INFO HIDUP SEHAT

Brain health shouldn’t be something you first start thinking about in middle- or old-age. Just as you need to exercise your body throughout life to keep it healthy so too does your brain require a daily workout to keep it vital and alert.

It is common for people to experience a gradual decline in their mental abilities as they age. We are told that this is normal and is the result of age-related structural changes in the brain - and that such changes are inevitable.

But you know what… there’s a lot of evidence coming from the latest research into brain health that brain aging is only ‘normal and inevitable’ if you do nothing to prevent it. This means that it doesn’t have to happen to you – that you can keep your brain healthy and in ‘tip-top’ shape, enjoy being creative and improve your memory with just a little bit of effort… whatever your age.

The question is how…?

Research findings point to three main ways to support your brain: healthy diet, mental activity and getting physical with the brain. The first two have been promoted for many years. However, the third - getting physical with the brain - is not widely known yet may well prove to be the most powerful factor in maintaining brain health

What does ‘getting physical’ with your brain mean? To make the explanation simple I’ll define getting physical as anything that is clearly not diet related nor a mental activity such as puzzles, number sequence exercises, memory games, practicing musical instruments and so on.

So what can you do to get physical with your brain? Plenty! In fact, as you’ll discover shortly, there are many powerful ‘hands-on’ ways of using physical activity to boost your brain-power and keep you as sharp as a tack regardless of your age.

And, because they are based solely on natural health principles, they help your brain to help itself without having to resort to popping pills, taking supplements, mood enhancers or anything like that.

What’s more, you’re likely to find getting physical with your brain so easy and enjoyable that you can readily picture yourself doing it for life.

Here are some of the factors you should consider when developing a strategy to keep your brain healthy, alert and vital:

Physical exercise: Physical exercise can encourage a healthy brain to function optimally in ways that are not widely known or their value appreciated. For example, exercise can help the brain by promoting the production of new neurons (brain cells) and strengthening the connections between neurons.

Reduce stress levels: Stress plays havoc with the functioning of the brain and the body systems it controls. In particular, the sustained presence of stress hormones in the bloodstream can damage brain cells.

Encourage the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain: Increasing blood flow and oxygen can help support the survival of new neurons and foster neuron ‘firing’. In simple terms, ‘firing’ means a neuron connecting with its neighbours – which is how messages are transmitted to and from the brain.

Promote the generation and circulation of sexual energy: Sexual energy can play a key part in supporting mental health as it fosters, for example, the movement of chemicals called neurotransmitters between neurons. These play a critical role in the communication of information between nerve cells. As an illustration, the neurotransmitter serotonin associated with sexual behaviour and arousal is involved in a number of functions including influencing mood and alertness.

Control the breathing rate: Another important factor in optimising brain health is the practice of slowing down the breathing rate as that can enhance the activity of the hypothalamus and the pituitary and pineal glands, the optimum performance of which is central to the maintenance of both physical and mental health.

Challenge the brain with a variety of ‘new’ experiences: Walking backwards is a simple example. By experiencing such unusual patterns of behaviour the brain is stimulated and there is some evidence that the brain can actually increase in size.

Stimulate the senses:

The bottom line here is that you should take every opportunity to engage your eyes and smell sensors by continually sampling your surroundings – consciously keep your eyes moving so you present your brain with new information to analyse and process while you ‘sniff’ the environment in search of smells and odours for your brain to identify.

In conclusion it is fair to say that all the above elements can have a marked positive influence on brain health in their own right. However, it is the synergistic impact of using them in combination that is likely to provide the most powerful benefits.

by: Johnny Lavot
Fat burners have become very popular in today's society, especially in America. It seems that everyone is looking for a "quick fix" to their problem...and that is why they turn to those "awesome" fat burners where you can just pop a pill and "lose 30 pounds in 10 days!"

However, do these fat burners actually work? Do they actually provide any benefits? Do the $40-$100 price tags justify any benefits that they may have? Here we will investigate some of the claims that they make such as

-increased thermogenesis

-decreased appetite

-fat loss without exercising

-increased energy

However, before I go into any more detail about fat burners, you must understand two important concepts:

Total Daily Energy Expenditure and The Law of Thermodynamics

(don't worry -they're quite simple).

Everyone has a set number known as "Total Daily Energy Expenditure" or TDEE for short. Your TDEE is how many calories your body uses per day to keep itself going. Pretty much everyone's TDEE is different, and it changes everyday depending upon how much work your body does that day or if you gained more muscle mass, etc... This number can be affected by such things as how much muscle mass you have, genetics, what you do during the day, etc.

You can get a rough estimate of you TDEE at http://www.weight-loss-resources.com/calculators/dailycalories.html

Once you understand TDEE, there is another simple concept to understand. This concept is known as The First Law of Thermodynamics (don't worry - our application of it is simple). This law states:

1. If you eat less calories than your TDEE, you lose weight (this weight can be muscle or fat or a number of other things, but that's for another article)

2. If you eat more calories than your TDEE, you gain weight (once again, this can really be anything)

3. If you eat the same amount of calories as your TDEE, your weight stays the same

So, in order to lose fat, you must create some sort of calorie deficit between your TDEE and the number of calories you eat. However, the deficit cannot be too large - otherwise your body will go into starvation mode. For more information on this topic you can check out www.burn-the-fat-feed-the-muscle.com.

