No time for meditation? Think again.....

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It can even affect our health. With a busy schedule, we feel we have no time for meditation.

Meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.

Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. 

Breathing Meditation

Find a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed. Turn off any distractions such as mobile phone/computer. You can do this sitting or lying down.

If sitting, sit upright in a chair, feet on the ground and back straight. You can place a cushion in the lower part of your back if it feels  uncomfortable. Close your eyes, or focus on a point in front of you if you wish to keep your eyes open.

Bring your attention to your navel, and breathing through the nose, be aware of the tummy gently moving out as you inhale, and falling back towards your spine as you exhale. Don't force the breath. 

Continue with this rhythm, each time trying to slow the breathing down. In your head count slowly in for 4 and out for 4. If this feels comfortable, count in for 4 and out for 6. If at any time it feels uncomfortable, just return your breathing back to normal pace and try again when you are ready. 

If you mind wanders at any point, acknowledge it and be aware this has happened. It's perfectly natural at first. Once you are aware it has wandered, just come back to focusing on your breathing. Keep this practice up for at least 2 minutes with the counting. Then continue for longer if you can, not counting with the breathes, but simply being aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out of the nostrils. 

Practice this daily. Also throughout the day, have micro moments where you stop for a minute or two, and be aware of the breathing and the air flowing in and out. If you are feeling stressed, this will help calm the body and mind. You can also imagine any stress leaving the body as you exhale. Breath in calm, exhale any stress.

Beating the Winter Blues

It's thought the winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects around 2 million people in the UK and more than 12 million people across northern Europe. It can affect people of any age, including children.

According to Sue Pavlovich of the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA), these 10 tips could help. "Everyone's affected differently by SAD, so what works for one person won't for another," she says. "But there's usually something that will help, so don't give up if the first remedy you try doesn't work. Just keep trying."

1. Keep active

Research has shown that a daily one-hour walk in the middle of the day could be as helpful as light treatment for coping with the winter blues. 

2. Get outside

Go outdoors in natural daylight as much as possible, especially at midday and on brighter days. Inside your home, choose pale colours that reflect light from outside, and sit near windows whenever you can.

3. Keep warm

If your symptoms are so bad that you can't live a normal life, see your GP for medical help. Being cold makes you more depressed. It's also been shown that staying warm can reduce the winter blues by half.

Keep warm with hot drinks and hot food. Wear warm clothes and shoes, and aim to keep your home between 18C and 21C (or 64F and 70F degrees).

4. Eat healthily

A healthy diet will boost your mood, give you more energy and stop you putting on weight over winter. Balance your craving for carbohydrates, such as pasta and potatoes, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

5. See the light

Some people find light therapy effective for seasonal depression. One way to get light therapy at home in winter is to sit in front of a light box for up to two hours a day.

Light boxes give out very bright light at least 10 times stronger than ordinary home and office lighting. They're not available on the NHS and cost around £100 or more.

"Some people find that using a dawn simulator [a bedside light, connected to an alarm clock, that mimics a sunrise and wakes you up gradually] as well as a light box can enhance the beneficial effect," says Pavlovich.

6. Take up a new hobby

Keeping your mind active with a new interest seems to ward off symptoms of SAD, says Pavlovich. "It could be anything, such as playing bridge, singing, knitting, joining a gym, keeping a journal, or writing a blog. The important thing is that you have something to look forward to and concentrate on," she adds.

7. See your friends and family

It's been shown that socialising is good for your mental health and helps ward off the winter blues. Make an effort to keep in touch with people you care about and accept any invitations you get to social events, even if you only go for a little while.

8. Talk it through

Talking treatments such as counselling, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you cope with symptoms. See your GP for information on what's available locally on the NHS and privately.

9. Join a support group

Think about joining a support group. Sharing your experience with others who know what it's like to have SAD is very therapeutic and can make your symptoms more bearable.

SADA is the UK's only registered charity dedicated to SAD. It costs £20 (£10 for concessions) to join, and you'll receive an information pack, regular newsletters, discounts on products such as light boxes, and contacts for telephone support.

