Sort of as an after thought at the end of the article I put a link to my telephone advice service.

Normally, I get calls from great people who are having typical issues we all as people face. Things like panic attacks, problems with stress at home or work and/or having relationship troubles. Normal people with normal life challenges who just need someone to talk with about what’s going on in their lives. That was the concept of the project from the beginning.

However, I never dreamed what would begin to happen once I posted that article about secrets on Jan 8th of this year. People began calling me to reveal their deepest, inner most secrets. Secrets they couldn’t tell anyone. Secrets that in some cases were killing them inside for more than 50 years as was the case with one caller. When this person was 8 years old, they accidentally set fire to their home killing their baby brother. They never confessed. Today, in their late 60’s it still haunts them everyday.

Another called to confess that she had cheated on her boyfriend about 8 months ago and recently discovered that she might be infected with HIV when she learned that the man she slept with is now HIV positive. She continues to have sex with her partner of 7 years, has not been tested and has yet to tell him.

The guilt is killing her.

Hundreds of people have called the line. Even though I envisioned it as a relationship advice line, people now call because they have this need to confess. The secrets I have heard and discussed over the past seven months are both fascinating and shocking. At times, tragic and horrifically disturbing. The calls continue to pour in and as word has spread over the months, more and more call to reveal their secrets to a complete and total stranger.

A women I will call “Betty” wanted me to know that she got drunk one weekend and ended up with a strange group of men. She was gang raped by several of the men she didn’t know while several others stood around video taping it on their iPhones. She’s the wife of a Southern Baptist preacher.

Lots of callers just want him or her back. They screwed up the relationship, they know it now, they are deeply sorry for what they have done and now they want to repair the damage they caused.

Some admit that they have read my books or seen me on the TV talk shows. But to most, I am just a voice on the other end of the phone that can help comfort them, guide them and give them some sort of direction. A voice that doesn’t know anyone they know. Someone who can’t find them. The AT&T system I use connects both parties anonymously. So I do not have their number and they don’t have mine. I can’t contact them at all and that has been the success of this program.

The secrets we keep as a people have really shown me just how much more we are alike then we are different. Though each of our stories may be unique to us all, the process of living life as a human being is the same for everyone. I have personally learned so much speaking to the brave and courageous souls who have called me. Their stories are deeply touching. (I have changed some of the details above to protect their true identities, but you get the idea.)

This has been one of the most amazingly profound experiences of my life.

What’s truly ironic to me is that not only did this happen by accident, but as most of you know, I was a professional magician for almost 30 years of my life keeping many secrets of my own during that time.  Then there is my book entitled” OCD A Life Among Secrets“.

I find it all truly ironic because somehow secrets have always been a part of my life.

Maybe they always will be.

What Secrets do you have?

Post a comment below anonymously and tell us what is eating at you from the inside out.

or

Click to give me a call:

1-888-INGENIO, extension 0623837

Studies show that individuals with a positive outlook on life tend to have effective coping skills, which help them make the best out of unfortunate and unexpected situations.  This ability to see the ‘silver lining’ may be the key to protecting your heart in stressful situations.

Glass Half Empty

A study of patients with heart disease followed for six to 10 years found that those with pessimistic beliefs about their recovery were twice as likely to die during that time frame as those who felt more optimistic.

Duke University Medical Center conducted psychological assessments on 2,825 patients hospitalized for heart disease.

During the study, patients were asked to describe their expectations about their ability to recover from their illness and regain a normal life. After follow up five to 10 years later, 978 of the patients died, with 66% dying of heart disease.

Patient expectations about their disease course were highly related to survival, with patients who had the most pessimistic views dying at twice the rate of those who were most optimistic. Results showed the death rate among the most pessimistic patients was still 30% higher than the most optimistic.

One possible explanation for these findings is that “positive thoughts” may lessen the damaging effects of stress on the body.

A separate study at Duke found that people with a more positive outlook were found to have significantly lower increases in blood pressure during stress than people who were negative. They also found that the more optimistic people had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol within 30 minutes of waking — a time in which levels tend to be high.

Positive Energy is Contagious

In his book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman writes of how we attract ‘like’ energy and our attitudes whether good or bad directly affect those around us.  Cynics and pessimists for example tend to associate with those with similar demeanors.  Conversely, those with positive attitudes tend to gravitate to more positive people.  And this energy is contagious! A great example of contagious energy occurs when I work in the operating room.  On many occasion I’ve noticed how the energy in the operating room is dictated and set by the tone and demeanor of the primary surgeon.  When calm, cool and collected the entire team works together synergistically, like a smoothly oiled machine.  I’ve seen first hand how this almost palpable contagious energy helps achieve optimal outcomes.

Glass Half Full

A new study suggests that optimists’ glass-half-full approach to life may actually offer some health benefits.  Women 50 or older who are optimistic are less likely to get heart disease and die of any cause in a given time period compared to women their age who are more pessimistic, according to a study published this week in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The study included 97,253 postmenopausal women ages 50-79 who were enrolled in the government-funded Women’s Health Initiative; they were all healthy and free of cancer and cardiovascular disease at the start of the study.

It seems although stress affects pessimists and optimists equally, when faced with problems, optimists tend to assess the situation, cope with the problem head-on, and mobilize support to solve issues, more so than pessimists.