The Fat Loss Claims of Fat Burners:

--Increased Thermogenesis

Thermogenesis is essentially a fancy word for TDEE. Saying that a product will increase thermogenesis is like saying it will increase your TDEE - which would mean that you burn more calories per day. Many of the products in these fat burner's will increase your rate of calorie expenditure, but not by very much - the results are minimal.

Here's an example: A while back I saw an ad touting that their "green tea extract" increased thermogenesis by 4%. Sounds spiffy, eh? Now, let's take a somewhat normal number for TDEE - 2000 calories/day. 4% of 2000 would be 80 calories per day. If a pound of fat is 3500 calories, this means that you could get rid of an extra pound of fat about every 44 days by taking this supplement!

This small deficit could be easily accomplished many other ways though. For instance, you could eat 10 less wheat thins for a day, replace soft drinks with water, or not add mayonnaise to your sandwich at lunch.

Decreased Appetite

When trying to diet (actually, just achieve a calorie deficit), many times people complain that their appetite is holding them back - therefore companies that produce fat burners like to claim that their product "reduces appetite".

It's true, many ingredients in products may reduce your appetite. But do you really need these special herbs or ingredients to do that?

In my opinion, nature provides everything. Here are some strategies:

1. Drink water. If you get some sort of craving for something, just drink some water. This will help to decrease your appetite by filling up your stomach, it's natural, and you need water to function properly anyway.

2. Eat fiber. You can either eat foods with fiber in them, like vegetables, or you can just buy some of that powdered fiber at the store (it actually doesn't taste that bad), and take some with your meals. Fiber cannot be digested, so it will decrease the actual capacity for your stomach to hold food. Plus fiber pushes food through your digestive tract faster than normal. This can cause roughly 15%-20% of the food you eat to not be digested - resulting in a smaller amount of calories that your body actually digests. Fiber also provides too many other benefits to list here.

3. Eat foods that are low in calories, but high in satiety. These are foods that have a low amount of calories per amount of food that you eat. For instance, a stomach full of jello contains less calories than a stomach full of peanut butter.

Fat Loss Without Exercise

It's possible to lose some fat without exercising. However, when you do this, you're setting yourself up for failure in the long run. Muscle is an integral part of permanent fat loss. When you cut calories without lifting weights or exercising, part of the weight you lose will be muscle as well as fat. When you add weight lifting/exercise to your routine, you essentially signal your body to keep your muscle. For more information on this topic of "weight loss and weight lifting", check out our free 7-day fat loss e-course. The second lesson involves the effects of weight lifting on fat. So, in essence, you can lose weight without exercising - but it's kind of a waste of time.

Increased Energy & Focus

Many fat burner's contain ingredients like caffeine or vinpocetine, which they claim to help increase your energy and focus. In many cases, some (a rare few might I add) of these compounds can and have been proven to do this - but (this is from personal experience) mostly by a minimal amount. Probably the best way to gain focus and energy is the way nature intended - through exercise. Ever gotten that endorphin high after a great workout? You'll be surprised at how "high" you get and at how clearly you can think.

Fat Loss & Water Loss

Due to some of the ingredients in fat burners, they can make you lose weight - but not necessarily the correct type of weight. Some ingredients such as caffeine can be classified as mild diuretics. This can be deceiving, as the weight that you may have lost from the "fat" burning supplement may not be fat at all, it may just be water.

So, all in all, fat burning supplements do provide some benefits - that is, if the ingredients actually DO support their claims. However, many times, even though they do provide benefits, the benefits are many times small compared to what can be accomplished through intelligent dieting and exercising. It is up to the buyer whether the price tags justify the benefits that these supplements may provide.

by: Mitch Pellecchia
By now, most of us have heard of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and their potential health benefits. They’re said to sustain cognitive function and memory, benefit the heart and immune system, aid in cell reproduction and repair, and even help balance hormones. Fish oil, duly noted by the medical community as having similar benefits, contains high levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids, thus establishing the link between a daily regimen of fish oil and good health. Fish oil is sold in the U.S. as a dietary supplement and comes in both liquid and capsule form.

What are essential fatty acids?

Essential fatty acids are unsaturated fats typically found in the oils of vegetables, certain nuts and seeds and some fish. They’re said to benefit health more than the saturated fats found in meat and dairy products and may even have a positive impact on cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Essential fatty acids are referred to as "essential" because they must be obtained through diet and are essential to the normal growth and function of muscles, nerves, cells and organs in humans. There are two families of essential fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids – the fatty acids found in fish oil

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat present in many coldwater fish including trout, salmon, sardines, anchovies, herring, mackerel, tuna and cod. The two most potent forms of omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), both known as "good fats" – unlike saturated fats, which when consumed in excess can lead to cardiovascular problems, neural and brain disorders.

EPA helps to produce the prostaglandins (hormone-like substances) which help control blood-clotting and arterial functions. EPAs may also help to lower serum triglyceride levels.

DHA is a major component of human brain and retinal tissue and aids the transmission of nerve impulses.

The term "omega-3 essential fatty acid" has become synonymous with "fish oil" in modern American marketing literature.

Sources of omega-3 essential fatty acids other than fish oil include, but are not limited to:

• Avocadoes (whole or oil)
• Brazil nuts
• Flaxseed
• Flaxseed oil
• Fortified milk products
• Hempseeds
• Hempseed oil
• Omega-3 eggs
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seed
• Soybean oil
• Walnuts
• Wheat germ oil

Omega-6 fatty acids – not found in fish oil

Omega-6 EFAs are found in animal products such as dairy and meat and are common in cooking oils such as safflower, olive, sunflower, hemp, soybean, pumpkin, sesame, walnut and flaxseed oils. Too many omega-6 EFAs, say nutritionists, can throw off the balance of prostaglandins and lead to health problems. Experts recommend a ratio of three parts omega-3 essential fatty acids to every one part omega-6 fatty acid in the diet. Research indicates that Americans consume far more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 as a result of overindulging in fried foods, red meat and cheese.