10. Seek help

If your symptoms are so bad that you can't live a normal life, see your GP for medical help. 

Source: nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/dealing-with-winter-blues-sad.aspx

Reduce Stress With Positive Thinking

Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Practice overcoming negative self-talk with examples provided.

Is your glass half-empty or half-full? How you answer this age-old question about positive thinking may reflect your outlook on life, your attitude toward yourself, and whether you're optimistic or pessimistic — and it may even affect your health.

Indeed, some studies show that personality traits like optimism and pessimism can affect many areas of your health and well-being. The positive thinking that typically comes with optimism is a key part of effective stress management. And effective stress management is associated with many health benefits. If you tend to be pessimistic, don't despair — you can learn positive thinking skills.

Understanding positive thinking and self-talk

Positive thinking doesn't mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information.

If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.

The health benefits of positive thinking

Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:

• Increased life span
• Lower rates of depression
• Lower levels of distress
• Greater resistance to the common cold
• Better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

It's unclear why people who engage in positive thinking experience these health benefits. One theory is that having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body. It's also thought that positive and optimistic people tend to live healthier lifestyles — they get more physical activity, follow a healthier diet, and don't smoke or drink alcohol in excess.

Source:mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950

What To Expect From Your Body During Your 50's

During our 50s we have entered the menopause and there are no clear guidelines with this because each and every woman has different experiences, but most of the changes in your bodies during this decade are related to the menopause.

Loss of interest in sex.

Helen notes that due to your hormonal changes and a drop in oestrogen levels women are likely to experience a low libido and vaginal dryness during this stage of their lives.

Weight gain around the stomach.

It is around this time that women may notice stubborn weight gain around the stomach, which is highly difficult to work off.

Helen says: 'Women may experience more central weight gain, 'fat around the middle' as metabolism slows down, more stress and lower hormone levels (particularly testosterone).'

Anxiety, depression and low mood.

Changes in lifestyle can cause various changes to mood in our 50s.

The rapid hormonal changes of the menopause can also cause drops in mood, or even anxiety and depression.

Helen says: 'Feeling quite low during this time is common as family dynamics change (children may have left to go to university) and life is reevaluated.'

Bones become weaker.

Unless you break a bone or suffer joint pain this effect of ageing is generally symptom-less, which is why is it key to pay attention to it.

Your bone density is a key part of health as you get older.

Helen says: 'Osteopenia or osteoporosis need to be taken seriously, whether you are or aren't on medication.'

Helen points out that no woman is the same and while some may have suffer some symptoms others may experience different ones – or none at all.

She says: 'Following a low sugar and alcohol and higher protein and brightly coloured fruit and vegetables is key to balancing blood sugar and supporting all of the above symptoms.'

She adds: 'Regular exercise is essential to keep endorphins high, healthy weight and bones strong.'

Source:dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3269613/What-expect-body-decade-20s-50s-combat-it.html#ixzz3p192y34h

Breathe Your Way To A Better Nights Sleep

Simple '4-7-8' breathing trick can induce sleep in 60 seconds

Dr Andrew Weil says it works because it allows the lungs to become fully charged with air, allowing more oxygen into the body, which promotes a state of calm.

A deep breathing trick can make insomniacs drop off to sleep in under one minute, a health expert has claimed.

The method involves making a loud whooshing noise with the mouth then holding the breath in stages.

Called the ‘4-7-8’ method, it has been pioneered by the US sleep expert Dr Andrew Weil who claims that the technique works by calming the mind and relaxing the muscles.

One in three Britons suffers from poor sleep, with stress, computers and taking work home often blamed for the lack of quality rest.

Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions including obesity, heart disease and diabetes - and it shortens your life expectancy.

But Dr Weil, founder of the Arizona Centre for Intergrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, claims a simple alteration to normal breathing could be the answer.

“This comes from yoga and in yoga breathing you have to keep the tip of the tongue behind the upper front teeth,” he said.

