Group items tagged

Limit refined carbohydrates to help lessen volatile blood sugar swings

create radical spikes (and drops) in your blood sugar

Incorporate soluble fiber

have the ability to slow down the absorption of sugar in your blood

lessen blood sugar

Incorporate protein with meals and snacks (whenever possible)

Smart protein choices include poultry, seafood and fish, veal, pork tenderloin, tofu, eggs

help slow the absorption of carbohydrate in the blood

Omega-3 fats

mood lifting and to help possibly alleviate depression.

Folic acid and B12

Foods rich in folate: fortified whole-grain breakfast cereals, lentils, black-eyed peas, soybeans, oatmeal, mustard greens, beets, broccoli, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and oranges.

Foods rich in vitamin B12: shellfish (clams, oysters, crab), wild salmon (fresh or canned), fortified whole-grain breakfast cereal, lean beef, cottage cheese, low-fat yogurt, milk (skim, skim plus, 1% reduced-fat) and eggs.

Vitamin D

Foods rich in vitamin D: fish with bones, fat free and low-fat milk, fortified soy milk and egg yolks

Sufferers of exercise bulimia use excessive exercise to purge or compensate for eating binges or simply regular eating, often working out multiple times per day or for three or four hours at a time

Deep down, this disorder has more to do with control than it does the desire to fit into a smaller size of jeans

The scary thing about an addiction to exercise is that it creeps up gradually, usually among everyday people who start exercising, feel good afterward, revel in the calories they're burning, have a desire to get healthier or lose weight, and therefore start believing that more is better

Oftentimes, people who develop an exercise compulsion don't feel like there's anything wrong with what they do

Compulsive exercisers build their lives around working out and are genuinely distressed if they can't exercise as much as they feel they need to (or should be)

Exercise bulimia is similar, but involves eating binges. People who suffer from exercise bulimia often binge on food and then exercise obsessively to make up for it. Exercise becomes a way to control calories, justify eating, and punish oneself for eating too much or eating the "wrong" things.

In general, exercising for up to 60-90 minutes, most days of the week is reasonable and healthy for most people as long as recovery and downtime is built in.

Exercise is usually a good thing, but rest and recovery are very important, too

Excessive exercise can weaken the body and cause a host of problems, including: Fatigue Suppressed immune system Lack of menstruation (amenorrhea) in women due to a lack of body fat Reproductive problems Heart problems (such as muscle wasting and rhythm problems) Dehydration Arthritis Osteoporosis Stress fractures and sprains Kidney failure

Getting a Diagnosis

Compulsive exercise and exercise bulimia can affect both men and women of all ages, races, body types and weights.

A doctor may ask if the person is exercising and get the right answer (yes), never knowing the extent to which the patient is actually jeopardizing his or her health by taking exercise to the extreme

A physician may first suspect a problem if a woman stops menstruating due to a drop in body fat, which affects estrogen levels, but the condition may be virtually undetectable in men whose body fat levels can be much lower without creating any health problems.

Treatment Options

Studies have found that sufferers often come from families where food was used as a way of controlling behavior and battles surrounding food were common

Traditional treatments for exercise bulimia include support groups, cognitive behavior therapy, psychotherapy, and/or medication, such as anti-depressants.

How does a lack of sleep affect the body?

having lost the ability to maintain body heat and develop a fever to stave off infection

will generally be irritable and clumsy

will have problems concentrating and will begin to make mistakes on normal tasks.

Other short-term consequences include: Decreased daytime alertness. Loss of just one and half hours sleep can result in a 32% reduction in daytime alertness. Impaired memory and cognitive ability, the ability to think and process information. More than double the risk of sustaining an occupational injury.

Long-term consequences can include the following:

High blood pressure

Stroke

Mental impairment

Increased mortality risk

Sleep Debt Can Be Dangerous

Sleep deprivation in children

Nearly half of teens reported at least occasional difficulty in falling or staying asleep and almost 13% experiencing chronic and severe insomnia.

affects mood, behavior, and academic performance.

Insufficient sleep has also been associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

This natural reaction is known as the stress response

But the stress response can also cause problems when it overreacts or fails to turn off and reset itself properly.

But stress doesn't always happen in response to things that are immediate or that are over quickly.

long-term events, like coping with a divorce or moving to a new neighborhood or school, can cause stress, too.

can produce a lasting, low-level stress that's hard on people.

can wear out the body's reserves, leave a person feeling depleted or overwhelmed

weaken the body's immune system

crammed schedules, not having enough time to rest and relax, and always being on the go

Pressures that are too intense or last too long, or troubles that are shouldered alone, can cause people to feel stress overload

a feeling of being constantly pressured, hassled, and hurried irritability and moodiness

stomach problems, headaches, or even chest pain

problems sleeping

sadness or depression

Everyone experiences stress a little differently.

Keep Stress Under Control

Take a stand against overscheduling.

Be realistic.

Get a good night's sleep.

Learn to relax.

Treat your body well.

Watch what you're thinking.

Solve the little problems.

Build Your Resilience

They're cool under pressure and able to handle problems as they come up.

Researchers have identified the qualities that make some people seem naturally resilient even when faced with high levels of stress.

Think of change as a challenging and normal part of life.

setbacks and problems as temporary and solvable.

you will succeed if you keep working toward your goals.

Take action to solve problems that crop up.

Build strong relationships

support system and ask for help

Participate regularly