Omega-6 fatty acids are dependent on interactions with omega-3 essential fatty acids in order to benefit good health, which is why a balance of the two is crucial in the diet. The American Heart Association cautions against a high dietary intake of omega-6 fatty acids as it can lead to the development of gallstones and promote tumors.

Prostaglandins

Prostaglandins encompass a number of hormone-like substances found in every cell in the body. They’re critical to the dilation and constriction of blood vessels, the contraction and relaxation of muscles, the regulation of blood pressure and the modulation of inflammation. Prostaglandins are needed for overall good health and maintenance and must be replenished constantly. It’s easy to understand why having a good balance of prostaglandins in the body is essential to well-being.

Where does fish oil come from?

Most fish oil is extracted from the fatty flesh of the fish, unless a product specifically states otherwise, as is the case with cod liver oil or shark liver oil – extracted from fish liver. Nutritious fish oil is usually derived from deep, coldwater fish and those swimming in the wild (wild fish eat other fish and marine animals and vegetation to survive, whereas farm-raised fish are typically fed some type of less nutritious, less expensive, commercial-grade pellet). Some experts say the best fish comes from the deep Atlantic of Norway and other Scandinavian countries: the deeper and colder the water, say experts, the less chance of toxins such as mercury, lead, dioxins, furans and PCBs occurring in the fish oil. Fish from eastern Pacific waters is known to contain elevated levels of mercury.

Fish oil supplements – good ones / bad ones

"Product disclosure" is the operable phrase when seeking out nutritious fish oil supplements. From what kind of fish is the oil extracted and from where is it extracted naturally through pressing or with a centrifuge; or are petrochemical solvents such as hexane used to extract the oil from the source? How is the fish oil refined? Is it molecularly distilled, which to date is the most reliable form of fish oil purification, or does the label read something like "extra-distilled" or "super-distilled?" Such terms have no bearing on quality or safety. Because the hundreds of thousands of fish oil supplements on the market remain unregulated by the FDA, the safety, consistency, efficacy and strength of these products varies immensely among brands.

When reading fish oil supplement labels:

• Make sure the type of fish from which the fish oil is extracted is listed.
• Look for terms "coldwater," "deep water" and "wild" as opposed to "farm-raised."
• In what ocean or hemisphere was the fish caught? North Atlantic, deep, coldwater is said to be the most nutritious.
• Make sure the fish oil is molecularly distilled, which better ensures the absence of PCBs, heavy metals and other contaminants.
• What parts of the fish were used? Fish oils extracted from fish liver may be higher in heavy metals and contaminants.
• What fish oil extraction method was used? Cold or modified expeller pressing means that the oil was produced without damaging temperatures or unnecessary pressure.

Marketing claims that have no defined meaning in relation to fish oil supplements, and which often mislead consumers, include:

• Ultra-pure
• Professional grade
• Pharmaceutical grade
• High-potency
• Super-distilled
• Natural
• Extra-distilled
• Best
• Finest
• Highest quality
• Pure
• Purest
• Purified

Essential fatty acid health benefits and risks

Few argue the benefits of fish oil and essential fatty acids in the diet. Clinical studies have demonstrated that the omega-3 fatty acids can benefit cardiovascular health and that "good unsaturated fats" derived from vegetables and fish are far more nutritious than "bad saturated fats" which come from red meat, animal products and dairy. The cardiovascular benefits to balancing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the diet include lowered serum cholesterol, decreased serum trigylcerides and reduced platelet aggregation. Although many fish oil supplement companies claim that fish oil supplementation may aid brain function and strengthen the immune system, a complete body of evidence has yet to be produced.

Along with the health benefits of fish oil come some risks, most associated with taking too high doses of fish oil or having dangerously high levels of omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids in the blood. Some of these risks can include:

• Thinning of the blood and reduced ability of the blood to clot.
• Increased risk of bleeding.
• Too large doses can increase glucose levels in persons with already elevated blood sugar levels.
• In excess, fish oil may suppress the immune system.
• Increase the occurrence of nosebleeds and easy bruising.
• Upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea and belching.
• Poisoning from heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins and pesticides.

Experts and nutritionists are convinced that the health benefits of fish oil far outweigh the risks. However, many warn that fish oil shouldn’t be taken with blood-thinning medication such as warfarin or aspirin and shouldn’t be taken by anyone with bleeding disorders or uncontrolled hypertension. It is highly advisable to consult a physician before supplementing a diet with fish oil.

EPAs, DHAs, efficacy and the FDA

In September of 2004, the FDA announced they would allow a qualified health claim for reduced risk of coronary heart disease for conventional foods that contain EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids as outlined in FDA’s "Interim Procedures for Qualified Health Claims in the Labeling of Conventional Human Food and Human Dietary Supplements." Notwithstanding inconclusive research at the time of release, the FDA said it would exercise its enforcement discretion with respect to the following qualified health claim:

"Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. One serving of [name of food] provides [x] grams of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids. [See nutrition information for total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content.]"