It turns out optimists are better equipped with coping strategies that help them manage stress. They’re more likely to exercise, meditate and participate in heart healthy activities such as yoga and tai chi. In my book The 15 Minute Heart Cure I describe one such tool designed to help manage life’s difficult and unexpected challenges. I show how the B-R-E-A-T-H-E technique can help you relax, concentrate, and focus in difficult situations and ultimately help protect your heart.  It’s a simple exercise that combines two proven forms of relaxation therapy—breath work and guided imagery. B-R-E-A-T-H-E is an acronym where each letter represents a separate step of the relaxation technique. When practiced regularly this tool helps us find calm and successfully navigate life’s most stressful storms.

Old Dogs and New Tricks

Even for those with deeply ingrained negative attitudes, don’t lose faith because studies show you can definitely teach old dogs new tricks.  Research in neuroscience shows how our brains are more malleable and “plastic” than once thought.  In fact, we now know that even those with negative emotions can change their thoughts, attitudes and behavior by learning ways to relax and manage stress.

Summing it Up

So, it’s pretty simple.  Positive energy helps protect our heart and negative emotions have been found to be harmful. Moreover, our energy, good or bad is contagious and directly affects the attitudes and emotions of those around us.

One thing is for sure. Life is unpredictable and full of unexpected challenges. And learning effective coping skills like the BREATHE technique can help you manage stress and keep your tank full of heart healthy, positive energy!

LISTEN TO AN AMAZING INTERVIEW WITH DR. KENNEDY BY CLICKING HERE!

Author:

John M. Kennedy, MD, medical director of preventive cardiology and wellness at Marina Del Rey Hospital, California. He is a clinical associate professor at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and is on the board of directors for the American Heart Association. He is author, with Jason Jennings, of The 15 Minute Heart Cure: The Natural Way to Release Stress and Heal Your Heart in Just Minutes a Day (Wiley). www.the15MinuteHeartCure.com

The pain in your neck that you attributed to long hours at the computer could actually be a symptom of stress. “Stress definitely affects our musculoskeletal system, resulting in tight, contracting muscles and/or spasms in muscles,” explains Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD, MS, PT, a psychologist and physical therapist in Wexford, Pennsylvania, and author of A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness. “It gets us ready for fight-or-flight, although unlike our cavewomen ancestors, we don’t actually need our bodies to react like this.” If you’re experiencing what you believe to be stress-related muscle symptoms, try this exercise: Take 5 to 10 deep breaths and focus on relaxing the tense area of your body, says Dr. Lombardo. For the neck, try gentle neck rolls or enlist your husband to give you a quick shoulder rub.
2. Eye Twitching

Have you ever had an eye twitch? The often temporary condition can be annoying and worrisome, and for some, can be triggered by stress. “This condition is known as blepharospasm,” explains Debbie Mandel, MA, a stress and wellness expert and author of Addicted to Stress: A Woman’s 7-Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life. “Closing your eyes and visualizing your happiest place on earth will help.” Also, avoid stress-related eye issues by giving your peepers a break now and then. “If your eyes get stressed from detailed work at the computer, ’stretch’ them every 20 minutes by looking out the window at a larger landscape,” suggests Mandel. “If you have no view, close your eyes and imagine a panorama.”
3. Ragged Cuticles

Do you have ragged, unkempt cuticles or nails? Their condition could be the result of a stress-induced nervous habit. “Nervous habits like nail-biting are how we channel our stress by distracting ourselves with what is known as oral satisfaction,” says Mandel, adding that picking nails and cuticles is also a common way for women to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. If you take stress out on your hands, consider keeping a stress ball in your desk drawer-something you can squeeze or knead when on the phone with a difficult client, for instance. This helps “squeeze the stress out of your body,” says Mandel.

CLICK HERE To Learn How We Can Bring You Clarification In Any Area That Is Affecting You, We Can Help You Through Any Problem You May Have.

4. Cavities

We all know that slacking off on dental hygiene is the first way to get cavities, but stress can also be a culprit, say experts, especially when you’re grinding your teeth at night or during the day. Mandel explains teeth grinding, which many women do, as “chewing over the day’s stressors.” The problem, however, is that this bad habit can erode dental work, damaging your teeth and making them more susceptible to cavities. Mandel suggests redirecting your anxiety to pen and paper. “Set aside time to write down your problems to see them objectively in black and white, and then jot down some solutions,” she says. But, she adds, “If teeth grinding is severe, see a dentist about getting a mouth guard.”
5. Rashes

It sounds strange, but your skin can be a pretty good barometer of your stress level. “Stress can cause a rash, usually raised red spots or hives on the stomach, back, arms and face,” notes Dr. Lombardo. “While we don’t know why it occurs, some experts believe that it has to do with the adverse effects of stress on the immune system-histamine is released, causing these itchy bumps.” Deep breathing may keep rashes at bay, or from developing in the first place. So, next time you feel your stress level rising, place your hand right above your belly button. “Every time you inhale, you want your hand to rise; with each exhale, it lowers. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths periodically throughout the day.”
6. Nausea

Have you ever been worried about a loved one’s (or your own) health condition, Googled it and suddenly felt nauseated? “Stress can upset the stomach, and nausea can be a byproduct of worry,” says Mandel, who warns against playing “Google MD.” Worrying about your health or a loved one’s is normal, but obsessing about it is unhealthy. If your anxiety is causing nausea, try this trick that Mandel swears by: Let tepid water run over your fingers; it’s believed to keep nausea at bay.
7. Sleepiness
Feeling sluggish?

