How Can You Overcome Stress?

By Dr Robert Puff

Meditation is a highly effective means to overcome stress. It helps restore the body to a calm state. A knowledgeable expert can guide individuals using the correct stress management meditation techniques, helping to relax and focus the flow of thoughts over a sustained time period.
If you regularly feel stressed, then perhaps you will find some comfort in the fact that most people suffer from some sort of strain. Statistically speaking, more than 40% of adults are adversely affected by stress. If untreated, stress can inflict serious, detrimental effects to one's physical and mental health.
Numerous different factors may contribute to an individual's elevated stress level. Perhaps you have a serious communication problem with one of your loved ones. Or maybe you hate your job but have no other options. You may be living alone, gradually cultivating a feeling of loneliness. Indeed, there could be any number of reasons for an individual's stress.
Stress often manifests itself as discomfort, worry, anxiety, uncertainty, fear, and excitement. The behavioral symptoms of stress include eating more or less, isolating oneself from others, sleeping too much or too little, neglecting responsibilities, and using alcohol, cigarettes, or other substances to relax. Stress can lead an individual to develop other tell-tale habits such as nail-biting and pacing.
The effects of stress vary from person to person. Some people thrive upon stress, while others feel bogged down by the slightest obstacle or frustration. The ability to withstand the negative effects stress depends on several factors including one's general outlook on life, the quality of the relationships one has, one's emotional intelligence, and genetics. Additionally, a strong network of supportive family members and friends acts as a buffer against stress. And, if you possess confidence in your ability to influence events and overcome challenges, you will find it easier to take stress in stride.
Optimistic individuals can cope with stress much better than those with a negative view of life. Stress-hardy people embrace challenges and are willing to accept change. One's ability to deal with emotions also counts. If you know how to soothe yourself when feeling sad, angry, or frightened, you will be able to balance your emotions. It also helps to be prepared for a stressful situation. For example, if you undergo surgery keeping realistic expectations post-op, your recovery will be less stressful. Conversely, if you expect to bounce back immediately and this does not happen, you will feel more stressed.
In order to successfully combat stress, you need to develop resilience. If you do so, you will be able to bounce back more easily. Everyone faces challenges in their lives, whether they are financial, personal, or professional. Regardless of social or economic status, every person faces some sort of adversity. The important thing is that you are able to move past it!
Meditation is a highly effective means to overcome stress. It helps restore the body to a calm state. In order to achieve the utmost results, one needs to practice meditation under the guidance of an experienced instructor. A knowledgeable expert can guide individuals using the correct stress management meditation techniques, helping to relax and focus the flow of thoughts over a sustained time period.
A successful stress management program helps to cultivate the skills necessary to better combat stress. If you need professional help to cope with stress, you should enroll in such a program. I guarantee that you will see a dramatic difference in your stress levels.

This article was written by Dr. Robert Puff, a well-known California-based motivational speaker, author, stress management expert, and TV show host.speaker

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How to Meditate Better

By Richard E Sherman

Some Eastern Buddhists have sizable reservations about their Western counterparts. This is surprising to many, in light of all the favorable press Buddhism has received. Haven't countless people found calm in this hectic world through meditation? Buddhists desire world peace and compassion for all people, and they want to take an open stand for nonviolence. Buddhism is exotic and inviting. It shuns the violent, materialistic culture of the West. It offers the opportunity to tailor a unique path to becoming a better person, and, ultimately, to attaining enlightenment. Why would the Dalai Lama be hesitant about urging Westerners to become Buddhists?
Beginning with watered down Buddhism is easy. You choose the kind of meditation that feels good to you, and you select what you will meditate on. However, converting to Buddhism isn't just about beginning. It's about going deep into meditation and sustaining that depth....for a lifetime.
Many elements of Buddhism strongly attract people in the West. Elements of Buddhism very similar to Judeo-Christian teachings resonate with them. However, after delving more deeply, Westerners encounter some of Buddhism's distinctly Eastern elements and often balk, selectively. They pick and choose what they will practice and what they will ignore. Yet this cafeteria-style approach to spirituality may not work well. Many Western Buddha-seekers end up homeless-alienated from the Western traditions in which they were raised, and yet unwilling to adopt the Eastern ways of Buddhism sufficiently.
Patrick French, the author of Tibet, Tibet, noted: "I was... cautioned by the Dalai Lama's own refusal to proselytize. After long observation, he had decided that conversion usually led to confusion, and that without the support of the prevailing culture, it was hard to maintain your spiritual practice."
The Dalai Lama did elaborate on his precautions. He said, "Westerners who proceed too quickly to deep meditation should learn more about Eastern traditions and get better training than they usually do. Otherwise, certain physical or mental difficulties appear."
Difficulties? What difficulties? Lorin Roche, Ph.D., a meditation advocate who has specialized over the past three-plus decades in counseling people who have encountered problems after engaging in prolonged, intensive meditation, has noted some of these. They include depression, a feeling of being lost, trouble adapting to life in the city, finding it hard to be intimate with another person, weird health problems and panic attacks. Westerners have much higher expectations for happiness in this world, so there is a much greater sense of loss when someone commits to retreat from this world for a real stretch of time.
Dr. Roche teaches a form of meditation he believes avoids these problems. Just keep it simple, brief and consistent. Perhaps Buddhism is like a pain killer to Westerners. Taking a few tablets can do a lot of good, but swallowing a handful of pills and you better get your stomach pumped.
Dr. Roche does not see any need to convert to Buddhism or Hinduism to meditate more effectively. Most other major religions have long traditions in meditative practices. There is much that Westerners can learn about meditation from Buddhism...in order to strengthen their practice of their own particular form of Western religion. So why not leave it at that? Actually converting to Buddhism is a much more serious and mentally traumatic thing for Westerners to do than is commonly appreciated.
You may doubt that the Dalai Lama said the things quoted above. After all, hasn't he spent decades traveling the globe as the world's most visible Buddhist? While this is certainly true, what is not often fully appreciated is that one of his chief objectives has been to serve as a rallying point for the cause of the liberation of Tibet. Portraying Buddhism in the most positive light possible aids him in furthering the cause of the autonomy and welfare of the Tibetan people, for whom he has served as "the temporal and the spiritual leader" for more than half a century.
We all have much to learn. Imagine Jesus giving a warning to American Christians similar to the Dalai Lama's precautions. He might say, "In the West, I do not think it advisable to follow Christianity-if that means subordinate my teachings to the base parts of Western culture." And he would be dead on.

