Over 20 Way to Bust Up Stress This Holiday season

Holiday stress – busting

Get all details here:

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306655_3,00.html

1-Hike you mood with sunlight


2-Take a whiff of citrus


3-Walk away from worries


4-Sleep better with 5-HTP


5-Use hand acupressure


6-Do less, enjoy more


7-Stick with your daily routine


8-Don’t neglect whatever cracks you up


9-Forget Perfection


10-Get out of the house


11-Consider abandoning old customs


12-Be a picky volunteer


13-Solicit help the smart way


14-Go tech free


15-Savor a spicy meal


16-Dip into some honey


17-Eat breakfast before you tank up on coffee


18-Get a massage


19-Say yes yes yes to sex


20-Turn up the tunes


21-Go with your recipe for relaxation


22-Fit in exercise


23-Don’t overschedule


24-Plan a real vacation


25-Think Positive

POOP ~ Everything You always Wanted To Know About Poop And Were Afraid To Ask! See Above..

Understanding Blood Pressure ~ Silent Killer -

Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. During each heartbeat, BP varies between a maximum (systolic) and a minimum (diastolic) pressure.^[1] The mean BP, due to pumping by the heart and resistance to flow in blood vessels, decreases as the circulating blood moves away from the heart through arteries.

Notes for the above BP table :



1. Why did I do this? I searched high and low on the Internet, and I could find nothing like this in one place - a Summary of human BP range, the Averages, and the Comments relating to each BP level.

2. How did I get the numbers? I started with the commonly seen "Systolic/ Diastolic pairs" seen in the literature - 200/120, 160/100, 140/90, 120/80 and 90/60. From there, I interpolated and extrapolated all the other numbers. Note that these are AVERAGE relationships. For instance, instead of 140/90, your BP may be 140/100, or 140/80. Each individual will have a unique systolic-diastolic relationship. If your S/D difference varies significantly from the averages shown above, this can be helpful in assessing your particular cardiovascular condition.

3. For comparison purposes, I added the "delta" column, which is the difference between the Systolic and Diastolic pressure readings. This relationship is almost linear, with the exceptions of the 40 delta, the 30 delta, and the 15 delta.

4. As for the comments, I have "averaged" the references made in the literature, since not all doctors agree upon the pressures at which to treat, and how aggressively to treat (multiple medications, type of meds, etc.). You can rest assured that the pharmaceutical companies prefer that you take medication at 135/80, since they sell the meds. Most doctors are not so aggressive. Remember that ALL medications have side effects. Heart medications have more serious side effects than any other class of prescription drugs.


5. Be aware of the "Circadian Rhythm" cycle. Your Blood Pressure is highly influenced by the time of day. For normal people, the highest BP occurs about midday, and the lowest at about 3-4 AM in the morning. For some people, described as "non-dippers", this early morning BP dip does not occur. For these people, highest blood pressure usually occurs around 6 AM to 9 AM in the morning. Some doctors are not aware of this, and make erroneous assumptions. A non-dipper may see 150/95 in the morning, and 130/85 in the evening. Non-dipping is usually associated with abnormal sleep conditions, such as sleep apnea, heavy snoring, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.

6. One blood pressure reading means very little. The advice to "Have your blood pressure checked once a year" is useless. What time of day? Had you eaten less salty foods recently? Were you relaxed that day, when you are usually much more stressed? Had you recently exercised vigorously? You must check your BP far more often than once a year, especially if you show "borderline" readings. I can produce a very low, or very high blood pressure AT WILL, based upon what I do during the 24 hours prior to the measurement.

7. Beware of "white coat syndrome", which results in a much higher BP reading than normal, due to the authoritative doctor, the foreboding, sterile exam room, and the smells such as alcohol and disinfectant. All this is not relaxing. Some unaware doctors may prescribe medication, when in fact, you don't need it at all. As soon as you leave the office, your BP returns to normal. This is another great reason to use your own automatic BP wrist monitor, so that you come to know your own body, and the effects of stress, food, mood, sleep, and time of day.

8. MAP = Mean Arterial Pressure. Three formulas are used to compute MAP. All three produce very similar results.


Above, I used Method #1 -
MAP = DP + (1/3 (SP - DP))
Ideal Mean Arterial Pressure is defined as 93 mm of mercury, which corresponds to 120/80.