It could be stress. “Stress hormones cause your body to surge with adrenaline and then crash into sleepiness,” says Mandel. “Stress will also ruin the quality of your sleep, so you wake up tired and irritable.” What to do? Go to bed earlier, says Mandel, or catch a 30-minute nap midday, and don’t feel guilty about doing so. “There is great productivity in rest,” she says. “You come back more focused!”
8. Forgetfulness

Ask any woman who is trying to do it all and she’ll admit to a few slip-ups in the memory department (forgotten appointments, lost keys, missing cell phone-ring a bell?). “Research shows that chronic stress can literally shrink the size of the hippocampus, which is responsible for some memories,” says Dr. Lombardo. “Luckily, its size will go back to normal once your stress level reduces.” Want to keep your brain functioning at an optimal level? Combat the first signs of stress with exercise, she says: “Go for a walk, run up a flight of stairs or dance around to the newest Black Eyed Peas tune.” Exercise, she adds, keeps your brain sharp and may even help you be more prepared for future stressful moments.
9. Confusion

You can’t decide what to make for dinner, what to wear to work or which exit to take off the freeway. Stress causes distraction and lack of focus, says Mandel. “Stress hormones lodge longest in the brain,” she says. To restore focus, take a walk, she says. “Move the stress out of your body by exercising large muscle groups like the legs. You will gain clarity. Walk out in the light and you’ll reset your natural rhythm while you move out the stress. Sunlight helps the body release serotonin to improve mood, and vitamin D helps you improve your immune system-a great perk.”

Are you familiar with The Fat Flush Plan? This innovative approach to weight loss seems to be taking the diet world by storm… and with good reason. Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman takes many positive aspects of high-protein diets and combines them with the benefits of detoxing. This may eliminate some of the negative side effects common to other detox programs that eliminate protein, but does The Fat Flush Plan go far enough to promote total health?

Dr. Gittleman is off to a great start. Especially if you incorporate complete plant protein in the Fat Flush Plan. According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, people who filled up on plant protein shed substantially more weight than those who do not. Related research in the journal Nutrition Reviews also suggests that following a plant-protein detox can help women reduce their levels of body fat by an additional three to fifteen percent.

Many of Gittleman’s clients say they lose twenty pounds in just two weeks by drinking two plant-protein smoothies each day followed by a dinner consisting of lean protein paired with steamed green vegetables and salad. But, what happens when the two weeks are over? In order to maintain optimal weight for the long term, a person needs to adopt a lifestyle based on Super Health. Remember that Super Health should be your ultimate goal, not just weight loss. Fortunately, some of the many positive byproducts of Super Health are fitness and optimized weight.

In order to achieve Super Health, it is absolutely imperative to follow the Four Corners of Super food Nutrition.

These are as follows:

1.) eating fewer calories while increasing nutrient density,

2.) minimizing sugar intake and high glycemic response foods,

3.) increasing antioxidants, and

4.) getting the right fats and avoiding the wrong ones.

For more information about the Four Corners of Super food Nutrition, please visit LivingFuel.com/Four-Corners-Of_Superfood_Nutrition.aspx.

If achieving Super Health is your ultimate goal, you’ll need to adopt a style of eating that uses the Four Corners as a foundation. That’s why I suggest you graduate from the Fat Flush to the LivingFuel Fast!

First of all, you won’t have to run all over town to buy ingredients for your smoothies. You’ll be amazed at how nutrient dense our LivingFuel smoothies are for a relatively small number of calories. Not to mention the fact that our LivingFuel LivingProtein powder was recently rated as best of the best plant-based  protein powders on the market by First For Women magazine.

There are many physical, mental, and even spiritual benefits to fasting. Of course, when I refer to fasting, I am not speaking of a total food fast, but rather a juice-type fast that solves the limitations of juicing (including hunger and inadequate amounts of protein, healthy fats, and other vital nutrients).

Extraordinary things can happen to your health when you eliminate the things that you typically eat and drink and exchange them for ideal amounts of foundational nutrients. Such nutrients include: nutrient-dense superfoods, complete plant proteins, non-grain low-glycemic carbohydrates, amino acids, essential fatty acids, pre and probiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, therapeutic herbs and other healthy nutrients.

When I created LivingFuel Foundational Superfoods, my objective was to provide my family with exceptional nutrition made easy. In the process, I found that I had created a product perfectly suited for short or long-term juice fasting.

I know that for many of you, a daunting part of juice fasting is obtaining all the fresh fruits and vegetables and preparing the juice – it tends to be inconvenient and time-consuming. Most people who juice make mostly fruit or sweet vegetable juices, which contain loads of sugars and are not nearly as healthy as the deep dark greens and colorful vegetables.

That’s why I recommend that you upgrade to the LivingFuel Fast. Preparation is a breeze when you are following the LivingFuel Fast, and the plan is far more nutritious than juicing. You can simply mix LivingFuel SuperGreens and/or SuperBerry with 12-20 ounces of pure spring water in a blender or shaker bottle.

