What Really Is Causing Your Low Energy and Fatigue?

When people ask me for help, one of the most frequent complaints is of being tired and not having enough energy to do the things they want to do. They also may complain of being overwhelmed and confused. Some use the expression "brain fog" and complain of not being able to think clearly.

The origins of low energy can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. I won't deal with the spiritual here, except to say the phrase that comes to mind is "dark night of the soul..."

Let's look at physical origins first. Low energy following surgery is your body's way of holding you back to give itself time to heal. Low energy usually accompanies flu and other short-term illnesses. Low energy is a major symptom of some poorly understood chronic ailments such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Low energy comes with Major Depressive Disorder, including Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

On a personal note, a few years ago I went through a period of being overly tired and lacking energy. I was also feeling cold all the time. I asked my doctor to refer me to a specialist. It turned out that I had atypical hypothyroidism. With meds I got back my ability to regulate heat, and my energy bounced back to its normally enthusiastic level.

On the psychological front, low-energy and tiredness follow loss; it's a normal part of grieving. Low energy is a symptom of untreated trauma, whether or not the trauma meets the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Low-energy almost always accompanies depression, including depression that may have been self-induced by drinking too much. I'm sure you've heard the latter type of tiredness called "sleeping it off."

The physical or emotional (or spiritual) origins of chronic tiredness are often unclear. If you experience tiredness day after day, it can be very worrisome. And worry itself is a form of emotional stress that can lead only to more tiredness. Without intervention you could be in a downward spiral.

In the end the origins of your low energy don't really matter, because by the time your tiredness becomes a serious problem, it is certainly both a physical and emotional problem and perhaps even a spiritual one.
However, before you jump to the conclusion that you should see a psychologist, it would be prudent to see your doctor to rule out possible physical reasons for your fatigue. Your doctor may prescribe medication to help you sleep or to treat other medical conditions.

In any case, however, look after the emotional healing too. If the origins are physical, the physical problems will heal faster when you regain some peace and optimism. Worry only slows down physical healing. If the origins are psychological, such as untreated trauma, finding and treating those origins will almost certainly help you to regain energy and clarity. That reduces worry and leads to more optimism. You get to turn the downward spiral into an upward spiral towards a healthy energy level.

So if a friend or family member is in an energy funk, persuade them to see their doctor. The doctor may be able to help them reverse the problem and may recommend they get emotional help as well.

Psychologist Dr. Neill Neill maintains an active practice on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, with a focus on healthy relationships and life after addictions. He is the author of Living with a Functioning Alcoholic - A Woman's Survival Guide. Get a copy of his free report "Codependency and Alcohol Addiction" at http://www.neillneill.com.

Enjoy A Healthy Life - Exercise And Juicing Are The Keys

If you're looking to improve your overall energy level, decrease your chances of depression and improve your physical and mental health, regular exercise, with a juicing program is the shortest way to make those goals! Your physical fitness can have a tremendous impact on other areas in your life, and plays a key role in your physical and psychological health.

Be mindful of what you hope to achieve with your exercise/juice program. For example if you want to lose weight, then ideally juicing of vegetables and fruits will be of great benefit.

The juicing part will give the necessary Vitamins, Enzymes and Nutrition to give you the strength needed to exercise. The exercise part will burn off the calories to take the weight down.

Check with your Health Care Provider the types of exercises that are safe for your practice. Then create a weekly program to help you reach your weight loss goal and fitness agenda.

If you are starting an exercise/juicing program for the first time, you'll have days when you don't feel like doing anything. When this happens, visualize the body you are trying to build as this acts as a great motivator.

Another motivator to get you get over the hump is to use a Juice Recipe that packs an energy punch. This really helps the ball rolling.

One of the benefits of doing daily exercise is the program becomes ingrained in your daily activity. In a short time, the days when you don't feel doing anything will disappear.

Find yourself a partner to exercise with. Your Wife, Friend, whatever. You'll also find it easier to stay with your program, as doing something together is another great motivator.

You'll also have the advantage of comparing your progress with that of your partner.

Be specific with the types of exercises you want to do. Also be specific with the juicing programs that go hand in hand with the exercise part.

Certain exercises must use different sets of muscles. Using the right juicing recipes will help you do the exercises in better fashion, and give the right nutrition to the muscles doing the work.

Matching the juicing recipes to the exercises you're doing, will also increase the speed of your fitness program.

Being fit not only helps the muscles in your Body, it also influences the Mind in a positive way. You'll soon find yourself feeling energized and alert after each exercise bout.

Hey, we wish you success on your quest for physical fitness.

