Diet Dangers--Things to Avoid to Lose Weight

 Dieting is one of the most challenging behavior modification acts to perform. Unlike quitting smoking, where the smoker can give up cigarettes altogether, the dieter has to eat to live. I can't give up food but I can avoid certain pitfalls. Here's my diet danger watchlist. Diet Problems

Healthy Snacking Tips for Holiday Dieting

The holiday season wouldn't be the same without cookies, candy, cheese balls, dips, ham, alcohol and calorie-laden goodies, right? From Thanksgiving to Epiphany, the holidays mean overindulgence. If you're dieting or watching your weight, holiday foods can pose real stumbling blocks. And if I stop dieting for the holidays, it seems all the harder to restart in January. Why not try these tips to tame the taste for decadent desserts and delicacies with these healthy alternatives? read more

Al Anon--What the Stinking Thinking of Addiction Looks Like

One mistake we make in health care is to separate emotional/mental health issues from physical health issues. Last time I checked my mind and spirit were housed in my body. Physical health affects mental health and vice versa. And behavior is an outward manifestation of inward processes (aka thoughts and feelings). To be truly healthy, we've got to get our thoughts, actions and feelings working together on the same page.

Addictive behavior is driven by distorted emotions stemming from unhealthy thoughts. In his recovery manual "Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-Deception," Abraham J. Twerski says these thoughts are sometimes called "stinking thinking" (coined in Alcoholics Anonymous). Stinking thinking doesn't always go away just because an addict quits. Alanon says real recovery means identifying dysfunctional thoughts and replacing them with healthier ones. Here are some examples of sick things addicts tell themselves.
 What the Stinking Thinking of Addiction Looks Like 

Long-Term Use of Melatonin as Sleep Aid May Create Increased Tolerance and Dependency

Melatonin, or N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine, is a naturally occurring hormone, that is used by an increasing number of people as a sleep aid. From personal experience and talking to others who've used it, I found that taking melatonin nightly to aid sleep can have adverse effects. These include increased tolerance, dependency, failure to address underlying sleep problems and altered sleep patterns. Many people take melatonin by itself or in combination with other ingredients in such sleep aids as Alteril. Melatonin is used for a variety of sleeping problems: to help people get to sleep, stay asleep and sleep better. Melatonin is available over the counter in the US, but in other countries by prescription only. Read more Long-Term Use of Melatonin as Sleep Aid Creates Increased Tolerance and Dependency

Melatonin Hormone Boost Sleep Aid- Addictive?

Long-Term Use of Melatonin as Sleep Aid Creates Increased Tolerance and Dependency
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone. An increasing number of people use it as a sleep aid. Taking melatonin can have adverse effects: increased tolerance, dependency, masking other sleep problems and altered sleep patterns.
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Quitting Antidepressants: Emotional and Psychological Addiction

Psychological and Emotional Addiction to Antidepressants
I've been taking anti-depressants for seven years and have quit them within the last few weeks. While they may not be physically addictive, anti-depressants are definitely emotionally and psychologically addictive.
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Stinkin Thinkin, Toxic Behavior and Detachment in Relationships

Stinking Thinking and Toxic Behavior: Mental Detachment
In a relationship with stinking thinking and toxic behavior? If someone you love has stinking thinking with toxic behavior you need to detach. Your job is to keep yourself safe. Emotional and mental detachment is one method.
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Hookah Smoking: Unsafe, Unhealthy, Unsanitary? Addictive? Or Just Harmless Fun?

Hookah Smoking and Hookah Bars: Safe, Unsafe or Just a Passing Fad?
Smoking hookah, or flavored tobacco, is becoming increasingly more popular with teens and young adults. Hookah bars provide heated water bongs in which hookah smokers share a common mouthpiece. Since writing this, more has come out on hookah, showing that it's not greatly addictive and not nearly as addictive as cigarettes. It's also a social activity in many Middle eastern countries. I think we need to seek understanding and exercise caution before judging any cultural activity.  Read More

Reduce Caffeine for Physical, Emotional and Mental Health

Caffeine Dangers: Physical, Mental and Emotional Health Issues
Caffeine is a drug. Like amphetamines, caffeine is a stimulant, or 'upper'. But like barbituates, caffeine has a reverse depressant or 'downer' affect also. Caffeine causes dehydration, spiked energy, lethargy and often depression.
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Rageaholics: Coping Skills

How to Cope with Anger: Rage-aholics
Persons who experience frequent bouts of explosive anger are 'rage-aholics'. These folks are addicted to rage like alchohol.If you live with a rage-aholics, here are some coping skills.
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