You get an all-natural, nutrient-dense, low-glycemic, high-antioxidant, low-calorie smoothie – everything the body needs! Your smoothie contains more calcium and Vitamin D than milk, more potassium than bananas, more resveratrol than wine, more fiber than oatmeal, more protein than half a dozen egg whites, more friendly bacteria than yogurt, and more phytonutrients and antioxidants than a basket of fruits and vegetables! It is also important to take LivingFuel SuperEssentials Omega 3 EDA daily.

During your LivingFuel Fast, you will most likely be getting the very best nutrition of your life. In fact, you will be receiving more than adequate amounts of nutrition to handle your hunger and cravings. You should also be able to carry on your daily routine, including exercise and athletic activities.

You can continue your LivingFuel Fast for as long as you feel comfortable. Some people fast for a weekend, some for 4-7 days, and others go up to a month and beyond. (In cases of serious health conditions, always conduct fasts under the supervision of your health care practitioner.) We’ve seen people achieve such phenomenal results after completing a LivingFuel Fast that many decide to permanently replace one or two meals a day with LivingFuel. For optimal results, I recommend you do a LivingFuel Fast for 4-7 days at least twice every year.

Easy When You Go Fast

I suggest that you build up slowly to your LivingFuel Fast. Start out by replacing one meal per day with a LivingFuel SuperGreens and/or SuperBerry smoothie, then two meals, and so on. When you have the experience and confidence that you will not be hungry or tired, it’s time to begin your fast. For more information about the LivingFuel Fast, visit LivingFuel.com/Getting-Started_The-Living-Fuel-Fast.aspx.

Take the 7-Day Challenge

If you have never tried LivingFuel before, I encourage you to take our 7-Day Challenge! Just give me seven days, and I guarantee you won’t feel weak! In fact, if you accept the LivingFuel 7 Day Challenge, you’ll find yourself on the threshold of vibrant health and incredible energy. In one week, LivingFuel will put you on a course of optimal nutrition that could change the rest of your life!

Our challenge begins with taking positive action to control your health and achieve a quality of life many only dream about. The 7 Day Challenge is designed to benefit anyone who wants to create a nutritional foundation based on super foods. In just seven days, you will experience many noticeable benefits, including increased energy, strength, endurance, and weight optimization. You will discover the ability to achieve your health goals and to overcome cravings and addictions to sugar, caffeine, and other unhealthy foods and beverages.

Regardless of where you have been, how old you are, or how busy the season, this is a perfect time to begin your personal journey towards Super Health and a renewed sense of vitality. Start today! For more information about the Living Fuel 7-Day Challenge, visit LivingFuel.com/Seven_Day_Challenge.aspx.

Here’s to your Super Health!

KC Craichy

Founder & CEO

Living Fuel, Inc.

Read the full description BEFORE clicking on the link and looking at the picture on the next page.

It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary’s Hospital.

This is quite possibly the MOST accurate self stress test that I have ever seen!

It’s so simple and easy to do.

Here’s how you use it:

Step #1

Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water.
The dolphins are identical.
A closely monitored scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins
are identical, a person under extreme stress would find differences in the two dolphins.
Step #2

Click on the link below and look at the photograph now.

If you find more than one or two differences, you need to learn how to reduce the stress levels  in your life.

You should take this test very seriously.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TEST PHOTO OF THE 2 IDENTICAL DOLPHINS.

By Guest Blogger: Libby Gill

You know what it’s like when you’re down to the wire on a project and suddenly that jolt of adrenalin kicks in and gets you to the finish line?  That’s stress.  In small doses, stress can give you a welcome energy boost and the increased focus you need to get the job done.  But when you’re dealing with massive doses of stress – especially unrelenting stress with no recovery periods – it can take a physical, mental and emotional toll.

When your brain perceives danger – real or imagined – your natural survival instincts spring to your defense and you go into “fight or flight” mode. Your heart rate speeds up, your muscles tighten, your focus sharpens and your blood starts pumping faster.  Stress can protect you by increasing your reaction time so that you’re able to slam on the brakes and avoid hitting a car that suddenly pulls out in front of you.  Stress also keeps you sharp when you’re giving a presentation or studying for final exams.

The problem is that the amount of stress in your life can elevate without your even realizing it.  I call this stress creep. It’s not hard for our stress to creep up on us in our ultra-driven society where we seem to pride ourselves on being crazy, busy, slammed on a 24/7 basis.  And it’s literally 24/7 since our cyber-gadgets and social networking systems have added a right-now urgency and around-the-clock accessibility to our lives like never before.

So how do you know if your stress is under control or off the charts?  Get a quick snapshot by answering the questions below with the following scores:  4 always, 3 often, 2 sometimes, and 1 never.

TEST YOUR STRESS CREEP

1. Are you drowning in deadlines?
2. Has your stress increased over the past year?
3. Are you juggling multiple responsibilities?
4. Have you lost or gained more than 10 pounds in the past year?
5. Is achievement important to you?
6. Is it hard for you to relax, nap or enjoy down time?
7. Do your ever feel guilty that your prioritize work over family or friends?
8. Are you impatient or irritable?
9. Do you skip vacation time even when you desperately need it?

