Foods help us in stress management

Today's fast going life gives us stress and depression, which we are used to face for hours, days, months and years. But prolonged and unnecessary stress can harm us badly. For stress relief we are usually suggested to keep our life simple, adopt technique to stay tension free and take medicines in some severe cases.

Eating can be a form of stress relieves and at the same time it aids in boosting our immune system. Stress relieving food is a way we can use to promote healthy emotional functioning of our immune system. Certain foods eaten can increase our stress levels whereas some foods can aid in relieving stress.
Food can help us stay stress free and healthy. We know that low-fat, high-fiber, carbohydrate-rich meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables are good for our health as they soothe us without sapping our energy and give us the nutrients we need to boost our immune system.

Foods to Include in your diet:
High-fiber, carbohydrate-rich foods: Scientists believe carbohydrates cause the brain to produce more serotonin, a hormone that relaxes us. And lots of fiber is helpful in preventing late-night binging. Some examples of healthy comfort food include baked sweet potatoes, minestrone soup, or sautéed vegetables over rice.

Fruits and vegetables: The vitamins and minerals of fruits and vegetables can calm the nervous system, control blood sugar levels and help the body cope with stress.
Chronic stress can weaken our ability to fight disease. By upping our intake of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, we can boost our immune system. Acorn squash and carrots, for example, are great sources of the antioxidant beta-carotene. And citrus fruits provide plenty of vitamin C, another stress-busting antioxidant.
You may add these foods in daily diet plan for stress relief: 
banana, nuts, Quinoa (Keen Wah)-A super food from South America, Brown rice and pasta, ginger tea, porridge, hot water(this might seem like a strange stress relieving tool but it works), vegetables, and salad (Salad can be a great way of giving the stomach a rest from rich food)
                                                                                       
Foods to Avoid for stress management

High-fat foods: Fatty foods such as meat or cheese dishes and many baked goods thicken our blood which in turn makes us feel tired, even lethargic. This is clearly not a good way to reduce stress! Even just one high-fat meal can increase our risk of a heart attack.

Caffeine: Many of us deal with a stress-induced lack of sleep by turning to coffee, tea, and colas. Unfortunately, caffeine stays in our systems longer than many realize. Cutting back on caffeine can help with both sleeping problems and jitters.

Sugar: As a carbohydrate, sugar tends to calm us. The problem with sugar is that it's a simple carbohydrate so it enters and leaves the bloodstream rapidly, causing us to, in effect, "crash." On the other hand, complex carbohydrates?such as pasta, beans, and lentils, the starchy parts of foods?soothe without bringing us down.


Useful sites and links:
* 'Stress reducing receipes'

* 'Nutrition MD'

* How to Reduce, prevent, and Cope with Stress

* Stress Management for Effective Ways to Manage Stress

* 7 foods to relieve stress

Hand massage techniques for better result

Either you adopt the acupressure therapy for diagnosis purpose or self healing you need to know correct massage techniques for better and quick results. These techniques are equally beneficial for beginners or regular practictioner of acupressure therapy.

Hand Massage Techniques

You may use all these techniques in one session, or just one technique, e.g. Pressing, or two techniques, e.g. Rubbing and Pressing.

1. Rubbing: Begin by briskly rubbing your hands (palms) together to warm them up and generate energy (qi) in them. Also rub the back of each hand (including fingers) with the palm of the other hand.

2. Squeezing: Use your thumbpad and outside edge of your index finger to squeeze each finger and thumb on the other hand, one by one, from base to tip. Use firm but not painful pressure. Do this 2-3 times per finger/thumb.

3. Pulling: Use your thumbpad and the outside edge of your index finger to grasp the base of each finger and thumb on the other hand, one by one, then quickly pull down towards the tip while maintaining firm but not painful pressure. Do this 2-3 times per finger/thumb.

4. Pressing: Use the tip of your thumbnail to press and stimulate points on the opposite hand. Use this printable hand reflexology chart to locate common hand pressure points. Apply vertical pressure to each point with your thumbnail (or sometimes your fingernail). Press until you feel no more than a comfortable pain. Hold the pressure and knead the point with very small circular movements. Do this for 1-2 minutes per point. Repeat 1-2 times a day.

Choosing Points for Pressing

If you haven't already, download a copy of the printable hand reflexology chart (see above link) first. All hand pressure points are bilateral, i.e. they're located on both hands. Generally, you would massage 3 or 4 points (on both hands), 1-2 times a day. Hand pressure points do adapt to stimulation though, so after 7 days stop for 3 or 4 days. If your condition and symptoms persist, continue for another week (or more), OR choose new points to press and rub.

