This is part of an article I found - go to this link to read the rest of the article.
Fibromyalgia is a stiffness and pain syndrome involving muscles, connective tissues (tendons, ligaments), bursae, and joints. It is also characterized by severe fatigue that is unrelieved by sleep because often Fibromyalgia patients do not get much, if any, stage 4 (or Delta) sleep—the "healing" phase of sleep where repair of bodily tissues takes place.
Risk factors for developing Fibromyalgia are:
* A family history of depression - research has shown that Fibromyalgia is more common in people with a family history of depression. * Gender - two-thirds of Fibromyalgia sufferers are women * Low Thyroid Function - studies have shown that Fibromyalgia is more common in persons with low thyroid function.
What is the cause of Fibromyalgia?
Medically speaking, Fibromyalgia does not have a known cause, however, usually Fibromyalgia sufferers:
1 Do not process lactic acid normally 2 Do not sleep well 3 Have lowered pain thresholds 4 Have low thyroid function 5 Have low serotonin levels 6 Have low progesterone levels 8 Have high toxic/allergic levels Have low glutathione/antioxidant levels 10 Have experienced a structural stress such as a whip lash or fall
Although correlation does not denote causation, the most logical approach for anyone is to treat each of the above correlative factors as if it might be a cause.
In other words, treatment for Fibromyalgia might well, and should, using our logic, include:
1 Participating in low impact exercise routines and diet regimens that facilitate processing of lactic acid.
2 Endeavoring to sleep more soundly and regularly.
3 Reducing stress and increase dietary calcium and magnesium... which leads to lowered pain thresholds.
4 Endeavoring to increase thyroid function.
5 Endeavoring to increase levels of serotonin.
6 Endeavoring to increase levels of progesterone.
7 Endeavoring to improve immune system functioning.
8 Detoxifying our bodies.
9 Increasing glutathione/antioxidant levels
10 Remedying structural damage to nerves (chiropractic or osteopathic intervention, sauna or massage therapy)
Have you ever thought of the sweet potato as special? If you look at all the goodies it contains you will agree that the sweet potato is indeed a Superfood.
The orange colour beneath the skin lets you know they are loaded with beneficial carotenoids. Sweet potato also contains fibre, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium and potassium. And that's not all - they also contain vitamins E, C and B6.
One cup of cooked sweet potatoes has 200 calories and almost no fat, which makes it great as an energy sustaining vegetable.
I use sweet potatoes in my evening meal instead of potatoes, and normally just boil them until soft. They can also be oven roasted, which makes them very much more delicious.
A wife wants her husband to help with the housework; he says that's a woman's job. A son pushes to stay out until all hours; Mom insists on a curfew. A boss says no raises this year; her employee demands one to stay.
Conflict: It's an inevitable part of human nature, one that in extreme forms leads to wars. But whether a minor disagreement or a major disconnect, the steps to resolve it equitably are essentially the same.
Interrupting trajectory Conflict starts with a simmer and, left unchecked, rolls to a boil. The first step to halt escalation is to turn down the heat. Calm yourself by taking deep breaths and becoming conscious of your body language. "Naturally, we start making fists and our shoulders shrug," says Jayme Renee Albin, a cognitive-behavioral therapist at Behavioral Associates in New York City. "That creates even more tension in the body and makes you come across as more defensive."
If you need a "time-out" to cool down, take one. "You don't want to do anything from a reaction point of view," Albin warns. But don't just walk away. Explain that you're taking a break because you care about the relationship. And don't just go off and stew. Instead, garden, meditate, run — anything to clear your head. Then you'll be more open to creative solutions.
Letting go To begin the resolution process, put aside the position to which you are wedded. Then you can do some careful and more-objective thinking.
"To deal with conflict skillfully, you must get perspective on what's really at stake," says Paul Bracke, Ph.D., a psychologist and executive coach in Oakland, Calif. "See all your possible actions in the context of what their effect will be on the longer-term relationship." Ask yourself: Honestly, how important is this to me and why? Am I holding to something because I always must "win"? "If the only option is that I win and you lose, there's little place to go," Bracke says. "The irony of hang-tough positions is that you may win the battle but in the long run end up really paying for that small victory."
Are you sticking to your position "on principle"?
"I've done mediations over a $69 pair of shoes to multi-multi-million-dollar contracts," says Matthew McCusker, senior mediator at ACCORD Mediation, Arbitration, and Conflict Resolution in Atlanta. "And one thing I've heard over and over is 'It's not the money; it's the principle.'"
But principles can't be negotiated, he says. That's why before beginning mediation, he tells clients to "leave your principles at the door."
"When you're dealing with principles, you'll never find a common ground because you're expecting the other side to have your principles," says McCusker. "Principles are generally based on the past and reflect who you are as a person, while mediation to find a solution is usually based upon what you need to move on to the future."
Putting wanting to win and principles aside, would it be easy to let go and grant the other person what he or she wants? If so, do it.
"Don't be begrudging, or you will become passive-aggressive," Albin says. "Reframe giving in by saying 'It's not that important to me' and remember your goal." If you can't capitulate gracefully, it's time to negotiate, and that requires effective communication.
Communicating effectively Schedule time to talk when you and the other party are both rested and away from interruptions such as children or telephone calls. Begin by listening to and validating each other's point of view. An effective way to do this is called "active listening."
First, ask the other person to tell you clearly what she or he wants and why it's wanted. Listen with absolutely no interruption. Then summarize what was said until the other person says you have it right. If you don't have it right, the other person can explain further until you do. Then switch roles.