10.  Do you loved ones ever beg you to slow down?

Now, add your scores and see how your stress levels stack up.

10 – 20 TOO LAID BACK

While it’s good to be laid back in moderation, you’ve got so little stress in your life you’re probably not achieving much.  You may also lack excitement or stimulation.  Could it be that you’ve traded stress for stuck?

21 – 30 UNDER CONTROL

You’ve got a good handle on managing your stress, juggling your responsibilities and living a well-balanced life.  Continue to keep your stress under control while you start getting more aggressive about getting unstuck.  You can handle it!

31 – 40 OVER THE TOP

You are waaaaay too stressed.  Get it under control or you may be heading for some serious repercussions.  Start some de-stressing tactics immediately and consider scheduling a full physical.  How are you going to get unstuck when you’re recovering from a stroke or heart attack?

If you landed in the “too laid back” category, maybe you’ve already written yourself off as an unmotivated, low-energy loser.  Or, perhaps, you’re at the “over the top” end of the spectrum, but think your headaches, nausea and sleeplessness are just part of being a high-achiever.  Wake up and smell the cortisol!  We’re fooling ourselves to think that feeling bad is causing our stress when, in fact, it’s the other way around.  It’s often our stress that’s making us feel bad.  Lots of us, apparently, because numerous studies have indicated that between 60-90% of doctor’s visits are stress-related.

Stress robs you of the energy, focus and enthusiasm you need to get unstuck and on track to success.  But stress doesn’t just keep you stuck, stress kills.  It can elevate your blood pressure, raise your risk of heart disease and stroke, and suppress your immune system.  It can also sap the joy that is truly your birthright.

Luckily, there are some inherent conditions that enhance people’s ability to handle stress.  See if you are fortunate enough to possess any of the following factors:

• A solid network of supportive friends and family
• Openness to change and an ability to roll with the punches
• An optimistic outlook about life
• A sense of humor and cheerful attitude
• A belief in a higher power or life purpose
• Self-control and confidence in your ability to cope

If the characteristics above describe you, keep reinforcing your stress-busting lifestyle.  You’ll need it as you work to get unstuck, pushing forward into new areas of life change which, inevitably, will bring new stresses. If you don’t possess the traits listed above, it’s time to read You Unstuck and some great techniques for countering stress creep for good.

Click Here To Listen To An Amazing Interview With Libby Gill <———— Click!

Libby Gill is an executive coach, brand strategist and bestselling author.  You can learn more at www.LibbyGill.com and www.MyAccountabilityClub.com.

Most people know that smoking, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are among the main risk factors for heart disease. Few of us realize that daily stress is another key risk factor. It can damage the heart and arteries even in people who are otherwise healthy.

Recent finding: A University of Southern California study that looked at 735 patients for more than 12 years found that chronic stress and anxiety were better predictors of future cardiovascular events (such as a heart attack) than other risk factors. The researchers estimate that those who reduce or stabilize their stress levels are 50% to 60% less likely to have a heart attack than those who experience increasing stress.

TOXIC OVER TIME
Researchers have known for a long time that sudden traumatic events can trigger heart problems. Three years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, for example, study participants — most of whom watched the attacks on live television — were questioned about their stress levels. Those who still were severely stressed were 53% more likely to have heart problems, and twice as likely to develop high blood pressure, as those with lower stress levels.
It appears that even “normal” stress — financial pressures or an unhappy job situation — is dangerous when it continues for a long time. It’s estimated that more than 75% of visits to primary care physicians are linked to stress-related disorders.

What happens: Chronic stress increases vascular resistance, the main cause of high blood pressure. It increases the activity of platelets, cell-like structures in blood that clump together and trigger most heart attacks. It increases levels of cortisol, adrenaline and other stress hormones that promote arterial inflammation.
Doctors have been slow to acknowledge stress as a major cardiovascular risk factor. This is partly because stress (like pain) is subjective and highly individual — it’s difficult to quantify, because everyone has different stress triggers and experiences stress differently. One lawyer might thrive on hectic 16-hour days, while another might react with high anxiety.
Stress can’t be directly measured, but tests show its toxic effects. When laboratory subjects who are asked to count backward from 100 by eights get increasingly frustrated, there is a corresponding increase in their heart rate, adrenaline and substances linked to inflammation, such as C-reactive protein and interleukins.

STRESS REDUCTION WORKS
We can only partly control our emotional environments — stress-causing events can’t always be avoided. But we can greatly change the ways in which we react to stress. People who do this can significantly lower their cardiovascular risks. In one study, patients with heart disease were divided into three groups and followed for up to five years. Those in one group practiced stress reduction. Those in the other groups were treated either with an exercise program or with standard medical care. (The standard-care group maintained their regular medical regimen and did not participate in an exercise or stress-management program.)
Only 10% of those in the stress-control group had a subsequent heart attack or required bypass surgery or angioplasty, compared with 21% in the exercise group and 30% in the medical-care group.