Good luck and as always, cheers and bottoms up..

Datu Ken J is a Mixologist dedicated to juicing. For more great articles and information on proper juicing please visit http://www.vegetablesjuicerecipes.com.
You'll receive a free mini course on the right way to juice fruits and vegetables.

Frequently Asked Questions About Constipation Part 2

When one is said to be constipated, they are having irregular bowel movements. And when they do have them the stools are often times painful and difficult to pass. Some of the symptoms associated with constipation include straining, bloating and bleeding when passing stools. When one is constipated, one of the questions they'll ask is, "how can I deal with or prevent constipation?" We will address this question and one more in this article.

Question 1: How can you deal with or prevent constipation?

There are three main ways in which you can deal with constipation. These are your diet, lifestyle and medical treatment. When it comes to your diet, avoid the foods that are high in fat (these may include your typical off-the-menu items found in most fast food outlets, among others). Rather, let your diet consist more of high-fiber foods, which we will give a few examples of when addressing the next question. Also drink lots of fluids, especially during hot days and when you're exercising. When it comes to your lifestyle, begin exercising more. Not only will this help with constipation but it will also keep your heart healthy. Another important thing to remember, don't ignore the urge to go have a bowel movement when it comes. When you ignore it, it may cause the stools to stay longer in your bowel, making them harder the longer they stay in there. Also, did you know that your colon's motor activity is highest in the morning? It would therefore be to your advantage if you make it a habit to have a bowel movement round about the same time in the morning.

When it comes to medical treatment, there are laxatives which help ease constipation in different ways, e.g. some laxatives are stool softeners, some are lubricants and some are stimulants. There are few more which do different things but all with one goal- to ease your constipation. Other ways of dealing with constipation include massaging, acupressure, herbal therapy, homeopathy etc. What is acupressure you may wonder? Acupressure involves you relaxing and lying on your back then applying gentle pressure with your finger tips just below your navel. When it comes to massaging, it's advised to massage your leg, that is, the knee to hip area which has been known to help ease constipation. In some cases, surgery is necessary to deal with constipation.

Question 2: What natural ways can you use to ease constipation?

Most of the natural ways of dealing with constipation we've mentioned in the above question. Diet and lifestyle play an important role in easing or preventing constipation. Drink lots of fluids and eat fiber-rich foods which include fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods amongst others. In fact, question 1 also addresses this question. The only thing that would have to be removed from it are the laxatives and other medical treatments and such as surgery.

In conclusion, it cannot be over stated just how much your diet and lifestyle play a crucial role when dealing with constipation. So making necessary changes will make a huge difference.

Asparagus, beans, broccoli, peas, bananas, nuts, avocados and guavas are just but a few examples of the foods that are rich in fiber that you can include in your diet. Although one needs to be careful when eating guavas. Moderation plays an important role here. Consuming too many of them may also cause problems for you when passing stools. This is due to their many seeds inside them.

Aquaponics System: A New Way in Providing Organic and Healthy Foods

What is aquaponics?

Aquaponics, a food production system which combines the aquaculture and hydroponics systems, has now becoming an alternative in providing natural food. Aquaponics is interesting since it allows you to raise aquatic animals (fish, prawns, crayfish, etc.) and plants at the same time by creating a symbiotic environment for both the fish and the plants. As you raise fish, these aquatic creatures will release wastes such as ammonia, mineral, nitrate, and algae that need to be filtered in order to prevent your fish from getting intoxicated by these dangerous wastes. When you cultivate plants in the water, you will be able to use the wastes from the fish for feeding your plants. This way, you will raise healthy fish as well as fresh organic plants for better taste and health.

Which plants or fish you can grow with Aquaponics?

You can almost grow anything with your aquaponics system. You can choose to grow vegetables (lettuce, cucumber, green onions, silver beets, cabbage, pepper, squash, leafy greens, etc.), herbal plants, fruits (strawberry, melon, etc.), or legumes (beans, peas, etc.). Meanwhile, there are also great selections of fish you can opt for the system such as Tilapia, Trout, Chinese Catfish, Large mouth Bass, Striped Bass, Bluegill, Small mouth Bass, Crappie, or decorative fish like Goldfish or Koi. Basically, the choice of the fish type can be adjusted with the climate and environment where you live.

How to start aquaponics system installation?

For starting your own aquaponics system at home, you won't need a lot of investment. You can make the system inside or outside your house. You won't also need advanced aquaponics tools as it is possible to do the entire process manually. There are a lot of instructions and guides about aquaponics you can find from many sources. However, if you still don't have any clue where to start, you are suggested to find help from Aquaponics4You program.

