Category: Stress

Chakra Meditation

Chakra meditation deals with energizing all the seven energy centers to align the flow of energy through the chakras. Chakra meditation is mainly used as grounding, balancing and energizing exercise.

Chakra meditation begins with focusing on the first chakra and ends with energizing the seventh one. The first chakra is known as the root or the base chakra and is located at the base of the spine. It is related to the element earth and deals with health, prosperity, security, and dynamic presence. The second chakra is the naval or the sacral chakra, which is located in the abdomen and deals with the element water, and governs emotions and sexuality. The third chakra, or power chakra, is the solar plexus chakra, located in the area above the naval. It manages personal power, will, autonomy, and metabolism. The fourth chakra is named the heart chakra, is located in the center of the chest. It is related to the element air and governs love, compassion, and relationships. The fifth chakra is the throat chakra, located in the throat and dealing with the clear communication, creativity, and resonance and it relates to the sound element. The sixth chakra is known as the third eye chakra and is located between the brows. It is associated with the light element and governs psychic perception, accurate interpretation, imagination, and clear vision. The seventh chakra is named the crown chakra and is located at the top of the head. The element linked with this chakra is the thought element and it governs consciousness, wisdom, and knowledge.

To perform this meditation, meditators are advised to either sit or lie down in a comfortable posture where their backs are straight and head is in alignment with the body. Meditators can choose to play either soothing music or a guided commentary recorded at a slow, deliberate pace with a mild voice and appropriate pauses in the background while meditating. It is recommended that first time chakra meditators collect some basic information about the chakras before starting the energizing process. They can also contact a reputed teacher to guide them through the correct way of meditation.

Cause of Ring Worm

Ringworm, unlike its name, is caused by fungi and not by any worm. Sometimes also termed as ‘tinea corporis’, ringworm is an infectious skin disease caused by mold like fungi called Dermatophytes. Dermatophytes thrive on dead tissues present on skin surface and follows circular path to spread its infection. It usually affects skin, scalp, fingers, toenails and foot.

One of the most common causes of ringworm among humans is through direct contact with other humans—sharing combs or clothing or by touching the infected area. It is also transmitted through infected pets or other animals. Children, especially, due to their proximity with pets, are prone to the disease.

Ringworm thrives in moist conditions. Wearing caps or socks for long periods give the fungi an opportunity to spread, which is why ringworms usually occur in feet, toes, thighs and scalp.

Pets often carry this disease from contaminated soil or by exposing themselves to rodent burrows. Subsequently, these animals transmit the disease to other animals and humans in close proximity. Precautions are necessary, since pets may not show symptoms despite being potential carriers.

Take precautions such as keeping skin clean and dry since fungi thrive quickly in unclean and moist conditions. If you have pets in your house, be sure to have them checked by your veterinarian regularly. If infection occurs, appropriate precautions and prescribed medication can successfully treat ringworm within 2-3 weeks.

Cause Of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

It is strange but true that the exact Cause of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is yet to be ascertained. However, researchers in this regard suggest that certain diet drugs (appetite suppressants) can make a person more prone to developing this fatal condition.

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is basically a disorder of the blood vessels wherein the pressure in the pulmonary artery rises above normal levels, thereby posing a life-threatening risk. Several diseases or causative factors, largely unknown, may lead to the malfunctioning denoted by the term Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.

Research done in recent times point out that A mutation in the gene denoted BMPR2 Causes Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. Researchers have sensed that other genes may also possibly lead to causing Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. It is also probable that other genes can contribute to the development of the disease in people, together with the known mutation of the BMPR2 gene. The disease is thereby inheritable via genes.

Most cases of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension are, however, found to be not inherited as a result of traits in genes. Cirrhosis of THE liver, stimulant abuse and H.I.V. infection are often closely associated with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, though no cause of the disease has been specifically delineated. Conclusive evidence has, however, been found regarding a direct correlation between the usage of appetite suppressants (diet drugs) and the risk of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension. The names of Pondimin and Redux, commonly known as Fen Phen, are important in this regard. These drugs were recommended by hospitals and health centers from the 1970s to late 1990s. The manufacturers and the people prescribing it (doctors and the like) did not have the necessary diligence to discover the severe risk involved in using the drugs. Their ignorance has, thus, been the cause of thousands of people either suffering from the disease or potentially at risk to fall prey to the deadly condition.