BREATHE
The traditional techniques for reducing stress, such as yoga, are helpful but typically too complicated and time-consuming for most people. My colleagues and I have developed a simpler approach that anyone can do in about 15 minutes a day. The simple template was created drawing from data in sport psychology and is a form of transcendental meditation. It goes by the acronym B-R-E-A-T-H-E, which stands for Begin, Relax, Envision, Apply, Treat, Heal and End.

Begin. Pick a time of day when you won’t be interrupted for 15 minutes. Find a comfortable location. Many patients use their bedrooms, but any quiet, private place will work.

Relax. This phase of the exercise is meant to elicit the relaxation response, a physiological process that reduces stress hormones, slows electrical activity in the brain and reduces inflammation.

Sit or lie quietly. Focus so completely on your breathing that there isn’t room in your mind for anything else. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose. Then exhale just as slowly through your mouth. Each inhalation and exhalation should take about seven seconds. Repeat the breathing cycle seven times. You’ll know you’re ready to go to the next step when your body is so relaxed that it feels as if all of your weight is supported by the chair or bed rather than by your muscles.

Envision. Spend a few minutes imagining that every part of your heart — the arteries, muscles, valves and the electrical system — is strong and healthy. Form a mental picture (it doesn’t have to be anatomically accurate) of the heart pumping blood and sending nourishment throughout your body. Hold the mental image for several minutes.
Studies using PET scans show that people who imagine that they are performing an action activate the same part of the brain that is involved when they actually do that action. Imagining a healthy heart literally can make the heart healthier.

Apply. It’s up to you when (and how often) you perform this relaxation exercise. Most people can find 15 minutes a day to take a mental break from stress to keep their hearts healthy. Others also use this technique when they notice that their stress levels are rising.
During a hectic day at work, for example, you might take a break for 15 minutes to calm down with conscious breathing and visualization.

Treat and heal. I encourage patients to embrace the pleasurable aspects of this exercise. Don’t consider it a chore. It’s more like a spa treatment than a physical workout.
The healing aspect can be strongly motivating, particularly if you already have a history of heart disease. Every time you do this exercise, you are strengthening the neural networks that connect the heart and brain. This can lead to a decrease in heart arrhythmias (irregularities), an increase in immune-cell activity and even better sleep.

End. Finish each relaxation session by making a mental checklist of what you have achieved. You have imagined that your heart and arteries are healthy. You have reduced stress hormones, and you are feeling more relaxed and energized than you did before.

The results are long-lasting. People who practice this for a few weeks will find themselves dealing with unexpected stressful events productively and in a calm, focused manner.

Author:

John M. Kennedy, MD, medical director of preventive cardiology and wellness at Marina Del Rey Hospital, California. He is a clinical associate professor at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and is on the board of directors for the American Heart Association. He is author, with Jason Jennings, of The 15 Minute Heart Cure: The Natural Way to Release Stress and Heal Your Heart in Just Minutes a Day (Wiley). www.the15MinuteHeartCure.com

By Guest Bloggers: The Baietto Brothers

Your body is the greatest vehicle that has ever been created! OH MY… the intricacies, the details, the overall quality, the precision of all the parts, the perfection of multiple systems all coordinating to work together with unexplainable synergy. This amazing vehicle allows us to walk, talk, eat, breathe, see, hear, etc… it’s literally unexplainable…

However, regular maintenance IS required…and therein lays the rub!

Now if we use a car as a metaphor we can easily understand this analogy. If you were to walk into Lamborghini dealer and decide to buy the top of the line vehicle from him he would spend a great deal of time explaining the care and upkeep that you would need to do to make sure that this amazing vehicle stayed working at it’s optimal level. In fact, he would make sure that you knew that if you didn’t take care of the vehicle in the manner that was best for it, your warranty would be null and void.

This makes sense right?

I mean it is a $400,000 Lamborghini.

Now, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t use the best materials they could. It’s just the nature of taking care of a super high-end vehicle that you get the privilege to drive around. No matter how careful you are, you are going to drive on some uneven roads, you’re going to hit some potholes, you will probably get caught in the bad weather from time to time, and you may even get bumped by someone else. Needless to say, there are so many outside factors that can affect the cars performance that the only way to keep it running at the optimal level it was designed to, is to get regular maintenance.

And any good mechanic will tell you it is much easier and definitely much cheaper to take care of the little things along the way and than to wait until something major happens before taking it in.

The same is true with our bodies!

At our health center, people come in all the time and share stories of how their back, knee, hip, etc went out and all they were doing was carrying a bag of groceries, or walking up a flight of stairs or lifting up their little child. And what they don’t seem to understand is that it wasn’t that isolated incident but years of hitting small potholes, getting bumped, or just normal wear and tear that wasn’t being taken care of and whatever they were doing when they got hurt was simply the proverbial “straw that broke the camels back.”

Stress is often like that. How many times have you gotten really angry over something and when you looked back at it you had to admit that the incident in question certainly didn’t seem like it deserved to become such a big deal? Most of the time, it was simply the last of a series of many things that were weighing on you and that just happened to be the thing that pushed you over the edge.

It may sound obvious but somehow very few of us connect the dots and take the time to release our stress every day so that the little things don’t build up. And most of our stress is simply an accumulation, day after day, of thousands of little things. Things that by themselves weren’t a big deal at all, but all together… well, if you’re human, I’m sure you’ve been there. J By taking just a few minutes a day to release your stress you can let go of the little things. And not only that but when the truly big things does come your way, you have the tools and the practice to support yourself through them.