What is Aquaponics4You?

Aquaponics4You is a set of program aimed at assisting you in building your own aquaponics system. Aquaponics4You consists of 2 video tutorials and a 33-page long manual which includes simple instructions, diagrams, and images. All the step-by-step instructions in the videos and the book are easy to understand and will help you to model, construct, take care of, and improve your own aquaponics garden from scratch. Some helpful information you can find from Aquaponics 4 You manual include the list of material you will need and certain points to consider. Additionally, you will also find instructions on how to source components, build the system, nitrify bacteria, test and optimize the system, as well as add water, plants, and fish into the aquaponics system.

Aquaponics system is a new way to provide fruits, vegetables, and fish using the same media. Get more information from our site if you are interested in building your own backyard aquaponics system.

What To Do For Indoor Mole Removal

The presence of moles on the various visible parts of the body can be very embarrassing. People look for various methods of eliminating them in a quicker way. Mole removal can be done in two main methods. The first one includes the natural way whereas the second routine includes the scientific system. This means that if you have such spots on the face, then it is very easy to get rid of them, with these two methods. However, mole removal at home is usually preferred as it is more economical as compared to the other method.

Nevertheless, even before you decide to get rid of them at home; dermatologists play a fundamental role in examining the condition and giving their advice according to their professional point of view. Removing the mole at home thus becomes safe.

If the dermatologist confirms that the spots on your face are not worth performing the surgery, then you may proceed to execute the indoor procedures. This is very positive since you will be able to save cash and the regular trips that were to be made to the health institutions.

For the home-based methods, they are never hard to carry out. The steps are specific. In addition, the materials that are used can be easily found in your environment. Some ingredients such as fruits and oil are common at the market place at affordable prices. This means that you save cash and time, simultaneously.

At night, garlic can be used. It is pounded and fixed on the mark. A bandage is used to fasten it up to the following morning. Wash it with warm water. The marks will shrink and disappear completely.

Some fruits such as pineapple are fundamental if you want to do away with these marks. The sap is extracted and rubbed against the affected region. This is also done regularly to realize its commendable results.

For best results, castor oil comes in handy. This option is applied along the darker region regularly. This is done until it becomes weaker and then fades away, with time. You will need to clean it using warm water after some time.

Also, you can use honey. Apart from its effectiveness, this option is easy to find. The sugary liquid is rubbed onto the spots gently. When the skin absorbs the contents of this juice it helps in eliminating the dark patches. Wash carefully after some minutes.

These home-based mole removal tips normally become effective after some time. The results are ever slow but sure when clearing the patches. You should not be worried if the mole removal procedure does not yield results instantly. If you notice that the effects are not evident, you need to maintain regular application since you are assured of positive but gradual change.

To assist you study a bit more with regards to natural mole removal. Have a look at http://www.amazon.com/Dermatend-Original-Mole-Skin-Remover/dp/B0010AZ6Q2

Free Time Is More Valuable Than Money, According To A Study

Money is at the root of all evil. Money makes the world go round. Money can't buy you happiness. It's the topic at the top of everyone's list when they talk promotions at work, and it's the topic of concern during this worldwide economic downturn and anticipated recession. Yet, money and materialism take second place to, of all benefits, free time.

A study by Manolis and Roberts (Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH and Baylor University, Waco, TX.) confirms that both materialism and compulsive buying have a negative impact on teenagers' happiness. 1,329 public school students were evaluated, and the results showed that the more materialistic they were, and the more inclined they were to engage in compulsive buying, the lower their happiness levels were. On the other hand, when provided with just the right amount of spare time, their happiness levels increased. The study, published in the journal, Applied Research In Quality Of Life, also found that having a surfeit of free time reduced the negative impact of materialism and compulsive buying. That is, being neither too busy nor having too much "time on their hands" was associated with higher happiness.

These results are exactly what those that live a minimalist lifestyle have been preaching. It is the rush to acquire and own that creates stress and anxiety, more so than the owning that provides a feeling of comfort. When one "owns" just the right amount of goods, and has a comfort level with his finances, stress is minimized.

On the other hand, the need to own may be a psychological impediment in itself. Like overeating, overbuying is linked to deficiencies in one's psychological health. The use of material possessions as status symbols may also be an indicator of an insecurity or dearth of emotional comfort.

When a person relinquishes the urge to score his success by the amount of money or the dollar value of his possessions, he is able to find more time to pursue activities that provide greater intrinsic satisfaction. Whether one spends ninety minutes savouring the flavour of a two hundred dollar meal, or ninety minutes relaxing and watching waves scour the sand at his favourite beach, each has maximized his hour and one half. Yet, which took the greatest effort to acquire? Certainly, the time spent working to earn the two hundred dollars is greater than the time taken to unfold a beach chair and plop into it!