Cause Of Insomnia

The National Institute of Health defines insomnia as, “the perception or complaint of inadequate sleep” and classifies it as three types; transient, intermittent and chronic. Most people have suffered from insomnia at one time or other in its transient (one day to a month) or intermittent (occasional) form. Around 10% of the population suffers from chronic insomnia. Elderly persons, menopausal women and pregnant women are more likely to be more affected than others.

Causes of insomnia are classified into three broad categories – life style, physical health disorders and mental health disorders. Life style can be subdivided into what we eat, sleeping environment and sleep schedule. Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, some allergic foods and medications like decongestants, bronchodilators, anti hypertensives, anti depressants, diuretics, anti epileptics, anti arrhythmic, thyroid medications and histamine H2 inhibitors are known to cause insomnia.

Environmental noise, extreme temperatures, change of sleeping area, uncomfortable bed and insects like mosquitoes are the main environmental factors that prevent sleep. Varying work schedules like shift work, jet lag, long afternoon naps and recreational activities are also causes that upset a good night’s sleep.

Obviously, one cannot fall asleep if in pain due to injury or illness. Sleep specific disorders are obstructive sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, circadian rhythm disorder and periodic limb movement disorder. The diseases that become an underlying cause of insomnia are arthritis, asthma, Parkinson’s diseases, hyperthyroid, prostrate problems, degenerative disease, gastro esophageal reflux, fibromyalgia kidney disease, heart failure and rhinitis. Menopause can cause sleep problems due to hormonal imbalance.

Stress, anxiety, grief, depression, schizophrenia, panic disorder and mania and acute psychosis are psychiatric conditions that cause insomnia. Above all, the worry that one is not getting sufficient sleep is likely to worsen the problem. This, in turn, creates a vicious cycle, which can make the condition serious.

The causes of insomnia are very complex and it is very difficult to pin down to a single or even a few causes. A patient study of behavioral pattern, sleep history chart and if required specialized study with polysomnogram and full co-operation of the family is needed to determine the cause of insomnia.

Massage Therapy

The ancient civilizations of the Chinese, Egyptians, Hindus and Persians used massage therapy as a principal treatment for many an ailment. Now, the fact that Americans spend 6 billion dollars annually on massage therapy gives an idea of its popularity in treating a wide range of disorders.

It is important to clearly differentiate massage therapy from sensual massage, as the word ‘massage’ calls to mind massage parlors, which were used to peddle sex. Today, health professionals who are well trained, certified and insured give the therapy in a clinical and comfortable atmosphere.

Massage is part art and part science. Hands manipulate the skin, muscles, soft tissues, joints, tendons and ligaments. The therapist strokes, kneads, squeezes, presses or taps to achieve the aim of treatment. The patient is made comfortable, and some lubricants like oil, cream, jelly or lotion are applied. The therapist keeps the patient covered and exposes only the area that he is working on. A typical massage session lasts about an hour.

The massage relaxes the muscles and soft tissues, improves circulation, stimulates the lymphatic system and calms the nerves. There are a wide range of mental and physical disorders for which massage therapy is very beneficial. It eases tension, knots, cramps and spasms in the muscles. Massage therapy is a prime component of most relaxation therapies and stress management. As stress is perceived to be the root cause of many problems like cardiac diseases, diabetes, gastrointestinal disorder and hypertension, stress management via massage therapy is an excellent supporting treatment for these disorders. There are quite a variety of massages – some for general purpose and some others targeting a specific problem. Some of the popular ones are Swedish massage, sports massage, shiatsu, acupressure, aromatherapy, neuromuscular therapy and prenatal pregnancy massage.

Today’s therapists are trained in professional schools, both in theory and practice. They need to pass a board examination and many states have certification standards. Therapists are registered with their professional associations. These associations like the National Certified Board for Therapeutic Massage and Body Work (NCTMB), Associated Massage and Body Work Professional (AMBP) and American massage therapy Association (AMTA) set a high standard of professional ethics and competency.