Hand Reflexology Contraindications

The main hand reflexology contraindications are as follows:

* Pregnancy, especially in the later stages. Pressing some hand points can cause uterine contractions. Unless you are experienced with hand massage it's best to avoid it during pregnancy, or to consult a qualified massage therapist or acupuncturist
* Use carefully or not at all in potential surgical conditions such as acute appendicitis
* Don't do it on broken skin or if there are infected sores or lesions on the hands

printable-hand-reflexology-chart

Download link: printable-hand-reflexology-chart.pdf

More useful links:

* How to Do Self-Massage

How to get self healing from acupressure

I have completed a short acupressure course from a local expert of this therapy and after some practice I can diagnose myself or use the self healing process for the purpose. Acupressure points of your palm become tender or painful relating to the part of body which is an indication that there is some pain or abnormality at that body system or part.

After diagnose, self healing is a very easy process. You just need to put pressure with the help of your finger tips, thumb or with wooden tool(specially made to apply pressure).

How to Start?

Look for sore areas. If a point is sore, it needs work. You should feel sour or numb, but not knife-cut like pain when pressing. The acupoints are usually between or beside the bones and tendons orligaments, on in a depression, never on the bones or blood vessels. If a point is not sore, leave it alone. Fingerpressure will work but most people get a better Healing Response using acupressure tools. They allow morepressure to be applied with less work, stress and potential damage to the massager.

If a point is very sore,press only as hard as you can tolerate do not overdo it this is not a contest. You must be the judge on this.Light pressure for a longer period will give you the same results. Some people who are larger or less sensitivethan others, may need more pressure to activate the healing response.Treatments have a cumulative effect. Sometimes lasting results are immediate, but most often it takes a while.

Each time you activate the healing response it brings the system closer to normal. If you do not get aresponse quickly you can increase the frequency of treatment. Increasing frequency is more effective thenincreasing the duration of treatment. Three or four times a day or even once an hour is OK. It does not mean that the treatments are not working if the pain comes back. This is normal. Eventually you will reach a point where the pain does not retur

* How to apply acupressure

How long you should apply pressure on effected points?

Firm pressure is the most fundamental technique. Use thumbs, fingers, palms, the side of the hand, orknuckles to apply stead; stationary pressure. To relax an area or relieve pain, apply pressure gradually andhold without any movement for several minutes at a time.

One minute of steady pressure (when appliedgradually) calms and relaxes the nervous system, promoting greater healing. To stimulate the area, applypressure for only four or five seconds. Slow motion kneading uses the thumbs and fingers along with theheels of the hands to squeeze large muscle groups firmly. The motion is similar to that of kneading a large mass of dough. Simply lean the weight of your upper bodyinto the muscle as you press to make it soft and pliable. This relieves general stiffness, shoulder and necktension, constipation, and spasms in the calf muscles.

Brisk rubbing uses friction to stimulate the blood andlymph. Rub the skin lightly to relieve chilling, swelling, and numbness by increasing circulation, as well as tobenefit the nerves and tone of the skin. Quick tapping with fingertips stimulates muscles on unprotected,tender areas of the body such as the face. For larger areas of the body, such as the back or buttocks, use aloose fist. This can improve the functioning of nerves and sluggish muscles in the area. Obviously this type ofmassage would be difficult to apply to yourself. But with the proper tools you can treat most of your body'slocations effectively.

* Use acupressure charts

Tips:
- Pressing too hard and too quickly can damage tissues and create more problems.
- Pressing too soft will do little to relieve the problem.
- Use gentle steady pressure and gradually increase it until the body responds back with a significant pain response.
- The point with pain is telling you something is wrong but not to the point where your body tenses more from the pain.

More at: The right amount of pressure

Manage your health by getting best health care

Internet has made our lives more faster as with the click of our finger we can discover a whole world of information. In health sector there are millions of sites offering useful information about diseases or symptoms so that we can stay informed about our health related issues.
How we can get best health care?
A way of getting best health care is to be informed about diseases, conditions and symptoms and it can be easily done by browsing through online health related sites. One of those helpful site is 'Wrong Diagnosis'.
'Wrong diagnosis' provides online medical health information.

The objective of the site is to encourage consumers to be informed and interested in managing their health, and to know what questions to ask their doctors to help ensure they are getting the best health care possible.

The site provides a free health-information service to help people understand their health better, offering crucial and factual health information that is otherwise difficult to find.

At their diagnosis menu you can find these tools:

* Diagnosis Checklist
* Symptom Checker
* Home Diagnostic Testing
* Top 100 Misdiagnosed

Home Diagnostic Testing Center is a very useful tool for the peoples who want to save their time for consultation. We can easily get the home diagnosis kits and check the health conditions at the

Site itself explains why you need to browse online for medical diagnosis!

Reasons for Using Online Medical Diagnosis:

In some instances, online services can be useful to people, because of:

* Expense: Medical consultations can be expensive and alternative methods of interacting with medical experts can be useful.
* Embarrassment: Some people may find it easier to discuss the details of embarrassing physical medical conditions, or to discuss their own personal issues in counseling, when doing so online.
* Convenience: The practical difficulty of traveling to the doctor's office can be an issue for some.
* Time: Some patients feel that they do not get enough time with their doctors, and may have numerous questions left unanswered after a consultation.