In 2000, the FDA announced a similar qualified health claim for dietary supplements containing EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids and the reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The FDA recommends that consumers not exceed more than a total of three grams per day of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, with no more than two grams per day from a dietary supplement.

Be sure to shop at www.vitacost.com for all your essential fatty acid and fish oil needs!

References

1. Supplement from the sea: the fat from fish oil can benefit your heart, eyes, joints, and brain. Tom Weede. Natural Health. Oct 2007 v37 i9 p105 (2).

2. Omega medicine. Is fish oil good for what ails you? Bonnie Liebman. Nutrition Action Healthletter. Oct 2007 v34 i8 p1 (5).

3. The government’s big fish story: Pick the perfect fish oil supplement. Men's Health. July-August 2007 v22 i6 p158.

4. Fish oil and brain development. Alan R. Gaby. Townsend Letter: The Examiner of Alternative Medicine. Oct 2007 i291 p49 (2).

5. Effects of fish oil supplementation on myocardial fatty acids in humans. R.G. Metcalf, M.J. James, R.A. Gibson. Alternative Medicine Review. Sept 2007 v12 i3 p307 (1).

6. Essential fatty acids. Douglas Dupler and Teresa G. Odle. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 4 vols. Updated July 1, 2006.

7. Mighty omegas (ways to score more essential fats). Nancy Duncan. Women's Health. Dec 2006 v3 i10 p47.

8. Essential fatty acids and eicosanoids: their role in preventing inflammation, cardiovascular disease and cancer. James Meschino. Dynamic Chiropractic. Dec 3, 2007 v25 i25 p28(3).

9. Fish oil. Mai Tran and Teresa Odle. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. Ed. Jacqueline L. Longe. 2nd ed. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 4 vols. Updated July 1, 2006.

10. On call: Fish oil revisited. Staying Healthy from the Faculty of Harvard Medical School. August 21, 2006 pNA.

11. By the way, doctor: How much fish oil should I be taking? Staying Healthy from the Faculty of Harvard Medical School. August 21, 2006 pNA.

Kebanyakan dari kita pernah merasakan stress dalam kegiatan kita sehari-hari; di tempat kerja, di rumah, maupun di dalam perjalanan.

Dalam jumlah yang kecil, stress bermanfaat. Ia dapat membantu kita untuk memusatkan perhatian dan kinerja kita. Namun terlalu banyak stress akan menurunkan kinerja kita dan mengganggu kesehatan kita

Memahami Stress
Salah satu gejala utama dari terjadinya stress yang kronis adalah kemarahan, yang dapat meledak setiap saat.
Konsekuensi sosial dan emosional yang muncul karena membiarkan stress berkembang adalah signifikan. Bila stress tidak dikelola dengan baik dapat memberikan kontribusi terhadap munculnya kemarahan yang tidak masuk akal, penyalah-gunaan obat-obatan dan alkohol, dan kadang-kadang perilaku kekerasan.

Stress yang kronis mempunyai dampak jangka panjang terhadap kesehatan seseorang. Stress telah banyak dikaitkan dengan terjadinya serangan jantung, stroke, kemungkinan melemahnya sistim kekebalan tubuh, dan bahkan penyakit seperti kanker.

Apakah Stress itu ?
Penting diketahui bahwa stress adalah merupakan sesuatu hal atau kondisi yang bersifat neuro-biologis. Stress dicetuskan oleh faktor-faktor lingkungan, yang juga sekaligus merupakan reaksi biologis. Bila kita memahami psikologi dan biologi dari stress, maka kita berada dalam kondisi yang paling baik untuk mengembangkan cara untuk Menanggulanginya.
Stress disebabkan oleh interkasi antara peristiwa-peristiwa di luar diri kita dan proses biologis di dalam diri kita. Kita bereaksi melalu sebuah mekanisme yang disebut sebagai general adaptive response atau yang juga dikenal juga sebagai respon menghadapi atau menghindari (fight or flight response).

General adaptive response ini merupakan respon yang bersifat primitive, yang dihasilkan jauh di dalam sistim otak kita. Respon ini tidak dipengaruhi oleh fungsi-fungsi luhur dari otak. Fungsi luhur inilah yang membedakan manusia dengan hewan. Konsekuensinya, setiap peristiwa atau situasi yang kelihatannya mengancam keselamatan, keamanan, atau bahkan status kita dapat memicu munculnya respon ini.
Bila respon tersebut dirangsang, seluruh tubuh kita akan menjadi siaga. Tubuh bersiap-siap untuk melakukan konfrontasi fisik atau menghindarkannya.

Stressor
Peristiwa yang mempunyai hubungan dengan respon general adaptive disebut sebagai stressor atau faktor yang memicu terjadinya stress. Orang asing yang mengancam, suara ledakan, suara sirene pemadam kebakaran, melihat ular atau laba-laba dapat memicu munculnya respon ini pada kebanyakan orang. Dalam situasi seperti ini, munculnya respon terrsebut merupakan hal yang positif. Respon general adaptive mempersiapkan kita untuk lari lebih cepat, bertarung lebih hebat, bahkan sembuh lebih cepat bila kita terluka.
Namun demikian respon ini tidaklah terlalu bermanfaat bila kita dihadapkan pada situasi lalu lintas yang sibuk atau pada pengemudi lain yang tidak menyalakan lampu ketika akan berbelok. Akibatnya terjadi stress.