“ You breathe in through your nose quietly and blow air out forcefully through your mouth making a whoosh sound. It takes all of about 30 seconds so there is no excuse for not doing it.

“It produces a very pleasant altered state of consciousness. You may not get that the first time you do it but it’s one of the benefits of practicing.”

The trick is holding the breath for four seconds, breathing out then holding for seven seconds. After that exhale completely for a count of eight. The steps are then repeated between two and four times.

Dr Weil says it works because it allows the lungs to become fully charged with air, allowing more oxygen into the body, which promotes a state of calm.

“You have to do this two times a day religiously. It will become a wonderful way to help you fall asleep. You can do it more often throughout the day,” added Dr Weil.

"It is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere.

“After about four to six weeks you will see wonderful changes in your body.”

It can also be used to help deal with cravings and to control anger. Dr Weil claims it can also improve digestion and stop the ‘fight or flight’ response in the body, lowering stress levels.

The method is based on an ancient Indian practice called pranayama, which means regulation of breath, and is used widely in yoga and pilates.

Breathing deeply has been prven to affect the heart, the brain, digestion, the immune system and even the expression of genes.

Research has shown that breathing exercises like pranayama can have immediate effects by altering the pH of the blood, or changing blood pressure.

But more importantly, they can be used as a method to train the body's reaction to stressful situations and dampen the production of harmful stress hormones.

Rapid breathing makes the body think it is stressed but deep breaths stimulates the opposing parasympathetic reaction, which calms people down.

In 1975 Harvard University researcher Herbert Benson discovered that short periods of meditation triggers a 'relaxation response' and even alters genes.

"It does away with the whole mind-body separation," Benson said in his book The Relation Response. "Here you can use the mind to change the body, and the genes we're changing were the very genes acting in an opposite fashion when people are under stress."

Start practicing ‘4-7-8’ method with these steps:

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.

3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.

4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths

Source:telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11585755/Simple-4-7-8-breathing-trick-can-induce-sleep-in-60-seconds.html

Mother Claims Giggling Has Cured Her Asthma and Depression

• Lynette Webbe, 59, suffered asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for 6 years as she smoked since the age of 13
• Also suffered depression since she was a teenager after losing her parents, and began laughter classes as a natural treatment
• Enjoyed the laughter therapy so much she trained to hold her own classes
• After a year she claims her doctors said her respiratory problems are much better, and wants other people to be referred for laughter therapy

A mother claims to have cured her lifelong asthma and depression by laughing.

Lynette Webbe, 59, suffered with the respiratory condition for six years before she started holding laughter therapy classes.

A year on, and she said her doctor has noticed a huge difference in her condition – and thinks the NHS should refer other patients to her classes.

She also says the classes, which involve giggling, storytelling, dancing and childsplay have helped her overcome depression.

Miss Webbe, from Pill in Wales, said: 'I went for a check-up recently and was told that my health was much better and I believe laughter is the reason.

'It opens up the lungs, so I can breathe more easily, and gets endorphins pumping around the body.

'Physically I feel much better and leave my classes feeling amazing.

'I see my classes as a fun way of shaking off the cobwebs. Laughter is like a medicine that doctors can't provide.

'I think it's important to laugh and play.

'It's good for stress as well and if you can get rid of that and anxiety, you can prevent bad mental health too.

'I'd really like doctors to start referring patients to me to treat.'

Miss Webbe said she started her laughter therapy classes as she herself suffered from mental health problems herself.

She said: 'After years of mixing with the wrong crowd as a teenager, then losing my parents and my sister, I got so depressed I started to drink and self-medicate.

'I think it's important to laugh and play.

'It's good for stress as well and if you can get rid of that and anxiety, you can prevent bad mental health too.

'I'd really like doctors to start referring patients to me to treat.'

Miss Webbe said she started her laughter therapy classes as she herself suffered from mental health problems herself.

