Healthy Lifestyles in Oregon

Oregon is popular for many reasons such as coffee, beautiful scenery, fresh salmon and of course Tillamook cheese! However, lately Oregon has taken center stage for promoting healthy lifestyles. Portland was ranked #2 in 2006 by Self Magazine on their “Top 10 healthiest cities for women” article. In 2004 Portland was nick named “Bike Town U.S.A.” by Bike Town Magazine and it was also ranked #3 for healthiest city for pets by showcatsonline.com in 2003. Across the board, Oregon is setting a national standard for healthy living and exercise.

In 1971 Oregon passes the “bike bill” which was the first of its kind anywhere in the country. By passing this law, Oregon took a giant step toward healthy living. In 2001 3.8% of people were biking to work at least three days per week to according to Oregon.gov. Other fitness activities have also increased over the years. The Nike Hood to Coast Relay Marathon is the largest relay race in North America. It began in 1982 with eight teams. By 1999 it reached capacity of 1,000 teams. If the weather is bad or if running or biking isn’t really your thing, there are plenty of hiking trails, gyms, countless dog parks, ski lodges and hunting seasons where all activity levels and weather conditions are welcome.

Portland had one of the highest percentages of organic food buyers in 2007 (27%) which only just trailed San Francisco (35%) and Seattle (37%) according to Vegetarianorganicblog.com. Seeing this demand, grocery stores met with a supply of organic products, a health food section and stocking Trans fat free items. As early as ten years ago, many grocery stores either did not offer items such as tofu or soy and if they did, the cost was excessive. Now with the increased interest in these products, stores have answered with sales in these items. Grocery retailers are not the only ones seeing the growing health trend, restaurants see the benefit to healthier choices as well.

Restaurants around Oregon have also seen a change to menu items. Popular restaurants like Applebee’s are now offering a Weight Watcher menu with point values listed directly on the menus. Red Robin offers meatless or turkey meat options for their hamburgers which makes dinning out less of a hassle for those trying to maintain a healthy diet.

If a healthy lifestyle is something you desire but don’t think you can do on your own, help is on every corner, literally. In Salem alone there are five Weight Watcher sites, a Jenny Craig and a LA Weight loss center all within a five mile radius. This is not including all the private organizations such as Salem Weight Management Center. All of these companies have one thing in common, they all want to build a better, healthier, and happier you.

Being outside and having healthy foods at the tips of your fingers is not something every state can brag about, the elite states such as Oregon can claim to be a “health nut” state. Oregon’s healthy lifestyle trend is not likely to change anytime soon. Get out and enjoy the bragging rights, every healthy Oregonian has earned them!

Obesity in the USA

Going hungry and not being able to provide for a family is bad enough, but now add the worry of making the family obese, then it is an even worse problem. Mississippi is the first state to have 30% obesity among its population in 2006 according to WebMd.com. Mississippi also has a high percentage of people on food stamps and other government assisted food programs. Over the years a trend has developed in obesity, low income families are at a higher risk to becoming obese.

The average family of four can get up to $542.00 a month in food stamp assistance according to fns.usda.gov. While this may seem like a lot, when looked at over a 30 day period, this amount breaks down to about $18.00 a day to split between four people. Living on this strict budge is only made more difficult when trying to buy healthy items at the grocery store.

The typical American family of four spends roughly $600.00 per month on food and more if the foods are organic, low fat, soy based or trans fat free. For an impoverished family, they need to stay within their allotted amount, and this means buying less healthy items and buying in bulk. For example, Ramen noodles are about ten cents a package which means a child can have one a day for a month for around $3.00. However not all that glitters is gold, one package of Ramen is equal to two servings. Each serving has 194 calories in it and 1960 mg of sodium (82% of our daily value). Many food stamp shoppers also shy away from buying fresh product because if not eaten right away it can go bad which means wasted money. So instead they buy fruit snacks packed with sugar, pasta, rice, tacos and greasy chips. These are all things which can be bough for cheap and on a food stamp program, however it is not helping the family to be healthy.

