The playful lure of unhealthy fast food restaurants and the financial restrictions of school lunch programs have made it absolutely essential that children eat nutritious food at home. But as any parent is well aware, this is much easier said than done. How can concerned parents help their kids to eat healthier foods? Check out these 7 clever tips: Continue reading
This is the first of a series of blog postings related to my own series of research studies (my doctoral research at Saybrook University; Williams, 2011) of people who have made full and lasting medication-free recoveries after being diagnosed with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. This is very exciting research because it is one of the few areas within psychological research that remains almost entirely wide open. One reason it is so wide open is that most Westerners don’t believe that such recovery is possible, in spite of significant evidence to the contrary. Since there are some very hopeful findings that have emerged within this research, I want to begin this series of postings by summing up one particularly hopeful aspect of my own research, which is a group of five factors that emerged which are considered to have been the most important factors in my participants’ recovery process. But before looking more closely at these factors, we should back up for a minute… Continue reading
In recent years, the word cancer has been on almost everyone’s minds and lips. No longer is the ‘Big C’ a mysterious condition afflicting a small percentage of persons. It has become a leading cause of death worldwide and one of mankind’s biggest health fears. With the number of reported cases increasing and the death toll rising, researchers are still scampering to find a cure for this dreaded disease. Chemotherapy, radiation, herbal remedies and surgeries offer patients some measure of hope and relief. But after many grueling hours of treatment, numerous trips to the doctor’s office, and thousands of dollars spent on medication, many patients are still left battling for their lives. So what else can they do? Where else can they look? The answer might be closer than you think. In our haste to find a miracle cure for cancer, we often overlook one of the most powerful treatments for this disease – the human mind. Continue reading
It’s tough to quit smoking. Indeed, it’s a battle that millions of persons face each day as they attempt to take their first steps toward a longer, healthier lifestyle. Recent research has shown that not only is smoking dangerous, but nicotine can also potentially increase the likelihood of a person becoming addicted to other drugs (such as cocaine). In a landmark study reported at Neuroscience 2011, researchers at Columbia University demonstrated “the molecular mechanisms of nicotine as a gateway drug” able to affect gene expression and prime the body for further addiction (Sukel, 2012). Continue reading
There’s a sense of comradery when it comes to stress in the workplace, with the boss usually being the stressor and the subordinates, the sufferers. Coping with stress is never an easy task and employees often struggle at managing stress in the office environment because they are simply too busy being stressed.
Working in high stress environments increases the risk of both suffering physical illness or symptoms of psychological distress (Cooper & Cartwright, 1994; Cooper & Payne, 1988, cited in Clarke & Cooper, 2004), and also work-related accidents and injuries (Sutherland & Cooper, 1991, cited in Clarke & Cooper, 2004). Continue reading
Are you getting enough sleep? It is a simple enough question, but men and women who do not spend sufficient time in dreamland often experience adverse effects at work or in the home without realizing the cause of their symptoms.
Sleep is essential for your brain to perform efficiently. If you regularly have difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep or are not sleeping for enough hours, drowsiness might be the least of your worries.
Almost everyone will be afflicted by short term sleeplessness during some point in their lives. High anxiety occasions such as moving house, relationship problems or drastic changes in your surroundings can all contribute to insomnia. While insomnia will not bring about any lasting health issues if experienced for a short period of time, extended sleep deficiency can lead to serious health problems both mentally and physically. Continue reading