A graduate of UC San Diego (BA and MA), R. E. Sherman was a principal with PricewaterhouseCoopers and an expert witness in many major cases. He has authored 10 professional papers, including two national prize winners, 70 articles in a national trade publication and a book (10,000 copies sold). He has been a student of comparative religion for 40 years.
In this book he has tried to present each religion objectively and (whenever possible) positively, honoring the literal claims of its followers.
For the past decade Mr. Sherman has worked with an Israeli physicist in examining claims about codes in the Hebrew Bible. He authored a book on their findings, Bible Code Bombshell (New Leaf Press, 2005), which has sold 10,000 copies.
For more information visit: http://www.buddha-christ.info

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Is Garlic Good For My Health?

By Alan Weidner

Garlic is mythically known to ward off vampires, but it can ward off many health problems as well. But to get the most out the health properties from this wonder-food, it is important to know how to prepare it. Garlic has the most effect when it is crushed, chopped or consumed raw. If you are cooking garlic with food, you should not add it to your cooking until the last ten minutes. If you add it at the beginning of your cooking, the garlic will loose its health benefits. Try adding a few cloves to your olive oil and pouring it over your salad, this is a milder way to consume garlic. Now that we know how to prepare garlic, let's take a look at how it can improve your health.
High Cholesterol and Heart Disease
Cholesterol can be a confusing subject because there are two types: one that is good for you (HDL) and one that is bad for you (LDL). Garlic is thought to prevent LDL from oxidizing and building up in the arteries. It is this build up that can lead to heart disease.
The Mediterranean diet contains a large amount of garlic. It is no coincidence then that people from this area have a significantly lower percentage of their population that suffers from high cholesterol and heart disease. If you want to start taking garlic and you have high cholesterol, make sure that it is taken in conjunction with a balanced diet and if you have further concerns, seek your health care provider's advice.
Antibacterial
Garlic has been proven to have the antibacterial properties equivalent to 1% of penicillin. It can be used to prevent a number of harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and Salmonella. The problem with most antibacterial medicines is that the bacteria evolves and builds up a resistance to it, but with garlic this is not the case. The common cold can also be prevented with the consumption of two to three cloves of garlic. More and more we are seeing that it is essential to include this super-food into your balanced diet.
Blood Clots
There have been clinical trails that have proven garlic supplements reduced blood pressure by up to 5%. While this figure does not sound that impressive, the reduction can shrink the risk of heart disease by up to 25%. Garlic supplements make for a great alternative to those who do not enjoy the taste of garlic. If you are worried about garlic giving you bad breath, you can also take the supplement as an alternative.
Although garlic is a proven super-food that has many benefits, you should not take too much. Too much garlic can irritate your digestive system and cause discomfort. You should also take garlic supplements with caution; they can interact and reduce the effectiveness of certain drugs such as anticoagulants. Always consult with your doctor before you start taking a regular supply of garlic.

Dr. Alan Weidner writes articles on a wide range of health topics, from massage chairs to nutrition to home therapy. He is a 1991 summa cum laude graduate of the Southern California University of Health Sciences (Doctor of Chiropractic). For more articles by Dr. Weidner for your own website, visit http://bit.ly/jiI65g

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Valuable Health Insurance Quotes

By Stephen Waller

Security and protection are two basic needs that must be seriously considered. Accidents, deaths, injuries and sickness are unpredictable occurrences, however hard we try to avoid them. By accepting the fact that life is fragile and facing reality head on, the best way to face the future is through the use of a reliable and cost-effective insurance plan.
Health insurance quotes are good sources of information when you are thinking of getting an insurance plan for yourself, your family and/or your company. You can surf the internet and find insurance agencies so that you can personally discuss policy provisions with their insurance agents or talk to customer service agents online or via the telephone.
Points to Consider in Choosing a Plan
Before you buy an insurance plan, it would be wise to answer the following questions clearly and completely.
· What is your need?
Choose an insurance plan that will best meet your and your family or company's needs. In addition, it must be one that suits your budget. Moreover, you have to determine what kind of insurance policy you will need.
Basically, there are three major types insurance plans, namely: Individual Health Insurance which is designed for a single individual and that is often made specifically for particular; Family Health Insurance is intended for the self-employed or for persons who work for a small corporation that does not offer health coverage; and Group Health Insurance is for a business owner who wants to help his/her employees acquire health protection.
· How much is your budget?
The second point to consider is your budget. How much are you willing to pay for a health plan and how much can you afford? Do not be deceived by appearances; remember the lowest price does not always guarantee that the plan is offering the best deal. Learn to consult experts and health insurance quotes to get into the details of each plan offered to you. You may consult an insurance agent or insurance broker for the prices and services or benefits that each plan may entail.
· Is the insurance plan reliable?
Since it is your future and your life that is at stake here, make sure that you buy an insurance plan only from reputable and reliable insurance companies nationwide. You can get enough data according to your need from health insurance quotes which can be found online and by asking your trusted friends about such matters.

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