In 2007 Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and his wife tried living in $21.00 a week (the food stamp budget in Oregon for a family of two). The governor found he had to say no to organic foods, Swiss cheese, low sodium Progresso canned soups and start saying yes to half a banana, Cup O’Noodles and store brand peanut butter and jelly. A worker for the Department of Health and Human Services in Oregon told the Governor to specifically look for low cost staple items such as macaroni and cheese, beans and rice all of which are high in carbs, fat, calories and far from healthy.

The Federal Nutrition Assistance Program does its best to educate food stamp receivers on healthy living and nutrition but sadly they do not give more money to families to buy healthier items. One of the few ways families in poverty can get healthy meals is through the free lunch/breakfast programs in schools. For children who qualify, they will get a healthy lunch and/or breakfast due to the recent changes to school menus.

There is no denying poverty and obesity are linked. It is difficult to fix one problem without fixing the other. Each problem also snowballs into other problems such as healthcare costs, disability cases, and unemployment. Obesity is not just one problem requiring one simple solution, it is a whole mess of problems which need multiple solutions.

Confidence and Your Sense of Self

There is a fine line between wanting to change something about yourself and having low self esteem. Many Americans wish they could be taller, shorter, or have more money. just to name a few. Having a negative or hateful view of yourself is typically associated with low self esteem and is more serious. Those suffering from low self esteem generally look at themselves and others negatively, lack confidence, and perform poorly. Trying to figure out what percent of the population suffers from low self esteem is nearly impossible as low self esteem is related to many other emotional issues.

Lacking self confidence or low self esteem is not something a person just learns from one random act, it is something that is learned through repetitive criticism. It can come from just about anyone, parents with unrealistic demands of their children, constant comparison to other siblings or children or simply from parents who do not understand he child’s needs can leave them feeling misunderstood and detached. Children can also learn poor self esteem from classmates or teachers through the same techniques. Others feel negatively about themselves because of societies demands. Many young girls have expressed pressure to be thin simply from a magazine article, they begin to self criticize every time they read an article or see a photograph.

In today’s society we are losing one third of our youth to drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, jail, teen pregnancy, crimes and violence, drop outs, and suicide according to Selfesteeminternational.org. All of these problems have one thing in common, low self esteem. Some people of society have a hard time accepting negative self image is the cause for all of these problems. However Selfesteeminternational.org reported that 80-90% of pregnant teens do not give up their children because they feel a baby will give them the unconditional love they never had. High school seniors report using drugs and alcohol as a way to fill a personal void and improve self esteem at the rate of 66%.

There are many programs out there for those who suffer from low self esteem. They range from counseling sessions, take medication, or to reading self help books. There are also new techniques being used to help build confidence, one of those is hypnosis. Hypnosis works with the subconscious mind to uncover what memories are causing painful low self esteem. Once the memory has been identified, the hypnotist and patient work though the memory and the patient’s reaction to it. Together they help rebuild self confidence and work through all feelings, good or bad until the patient is satisfied with their progress. Since it works with the subconscious mind, it is easier to open up and express feelings you might not know you were having.

Some still feel that medication or therapy is the best and only way to treat self esteem issues. However, the medications only work with the chemical reactions in the body, it will not create a positive image or with the memories which are causing the patient pain and agony. Therapy can go on for months before the real trigger and emotional reaction is uncovered and it also deals with the mind on a conscious level. When dealing with the mind on a conscious level, patients often become very censored for fear they are being judged by the counselor. While under hypnosis they sub conscious mind takes over allowing for completely candid thoughts.

You have taken the first step in your treatment, whatever it may be. You have acknowledged that you have issues with low self esteem and want to do something about it. You no longer want to go on feeling the way you do. The choice is yours, will you choose a treatment that could take months and months, will you choose a short term chemical fix or will you choose to open you mind and discovery why you feel the way you do, the choice is simple.

Childbirth – Relax Through the Birth

For nine months all pregnant women can think about is the birthing process. This process is both terrifying and exciting. Most women don’t know what to expect, they know it is going to be painful, but they are not quite sure how much. Since pain is different for everyone, it is hard to assess how much pain any one women will have. However this pain can be managed, not through drugs but through help.

