Hello my faithful readers. I want to let you that I practice what I preach!  I take care of myself so that I can reduce my stress prevent burnout and give to others.  Here is one way I do that.

This last week I spent 4 days at a juice fast and spiritual retreat at  the PeaceWeavers on Thunder Mountain in Bath NY.  Yes, fasting is taking care of yourself.! This is my second time fasting and both times I was suprised that is was not as difficult as I thought it would be.  Homemade fresh veg and fruit juice and a fantastic broth are very sustaining . Thanks to Stephanie who is a great Vegan cook!  Althought I am not a vegan, I am moving into vegetarianism.  Mostly I am doing this for my health, as I need to loss weight and have cardiac problems.  So this is a true way to take care of myself and keep me on the road to physicial health. It also is part of a spiritual honoring of the body.

Dear Dr. Duffy,

My 36 year old sister is the concern of the entire family. She is very reclusive; seldom venturing out of the house where she lives with her aging mother. She does not have a job and hasn’t had one for a long time, 10. She is very anxious about so many things and agonizes over decisions that appear to be minor. Within the last couple of years, we have become aware of her talking (more like mumbling to herself.) It has increased in
frequency and duration. Based on the expression on her face, her body language and the things we can hear, it is very negative self-talk. Lately, she expressed concern that the neighbors can hear and see everything that goes on in their house and that the drapes and blinds should be kept shut. We have strongly suggested counseling but she refuses.

When you are worried to reduce anxiety it helps to take charge as best as you can. This may be hard for some personality types, but any small step will do.   The action is  not expected  to solve the problem,  but is meant to help you feel that you are doing something and have some control over the situation (Which in most cases you really do.)  Remember it is the helpless feeling and anticipation of problems that cause so much discomfort.   Actions  may be as simple as reading up on a topic,  being prepared etc.

Ideas for Gentlemen on what to say to a Bride and Groom

When you go to a wedding the bride and groom get many awkward “good lucks” and “congratulations.” You can stick with that or consider something different. Choose what fits with your style and the style of the bride or groom. Memorize a line you like or make up one of your own and use it the next time you greet a happy couple.

What to say to the Bride

• What a lovely ceremony !

• You make a perfect couple.

The tradition of milk and cookies before bed is based in fact (as
many of our traditons are) L-Tryptophan which is found in milk can
help you go to sleep. Add a carbohydrate and it works even better!

Here are some foods with L Tryptophan that make good bedtime
snacks. Turkey (put it on whole wheat bread), bananas (with small
bowl of wholewheat cereal), dates. Add dates to oatmeal which has
both carbohydrates and Gaba which also helps to calm you.

Good Night

Many people have difficulty with relaxation and meditation.

In our society we tend to be thinking all the time. Trying to clear
ourminds down by “not thinking” is really impossible for us. This is
why so many people are more successful in doing relaxation by
listening to a recording where someone is talking and repeating
phrases or words over and over in our minds. As you may notice if
you try to do thisusing just music or sounds it is often not
enough, our minds can overthink these! There is however another
relaxation method that is often overlooked.

Did you know that we all have a favorite coping style, the one we
use almost automatically (unconsciously) when we face a stressor.
The four major styles are:

Aggressive —– Trying to fix it.
Regressive—— Looking for help from someone else
Repressive—— Pushing it out of our consciousness
Withdrawal—— Removing ourselves (can be physical or psychological)

What is your most comfortable style? Do you know what the pros and
cons of each type are? Actually they all have advantages that are
dependent on the type of stressor you are dealing with.

I can’t emphasize enough the value of taking Fish Oil. (Your mother (grandmother) was right about cod liver oil !) Research has shown 2000-3000 mg a day to be AS effective asantidepressants for treating depression. Take 1500 twice a day, go up to 4000 mg a day if needed. If you have any stomach distress (not  many people do) you can try Flax Seed oil. Besides being terrific for mood,  it is great for your heart, your skin and joints! As always with supplements don’t buy them at a dollar store, stick with a name brand. You will also get the same benefit from eating oily fish threetimes a week (Sardines, Salmon, Trout, Mackerel, Fresh Tuna, Anchovies,  Orange Roughy).

Question and Answers

Question

Answer

Meet two students from Kenya Africa who work in the community for HIV education. Frank on the left attends the University of Nairobi, and Phillip is in Moi University. They are both studying social and community work.They do a great job demonstrating how to use a condom in detail.(with a banana in costaring role)

Click Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbUud6VuSWI