She said: 'After years of mixing with the wrong crowd as a teenager, then losing my parents and my sister, I got so depressed I started to drink and self-medicate.

'People come and make each other laugh. When we run out of jokes I tell everyone to start fake laughter.

'Basically, fake it until you make it, but you do laugh and this makes you feel better.

'I believe my workshops make people feel amazing. I've been working with people with Alzheimer's and after a class everyone was happy and smiling.

'We dance at my classes so people get some exercise.

'Everyone tells stories, which make them realise we've all got problems and things can get better.

'I share my story as I think this helps people feel they can share. 

'People leave feeling less alone. My workshops gave me a reason to get up and go out. 

'Now they're giving others one too.'

Source:dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3152104/Doctors-refer-patients-LAUGHTER-classes-says-mother-claims-giggling-cured-asthma-depression.html#ixzz3fDUHnH89 

Why Listening To Music Can Make You As Fit As A Fiddle

It can help your body fight infection and recover after ops 

• Researchers have found that classical music can lower blood pressure
• It improved both short-term and long-term memory in people with dementia
• Reduced pain for patients having hernia surgery under general anaesthetic

Whether it's singing in a choir, listening to Bach in the car or dancing to disco, most people enjoy some form of music - and increasingly it is being shown to have health benefits, too.

As the Mail reports today, researchers have found that classical music - especially compositions by Giuseppe Verdi - can significantly lower the listener's blood pressure. And last month, a British study found that regularly listening to music improved both short-term and long-term memory in people with dementia. Music therapy is also used in aiding stroke patients and to help those with Parkinson's learn to walk again.

Here we explore how listening to, learning and playing music helps...

How songs reduce blood pressure

One of the most intriguing ways in which music improves health is its effect on the heart and circulation.

In a 2008 study at the University of Maryland Medical Centre in the U.S., researchers measured ten healthy people's blood pressure as they listened to music of their choice. Their blood vessels dilated by 26 per cent after listening to music they found 'joyful', compared with 19 per cent after watching a funny video and 11 per cent after listening to relaxing sound recordings.

Keeping blood pressure low means the blood vessels are less likely to stiffen and become blocked, which can lead to heart disease and attacks. Dr Michael Miller, the cardiologist who led the study, now prescribes listening to music to patients.

'We see the effects immediately, which suggests there is a direct effect on the blood vessels,' he says. 'Music seems to harmonise the body's autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for involuntary actions such as heart rate, digestion and perspiration.'

Dr Miller thinks there maybe an evolutionary explanation. 'Music was part of our ancestors' socialisation process,' he says. 'It enabled us to form and develop relationships important for our survival.'

Other research has shown that listening to favourite music triggers the release of nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels maintain elasticity and function.

Bach cuts surgery pain

Many surgeons listen to music while operating, and it may be good for patients, too - even while they're under anaesthetic.

A 2005 Swedish study of 75 patients having hernia surgery under general anaesthetic found that those who had music playing during their operation reported less pain afterwards.

This is thought to be because music lowers stress hormone levels and may trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that boosts relaxation and tolerance of pain.

Listening to music may help the body defend itself from disease and infection, too. A review of 400 studies, published in 2013 by McGill University, in Canada, found music raised levels of natural 'killer cells'. British and German research published in 2008 showed listening to 50 minutes of dance music raised levels of antibodies in volunteers' bodies, probably because it reduced stress.A 2011 study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, found patients who listened to a range of 'joyful' music - including Bach and Louis Armstrong - while having a hip replacement needed less anaesthetic and had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

It helps with dementia

A study last month found that dementia patients who heard a live performance by a singer, then listened to her songs and those of others on MP3 players, communicated and remembered better.

Four weeks after the experiment, many were able to recall where they were, the time of day and people's names. Their memory of recent and past events also showed improvement.

'Often music triggers a memory, and not just a song but maybe the time and place when the person heard it,' says Helen Odell-Miller, professor of music therapy at Anglia Ruskin University.

