/tingling/slight coldness at times in toes/fingers. dizziness sometimes, and shortness of breath, chest pain. I need your help please (: Also, the day I had my panic attack I weighed 68 kilos, now 65. and I’ve heard about easycalm.com, the linden method, and a few more. Has someone joined one of them, if so what did you do, and could to give me the advice that they gave you? please, I am in need!! Jonjune answers: If you want a method that is free and effective try prayer. When you start feeling that way start talking to God. Out loud or quietly, God hears you. Start praying for your family and friends and anyone who needs prayer. You can talk openly and honestly with God. The more you pray the less often you will have these attacks. And eventually they will go away. I know. This is the method I used. I have not had a panic attack in 4 years. Lisa asks… curing anxiety attacks for a young age ? not so severe..? Alright, so basically I have anxiety . And I had my first panic attack a month and a half ago. I am 12, weighing currently 66 kilos(around 130 pounds) and 5 feet tall. Can you cure anxiety without medication? If so, what are the natural remedies ? There are famous sites that cure anxiety , and alot of people reviewed on it and said it works, though I don’t want to pay for it. Does anyone know those natural remedies , besides going to the doctor, therapy, etc. btw, I went to the doctor the first day, when I had my first panicattack, the first man said he wasn’t sure if I had anything wrong with me, my blood pressure was perfect for my age. We went to another doctor just to get another opinion, she said I’m absolutely fine, I’m just a little too stressed for my age. So, that hopefully, must lead to anxiety . Since I have the symptoms. numbness/tingling/slight coldness at times in toes/fingers. dizziness sometimes, and shortness of breath, chest pain. I need your help please (: Jonjune answers: Helpful Tips to Treat Panic Attacks Panic attacks are frightening experiences that are often misunderstood by our loved ones and as such, they are at a loss to know how to help us when we are experiencing one. Here are a few tips to treat panic attacks in the moment: 1) Lie Down If you feel that your anxiety level has peaked and you are about to experience a panic attack, the best thing to do is to lie down. This will immediately act to calm yourself and your racing heart down. Do this whenever it is physically possible at the point you feel that your anxiety has escalated to the point of no return. 2) Visualize Visually put up a stop sign in your mind. Focus intently on this until you can actually see this in your minds eye. Once it is there you will have temporarily blocked out the negative self-talk. At this stage, it is important to create a vision in your mind of the very safest place you can think of. Try to imagine a place that you have felt calm and grounded or it can be an imaginary location that makes you smile when you think of it. It is best to form this image at a time prior to your panic attack so that you are able to easily bring it back in your time of need. This technique really helps calm you down and is highly effective Breathing Proper breathing is essential to help you get rid of panic attacks in the moment. The next time you feel a panic attack coming on and the shallow breathing commences, try this instead: 1. Inhale deeply and slowly through your nose. 2. Hold your breath and count to six slowly. 3. Breathe out through your lips while slowly counting to eight. 4. Repeat this kind of breathing five to ten times. Mary asks… HELP????????????????? ANXIETY?????????????????????? Alright, so basically I have anxiety . And I had my first panic attack a month and a half ago. Like this dizzy feeling, lightheadedness, palpitation. I am 12, weighing currently 65 kilos(around 130 pounds) and 5 feet tall. Can you cure anxiety without medication? If so, what are the natural remedies ? There are famous sites that cure anxiety , and alot of people reviewed on it and said it works, though I don’t want to pay for it. Does anyone know those natural remedies , besides going to the doctor, therapy, etc. btw, I went to the doctor the first day, when I had my first panic attack, the first man said he wasn’t sure if I had anything wrong with me, my blood pressure was perfect for my age. We went to another doctor just to get another opinion, she said I’m absolutely fine, I’m just a little too stressed for my age. So, that hopefully, must lead to anxiety . Since I have the symptoms. numbness/tingling/slight coldness at times in toes/fingers. dizziness sometimes, and shortness of breath, chest pain. I need your help please (: Also, the day I had my panic attack I weighed 68 kilos, now 65. and I’ve heard about easycalm.com, the linden method, and a few more. Has someone joined one of them, if so what did you do, and could to give me the advice that they gave you? please, I am in need!! Jonjune answers: Firstly can I just say to you I am so sorry you seem to be suffering from stress and anxiety at so young an age. I understand completely how you are suffering.. What I would say firstly is you have to talk to someone about how you are feeling, and how what you are going through and how that is affecting you weight. I understand that you may think that is “what people will say”, but it is Crucial to your well being that you speak with someone now. What