Just like a car needs a bigger scheduled maintenance every so often, we are going to encounter big challenges in our life from time to time. The goal is not to avoid the challenges, that would be impossible, but rather to keep ourselves in the best shape possible to handle them.

Try this right now… feel around inside your body and see where you are holding your stress. It maybe your shoulders, your neck, your lower back… where is it for you? Now, simply close your eyes take a slow deep breath and breathe into the area that you are focusing on… feel the fresh, pure, oxygen relaxing that part of your body. Do this for 5 full breaths. Can you feel the difference? Often we don’t even realize how tight we are in a certain area. And with each breath, you may experience a sensation of letting go and feeling looser inside. You may even start to feel a slight tingle as that area continues to relax. This is a simple but very powerful technique that you can do whenever and wherever you want. Try doing it tonight when you get into bed. Trust us, it is way better than counting sheep.

At www.completebalance.com we start with 3 simple but very powerful stress release techniques that you can do in just a couple minutes a day. By forming a daily habit of releasing stress each evening you will not only sleep better than ever but you will start every morning with a full tank of gas and all systems ready to go. J

VRRROOMMM, VRRRROOOM
The Baietto Brothers

Listen To An Amazing Live Interview With The Baietto Brothers By Clicking Here!

A trip to the dentist

‘There was never a child so lovely, but his mother was glad to get him asleep.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Look Mommy! Look Mommy!” yelled Sarah as she rounded the door to the kitchen. “Look at what” I said as I crouched down to her level.

“My tooth, my tooth, it’s coming in!” she said.

Sure enough there was the first sign of a new tooth.” We have been waiting a long time for this.” I said and Sarah nodded her head. As Sarah jumped up and down in excitement I could not help but reflect back onto what could have been a traumatic and expensive chapter in Sarah’s and our family’s lives.

Sarah has been independent from the start. One day when she was nearly two, I was working in the kitchen when I heard Sarah crying from the next room, where she and her brother Michael were playing. I checked on her and discovered she had hurt her mouth from a fall, but there was no sign of an injury. I comforted her for a bit and then sent her on her way to play hard again with her brother Michael. The next morning I discovered part of her lower front tooth was missing; it had fallen out in her sleep. A quick call and an afternoon spent getting to the dentist found that there was nothing to do at this time. I could only wish this was the end of the story.

After her third birthday Sarah once again came to me. “Mommy, my mouth hurts,” she said. With a little poking and prodding a small abscess was found at the root of her chipped tooth. It was very sore. The dentist confirmed my suspicions that the root had been damaged and the tooth would have to be removed. The dentist said she would try extracting the tooth in the office, but that many children Sarah’s age were unmanageable in the chair. If Sarah would not cooperate the tooth might have to be removed in the hospital under anesthesia. As a nurse I knew that with anesthesia and surgery there would be increased risk of complications for Sarah, and I wanted to avoid surgery if at all possible. Knowing that hospital visits associated with dental procedures were not covered by our insurance helped with the urgency of making sure Sarah became the perfect patient. How could I possibly tame an energetic 3 year old for such a procedure?

At this point in our family’s life I had been successful at getting our children through many situations by talking to them in their sleep. But this was just the beginning of my development with the Pillow Talk methodology. There were questions. Could it work on such a stressful situation? Could it work with needles, pliers, and grinders involved? Could it work in such a foreign and strange environment to Sarah? I could not think of any other solutions so it was going to have to work. This was going to stretch my creativity and ability to new limits.

I spent the whole next day working on what and how I would talk to Sarah the next couple of nights. Each night I went to Sarah in her sleep and used carefully planned words to assist her with the visit. These words were directed not only for a calm visit, but also at the problem of excessive bleeding. I gave my best Pillow Talks ever. The appointment was two days away, so testing the number of nights to give a Pillow Talk would have to be at two.

I took a heavy sigh as Sarah was called to the dentist chair. In the back of my mind I knew that even if the Pillow Talks didn’t work this time that I would handle the time and expense involved with a hospital visit. And, most procedures with anesthesia go without any problems.

Sarah walked in and sat down with great confidence. She was so brave through her whole appointment. She gave one small whimper for a moment when she saw the needle, but she sat still and behaved very well. When the dentist was done, she put a cotton ball where her tooth had been and told her to keep it there tight. She then commented that Sarah had been one of her best patients and the procedure went flawlessly. Getting out of the chair, Sarah dropped the cotton from her mouth, there was only a speck of blood on it, and she had absolutely no other bleeding. I didn’t want to make a show in the office, but in my mind I was jumping up and down like a child yelling “YES, YES!” I knew then that I must share the secrets of Pillow Talk.

I share this moment with Sarah’s and my family’s life to demonstrate the power of words and expectations delivered while a child sleeps. I have documented it well in my book Pillow Talk: Loving Affirmations to Encourage and Guide your Children so you can repeat my results. I hope you can see the impact Pillow Talk can have in your life for your child.

I thank Steve Diamond for understanding the importance of Pillow Talk and getting the word out. I hope you enjoyed my guest blogging, and that I have opened your mind to the power of words.