This is a treatment well suited to hectic modern lifestyles even without any illness, and has no comparative competition in relaxing the body and mind, and relieving stress.

Team Building Games

The early days of human civilization taught the valuable lesson of team building. If we formed clans to hunt, it was for survival and those clans that had the most efficient team survived the ravages of nature. During their leisure time, these clans had their own form of “team building games” and these games often had something to do with building up strategies for hunting. Team building games followed human civilization in its development and changed with times. The game of chess is a classic example of this. The kings and nobles originally played the game to help them create new military strategy.

Scientific advances have shown that creative persons mainly use the right hemisphere of the brain. Therefore, in a workplace the right hemisphere often had little function. As we became more and more sophisticated, the value of right hemisphere thinking in the workplace has been more highly valued. It is widely accepted that innovative thinking is the most potent weapon in this highly competitive world. Team building games often require creativity, imagination, and intuition, and allowing people to exercise these aspects of their personality tends to open new windows of understanding among team members.

Physical involvement is far more efficient than just sitting and listening. While involved in team building games, each individual realizes the strengths and weaknesses within each member; they soon realize how they can gel together. In team building games new strategies can be put to test without any threat. These games also bring out the personality of each individual in a group and there by giving a picture of what roles each team member can assume in different situations. The most important aspect of team building games is the trust the team members develop. These games often give a change of environment and the pleasure involved in it revitalizes the energies of a team. Team building games is the right tonic for those who are inexperienced in working in a team.

Team building games lead to team bonding and the new experiences gained during the games often has a positive effect in workplace.

Depression and Anxiety

The relationship between anxiety and depression isn’t always clear-cut. If you’ve been diagnosed with depression, you might have anxiety as a secondary condition. Conversely, people diagnosed with anxiety often suffer from depression. While both conditions have many symptoms in common, there are important differences.

Both anxiety and depression can manifest themselves in a variety of physical symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty sleeping, headaches, muscle pain, weight loss or weight gain, loss of appetite and loss of libido. Mental or psychological symptoms include difficulty concentrating, loss of interest or pleasure in normal, everyday activities, feelings of excessive guilt, loss of self-esteem, loss of self-confidence, feelings of unworthiness, and self-blame and self-deprecation.

While there are significant “crossover” or common symptoms, it’s more important to recognize the important differences. While anxiety manifests itself primarily in feelings of fear, apprehension and impeding doom, depression involves mostly feelings of emptiness, sadness, or loss of hope. On the physical side, the anxious person might feel agitated or keyed up, while someone who’s depressed exhibits a loss of energy and lack of physical movement. Anxious people often feel tense and rigid, while those who suffer from depression tend to slump and feel flaccid. Anxiety sufferers may fear death or feel death is imminent, but do not have thoughts of suicide like deeply depressed people do.

While depression is sometimes thought of as a more “serious” condition than anxiety, people who suffer from anxiety often report that they are depressed as well. Such depression is the result of the person’s excessive worry and fear. This can make the treatment of anxiety tricky, since treatment methods and medications for anxiety differ from those for depression. It takes a skillful health-care professional to sort out the differences and similarities, and design a meaningful treatment regimen for the person suffering from anxiety and/or depression.

Anxiety Treatment

If you’ve been diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder, it’s important to fully explore your treatment options. For a treatment to be effective, you have to be committed to it and be willing to learn techniques to control those overwhelming feelings of worry and apprehension.

Many tools are available to you for treating anxiety. First and foremost, you should learn as much as you can about anxiety. The more you know and understand about your condition, the better equipped you will be to control it. Other tools include cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy. Lifestyle changes in diet and exercise can also be very beneficial.

Diet and exercise are two simple but very important factors in anxiety. You should eat a healthy, balanced diet rich in magnesium, B vitamins and calcium. Drink plenty of water, and eat whole-grain products and green, leafy vegetables. Avoid nicotine and caffeine, since they trigger the release of adrenaline, a stress chemical that can exacerbate anxiety. Exercise will help dissipate stress chemicals and help you relax.