about your mother, father… Someone at school.. You must see your doctor. This is not something you can cope with alone at your age.. The help you need will most probably begin with your parents or school. You most explain how you feel to someone who can get you the help you need now.. Do it today. There are so many people here who will support you. You can always come back and tell us what you have done, how you can progress, your way forward. But talk to someone now. See a teacher today.. Start with the help you need now.. I will look out for your next question/answer to see how you are progressing. You will always have friends here.. Get help now please.. Maria asks… can anxiety&depression be my problem? wel im just not 100% sure if my problems are anxiety related. I had asthma for about 3 years and took an inhaler to help me breath, at the time i was about 30-40 pounds over weight, i started to have breathing problems that was so intense that my inhaler didn’t help much, i ended up in the ER 1 or 2 times. back in November 08′ I had a stomach problem, couldn’t eat any food other than rice and chicken soup. I did a blood test and doc said i have the H. Pylori bug thing going on and tested positive for ANA reflex but it showed no pattern, so i took some antibiotics and H2 blockers for awhile and it din’t really do the job, then i went in for a Upper endoscopy and had a biopsy done, came back that i had a irratation on my stomach wall and a little hernia. I was prescribe Prevacid and took it for about 4-5 weeks and my stomach started to feel good. But then i got scared and nervous about the ANA test because it said something about Lupus, so i began to research about Lupus and found out all these crazy things about the symtomps and began to worry myself sick about it. My doc told me that it could be a false positive on the ANA test because i tested positive 3 times on the ANA test but negative on the pattern 3 times. But ever since then i just started to wonder if i really have it or not, sometime i think i might have it but then sometimes i think i dont have it. and it just kinda lead me to these stuffs: some nights I cant sleep My hands are kinda shaky, u can’t see the shake, but u can feel it , and my heart has a harder pound than before, i get headaches and neck stiffness, like it’s paralized or something my face also feels like it’s all tense up, like that feeling u get on ur face during the day when u stayed up a whole night without sleeping. my focus isn’t really there, seems like i space out or day dream alot i don’t conversate much anymore, even with my kids i ignore what they ask me. Recently I have been saying “I don’t know” so much, i dont remember saying those 3 words so much before in my life, it seems like my memory has gone bad or something. When i talk to people, i get a instant uncomfortable tense feeling of stiffness on back of my neck,head and face and it makes it hard for me to do the eye contact while talking, also a nervous feeling. my headaches are daily, it feels like migraines, tension headaches on both sides of my temple area, but mostly on my left side, it goes from the left side of back neck to the left temple area and sometimes it fels like pressure and sometimes it feels like a tight squeez. I was told by my doctor that i maybe suffering from anxiety and depression and prescribe me anti depressant pill Paroxotine(paxil) but of all the side effects and the stupid stuff u hear about what these drugs do to you, im very scare and nervous to use them. Im just clueless on what to do, i have been taking some natural remedies , but have seen no improvements, i really want to try the anti-depressant meds but im not sure if i should. this has been going on for about 6-7 months now. what can this be? Jonjune answers: You very well can have depression and anxiety, but sounds like so much more going on with you. You definitely have digestive challenges, and believe it or not, those digestive challenges have a direct relationship to everything that you are dealing with physically and mentally. Diet is such a critical factor in creating and maintaining health. Not just physical health either. You may say “How?” Your body and your brain are dependent on the nutrition you SHOULD be taking in. Problem is that the standard American diet (SAD) is full of processed foods and foods/drinks that are high in sugar and in caffeine. All these food items fall very short of providing adequate nutrition for the body and the brain. Worse, they deplete the body. Processed foods are full of artificial ingredients that wreck havoc with our nervous system (the brain is part of the nervous system). Many of these ingredients are neurotoxic…meaning they are toxic or poisonous to the nervous system (again, includes the brain). Foods and drinks high in sugar cause lots of problems as well. Sugar is void of any nutrition, but it burns off many critical nutrients like the B vitamins and magnesium. I’ve read that more than 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is a natural tranquilizer…it calms the mind and allows the muscles to relax. [Don't go taking mega doses of magnesium, however, because minerals need to be present in a particular balance and taking a single mineral can throw things off even more than they already are.] B vitamins are critical for a healthy nervous system. Having said all that…diet also determines the health of the