Alternative Method #2 -
Also, MAP = (2/3 DP) + (1/3 SP)






Alternative Method #3
MAP = ((2*DP) + SP) / 3
where SP= Systolic Pressure,
and DP= Diastolic Pressure

H1N1 -Swine - Flu Season Is upon Us! Don't Panic!

No single action will provide complete protection, but an approach combining the following steps can help decrease the likelihood of transmission.

These recommended actions are:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub*


• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.


• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth


• People who are sick with an influenza-like illness (ILI) (fever plus at least cough or sore throat and possibly other symptoms like runny nose, body aches, headaches, chills, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea) should stay home and keep away from others as much as possible, including avoiding travel, for at least 24 hours after fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Fever should be gone without the use of fever-reducing medicine).


• Avoid close contact (i.e. being within about 6 feet) with persons with ILI, if possible.


In addition, influenza antiviral medications are an important tool for the treatment and prevention of influenza, including 2009 H1N1. Also see Guidance on the use of antiviral medications.

Immunity-Boosting Foods



Food alone can't protect against the common cold or flu, and the science isn't yet clear on which nutrients may bolster immunity to reduce your risk of getting sick. But experts agree that a diet rich in a variety of produce, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy products―along with adequate sleep, moderate exercise, and minimal stress―contributes to a well-functioning immune system and may promote a faster recovery if you do come down with a cold or flu. Here are some key nutrients and tips that will help increase the likelihood that you'll fly through the winter months in good health.

Say Cheese: 15 Fascinating Facts About Smiling

15 Fascinating Facts About Smiling

Everyone loves the quote "laughter is the best medicine," and as a nurse, you have probably even experienced the benefits of smiling and laughter with your patients. In fact, smiling can boost your mood and even your immune system. Keep reading for more fascinating facts about our smiles.


1.Forcing yourself to smile can boost your mood: Psychologists have found that even if you're in bad mood, you can instantly lift your spirits by forcing yourself to smile.


2.It boosts your immune system: Smiling really can improve your physical health, too. Your body is more relaxed when you smile, which contributes to good health and a stronger immune system.


3.Smiles are contagious: It's not just a saying: smiling really is contagious, scientists say. In a study conducted in Sweden, people had difficulty frowning when they looked at other subjects who were smiling, and their muscles twitched into smiles all on their own.


4.Smiles Relieve Stress: Your body immediately releases endorphins when you smile, even when you force it. This sudden change in mood will help you feel better and release stress.


5.It's easier to smile than to frown: Scientists have discovered that your body has to work harder and use more muscles to frown than it does to smile.


6.It's a universal sign of happiness: While hand shakes, hugs, and bows all have varying meanings across cultures, smiling is known around the world and in all cultures as a sign of happiness and acceptance.


7.We still smile at work: While we smile less at work than we do at home, 30% of subjects in a research study smiled five to 20 times a day, and 28% smiled over 20 times per day at the office.


8.Smiles use from 5 to 53 facial muscles: Just smiling can require your body to use up to 53 muscles, but some smiles only use 5 muscle movements.


9.Babies are born with the ability to smile: Babies learn a lot of behaviors and sounds from watching the people around them, but scientists believe that all babies are born with the ability, since even blind babies smile.


10.Smiling helps you get promoted: Smiles make a person seem more attractive, sociable and confident, and people who smile more are more likely to get a promotion.


11.Smiles are the most easily recognizable facial expression: People can recognize smiles from up to 300 feet away, making it the most easily recognizable facial expression.


12.Women smile more than men: Generally, women smile more than men, but when they participate in similar work or social roles, they smile the same amount. This finding leads scientists to believe that gender roles are quite flexible. Boy babies, though, do smile less than girl babies, who also make more eye contact.


13.Smiles are more attractive than makeup: A research study conducted by Orbit Complete discovered that 69% of people find women more attractive when they smile than when they are wearing makeup.


14.There are 19 different types of smiles: UC-San Francisco researcher identified 19 types of smiles and put them into two categories: polite "social" smiles which engage fewer muscles, and sincere "felt" smiles that use more muscles on both sides of the face.


15.Babies start smiling as newborns: Most doctors believe that real smiles occur when babies are awake at the age of four-to-six weeks, but babies start smiling in their sleep as soon as they're born.