Professor Odell-Miller has also found making music using instruments, singing and clapping helps dementia patients communicate. When cognitive function declines, people may not find the words they need to express themselves, she says. 'Music helps them find a new way to show how they are feeling, which improves relationships with their carers.'

Other research supports her findings. A trial published in the journal Aging & Mental Health in 2013 found dementia patients needed less antipsychotic and antidepressant medication after six weeks of music therapy and were less agitated than those who had standard care.

A study of twins published in January found those who played a musical instrument were 36 per cent less likely to develop dementia. One theory is learning an instrument keeps the brain 'fitter' and more able to resist age-related damage.

...and improves heart health

Music also improves heart rate variability - the intervals between heartbeats. 'Heart rate variability is how our heart responds to stress,' says Dr Miller. 'In a healthy person it tends to be quite variable - sometimes 60 beats per minute (bpm), sometimes 65, sometimes 70.

'Good heart rate variability is a predictor that you're not in danger of developing a major heart problem in the near future.

'If it's 90bpm all the time, the heart doesn't have the ability to adapt to everyday stressors.'

This is especially risky if you've had a heart attack already, Dr Miller says.

He adds that no particular genre of music is best for the heart; rather, he simply advises listening to songs you love.

He recommends that patients listen to something they haven't heard in a while so they get the 'frisson effect' - the feeling of a chill down your spine. 'We think it's that physiological effect that causes the most benefits.'

The frisson effect is associated with a release of dopamine, the brain chemical linked with feelings of reward and pleasure.

You'll nod off more easily

If you can't get off to sleep, relaxing music really does help, according to an analysis of ten studies published in 2012 in the Journal of Nursing Studies.

Researchers found the use of music, such as classical tracks, was effective on short and long-term sleep disorders in adults.

It aids stroke recovery

Music is proving valuable for people who have difficulties in moving, such as those who are recovering from a stroke or have Parkinson's disease.

'In Parkinson's, there's a problem with brain signals, so the person may want to move but the body doesn't respond,' says Jessica Grahn, a neuroscientist studying music and the brain at Western University, Canada.

'Some patients show an incredible benefit when you start playing music. Their movements feel freer and they become "unstuck".'

Music also seems to stimulate the regions of the brain that control movement.She says this may be partly because music triggers a release of dopamine, a chemical messenger which is depleted in Parkinson's patients.

Finnish research published in 2012 showed that stroke patients who listened to music every day improved their memory and attention.

The researchers speculated that this might be due to music lowering depression and stress, or increasing 'neural plasticity' - brain scans have revealed that 'music, sound waves and vibration can cause changes in brain structures', says Professor Odell-Miller.

Singing can beat asthma

Singing or playing a wind instrument can improve breathing and may particularly help those with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonar disease (COPD), an umbrella term for conditions including emphysema.

The Royal Brompton Hospital in London offers singing classes to patients with respiratory conditions.

Singing helps people learn to breathe more effectively, using the stomach muscles to take long, deep breaths.

A German study published in April this year also showed that people who played a wind instrument, particularly a brass one such as a trumpet, had a lower risk of developing obstructive sleep apnoea, where the soft tissues in the neck collapse during the night, causing snoring and temporary oxygen deprivation.

The researchers said playing the instruments strengthened the muscles in the upper airways. 

Source:dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3115962/Why-listening-music-make-fit-fiddle-help-body-fight-infection-recover-ops.html#ixzz3cZEqSNCk 

Is Being Dehydrated Really As Bad For You As Being Drunk?

A new study says drinking too little water is just as hazardous as alcohol

• Not drinking enough water can result in extremely painful kidney stones 
• Women should drink 1.6 litres while men should drink 2 litres of fluid a day
• Water makes up 78 per cent of our brains and two-thirds of body weight

You've heard of drunk drivers, now there’s another peril on the road: the dry driver.

A new study says getting behind the wheel when dehydrated makes you just as hazardous as being under the influence of alcohol.