Mirroring what someone else says does not mean you agree with it, says Albin. It simply means you truly heard it — something that's difficult to do.
"One thing I see over and over is that when people are embroiled in conflict they lose a lot of their ability to listen or even hear," says McCusker. "Anger is the world's best set of ear plugs."
Never attack the other person's perspective. "If you criticize their point of view, all they're going to do is defend it," says Albin. "And while defending, they are just reinforcing their position and will walk away even further convinced that you are wrong."
If the other person is being aggressive toward you, stay calm. Resist becoming defensive. "Don't focus on the delivery or the messenger," says Albin. "Rather, try to hear the message they are really trying to deliver. This will disarm them and facilitate resolution."
Finding solutions Try to see the issue as a problem outside the two of you rather than as a problem between you. Then you can approach the dilemma as a team rather than as enemies. Together, brainstorm and write down all possible compromises, including even seemingly crazy ones. Discuss the consequences of each. Choose the one that's the best win-win.
"This is forcing you to be collaborative," says Bracke. "Being reflective, slowing down and writing things down makes it much more difficult for our emotions to run away from us." Compromises usually take the form of both people giving up some portion of what each one wants. A compromise also could involve trading one thing for another or other creative solutions. Say a husband and wife are bickering about what car to buy. He wants a sports car, she a sedan. They agree on a coupe with some upgrades like leather seats. In a spat over where to go on vacation each year, the solution could be taking turns picking spots. Whatever the compromise, take pride in making it. Identify with being a compromiser rather than a winner, remembering you're no real winner if the other person has to lose.
By Leslie Knowlton Content provided by Revolution Health Group
Some of the symptoms of hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, are fatigue, depression, irritability and memory problems. Sound familiar?
Dr Christiane Northrup, who is in my opinion the guru for women’s health, was talking about the secret ingredient that jump starts thyroid health. It is iodine. Dr Northrup also says that about 80% of women are deficient in iodine, so it's important to get your levels checked to make sure you have enough.
Some people, particularly women, have been to many doctors complaining of uncharacteristic fatigue spreading over many years, and the doctors have never said anything about iodine. If this is indeed the problem, then the correction of it could reduce some of the fatigue, depression and irritability that many people have.
Thyroid problems in women usually do not show up until after age 35, but like most things, it is not an exact science. Make sure that your T3 and T4 are tested. You can learn more about this subject on Dr. Northrup’s website.
You may wonder what this has to do with your health. Well I'll tell you. If you try and solve the Rubik's Cube without a formula, you might go crazy. If you haven't got time to study and memorise the formula in order to solve the cube, just put this movie on and watch the Rubik's Cube solve itself.
That's good for your frame of mind, it means you won't go bonkers.
"Sunbathers needn't feel guilty any more - they're boosting their vitamin D levels. Twenty minutes' lying in the sun could provide your best chance of avoiding colds and flu, according to new research which demonstrates that vitamin D, not vitamin C, provides the most efficient protection against cold viruses.
Vitamin D is created by the action of sunlight on the skin. The malign consequences have been revealed in a study from the United States which shows that boosting vitamin D may be the most effective way of warding off infections that cause winter colds.
The authors, from Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York, who publish their findings in the journal Epidemiology and Infection, say vitamin D stimulates "innate immunity" by activating peptides in the body that attack bacteria, fungi and viruses. "Vitamin D supplementation, particularly with higher doses, may protect against the typical winter cold and flu ... Since there is an epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency in the US, the public health impact of this observation could be great," they write.
Traditional advice has been to swallow large doses of vitamin C at the first sign of a sniffle. But the latest findings suggest we may have been turning to the wrong vitamin. The revelation is the latest addition to a long list of scientific studies highlighting the beneficent qualities of a previously underrated health resource.
Vitamin D has been described as "the wonder vitamin" after a 40-year review of research found a daily dose could halve the risk of breast and colon cancer. It has also been shown to play a vital role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis as well as being essential for bone health.
Widespread deficiency in the vitamin among populations in the northern hemisphere suggests it may account for several thousand premature deaths from cancers alone, American scientists from the University of San Diego said in the American Journal of Public Health in December 2005. They reviewed 63 scientific papers and concluded "public health action" to boost vitamin D levels was needed.
High rates of heart disease in Scotland have been blamed on weak sunlight and short summers. Some experts believe the benefits of the Mediterranean diet have as much to do with the sun as with the regional food. The evidence of its role in fending off two of the commonest infections in the Western world - colds and flu - has come from research by US scientists who gave supplements of the vitamin to 208 women over three years. Half the women were given a 20-microgram dose of vitamin D, increased to 50 micrograms after two years, and the other half were given a placebo. Those who took the vitamin reported a 70 per cent reduction in colds and flu, from 30 episodes to nine over the three-year study.
All the women were Afro-Caribbeans who were being tested with vitamin D supplements to see if they prevented bone loss, which is a common problem following the menopause. People with dark skins make less vitamin D when exposed to the sun and consequently tend to have lower levels. The startling results offer a new motive to seek, in moderation, the sunlight.
Twenty minutes in the sun, with the hands, arms and face exposed, is all that is needed to get an adequate dose, but it needs to be regularly topped up through the summer. In winter the only way of maintaining levels is by taking cod liver oil or supplements.
Many countries have modified their warnings about the dangers of sunbathing in the light of the growing evidence for the benefits of vitamin D. Australia preached avoidance of the sun with its "slip, slop, slap" campaign. But the Association of Cancer Councils of Australia acknowledged two years ago that some exposure to the sun was necessary to achieve adequate vitamin D levels."