Stress Yang Baik dan Yang Buruk
Stress dan perasaan senang bukanlah 2 hal yang tidak terkait. Anak kecil berusia 10 tahun yang meluncur dari papan luncur yang cukup tinggi ke dalam kolam renang , atau para peterjun bebas dari pesawat yang terbang tinggi, mengalami peristiwa biologis yang kita sebut sebagai stress. Dalam kasus ini, stress dianggap baik dan menyenangkan karena situasi yang menimbulkan stress dapat diselesaikan dengan cepat dan baik. Kondisi ini akan melahirkan perasaan gembira, perasaan mampu meyelesaikan tugas , dan mereka masih mampu menguasai keadaan.

Bila kita tidak mampu menanggulangi stressor dengan mudah, maka stressor akan tetap berada dalam tubuh kita, sedangkan tubuh kita tidak dirancang untuk terus menerus berada dalam kondisi siaga. Padahal bila stressor bertahan dalam tubuh kita, walaupun dalam tingkat yang rendah, maka hal ini dapat membahayakan , baik untuk kesehatan emosi maupun fisik. Dalam kondisi ini, maka stress dianggap sebagai sesuatu hal yang buruk.

Kepribadian Tipe-A dan Tipe-B
Cara kita masing-masing dalam memberikan respon terhadap stress kelihatannya ditentukan oleh factor-faktor fisiologis dan biologis. Kita mengetahui, bahwa tipe kepribadian tertentu mengalami kondisi waktu yang sangat mendesak lebih banyak (disebut Tipe A) daripada tipe kepribadian lainnya (Tipe B)
Tipe Kepribadian A mempunyai ciri-ciri sebagai berikut :
- menjadi jengkel bila harus mengantri
- secara terus menerus mengerjakan beberapa proyek pada saat yang bersamaan (multi tasking)
- secara emosional tidak stabil (volatile)

Peristiwa-peristiwa yang sama, yang dapat membangkitkan tingkat stress yang cukup tinggi pada Tipe Kepribadian A, mungkin akan sulit untuk menciptakan sedikitpun rangsangan pada Tipe Kepribadian B, yang tenang dan santai (easy going).

Kami sendiri tidak mengetahui secara pasti pengaruh lingkungan dan faktor keturunan dalam pembentukan tipe-tipe kepribadian tersebut. Kita mengetahui bahwa Tipe Kepribadian A lebih mungkin mendapatkan penyakit kardiovaskular, seperti tekanan darah tinggi, penyakit jantung, dan stroke. Kami mengetahui bahwa stress merupakan salah faktor yang memberikan kontribusi terhadap terjadinya penyakit tersebut. Bila kita mempunyai Tipe Kepribadian A, mungkin kita sudah mengetahuinya. Bila kita menganggap diri kita mempunyai kepribadian B, ingatlah bahwa kita tetap mempunyai sedikit Tipe Kepribadian A di dalam diri kita.

Mengelola Stress
Stress tidak dapat dihindarkan. Namun demikian, dengan memahami stressor dan stress itu sendiri, kita dapat meminimalkan stress yang tidak diperlukan, dan membuat diri kita lebih sehat , baik secara fisik , maupun mental. Untuk itulah kita perlu belajar untuk hidup bersama dengan stress. Ada 3 teknik yang dapat digununakan untuk hidup bersama stress.

1.Penghindaran (Avoidance)
Teknik penghindaran ini digunakan untuk menghindarkan diri kita dari stressor. Untuk itulah kita perlu mengenali aktivitas-aktivitas yang dapat menciptakan stress dalam hidup anda. Sediakanlah waktu untuk melakukan pengukuran terhadap aktivitas-aktivitas yang paling menyebabkan kita berada dalam kondisi stress.

Buatlah sebuah catatan harian /jurnal secara teratur untuk mecatat tertentu, khususnya saat merasa stress. Bila perasaan stress muncul pertimbangkan hal-hal yang telah terjadi beberapa jam sebelumnya dan pastikan hal-hal yang sedang kita pikirkan saat ini. Beberapa saat kemudian , kita mungkin akan menemukan factor-faktor yang mencetuskan terjadinya stress.

Contoh stressor : Datang Terlambat ke Tempat Kerja. Kita mungkin menganggap bahwa datang terlambat ke tempat kerja membuat diri kita berada dalam kondisi stress karena hal tersebut mungkin dapat dianggap sebagai melanggar peraturan ,malas,dan mempengaruhi penilaian kerja di kantor.
Penyelesaian untuk masalah tersebut di atas adalah dengan mengelola waktu dengan baik, sehingga kita dapat menghindarkan diri kita dari stress. Bagaimana caranya ? Misalnya dengan bangun lebih pagi, mengalokasikan waktu yang lebih banyak untuk berangkat dari rumah ke kantor, dsb-nya.

2. Pemutusan Hubungan (Short-Circuiting)
Teknik ini didasarkan atas sebuah kebenaran yang sederhana bahwa sesuatu itu tidak akan menyebabkan kita stress , kecuali kita membiarkannya menjadi stress. Dengan teknik ini, sesuatu yang menjadi stressor diabaikan, diputuskan atau di-definisikan ulang. Cotoh : Antrian panjang di supermarket merupakan salah satu stressor pada kebanyakan orang.

Dengan menggunakan teknik ini, kita bisa menggunakan waktu yang ada dengan membaca buku atau majalah favorit kita. Antrian yang membuat orang lain merasa jengkel, anda gunakan untuk menyelesaikan bacaan favorit anda.