The research from Loughborough University showed drivers who drank 25 ml (a couple of sips) of water an hour, instead of the recommended 200 ml (a third of a pint), made twice the number of mistakes as those who were well-hydrated.

So how important is water? And should you have it hot or cold? Still or sparkling? Tap or bottled? Here are the answers . . .

DO WE DRINK ENOUGH?

Medics say that on the whole we’re a pretty parched lot.

In March, a study warned that the number of people taken to A&E with painful kidney stones has soared. According to Professor Tom Sanders, of King’s College London, dehydration is said to be the most likely cause.

Kidney stones form when calcium deposits in urine clump to form crystals in the kidneys and then get trapped in the urethra. When a person is dehydrated, the concentration of deposits is higher.

Emergency admissions for the problem have more than doubled, from 5,063 cases in 2003-2004 to 11,937 in 2013-2014.

So HOW MUCH SHOULD WE DRINK?

The European Food Safety Authority recommends that women should drink 1.6 litres (eight glasses) of fluid per day, men two litres (ten glasses) and toddlers 1.3 litres (6½ glasses).

We need water because we are water — it makes up 78 per cent of our brains and two-thirds of the weight of our body.

Water is the vehicle transporting carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins, which are vital to keeping our organs alive. No less important is water’s job of transporting waste materials out of our bodies.

Babies have the highest water content: at birth it’s 78 per cent, dropping to around 65 per cent by their first birthday. So a comparatively small drop in consumption makes a big difference to their little bodies.

The bodies of adult men are 60 per cent water and women about 55 per cent. In women, fat makes up more of the body than men and this does not contain as much water as lean tissue.

WHEN AM I DEHYDRATED?

Mild dehydration sets in when we lose between just 1 or 2 per cent of our body’s normal water volume. For an 11st man, whose body contains 42 litres of water, that’s 840 ml — just four glasses.

But even at this mild point, people start to become confused, says research in 2010 by Tufts University, Boston. Focus and short-term memory start to go.

Even more dangerously, our ability to assess accurately how we feel starts to fade, according to research by Barcelona University psychiatrists last year. This can mean we lose touch with the warning signs from our body that we are beginning to get more seriously dehydrated.

Though rectified quickly after a few glasses of water, frequent mild dehydration can cause longer-term problems, such as tooth decay, as we lack sufficient water to make protective saliva.

Water also helps to cushion joints, staving off arthritis.

HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BRAIN

The study on drivers reinforces earlier research by the University of Nebraska’s Human Nutrition Centre, which reported that dehydrated young men found it harder to think, remember or co-ordinate their limbs.

And a brain scan study by psychiatrists at King’s College, London in 2010 found 90 minutes of steady sweating can shrink the brain as much as a year of ageing.

Physical changes caused by dehydration were likened to those in Alzheimer’s patients. If left untreated, severe dehydration can cause seizures, brain damage and death.

TELL-TALE SIGNS

Perhaps most obviously, one of the first signs of dehydration is feeling thirsty. Other common signs include headaches, lethargy and feeling lightheaded.

Frequency of urination is another indicator. Healthy individuals should be able to pass water at least four times a day.

But the best way to tell is by monitoring the colour of your urine. Pale yellow is best, while any darker means that the urine is more concentrated, suggesting you are not drinking enough.

GLUG OR SIP?

actress Glynis Barber said last week she glugs water straight down in one glass. The 59-year-old Dempsey And Makepeace star attributes her youthful bloom to this because ‘research shows that drinking little and often doesn’t help cells replenish properly’.

But there is no reputable clinical evidence to support this. What is important is the amount of water you consume each day.

TAP OR BOTTLE?

Expensive bottled water has the same hydrating abilities as tap water, says the British Dietetic Association. A glass straight from the tap is perfect for quenching thirst.

SPARKLING vs STILL

Carbonated water is usually just as hydrating as plain tapwater.

There are fears that carbonated water may deplete people’s levels of calcium and thin their bones, as do fizzy drinks, but there is no clinical evidence.