Cognitive therapy involves helping you change negative thought patterns and beliefs, which can trigger anxiety. For example, you may feel that “everybody is looking at me.” By learning cognitive techniques that challenge and restructure that belief, you’ll realize that your fear is unfounded and thus control the anxiety, replacing it with more rational thoughts and concepts.

Behavioral therapy will help you confront and understand the causes and triggers of your anxiety, using a technique called exposure. Via exposure, you’ll take a small series of steps that will eventually desensitize you and allow you to control and analyze the factors that set off an anxiety attack. For example, if you get anxious in social situations (“everybody thinks I’m boring”), you’ll learn to gradually increase the amount of time spent in social situations until you realize that nothing bad will happen.

Anxiety can be debilitating and can interfere with job, family and relationships. It’s important to know that anxiety is treatable and often reversible. You can to overcome those overpowering feelings of “gloom and doom” that keep you from fully participating in life by seeking treatment and committing to it.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal response to various types of stress or danger. Anxiety can manifest itself as an uneasiness of mind regarding an impending or anticipated ill. Although anxiety can be beneficial in certain situations, more often it is an abnormal and overwhelming sense of fear and apprehension. Self-doubt is a component of anxiety, and when anxiety begins to interfere with a person’s daily life, it needs to be treated.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include racing heartbeat, shortness of breath, chest tightness and dry mouth. The person might feel sick, or have “butterflies in the stomach.” Sweating is a common symptom, as is feeling weak or warm all over. Tremors and feeling dizzy are two more symptoms. The person might become confused or experience muscle tension or muscle aches along with fatigue. Some people complain of speeded-up thoughts, and many people feel an urge to urinate.

Cognitive symptoms include feelings of self-doubt and worry over bodily functions. Some people worry that they are having a heart attack, or that they might faint or be unable to breathe. Others fear they will die. Also common are feelings of being alone, being trapped or going insane. The person might worry that people are watching and that no one will help if a problem occurs. An unwillingness to go out and/or a strong flight response are also common. People might feel that they can’t do something, or are making fools out of themselves. Often, worries over health, job, or family overwhelm the person.

Emotional symptoms include feelings of rejection, anger, panic or isolation. The person might worry that they will lose control or have a generalized feeling of “doom and gloom.”

Feeling on edge or keyed up is common, and the person might be easily embarrassed or overly sensitive to criticism. Dread that something catastrophic is about to happen is common. Agitation and irritability, as well as feelings of detachment or isolation, are also signs of anxiety.

Anxiety can be debilitating to the sufferer. The first step toward recovery is recognizing the symptoms and seeking treatment. A combined course of therapy and medication (if necessary) will help the person get control of their anxiety so that it doesn’t dominate their life.

Corporate Team Building

The corporate world today is a very competitive and challenging environment. Corporate team building plays a very important part in the growth of any organization. The term “team building“ by itself is self-explanatory. It is a network wherein every team member works together, with the objective of personal as well as team development.

To be able to study whether a corporate team-building endeavor is successful, one must lay guidelines such as setting a target and see if the team is able to achieve it. To ensure a successful business scenario, one must ensure that each member is a team player. Employers and employees need to have a direct interaction to ensure smooth communication and encourage a healthy development. Employees at all levels should appreciate each other’s work and all team members should believe that they have an important role to play in the team. Work must be done with consistency and results should be accomplished by involving all team players. Each team member should be committed to stretch beyond targets and on accomplishing the tasks. There should be a team analysis to improve the process.

An important component of corporate team building is that team members should like and respect each other. They must communicate well and work towards common targets to achieve successful corporate team building. Corporate team building can succeed if team players are honest, loyal and sincere towards each other and in the larger context towards the team. Team managers are required to take regular feedback from the team members. This helps to resolve all grievances and problems. Regular meetings are an essential part of the team building process as they provide a platform where healthy discussions take place, enabling development of the organization.

Corporate team building is an important aspect of corporate success. If all teams within the corporate set up work in a spirit of togetherness, it is bound to elevate the image and overall performance of the organization.