3. Mitigasi (Mitigation)
Karena kita tidak mungkin mencegah stress secara keseluruhan, maka dengan memelihara tubuh kita dengan baik , maka kita diharapkan mampu mengendalikan stress yang ada dengan baik. Dengan teknik ini ada beberapa metode yang dapat digunakan untuk membantu tubuh kita memberikan toleransi terhadap stress dengan lebih baik, sehingga dapat kembali ke kondisi normal dengan lebih cepat.
Dengan menggunakan metode-metode ini, maka tubuh kita dapat dengan lebih mudah mengendalikan stress yang tidak dapat dilakukan dengan teknik penghindaran dan pemutusan hubungan

3.1. Diet
Sress menurunkan daya tahan dan meningkatkan ketegangan pada sistim tubuh kita. Diet yang sehat memungkikan system tersebut kembali berfungsi dengan baik.
Perhatikan banyaknya “junk food” yang kita makan dalam satu minggu. Cobalah untuk mulai menguranginya menjadi hanya satu atau dua kali dalam seminggu Janganlah melupakan makan, dan minumlah air yang banyak. Untuk mampu kembali berfungsi dengan baik setelah mengalami stress sehari-hari, tubuh kita memerlukan makanan.

Fokus dari diet yang sehat tidaklah selalu untuk keperluan mengurangi be-rat badan. Hal itu lebih ditujukan untuk membuat tubuh kita kuat, sehingga mampu untuk bangkit dari tantangan sehari-hari yang berkaitan dengan stress.

3.2. Tidur
Tidak ada yang lebih baik daripada tidur yang baik di malam hari, yang dapat membuat sistem-sistem tubuh kita bangkit dan berfungsi dengan baik. Sampai tahun 1950-an, kebanyakan orang berpikir bahwa tidur adalah bersifat pasif, yaitu bagian yang kosong dari kehidupan kita sehari-hari. Sekarang para ilmuwan mengetahui bahwa pikiran kita sangat aktif pada saat kita tidur.

Tidur dan bangun/terjaga dipengaruhi oleh signal-signal neurotransmitter yang berbeda di dalam otak. Makanan dan obat-obatan yang merubah keseimbangan dari signal-signal tersebut dapat membuat kita menjadi terjaga atau mengantuk, dan mempengaruhi kualitas tidur kita. Minuman yang mengandung kafein , seperti kopi, dan obat-obatan seperti obat diet dan obat untuk menghilangkan tersumbatnya hidung (decongestant), merangsang sejumlah bagian dari otak, dan menyebabkan insomnia atau kesulitan tidur.. Para perokok berat seringkali tidur dalam kondisi yang tidak lelap. Mereka juga cenderung untuk bangun setelah 3-4 jam tidur, karena menghilangnya nikotin. Banyak orang yang mengalami insomnia mencoba menyelesaikan masalahnya dengan minum alkohol. Padahal langkah ini hanya akan membuatnya tertidur ringan saja, yang membuat mereka mudah untuk terjaga.

Hampir semua orang sekali-kali mengalami masalah kesulitan tidur (insomnia) jangka pendek. Insomnia ini dapat dicegah dan diobati dengan berlatih untuk memiliki kebiasaan tidur yang baik :
- Lakukan tidur secara teratur, sehingga tubuh kita tetap berada dalam sebuah siklus tidur.
- Aktiflah sepanjang hari, sehingga tubuh kita siap untuk beristirahat
- Bersantailah dengan membaca buku, mendengarkan musik atau menonton televisi sebelum tidur.
- Hindari kafein, nikotin, dan alkohol.
Bila masalah tidur kita terus berlanjut, temuilah dokter.

3.3. Berolah-raga
Berolah raga yang teratur, tidak hanya meningkatkan kemampuan kita untuk tidur dan kemampuan fisik dalam menghadapi stress, tetapi juga berfungsi sebagai psychological relaxer, dengan cara mengggu perhatian kita terhadap peristiwa-peristiwa yang menimbulkan stress.
Program pengurangan stress melalui kegiatan olah raga, tidaklah harus dalam bentuk aktivitas-aktivitas fisik yang berat,, yang dirancang untuk memperkuat otot dan mengurangi berat badan. Cukup dengan pergi keluar rumah, berjalan kaki, dan lakukanlah kembali esok harinya.
Jalan kaki yang teratur, atau aktivitas aerobik lainnya, selama sedikitnya setengah jam , 3-4 kali dalam seminggu, akan membuat kita merasa berbeda.

3.4. Tertawa
Bila kita tidak Siap untuk melakukan aktivitas olah-raga, maka lakukanlah aktivitas-aktivitas yang membuat kita tertawa. Banyak orang yang dapat bebas dari stress dengan tertawa, dan tertawa sebenarnya salah satu bentuk dari kegiatan fisik/olah raga. Tertawa dipercaya dapat memicu keluarnya endorphins, bahan kimia penghilang rasa sakit alamiah, yang memberikan dampak euphoric atau perasan senang. Dalam berbagai kasus, tertawa itu menyenangkan, dan perasaan senang merupakan penangkal stress.

3.5. Rekreasi
Sebenarnya segala sesuatu yang kita lakukan dalam bereakreasi – fisik atau non-fisik, akan membawa pikiran dan emosi kita jauh dari masalah-masalah yang kita hadapi. Walaupun kita mungkin perlu untuk menghadapi masalah-masalah yang menimbulkan stress, namun demikian istirahat yang singkat akan memungkinkan tubuh, pikiran dan spirit kita menjadi segar kembali.