For more information on Pillow Talk, including research information on sleep suggestions and the 5 step method of delivering a successful Pillow Talk (STARS), go to http://www.NurseNancyTalk.com.

PS. I love to hear your success stories.

When panic strikes, our body quickly shifts into overdrive causing a number of heightened and often uncomfortable feelings which include:

• Overwhelming sense of impending doom
• Difficulty breathing
• Palpitations and irregular heart beats
• Sweating
• Shakiness
• Dizziness

How do Panic Attacks Affect Our Heart?
Panic, stress and anxiety trigger the “fight-or-flight” response which leads to a flooding of hormones into our blood stream known as “catecholamines”. These powerful chemicals can be toxic to our heart causing decreased blood flow and making heart muscle irritable and prone to abnormal rhythms leading to palpitations. In some studies, researchers speculate that panic attacks trigger dangerous heart rhythms associated with sudden cardiac events, including heart attacks.

Another possible mechanism for the relationship between panic attacks and heart disease is the possibility that symptoms of “panic” are in fact symptoms of real McCoy heart disease masquerading as panic. The point being, whether a true panic attack or an acute cardiac condition, symptoms should not be taken lightly.

Panic—A Dangerous Imposter
There tends to be overlap of symptoms common to both heart disease and panic attacks which make it challenging even for specialists to distinguish between the two. Shortness of breath, palpitations and dizziness, for example, can be seen in both disorders. And women who are in the throes of a heart attack or other acute heart problems are much more likely to be misdiagnosed than are men with similar symptoms.
Triggering Panic Attacks
Panic either strikes without warning or is triggered by a familiar but unpleasant situation. Elevators, public speaking or interactions with particularly contentious individuals can spark an attack.
Diagnosing Panic Attacks
The most important components in making the correct diagnosis of a panic attack are a thorough medical history and physical exam. Your doctor will glean most of the vital information from this interview so be sure you’re honest and forthright about prior medical history and contributing factors such as drug, alcohol, diet supplement or caffeine use. If your symptoms mimic heart conditions, tests such as an ECG or an echocardiogram may be part of the workup. Other conditions such as thyroid disease and epilepsy also mimic panic attacks, so tests depend on your specific symptoms and doctor’s analysis.
Treating Panic Attacks
Remember that panic attacks are real and can wreak havoc on your delicate cardiovascular tissue especially if they go untreated. Data suggests that women with panic attacks are more likely to have cardiac events which mean the days of “it’s all in your head” are long over.  Whatever you do, don’t panic because there are a number of antianxiety, antidepressant, and behavioral therapies that are extremely effective in treating this disorder. In addition to a good consultation from a medical professional, simple things like diet and healthy food choices, exercise and disciplines such as yoga, tai chi and chi gong are extremely helpful for warding off panic. So, if you or someone you know has panic attacks be heart-smart–make sure you seek medical advice because there are a number of very effective therapies that will help you stop panic in its tracks.
Commonly Asked Questions About Heart Disease In Women:
“Dr. Kennedy, I heard that women, once diagnosed with a heart attack, have a worse prognosis than men even after treatment. Is this true, and if so, what accounts for this difference?”
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women accounting for 880,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. However, women before age 60 are less likely than men to develop heart problems, but once the disease occurs, women often fare worse than men.

Just some of the observations that may account for these gender differences include:

• Women’s symptoms tend to be more subtle and less predictable, leading to potentially detrimental outcomes.
• Women often underestimate the severity of cardiovascular disease, and fail to take preventive measures, acknowledge warning signs, or seek treatment for symptoms.
• Women with blocked coronary arteries tend to be older than men with similar lockages and have worse symptoms and more advanced disease.
• Women are also more likely to have other problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may make surgery riskier.
• Women are more likely than men to develop heart failure, a weakening of the heart muscle which causes varying degrees of shortness of breath and can be fatal.
• Women have more complications after bypass surgery, angioplasties or stents–all treatments for blocked coronary arteries. These differences have been attributed to smaller blood vessels.
• Women are more likely than men to have problems with inflammation and anemia,

“Dr Kennedy, I am perimenopausal and recently read that hormonal changes can affect levels of HDL-“good cholesterol.” Can you comment on this?”
Prior to menopause, estrogen may have a protective effect in maintaining levels of “good” highdensity lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, which protects the body’s overall cardiovascular health. Estrogen also relaxes the smooth muscle of arteries which helps to maintain normal blood pressure. The force created by high blood pressure can damage the delicate inner lining of the coronary arteries leading to heart attacks. Unfortunately, the beneficial cardiovascular effects of estrogen are lost after menopause and marks the time when heart disease in women increases. So, after menopause women need to be keenly aware of their risks for heart disease and take measures to protect their hearts like eating healthy, exercising and controlling modifiable risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol and smoking.

_________________________________________________

Listen To An Amazing Interview With Dr. Kennedy – Click Here!

Dr. John Kennedy is an invasive cardiologist and board member of the American Heart Association. He has a particular interest in the negative impact of stress on our cardiovascular system and speaks regularly to businesses about managing stress in the workplace. Dr. Kennedy is co-author of the book The 15 Minute Heart Cure: The Natural Way to Release Stress and Heal Your Heart in Just Minutes a Day