The OBGYN typically discusses the birthing plan in the first few visits. Some women want natural childbirth, while others want to have drugs or other new methods such as underwater births. The choices are endless and making this decision is on which should not be taken lightly and should be thought through before deciding on a final plan.

You know there are going to be painful things happening during childbirth, just the thought of squeezing a baby the size of a watermelon through an opening the size of a lemon is a scary to say the least. You know there will be pain and it will take hours. You know it will take weeks to recover from either natural childbirth or a c-section and typically you are not able to be on your feet for long periods which is unreasonable with a new baby. Some women become so nervous that they psych themselves out and the whole process becomes unpleasant and the baby is born into an unhappy environment.

In this modern age there are many treatments out there for mothers who want a pain free natural childbirth. An epidural can sometimes leave the mother out of it or sometimes the mother can be allergic to the medication and not know until the epidural has been administered. Natural childbirth can cause tension and anxiety which can create high blood pressure causing danger to both mom and baby.

Hypnoanesthesia is a new form of childbirth that many women are experimenting with. Hypnosis allows you to no use drugs and enjoy hearing your babies cry for the first time. You will not be allergic to hypnosis or have an adverse reaction to it as you may have with drugs. It helps you to relax, ease tensions and anxiety about childbirth. You will not have to worry about high blood pressure and hypnosis is thought to decrease labor time by three hours and help you not be so tired after labor. The mother will experience shorter recovery and a mother can choose when to feel labor and when not to, simply by hypnosis and the ability to control your mind.

The hypnosis technique can be transferred to a nurse, husband or other partner and they will be able to help the mother maintain the state of relaxation through different cues and suggestions which will help her in labor.

Child birth is a happy, exciting and beautiful experience for all new mothers. What is should not be is a time to panic and become nervous. There are ways out there to calm yourself and become relaxed with and without drugs. As a new mother it is your choice how you want to delivery your baby, but before you make a decision for your baby, you need to decide what will put both of you at ease, research all your options before making this important decision.

Gastric Bypass Surgery and You

Gastric bypass and other similar surgeries are among the fastest growing elective surgeries in the country, next to breast augmentation. Gastric bypass is reserved for those who are morbidly obese, and for them, the benefits are endless. According to Obesehelp.net, a web site which explains the surgery, 75% of patients can expect to lose up to 80% of their body weight, 80% will be off hypertension medications and 90% with type two diabetes will be off medication as well, just to name a few.

However, this is a drastic surgery, not to be taken lightly. A section of stomach is sealed off to reduce the amount of food which can be eaten, resulting in weight loss. Many patients have follow up care which usually includes an overview of a healthy lifestyle. The post care touches on food choices, diet and exercise plans. Unfortunately many clinics neglect long term post care, however there are other ways of maintaining your healthy lifestyle.

Just because someone is over weight or obese does not mean they are sitting down every night for dinner and eating an entire ham. They might be obese because of genetics, binge eating, lack of health knowledge or emotional attachments. Learning about a new lifestyle is easy, most starts by visiting a dietitian or physician to learn about proper food choices and exercise plans. The hard part it applying your new knowledge to your day to day living which can be made more difficult by emotional attachments to food. It is essential to learn why you ate poorly in the first place, it could be lack of food choices or an emotional connection. Many people eat when they are upset or depressed and some might simply be bored. Maybe there is a happy memory associated with food which makes you crave certain things such as a giant brownie. Many have Gastric bypass surgery and are unsuccessful because they have not addressed all their issues with food, which almost always requires help.

Many post Gastric bypass patients choose to use hypnosis as a sort of maintenance care to the surgery. Hypnosis works with the mind in different ways. One way is by addressing problems or emotions attached to food. Rarely does post care touch on the emotional bond a patient might have with food. Hypnosis researches and finds out why food has taken on such a huge roll in your life. Another way is by combating cravings for favorite foods and replacing those cravings with better healthier options such as exercise and health foods.