3.5. Respon Relaksasi
Sama seperti kita memiliki respon general adaptive, tubuh kita juga memiliki respon relaksasi yang terbentuk di dalam tubuh kita. Respon ini merupakan mekanisme biologis yang mengagumkan. Respon ini mencegah munculnya dampak stress kepada kita, dengan menurunkan denyut jantung, menurunkan tekanan darah, dan memberikan rasa tenang.
Tantangannya bagi kita adalah : bila stress dapat dipicu seketika, oleh kejadian-kejadian sederhana, seperti suaran sirene, maka respon relaksasi harus dilatih agar dapat muncul.
Respon relaksasi dapat dipicu oleh sejumlah aktifitas seperti, meditasi, bernafas dengan menggunakan diagframa, tai chi, pemijatan, dan berdoa.

Penelitian-penelitian mengenai bio-feedback telah menunjukkan bahwa manusia benar-benar mempunyai kemampuan untuk mengendalikan respon relaksasinya. Namur demikian hanya sedikit diantara kita yang telah mengembangkan kemampuan ini secara sadar.

Berdasarkan hasil laporan sejumlah orang yang melakukan bio-feedback, kunci untuk memicu munculnya respon relaksasi ternyata cukup sederhana, yaitu memikirkan hal-hal yang menyenangkan dan bernafas dengan tenang secara teratur.
Menampilkan respon relaksasi dengan cepat adalah sebuah ketrampilan. Berlatih akan banyak membantu. Akhirnya memulai respon ini menjadi otomatis. Manfaat yang peroleh dengan memiliki kemampuan tersebut, adalah ganda. Disamping menjadi mampu dengan cepat untuk mengatasi stress, kita akan mendapatkan lebih sedikit peristiwa yang dipersepsikan sebagai stressor.

By : Asnan Bustaman

Difteri dissebabkan oleh kuman Corynebacterium diphtheria, suatu bakteri gram positif yang berbentuk polymorf, tidak bergerak dan tidak membentuk spora.

Gejala utama dari penyakit difteri adalah adanya pembentukan pseudomembran yang merupakan hasil kerja dari kuman ini. Pseudomembran sendiri merupakan lapisan putih berwarna keabu-abuan yang timbul terutama di aerah mukosa hidung, mulut sampai tenggorokan.

Di samping menghasilkan pseudomembran , kuman ini juga mengahasilkan racun yang disebut eksotoxin yang sangat berbahauya karena menyerang jantung ginjal dan jaringan syaraf.

Dengan pengobatan yang tepat dan cepat maka komplikasai yang berat dapat dihindari, namun keadaan bisa makin biuruk jika pasien berusia muda, perjalanan penyakit uyang lama, gizi kurang dan pemberian antitoksin yang terlambat.

Obat-obatan yang diberikan pada penderita umumnya jenis antibiotika (antibakteri), steroid dan ADS (anti Diphteria Serum) Pengobatan terhadap difteri ini terutama ditujukan untuk membunuh kuman penyebabnya dan juga mengobati komplikasi nyang terjadi.

Sxyang belum banyak informasi ilmiah mengenai tanaman obat yang dapat digunakan sebagai antibakteri terhadap kuman difteria. Tetapi secara empiris ada beberapa tanaman yang dapat digunakan untuk mengobati radang tenggorokan dan difteri. Antara lain bidara upas (Merremia mamosa)

Caranya, ambil umbi segar bidara upas secukupnya dicuci lalu diparut. Hasilnya lalu diperas dengan sepotong kain sampai terkumpul 1 gelas kecil. Dipakai untuk kumur-kumur di tenggorokan selama 2 hingga 3 menit, lalu ditelan.

Tidak ada obat tradisional baik modern maupun trasdisional yang dapat digunakan sebagi pencegahan. Satu-satunya cara untuk mncegah penyaki difteria ini adalaj engan melakukan iminisasi dan menghindari ontak dengan pasien diteri yang hasil labnya masih positif.

Rimpang kering jahe mengandung 1-4 persen minyak atsiri yang merupakan bahan aktif utama pada jahe. Minyak atsiri ini juga yang memberikan bau khas pada jahe. Dari minyak atsiri jahe ini mengandung barbagai senyawwa dalam kadar dan jenis bervariaai tergantung dari tempat jahe tersebut tumbuh. Komponnen utama adalah zingiberen dan bisabolen yang memberikan bau aromatis khas jahe, dan gingerol serta shogaol yang memberikan rasa pedas.

Dalam pengobatan China jahe telah digunakan lebih dari 2500 tahun, untuk mrngatasi gangguan pencernaan, batuk, muntah, diare dan rematik. Sedangkan dalam pengobatan Ayurveda, jahe digunakan untukm mrngatasi nyeri pada persendianm seperti artritis. Demikian juga dalam ramuan jamu tradisional Indonesia. Menghadapi cuaca yang kurang bersahabat seperti sekarang inni jahe merupaka alternatif ramuan tradisional yang dapat digunakan untuk meningkatkan stamina dan memberikan rasa hangat di seluruh tubuh.

Ramuan wedang jahe sangat tepat di saat kita diserang flu, batuk dan pilek. Rasanya yang pedas dapat membantu melegakan pernapasan, mengeluarkan dahak dan mengurangi rsa nyeri di tenggorokan.

1. Asking the same question over and over again.

2. Repeating the same story, word for word, again and again.

3. Forgetting how to cook, how to make repairs, how to play cards, or other activities that were previously done with ease.