digestive tract. There is a balance to health, and it starts with digestion. If your diet has had too many junk foods, over time your digestive health goes downhill, the microbial population there gets thrown out of balance, and you begin to experience physical and/or mental symptoms. Because the digestive system is not operating well, your body doesn’t get all the nutrients you are eating, and you are not clearing toxins efficiently…which adds to many of the symptoms you describe here. As your health deteriorates, you are prescribed more and more medications. These medications may or may not reduce symptoms, but they definitely add to your body’s toxic load and can contribute to the digestive system going even more out of balance. [Antibiotics are especially problematic for the digestive tract.] Examine your diet and make changes as needed. Eliminate all junk food. That means eating whole foods…lots of vegetables and fruits, whole grains (not processed cereals), and protein from healthy sources. Best to buy certified organic as much as you can to minimize the chemicals found in conventionally grown foods as well as to be sure you are getting food that has not been irradiated or genetically engineered [another topic that's too lengthy for discussion here.] In addition to eating a healthy diet, adding some supplements can help your body restore its balance a bit faster. A good place to start is to take * a good multi-vitamin/mineral complex to make sure you are getting a balance of all the important nutrients. Take as directed on package. (You may want to take a little extra magnesium short term, like one capsule a day for 1-2 months.) * a B100, taken once a day, to replenish your body’s stores of B vitamins * a good EFA (essential fatty acid) formula…critical for a healthy nervous system * and a very good enzyme formula that contains protease, amylase, cellulase and lipase enzymes. This will ensure you are getting the most out of your food and your supplements. Take as directed on package with your meals. In addition to that, take two capsules 3X a day on an empty stomach. The enzymes taken on an empty stomach will be available for other critical functions in the body, like detoxing, tissue repair and immune support. There is much information available about enzymes and health, but too much to go into detail here. Every single function in your body requires enzymes. Without enzymes there would be no life at all. Take these extra enzymes for at least three full months and then assess how you are feeling. Working with a clinical nutritionist can be a very good move toward better health. Talk with your doctor to see if he knows of one he can refer you to. Powered by Yahoo! Answers Related Blogs

Linda asks… will you take this social phobia test? http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/disorder/liebowitz/ My score was really high, so I was just wondering what you got for a score. thanks Jonjune answers: I got Moderate social phobia score: 57 Donna asks… Do fears and social phobia affect your left or right brain dominance? Hello, some years ago I took several tests saying whether I’m left brained or right brained. That time of my life I had personal problems, such as social phobias. Most tests’ results showed that I was left brained. I went to a psychologist and recently, after my problems had disappeared, I took another test of this kind. It appears now that I am neither left nor right brained. How can this be explained? Do phobias play a role? Gregory Jonjune answers: “It appears now that I am neither left nor right brained” Er, just because you are one or those other does not mean that you are completely devoid of the counterpart. Mark asks… Survey for people that think they might have social problems? Click on the link, do the short test and tell me the result. I scored 76%, not good. http://en.nienteansia.it/tests/ social – phobia – test .html Jonjune answers: 85% James asks… How do i deal with social anxiety? 10 points!? im 16 and need a job but i really dont want one because i have bad social anxiety and fear being around people and new things. To further explain social anxiety http://www.healthyplace.com/psychological-tests/ social -anxiety- social – phobia – test / ^ pretty much all my answers are yes. How do i deal with this to be able to get a job? or what kind of jobs can i get that i dont have to deal with too many people? most places around here only want cashiers and waitress’s. .. ive had to switch from public school to cyber school because of how bad my social anxiety got. I hardly ever go out with friends, and ive lost most of them Jonjune answers: The only thing you can really do is coach yourself. Be confindent, and keep telling yourself you look good, you’re nice, etc. Find 3 or more things you like about yourself and repeat them in your head. With social anxiety, you feel like people are looking at you or judging you or whatever, but you have to realize you’re just an average human and other humans pay little to moderate attention to you, so all you can do is just help yourself. You only get one life, try not to waste it being scared and afraid, go out there, meet new people and have fun! Good luck Lizzie asks… i think i have social anxiety disorder? I scored a twelve http://www.healthyplace.com/psychological-tests/ social -anxiety- social – phobia – test / but my mum says im perfectly normal. But she doesnt really know me, I never ever told her my problems and I have been bullied lately from a mean girl. (Im asian) I used to be loud and carefree what other people say about me But now I mentally hit myself for being such a embarass prat and try to make myself difference. Ever since then I have been acting different, I even YELL at my MUM and I even got kicked out of my house twice (temp) because the fight was that intense and I even had to talk to my older brother Why is that? I usually never yell at my mum or be embarass by her autitude and I started being VERY negative and sub-concious. I dont know whats wrong with me. Jonjune answers: Read: Dying of Embarrassment: Help for Social Anxiety & Phobia. Markway BG, Carmin CN, Pollard CA, Pollard CA, Flynn T. