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  • Obesity and Aromatherapy

    As we all have heard from the daily news, obesity is rampant in our American society. Part of the reason for this is the sugar, white flour, starch and highly processed food that is a large part of many people’s diets. The combination of this type of nutrient deficient diet along with the sedentary lifestyle that many people lead has caused an obesity epidemic greater than ever before in this country. The problem of growing heavier and larger is compounded by the fact that this society is obsessed with having a slim figure and the cultural norms for beauty, which can lead to more emotional problems and heartaches.

    Many diseases that are very dangerous are brought on by obesity. Some of these are diabetes, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, heart disease and circulatory problemsbut there are more. People are less likely to remain active when they get overweight and consequences can be serious when they don’t get enough exercise which helps to keep newly oxygenated blood pumping through the body’s system.

    People overeat for a number of different reasons. There is a possibility that emotional needs and not just physical problems could be at the heart of the issue. That is why it is extremely helpful for people who are obese to work on their inner selves. This will take some time but if they can begin to realize the causes of their overeating and start dealing with those issues they can begin a healing process. It is very beneficial to find out if there are emotional triggers like anger, depression, low self-esteem or sadness which are resulting in the desire to eat more than they need.

    Boredom is another reason that some people might overeat. If there is not anything interesting going on they may turn to food. Other people may desire to comfort themselves from having experienced something traumatic or from loneliness. Often they learn to do this when they are young. Whatever the reason may be, it is very necessary to the success of any weight loss plan to discover the unique triggers that drive a person to their food addiction.

    Another vital part of creating an individual plans for better health is to understand what people are putting into their bodies that is unhealthy. After determining which foods and snacks are not good, another part of reaching for the goal of good health is to replace poor foods with healthier ones. This will entail replacing many empty calories that are in refined foods such as white flour and sugar with more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables. It is better to eat organic fruits and vegetables in their raw state as often as is possible.

    Exercising is another critical part of a plan to change obese people’s health. However, this important change must be made gradually. A person who has not been exercising will more than likely not be able to begin with a strenuous workout. One who has been very sedentary should start by focusing on establishing a routine and not worry about their performance.

    The recommended exercises such as daily walks, swimming or yoga should be gentle in nature in the beginning. The goal is to make a lifestyle change of commitment and practice. Once the habit has been formed of doing something daily, then the level of exercise can move up to cardiovascular workouts and strength training. A good rule of thumb is to begin by moving for at least 20 minutes a day and then move up from there.

    A powerful tool to use to help people to decrease their appetite is aromatherapy. It can be of great benefit in helping to overcome a food addiction and establishing a new way of thinking. ‘Comfort food’ eaters have found it to be very effective when facing cravings. When a person recognizes that they don’t really need to eat but are just bored or depressed, aromatherapy can help to satisfy those cravings. A person should also try drinking more water to help them maintain their body system. Many times, if a person thinks they need to eat, it may just be their brain telling them they need water.

    A recipe for an effective appetite suppressant is to blend together 1 drop of Clary Sage, 1 drop of Sandalwood and 1 drop of Ylang Ylang essential oils. You may make it into a massage oil by adding it to a carrier oil and apply it to pressure points on the body. It can also be used in an aromatic bath, in aromatherapy candles, or as an inhalant for immediate relief of cravings.

    Dennis Harris has a health related site that provides help for a wide range of medical and health related issues. You can visit his site at http://www.healthissuestoday.com

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    Running Through the Odors and Fragrances of the World

    There are many things I truly love about running. It’s a long list.

    But the pleasant and sometimes unexpected smells, odors, aromas and fragrances that I inhale on my common route is one that’s pretty high up on that list.

    In our normal daily lives we live trapped either inside our cars, our homes, offices, or shopping malls. It’s not too common that we are exposed to the natural ambient smells of the world without the intervention of walls and air conditioning systems which deaden our sense of smell.

    When I run around the 5K loop in my neighborhood there is nothing that comes in between the world as it is and my olfactory bulb.

    The warmer the air, the more smell particles find their way to my grateful nose.

    It’s always an experience of comfortable recollection (”ohh, yes, fresh laundry!”) or a puzzling inquiry (”after shave? or burnt grass?”).

    The game of olfactory hide-and-seek never ends.

    Here are some of the odors and fragrances I encounter on a fairly regular basis on my running route:

  • Freshly laundered clothes, Tide, and clean steaming water.

  • A hot car engine that’s shut off just minutes earlier, its manifolds still ticking as they cool off, the faint smell of gas and oil dropping on some invisible hot metal surface.

  • Soft asphalt, yielding to the authoritarian summer heat.

  • Onions and burgers on a grill, sizzling. Children’s happy laughter in the background.

  • Freshly cut sweet grass, mixed with the exhaust gas of a noisy two-stroke engine.

  • The sharp and bitter whiff of pesticide, insecticide and fertilizer.

  • The unmistakable signature of diesel fume.

  • The musky and stale odor of cat litter and urine.

  • Amorphous signal of black trash bags piled up right around the corner.

  • Pure burning fragrance of fresh oxygen after the first snow of the season.

  • Wet metallic smell of fresh rain mixed with rich gorgeous fragrance of divine earth. This combination makes me feel like kneeling down and kissing the ground tenderly each time.

  • Honeysuckles, honeysuckles and more bales of honeysuckles, cascading over the garden walls and fences, broadcasting their fragrance like a sea of sopranos in mad love.

  • The expensive perfume of a woman who was where I happen to be just a minute ago.

  • Sickeningly sweet strawberry shake or bubblegum.

  • Joyful fresh smell of axed firewood, piled up high on the side of the road.

  • Coffee and donuts.

  • Fresh paint.

  • Curry?

    The hide-and-seek, the false clues, friendly memories and occasional surprises continue…

    Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative Copywriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases, movie reviews and hi-tech documentation. He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

    In addition to being an Ezine Articles Expert Author, he is also a Senior Member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC), and a Member of American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI).

    You can reach him at writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

    You are most welcomed to visit his official web site http://www.writer111.com for more information on his multidisciplinary background, writing career, and client testimonials. While at it, you might also want to check the latest book he has edited:http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

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