4. Losing the ability to pay bills or balance a checkbook.

5. Getting lost in familiar surroundings or misplacing household objects.

6. Neglecting to bathe, or wearing the same clothes over and over again, while insisting that they have taken a bath or that their clothes are still clean.

7. Relying on a spouse or others to make decisions or answer questions they previously would have handled themselves.

Source: www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publications/sevensigns.htm.

Can you teach an old human new tricks?

"If people aren't challenging themselves because they believe that they're past their prime at learning new skills, they're completely wrong," says Michael Marsiske, associate professor of clinical and health psychology at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

In a study co-authored by Marsiske called ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly), seniors who were assigned to 10 training sessions performed better than those who got no training. And they still did better five years after the training ended. (22)

"Even in areas like memory, reasoning, and speed--which decline with age--people can experience substantial and long-lasting gains with a pretty small investment," says Marsiske. Here's how he described the ACTIVE study training to WebMD:

* Reasoning: Seniors learned to analyze new material and reach a conclusion about it. For example, they had to look at a series of letters like A, L, B, A, M, B, A and predict the next letter. By regrouping the series into triplets--A, L, B and A, M, B--it becomes clear that the letter between A and B is advancing alphabetically. So the letter following the final A must be N.

* Processing: Seniors sat at computer screens that flashed an image at them. As training advanced, the image became more and more complex, so the viewer had to take in more and more information at a single glance--a skill necessary for driving.

* Memory: Participants learned four strategies to improve verbal memory:

1. Make it meaningful. Link each item on a list to something that's meaningful to you. For example, if one word is "dog," link it to a memory of your favorite dog.

2. Organize. Organize items on a list into categories. For example, if "hamburger" and "chair" are on a list, put them into categories like "food" and "furniture." Remembering the categories will cue you to remember the items themselves.

3. Visualize. Create a detailed image of a word in your mind. Example: If the word is "dog," think of what a dog feels, looks, and smells like.

4. Associate. Link items on a list in a story. If the words on the list are "dog" and "apple," think of a dog biting an apple and spitting it out because he doesn't like it.

Can Marsiske recommend specific programs for older people who want similar training? "We're a few years from that," he replies.

Would ACTIVE training help younger people? It may not, says Marsiske, because "younger people don't have as much room to improve, especially in areas like memory."

However, there is something younger people can do to protect their future brainpower. "We know that people who have more education or more challenging and complex jobs enter late life at higher levels of mental functioning and may decline at a slower rate," says Marsiske. "Scientists call that building cognitive reserve."

It's not just school and jobs that make a difference. "The more you read widely, study heavily, and do challenging hobbies--everything from learning Web design to learning how to use a digital camera," he explains, "the more you challenge yourself mentally throughout adulthood." Then, once you start to decline, you've got more in the brain bank, just like someone who enters retirement with a bigger nest egg.

"If you've had an intellectually challenging lifestyle," says Marsiske, "you're declining from a higher level, so it takes longer to reach a threshold of functional loss." By Bonnie Liebman

You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. Low fat foods have been popular for more than 15 years, but yet our society is getting more overweight as each year passes. This fact alone should tell you that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to losing weight.

Low Calorie Diets DON'T WORK.

You won't lose weight using a Low Calorie Dieting Plan either. In fact, eating low calories is the worst thing that you can do to your body, since that will only slow down your body's fat burning engine and ruin all chances of losing weight (low calorie diets may allow a few pounds of weight loss for the first few days, but then after that all weight loss comes to a halt --- known as a dieting plateau). You can never get slim by starving yourself.

Low Carb Plans DON'T WORK.

You'll probably find it extremely difficult to get slim using a Low Carb Dieting Plan. Low carb diets have recently become popular over the last couple years, but the problem with low carb menus is that they are too strict and TOO HARD TO FOLLOW for average people. Low carb menus tend to rob your body of too much energy (carbohydrates) and make it nearly impossible to remain on the program for very long. This is why so many dieters find it difficult to follow a strict low carbohydrate menu.

What about Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig Dieting Plans?

Weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers (and Jenny Craig) usually involve slower dieting progress over a longer period of time, since such programs generally promise only 2-3 pounds of weight loss per week. Also, programs such as Jenny Craig usually involve buying special meals and/or dietary supplements during the initial phases of the program. While some people may like these types of dietary programs, we prefer a dieting plan which focuses on faster weight loss, such as the Accelerated Fat Burning Program shown below...

You are overweight for the most simple of reasons -- because you're eating the wrong foods, the wrong types of calories per meal, and you're also eating meals in the wrong patterns each day.

Think closely about what we're about to tell you, since it's going to change the way you think about dieting...

FOOD is more powerful than any prescription weight loss pills, because the FOOD that you eat can either make you THIN or FAT. You don't get fat because of a lack of exercising, that's a myth. You get fat because you don't eat the right foods at the right intervals each day.

Also, the pattern that you choose to eat your meals each day is more powerful than any prescription weight loss pills. This is true because your body is like an "engine" and it only needs certain foods at certain intervals each day, and if you don't eat the right foods at the right times then it won't burn those calories -- and you'll wind up storing those calories as fat tissue. (Hint: You need to eat more than 3 times per day to lose weight, but we'll show you the details later).

You have gotten overweight by eating the wrong foods, that much is a fact. And guess what? You can get SLIM by eating the RIGHT FOODS at the RIGHT INTERVALS each day.

It's not really any more complicated than that, and the way to start losing weight has nothing to do with starving yourself or jogging.