We eagerly anticipate the day when we can retire from "the rat race." As the big event approaches, we stress about whether we truly will have enough money to enjoy life. We plan each moment leading up to and immediately after the day when we no longer are bound to the need to earn money. Mortgage free, at last!

But did we need that huge house, that massive debt, those costly furnishings, those fancy clothes for our retirement? Not likely! The first thing we do is plan a relaxing vacation full of - you guessed it - free time. It hasn't been free, at all. It has cost us time, health, mental anguish and stress.

Today is the day that we need to retire. It is the day that we need to say, "I'm finding time for myself." It is the day when we need to break open the piggy bank that holds the cash for our next big purchase. And it is time to invest in the most valuable, and the most satisfying asset we can own: free time!

Among other interests, Robert Lee is a writer who focuses on ethical considerations in business and living life simply. He is the author of six books, including The Last Drop of Living, A Minimalist's Guide to Living The High Life On A Low Budget and Wild People I Have Known. His blogs include http://findingtheoasis.blogspot.com, as well as blogs on minimal living, living in a yurt, harvesting wild plants and eco-innovations.

Tight Hamstring - Explanation and Remedies

The hamstrings are an important part of your leg and if they become injured you will find it difficult to walk and exercise without pain. This part of your leg is made up of one large hamstring muscle and several smaller muscles which assist in its function. The hamstring is positioned on the rear upper part of each leg and is responsible for the movement of your leg.

When the hamstring becomes tight, this will begin to cause issues which will need to be examined and dealt with quickly. Leaving this form of injury for too long can cause more damage and may affect your ability to walk and run in the future. Research is essential to guarantee that you understand what to do if you are suffering from tight hamstrings.

What causes tight hamstrings?

There are several different reasons that you may suffer from tight hamstrings and these may include:

• Poor posture and sitting for long periods of time will affect your hamstrings and make them tighter than normal. If you need to sit at a desk for long periods of time, you may need to adjust your position.

• Naturally short hamstring muscles are far more common than you may think and women and children typically have more flexible hamstrings than men. There are several different genetic causes which will result in your hamstrings being shorter and tighter.

• Old injuries can cause problems in the future with your hamstrings and the build-up of the scar tissue within your legs may cause the hamstring to be tight. Any injuries which occur will need to be dealt with to avoid problems in the future.

• Bad stretching techniques, or no stretching at all, will result in your hamstrings being tight. Learning how to stretch correctly is essential and will guarantee that you remain injury free in the future. Once your muscles have warmed up they are far easier to stretch and this needs to be performed both before and after any physical activity.

Sitting for long periods of time at a desk or driving, especially with poor posture or ergonomics, can cause the muscle fibres to become firmer or more stubborn to move. If exercise or movement isn't part of your lifestyle, then these stubborn muscle fibres can become stuck together and less able to stretch.

Unresolved injuries can result in a build-up of scar tissue within the hamstrings causing a restriction in the full range of movement. This limitation to the range of movement can cause the hamstrings to weaken, or the over development of the neighbouring muscles due to compensating for the weakened hamstrings. Scar tissue is a harder fibrotic tissue that can be broken down using massage techniques.

The issues that a tight hamstring can cause:

• Injury and tearing is exceedingly common with tight hamstrings, since forcing any muscle to perform a task that it is not comfortable doing will result in problems.

• Back problems are typical when you have tight hamstrings, as your pelvis and hips move backwards.

• Limited sporting abilities are another issue which you may find becomes a problem when your hamstrings are tight. You will find that you struggle to perform well and there will be sporting events which you cannot participate within at all.

Dealing with the tight hamstring:

• You can never do enough stretching and this is one of the best remedies for tight hamstrings, which can improve the condition in the future. There are several different stretches which you can perform which will help the tightness. These include passive, dynamic and static stretches which can all be done before or after exercise.

• Massage is fantastic when you suffer from tight hamstrings; however, it should only be performed by a professional. They will be able to assess the extent of the damage and be able to make your hamstrings more flexible.

Fran Kehoe, M.I.P.T.I.

Fran is fully qualified and insured with ITEC Diplomas in Sports Massage, Reflexology, Anatomy & Physiology, Holistic Massage and a FHT Certificate in Deep Tissue Massage.

Call 020 8166 8958 for Free Phone Consultation.

http://www.tmc-chiswick.com/