It’s the other ingredients in fizzy soft drinks, such as sugars, colourants and preservatives, that nutritionists say could be to blame.

But bubbles do cause wind and may make people feel bloated.

And some carbonated mineral waters are high in sodium, which should be avoided by anyone with high blood pressure.

COLD OR HOT?

The temperature of water will have no significant effect on hydration levels, unless you drink very hot water on a hot day, which will make you sweat more.

Iced water may help to increase consumption levels. A study by Cardiff University published in 2013 said cold water is more palatable, perhaps because we evolved in hot climates and are hard-wired to enjoy a cooling drink.

Indeed, drinking iced water does help endurance athletes to keep going, say researchers in Australia. They found it effectively lowers exercisers’ core temperatures so they sweat less and keep hydrated better, according to a study in Sports Medicine in 2012.

If you suffer migraines, though, you may be best avoiding iced water.

Cold water significantly increases the risk of migraines and other headaches, particularly in women, warn neurologists at Sweden’s Uppsala University Hospital.

It is believed the sudden impact of cold water on the roof of the mouth causes blood vessels to the brain to dilate, sending warm blood to protect it. This creates pressure in the brain that can trigger a migraine.

HOW ABOUT TEA AND COFFEE?

It’s a long-held belief that drinking lots of caffeinated tea and coffee makes you go to the toilet more often. But there is scepticism over this in the science world.

A recent study by Dr Ann Grandjean, president of The Human Nutrition Centre at the University of Nebraska, compared tea and coffee drinkers with people who drank the same quantities of water.

Tests on their blood and urine outflow found no difference in their overall levels of hydration.

Other studies have found the diuretic properties of tea and coffee to be minimal at best.

It is best to avoid drinking alcohol, however, because it is a diuretic. Studies show that if you drink 200 ml (third of a pint) of beer, you pass 320 ml (half a pint) of urine.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

If we drink more water than our kidneys can process, it stays in our body and dilutes sodium levels.

This causes hyponatremia or water toxicity — an imbalance of electrolytes important for the cells in the body to function.

This is seen in babies who drink several bottles of water a day or infant formula that’s too diluted.

Water intoxication can also afflict athletes, causing a condition called exercise-associated hyponatremia.

This can prove fatal. In 2008, Andrew Thornton, 44, of Bradford, died from drinking ten litres — more than 17 pints — in eight hours to relieve painful gums. 

Source:dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3056486/Is-dehydrated-really-bad-drunk-new-study-says-drinking-little-water-just-hazardous-alcohol.html

Could YOGURT Help Beat Depression?

Probiotics 'reduce the negative thoughts that can spiral into mental illness'

• Those who took probiotic supplements were less prone to rumination
• Rumination is the type of obsessive thinking that can turn into depression
• The probiotics - found in live yogurt - were taken as a supplement

Boosting the friendly bacteria in our gut could help our minds too, according to a study.

Researchers found that adding the types of probiotics found in live yogurt to our diets could help lower the risk of depression by reducing negative thoughts.

The scientists, from Leiden University in the Netherlands, said those who took the supplements for four weeks were significantly less reactive to sad moods than those who took a dummy supplement.

They were far less prone to rumination - the type of obsessive thinking that can turn into depression - and had fewer aggressive thoughts.

‘Studies have shown that the tendency to engage in ruminative thoughts is sufficient to turn mood fluctuations into depressive episodes, and that individuals who typically respond to low mood by ruminating about possible causes and consequences of their state have more difficulties in recovering from depression,’ the researchers wrote in the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity.

‘The present results indicate, for the first time, that probiotics intervention can influence cognitive mechanisms that are known to determine vulnerability to mood disorders.’

They concluded: ‘These results provide the first evidence that the intake of probiotics may help reduce negative thoughts associated with sad mood.

‘Probiotics supplementation warrants further research as a potential preventive strategy for depression.’

For the study, the researchers recruited 40 healthy men and women and randomly divided them into two groups of 20.

