Tag Archives: Diet

Chamomile’s positive effect on relaxation, fighting depression and anxiety

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Understandably, natural herbs can be an attractive home remedy alternative to physician prescribed psychopharmacology (Szafrański, 2014). Many people suffering from depression or anxiety could be helped if less expensive therapies were available (Amsterdam et al., 2012).

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How to frame a message that it is most persuasive (on the example of encouraging healthy eating)

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Unhealthy diet due to excessive consumption of fat and sugar can lead to increased risks such as obesity (Kakoschke, Kemps, & Tiggemann, 2014). According to Pettigrew (2015), food marketers contribute significantly to pushing unhealthy products that meets the consumers’ desire for flavorful, easily available, and cheap food.

How to frame a message that it is most persuasive

Continue reading How to frame a message that it is most persuasive (on the example of encouraging healthy eating)

Thin-ideal media effects on viewers and their eating behavior

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Eating behavior can be a response to thin- (or muscular-) idealization that may be the result of the aspiration to achieve the ideal, or that is a coping effect for negative body feelings from the comparison with others. Critical thinking and realism skepticism are factors protecting from lower body satisfaction resulting from thin-ideal media exposure. Eating disorder prevention and intervention should consider those factors that are influencing self-imposed overly restricting and unhealthy eating behaviors.

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Individualized, whole-person, multi-disciplinary, and innovative treatment of obesity

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Individualized common interventions

The composition of treatment should base on the detailed understanding of the patient’s situation including the diagnosis of the type of obesity, its metabolic consequences, any co-morbidities, as well as the medical history and personality of the patient.

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How Does Obesity Affect Our Health?

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Obesity as a chronic condition is characterized by an excess of body fat (Sheperd, 2009). Most obese individuals suffer from metabolic disorders such as diabetes type 2, dyslipidemia, or hypertension (Bluher, n.d.). Obesity involves various factors that require a whole person diagnosis and treatment from a biopsychosocial (BPS) perspective.

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Lifestyle factors that predict longevity

mathias-sager-longevity-mount-kazbek-georgia1531917__340Geographical and behavioral differences are relevant for how long people live. For example, in an Abkarsian population of Georgia the chance for a citizen of reaching the age of 100 years was 13 times higher than the expectancy in the UK or the US. Weg (1983) found the following factors to be relevant for explaining the phenomenon:
  • There may have been a local gene pool of relevance
  • They have disciplined work routines
  • Their diet is low in saturated fat and high in fruit and vegetables
  • They do not smoke or drink alcohol
  • They are close-knit, with good social support
  • Reported levels of stress are low

However, the interpretation of correlations between such findings and other factors are difficult. But generally, the following 7 lifestyle factors found by many studies contribute to longevity (Laureate Education, 2014):

  • Sleeping 7 – 8 hours per day
  • Having breakfast regularly
  • Not smoking
  • Not eating between meals
  • Being near to medically-advised weight
  • Moderate alcohol use (or abstinence)
  • Taking regular exercise
I really think just these big 7 health habits are the ones everyone needs to consider and fine-tune to his/her personal situation, condition, and preference. Feasible, no? Or easier said than done?:-)