If you want to discuss your own health related problems or ask it from other members then join their forum. Their 'forum' has 85,888 members so far with 160,796 posts so it is possible that you may get the answer of your question right there.

Note: As like other online health resource sites they say:
Information provided on this site is for informational purposes only; it is not intended as a substitute for advice from your own medical team. The information on this site is not to be used for diagnosing or treating any health concerns you may have - please contact your physician or health care professional for all your medical needs.

Cure and healing through acupressure

The healing art of acupressure is at least 5000 years old and remains the 3rd most popular method for pain and illness relief in the world.

Benefits:

Through clinical trials, Accupressure has been proven effective in treating various medical conditions and its use has been expanded into conventional medicine practices. Although best known for the control of pain, Accupressure benefits a wide variety of disorders. Respiratory disorders such as sinusitis, common cold, bronchitis and asthma can be effectively treated with Accupressure. Conjunctivitis, (pink eye), near sightedness and cataracts are a few of the eye disorders Accupressure benefits. Toothache can be reduced through Accupressure. Neurological and musculoskeletal disorders including paralysis following stroke, frozen shoulder or tennis elbow, sciatica and osteoarthritis are also treatable with Accupressure.

With certain health conditions, Accupressure can be effective enough to reduce or eliminate the need to take drugs to control pain or symptoms. Additional benefits of Accupressure are faster recovery from injuries, decreased symptoms of stress and improved circulation. Accupressure benefits the strengthening of the immune system function, which through treatment is better able to withstand colds, minor infections, and flu. Post-surgical nausea and vomiting can also be reduced through Accupressure. Many post-surgical patients find that Accupressure treatment is effective in increasing energy, and brings a sense of vitality. It also benefits the individual through a sense of restoring a sense of "normal self" after surgery or illness.

Multiple emotional or psychological disorders can be treated by Accupressure, which benefits addictions, phobias, obsessive behavior, eating disorders, and anxiety. Accupressure can also be beneficial when used alongside conventional medicine treatments for both acute and chronic disease. Often used as a form of preventative medicine, acupuncture is beneficial in preventing illness from occurring.

Ref: 'Cure through acupressure'

More useful links:

- Get information and simple tools to relieve pain and illnesses with acupressure. 'Acupressure- User friendly self healing'

- How to Self Treat Using Acupressure

- Acupressure Points for Healing

- 'Accupressure Self Treatment For Better Health'

Free and easy diagnosis through acupressure

Shiatsu, or 'acupressure' which means "finger pressure" has been used for centuries to diagnose and treat illness. Acupressure enables us to diagnose and cure diseases like Common Cold, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Migraine, Heart Attack, Paralysis and even Cancer. I was first introduced an amazing book 'Health in Your Hands' written by "Devendra Vora, M.D." and told to read it carefully. I found this whole system very useful and effective for diagnosis and healing purposes. I have tried it myself and would like to share my experiences with blog readers.

How it can be used for diagnose purposes?

Acupressure is based on the theory that the body has fourteen meridians travel through it. Each of these meridians is attached to a specific body organ. When a meridian develops a blockage the body is adversely affected and diagnosing and removing the blockage through acupressure is the best way to cure the patient.

The points on the palms and feet reflect the condition of their related organs. This makes acupressure a good diagnostic tool. By feeling the palms and feet with gentle pressure it is possible to get a fair idea about the diseased parts. If pain is observed on any point, the body part related to that point needs immediate attention. I have applied these techniques for self diagnose and found it very effective. Usually you feel pain in specific points of your hands whenever there is an abnormality around your body (in other words it is a symptom of some body or system disorder/pain or disease)

The healing process is next step after diagnosis as you have to apply pressure for continues intervals at the effected or related painful points of your both hands.

Application of pressure on palms and feet has the effect of charging various body parts. When specific points are pressed the nerves leading to the related parts are actuated which in turn stimulates those parts. As a result flow of blood and other body fluids improve providing nourishment to those parts and cleaning away the waste material more efficiently. Any undesirable deposits start dissolving. Functions of the glands improve. There is overall rejuvenation in the body.

To use this free and no cost diagnosis technique just browse through online resources or buy the books with pressure points picture. The self diagnosis system can be learned very easily at home.

Useful links:

* 'Shiatsu'

* 'What is Acupressure Shiatsu'

*Another story about the revolutionary book 'Health in your hands'

* Acupressure Pressure Points

Useful links for shiatsu or message therapy

If you want to adopt 'Shiatsu' a wonderful system for healing and wellness then there are many online sites which offer useful information about applying the techniques for self help.

The first thing you need to know is ' how to apply pressure to points when doing shiatsu?

'eHow' answers this question by providing helpful articles, pictures and videos.

* Apply Pressure to Points When Doing Shiatsu

- How to Use Shiatsu for a Migraine Headache

- How to Use Shiatsu for a Sinus Headache

- How to Use Shiatsu for a Tension Headache

# How to Use Shiatsu for Menstrual Cramps How to Use Shiatsu for Menstrual Cramps