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, CA, 1992. The Hidden Face of Shyness by Franklin Schneier, et al. Painfully Shy: How to Overcome Social Anxiety and Reclaim you Life. Markway BG, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2001. The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook: Proven Techniques for Overcoming Your Fear. Antony MM, Swinson RP. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, CA, 2000., from your bookstore, Amazon.com, or BarnesandNoble.com View the posts on social anxiety/shyness at http://your-mental-health.weebly.com/1.html & page E. Bullying; see page 2. Always fight back! Hypnosis is merely a heightened state of suggestibility, in which you are better able to communicate with your subconscious mind. 85% of people are suggestible, to some degree, so you could either preferably seek professional hypnotherapy, or, if not an option, hypnosisdownloads.com has several suitable ones you may want to click on and check out, and one about negative thoughts. Nearly everyone has negative thoughts sometimes. Negative thoughts often occur before negative emotions. It’s important to regularly monitor, and deal with a negative internal monologue (self talk), or mental process, such as disturbing thoughts, images, impulses, etc., by the process of (a): recognising it, and (b): challenging it immediately. Use the “Technique For Re-Programming Negative Thoughts” – When you notice something negative, such as: “I can’t do this/ am never going to get over this!” or: “Why am I always so useless/such a loser?” or even an image, emotion, or a memory; recognise that it is being generated from the negative part of your mind. After identifying and labelling it, visualise a large, red, flashing, “STOP!” sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: “I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!” You may want to use either: “ruse”, “ploy”, “game”, or “trick”. In the case of an image, visualise a large “STOP” sign, or your preferred version. Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don’t regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method. Try replacing a negative thought with a positive affirmation of your choice, like: “I am a unique individual, with my own set of skills, and good points”, or “I may not be perfect, but I’m doing the best I can, right now”. Powered by Yahoo! Answers Related Blogs

DrSugar is in the house! This week she’s discussing mommyrexia and the implications of eating disorders during and after pregnancy. I recently read an article from the New York Post on “mommyrexia,” a phenomenon garnering a lot of public attention recently. Mommyrexia describes pregnant women obsessed with staying skinny during pregnancy and then doing whatever they can to get back, as quickly as possible, to their prepregnancy weight/size after delivery. According to the article, these women count calories, exercise excessively while pregnant, and sometimes even forgo breastfeeding after delivery to free their schedules for tons of personal training and exercise. Society today is so obsessed with celebrities and body image, and in my opinion, is placing unwarranted pressure on women to maintain their slim physique during pregnancy, like Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe , and to be bikini-ready three weeks after delivery like Bethenny Frankel. As if there isn’t already enough pressure on the general population to be ridiculously skinny, this pressure now extends to the sacred time of pregnancy? I feel compelled to write about eating disorders and their potential implications in pregnant women. However, I must add that there is a large spectrum of what can be considered normal regarding weight gain and activity during pregnancy. Every woman is different and will gain differing amounts of weight. Both activity and weight gain in pregnant women depend on multiple factors and should be determined on a case-by-case basis between a woman and her OB-GYN. By no means am I here to judge anyone on how they behave during their pregnancy. The purpose of this week’s DrSugar column is to provide information on how eating disorders can affect pregnancy. To learn more, keep reading.

We all know that the plank is the perfect core exercise. We also know that we need to switch up our fitness routines to prevent the plateau and boredom. Here’s one of my fave variations on the traditional exercise that has you moving between the basic plank and an elbow plank. Add this move into your fitness routine to tone your arms and work your center. Just make sure to do this on a padded surface so you don’t bang up your elbows.