Some may feel a counselor, dietitian or physician would be a better choice for post surgical care instead. A post surgical patient should by all means take these measures as part of their post operative care. However hypnosis is equally ideal for long term goals of weight loss and helping to work through food emotions. You will gain a better understanding as to why you feel the way you do towards food and how you can regain control of your life and help make your Gastric bypass surgery the best it can be in a non threatening way.

Losing weight is difficult enough without all the fad diets, gimmicks and infomercials telling you to buy their new super diet product. However, it is important to research all the new methods and diets out there before making a final decision for something extreme like surgery. If you do elect surgery, consider using hypnosis as a tool in addition to your arsenal again your battle with the bulge.

Can Electronic Cigarettes Help You Quit Smoking?

Can electronic cigarettes help you quit smoking and what are they anyway?

Recently when I was asked to write about electronic cigarettes, I must confess I didnt even know what they were! It was interesting to do some research and find out that they are hugely popular at the moment. There were millions of results when i searched for electronic cigarettes on Google.

Many electronic cigarette distributers claim that this interesting item can both allow smokers to smoke much more healthily and also serve as an aid to help stop smoking altogether. They have been on the market for about three years already.

Electronic cigarettes are now in their fourth generation and have become much less cumbersome than some of the earlier ones. Now much smaller and far more user friendly, the mini is the most realistic e cigarette. Just like a conventional cigarette the length of the mini is 100mm.

An electronic cigarette contains a taste of tobacco but none of the harmful substances found in normal cigarettes allowing smokers cravings to be satisfied without inhaling the many dangerous toxins. Is it all smoke and mirrors? Or can this item really be the saviour it wants to be?

The electronic cigarette can be held and smoked just like any other cigarette, right down to the smoke like vapour and glowing end when drawn. A battery, an atomiser and a renewable nicotine chamber creates this cigarette effect. Cartridges are available in different strengths, which slot into a nicotine chamber. These allow the smoker, if they so wish to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine they take in. Eventually quitting altogether if desired.

Distributrs of these electronic cigarettes have worked out that a typical nicotine cartridge can last as long as fifteen or twenty normal cigarettes would. This is an estimated 80 per cent saving on usual costs of smoking.

A healthier option altogether it seems, though the benefits don’t end there. Due to the electronic cigarette not emitting any known dangerous substances, toxins or real smoke for that matter, they are perfectly legal to smoke in public. In winter in particular, normal cigarette smokers have to brave the freezing cold and the rain just for a quick smoking break but this alternative will allow them to stay in their offices, restaurants and pubs.

None smokers also will benefit, as their worries about passive smoking are rendered null and void by the electronic cigarette. A much more sociable environment then!

Upon reflection the electronic cigarette is a healthier, cheaper and environmentally friendly alternative to smoking and as the awareness and the market grows they have great potential to successfully replace the harmful cigarettes we have all come to know and many of us have come to dread and fear.

Anxiety – How Hypnosis Can Help

According to WebMD and a poll taken by the American Psychological Association, there is more stress today than five years ago. Over 54% of people feel anxiety over financial issues such as rent or mortgage payments specifically, but also worry about work, and problem management. Stress and anxiety are both a state of mind. How you deal with stress and anxiety are completely up to you. Some manage anxiety well while others do not know how to manage their feelings. In order to manage anxiety, you will need help, it is difficult to do alone.

First you must identify what your triggers are. Triggers are what cause you to become stressed or to have anxiety. The holidays are a good example of a stress that is not immediately thought of. One person might look at the holidays as a nice fun experience and enjoy making a large dinner for a big family. Another person might look at this same situation and have a panic attack. Other causes of stress and anxiety are obvious such as losing a job, moving, divorce or a death in the family.

Next you need to figure out how you react in stressful situations. Many people eat excessively when they are stressed or nervous, while others drink or smoke. Maybe you get irritable, cry often, or don’t sleep. Whatever your reactions to high levels of anxiety are, it is important to identify them and understand why you react this way.