Those in the first group were given sachets of a probiotic powder containing Lactobacillus, Lactococcus and Bifidobacterium strains to take every day for four weeks, while the others were given sachets of a placebo.

Both powders were identical in colour, taste and smell - the only difference was that the placebo powder contained no bacteria.

At the beginning of the study and at the end of the four weeks, all of the men and women filled out a detailed questionnaire which psychologists use to assess a person’s susceptibility to depression.

‘Compared to participants who received the placebo intervention, participants who received the 4-week multispecies probiotics intervention showed a significantly reduced overall cognitive reactivity to sad mood, which was largely accounted for by reduced rumination and aggressive thoughts,’ the researchers said.

Although this study was not testing specific biological mechanisms that could underlie probiotics’ effects on the brain, previous research has found that gut bacteria can affect our levels of tryptophan, an amino acid that the body uses to produce serotonin. 

It’s thought that an imbalance of serotonin can contribute to depression.

Source:dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3048911/Could-YOGURT-help-beat-depression-Probiotics-reduce-negative-thoughts-spiral-mental-illness.html

Why do relaxation exercises?

Muscular relaxation exercises and deep breathing are two common techniques to help people to relax and combat symptoms of anxiety. They may also help to ease symptoms of depression.

Why do relaxation exercises?

Some people relax with sport, exercise, listening to music, watching TV, reading a book, etc. However, some people find it helpful to follow specific relaxation exercises. This leaflet gives a summary of two commonly used routines - muscular relaxing exercises, and deep breathing exercises. These two techniques are particularly useful to combat the two common physical symptoms of anxiety - muscular tension and over-breathing. There is some evidence that they may also help to ease symptoms of depression.

Like anything else, you need to practise these at first. However, hopefully, you can then use them in everyday life whenever you feel tense or anxious.

Planned times for regular positive relaxation

Find a quiet warm place where you won't be disturbed. Choose a time of day when you do not feel pressured to do anything else. Lie down on your back, or sit in a well-supported chair if you are not able to lie down. Try to get comfortable and close your eyes. Perhaps lie on a firm bed of some cushions. The routine then is to work on each of your muscle groups. With each group of muscles, firstly tense the muscles as much as you can, then relax them fully. Breathe in when you tense the muscles, and breathe out when you relax.

To start with, concentrate on your breathing for a few minutes. Breathe slowly and calmly. Each time you breathe out say words to yourself such as 'peace' or 'relax'. Then start the muscle exercises, working around the different muscle groups in your body.

• Hands - clench one hand tightly for a few seconds as you breathe in. You should feel your forearm muscles tense; then relax as you breathe out. Repeat with the other hand.
• Arms - bend an elbow and tense all the muscles in the arm for a few seconds as you breathe in; then relax as you breathe out. Repeat the same with the other arm.
• Neck - press your head back as hard as is comfortable and roll it slowly from from side to side; then relax.
• Face - try to frown and lower your eyebrows as hard as you can for a few seconds; then relax. Then raise your eyebrows (as if you were startled) as hard as you can; then relax. Then clench your jaw for a few seconds; then relax.
• Chest - take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds; then relax and go back to normal breathing.
• Stomach - tense the stomach muscles as tightly as possible; then relax.
• Buttocks - squeeze the buttocks together as much as possible; then relax.
• Legs - with your legs flat on the floor, bend your feet and toes towards your face as hard as you can; then relax. Then bend them away from your face for a few seconds; then relax.

Then repeat the whole routine 3-4 times. Each time you relax a group of muscles, note the difference of how they feel when relaxed compared to when they are tense. Some people find it eases their general level of 'tension' if they get into a daily routine of doing these exercises.

Everyday life

Obviously, you cannot do all the above when 'out and about'. However, the principle of full tension followed by relaxation of a group of muscles can help to ease anxiety in everyday situations. Therefore, in situations when you feel tension or anxiety rising, try either of the following:

• Twisting your neck around each way as far as it is comfortable; then relax.
• Fully tensing your shoulder and back muscles for several seconds; then relax.