It is critical to learn both your triggers and lean how you respond in order to be successful. If you do not learn how to manage anxiety, you can have serious consequences. Not only does anxiety and stress cause heart attacks, high blood pressure and ulcers it can also cause other things you may not think of. For example, chronic headaches, acne, teeth grinding, and make you more prone to illness such as a cold or flu. Your personal life can be affected as well. Your abilities to manage a family crisis, reach goals and perform well are work are also diminished.

There are different ways of managing anxiety levels, medications, counseling and support groups are the most common. However, there is a new treatment being used on many with great success, hypnosis. Hypnosis works with the subconscious mind which will allow you to uncover hidden triggers that are not obvious or often thought of. You will also learn to manage your response to certain stresses through deep levels of relaxation.

Some people feel other more traditional approaches to anxiety treatment should be consulted first. However, medications only deal with the chemical reactions in the brain at the time of high stress levels. Counseling and support groups can be a challenge for most people and their busy lives. It is difficult to make every support group meeting and also difficult to open yourself up to a complete stranger when you are thinking on a conscious level. Since hypnosis does not use chemicals and works with the subconscious mind, you are able to get the full benefits of the treatment and work through your issues privately.

Those who suffer from anxiety know how difficult situations can be and how frustrating it is to suffer from this condition. You have taken then first step in your treatment, you are acknowledged you have a problem and want to fix it, now here is the most difficult part, deciding what treatment is right for you. Now it is time to get going on your research. While you are doing so, think about what is important and most nurturing for you. You want to make sure whatever treatment you go with, you are getting all you can out of it, hypnosis will allow for all of that and more.

Smoking Bans Began in 1998

In 1998 California took drastic measures to help non-smokers feel more welcome in restaurants, bars and casinos. They outlawed smoking. In the last ten years, other states such as Arizona, Florida, New York and recently Oregon have followed California’s example. In 2001 law makers argued both sides of the law, however it was passed by a reasonable margin. Two big reasons for the passing of the bill were a healthy work place and a healthy smoke free environment for non-smokers. Oregon has taken its own steps toward setting an example for others to follow.

Through out the 80′s and early 90′s bills were passed all over the country outlawing workplace smoking. However these bills did not include bars, restaurants, bowling alleys or casinos. Lobbyists argued for these workers and brought forward statistics showing the effects of second hand smoke. They did not feel it was fair to offer a smoke free environment for some workers and not others. Many of the workers liked their jobs and wanted to keep them but ultimately did not want to be around smoke but they suffered through. In the end they had to deal with many second hand smoke issues.

Dining out, club hopping, a bowling date, all of these things should be remembered as an experience, not as an experience in a cloud of smoke. In the past restaurant and bar owners offered both a non and smoking section. However after examining the filtration systems in restaurants, health officials reported increased chances of second hand smoke health problems. Smoke does not filter out to the outside because of the ventilation systems in buildings. This makes the smoke stale and thick. Many people avoid places such as these because of this one reason! Then once the health risks are added, no one wants to smell and have cancer at the same time! The only way to insure a healthy environment is to have smoking outside. This has an appeal to non-smokers because not only can they dine and actually smell their dinners but they can also not worry about developing other health risks. For restaurant workers, they are able to also rest easy and know their work environment is not causing them cancer.

Some feel the bill takes the rights away from adults to choose what they do to their own bodies. While this may be true, smokers are also taking the same right away from non-smokers. Oregon compromised by allowing smoking out doors. While not everyone agrees with this compromise, all parties agreed.

Smoking can effect everyone who is exposed to it. Being exposed to second hand smoke exposes non-smokers to all the same risks as if they smoked. They can develop lung cancer, emphysema, and asthma. Some feel by working in places where smoking is allowed such as bingo halls or clubs, the employee is knowingly exposing themselves to smoke and the health risks. However, previous legislation promised a smoke free work environment for all, not simply for those who can work a better job.

Oregon is taking strict steps to enforce this bill as it is something Oregon law makers believe in. There are fines and other consequences for being non-compliant to this bill for business owners. Being healthy and making sure Oregon workers are healthy is something in the forefront in the minds of all Oregon law makers and it should be the same for all Oregonians. No one wakes up one morning and thinking they want to die of lung cancer, it shouldn’t even be an option.

« Previous Page