Part 1 of this article touches upon ways in which we give our away our power.

Our life is filled with continuous change. The challenges we face on a daily basis are all learning experiences. Without change there would be no growth. The more we allow change to take place, the easier it is to move forward. This leads us into the next topics of living in the present moment, giving your power away and the illusion of fear.

There are so many books that discuss living in the present moment. What's the big deal about living in the "now"? Well if you’re not living in the "now" you can only be living in two other places, the past or the future. Giving your power away to the past will continually bring the past into the present. If you live in the future you’re living in an imaginary world that has not manifested yet.

It's okay to envision goals and dreams in your life but if you want to create a healthy future then concentrate on today because what you do today creates tomorrow. A lot of people are talking about 2012. Yes, there is a planetary alignment taking place and there may be some changes occurring on earth. There is no need to fear these changes as we are all part of it. We may not be able to control the path of the planets, but we can control how we react to these changes. We are creating the reality of 2012 today. Focus on Love and share it with everyone you meet. Through this love we can heal the past and create the future that we want to see.

Another thing that people give their power away to is the unknown. Through uncertainty, people allow the ego to take control and create fear. A lot of people would much rather confide in the security of fear instead of finding out the truth. Some people use fear as a means of protection. However, fear is merely an illusion so how can it protect you? Many people fear what will happen tomorrow and when tomorrow comes they fear what the next day will bring, which creates a never-ending cycle. Fear creates more fear until you shake out of it. We are the creators of the unknown, so if you fear it, in a way you fear yourself. Instead, stand in your own power and trust and love yourself without conditions.

There are two different forms of love. There is love with conditions and love without conditions. To love yourself or another without conditions means there are no stipulations or judgments attached. There is just love in it’s purest form. So in order to “live in love” without conditions, you must consciously live your life without judgment of yourself, others and the actions of others. This is a process that all starts from within you. Once you love yourself unconditionally, this change naturally radiates from you and affects everything you come in contact with. You are love at this point; it does not reside outside of you. You are living love!

In the third part of this article, we will discuss the energies of spirits and the importance of not giving your power away to the control system for which we live.

There is a companion aspect to the human endeavour along with our innate will to survive.

We begin life with a curious fascination of what is possible in life and what we can become. We all have dreams. We all have hopes and aspirations, passions and thoughts. Some blossom into brilliant reality while others wither and die before ever taking form. Many of us look upon the success of others and lives lived with passion and purpose, success and triumph and wonder why for them and not for me? There is a very real reason. It all stems from the philosophy we take into the process. All dreams and goals begin as a simple thought. Emotion is the next step in the process that takes over and pushes us to take the first step. That first step is what transcends thought into the beginning of physical reality. What truly creates success lies however is the continuation of activity, moving with purpose in the necessary direction to see it through. It is what stops this continuous action that steals away our dreams.

The simple truth to the process is to understand that we don’t get to know. We don’t get to know how it is going to happen. We don’t get to know how and when opportunities will present. We don’t get to know the timeline. When I started my career in radio in 1983, part time at $4.25 per hour I had no way of knowing how it was going to happen or when. All I knew was what I wanted and just kept moving towards it one day at a time. That simple process took me to the number one radio station in the country which eventually led to launching a company and career in personal and professional growth that has allowed me to reach higher and create more than I ever thought possible.

One of the great philosophical examples of what it takes to actually realize the goals we set out to accomplish comes from a prisoner of war during Vietnam. John Stockdale was the highest ranking officer held in the Hanoi Hilton. Over the 8 years he was there he was beaten and starved, tortured and deprived. He survived when almost no one who entered this camp did.  When interviewed years later, he was asked why it was that he survived. He said, “That was easy, the others were the optimists”. When pressed for an explanation he said, “The others would say, “Hang in there, we will be out by Christmas” and Christmas would come and go. Then they would state that they believed they would be out by Easter and that day would come and go.  Over time it eventually broke their spirit and they died”.  John Stockdale said the moment he was captured he made the decision that he didn’t know how and he didn’t know when but he absolutely knew that one day he would be free and that’s what saved his life.

The constant focus on a prediction of a goals arrival is what creates the belief that it is not happening for us and ultimately leads to stopping what would have brought success.

So therein lies the truth. If we can’t predict where our next phone call or opportunity will come from, how could we possibly be able to predict when our goals and dreams will happen? Putting a false estimate of next year or next Thursday makes as much sense as predicting the weather on any random February day in 2011. It is the accepting of this simple truth that will allow for it to happen. Not only for some but for all. Adopt this philosophy  “I don’t know how and I don’t get to know when but I absolutely know and believe it will happen”.  If you do, one day others will look upon your life and wonder how it was possible for you.  I can’t tell you when it will happen, but I do know this. It will. Have an excellent day.

Work deadlines. Traffic jams. Money woes.

In a world that often seems as though it’s moving at the speed of light, it’s hard not to feel stressed. This time of year in particular lends itself to stress, with the kids back in school and parents juggling work and all of life’s demands. Add an impending holiday season to the mix, and you have a recipe for stress and anxiety.

Some stress is normal and can even be useful. It can help you finish a 5K or meet an important deadline. It’s when stress takes over the body that it can have a harmful effect. When stressed, our bodies go into the “flight or fight” mode, meaning the same response our body gives when facing down a predator is also produced during “typical” stressful situations, such as driving in heavy traffic or worrying over monthly bills. To account for the added challenges that stress puts on our body, our adrenal glands react by sending out a variety of chemical messengers, resulting in higher blood pressure, increased heart and respiratory rates, and tense muscles.

These stress-induced effects can be harmful when stress becomes a constant day-to-day battle. While stressful situations aren’t entirely avoidable, the key is finding a balance between the good stress and bad stress, and managing your body’s responses to each. Try these easy tips to help you manage your stress levels:

Replenish your adrenal gland

The adrenal gland is important because it helps our bodies handle stressful situations. Like the rest of our body, the adrenal gland needs certain nutrients to help keep it healthy and functioning properly. In fact, the highest concentrations of vitamin C and certain B-vitamins are found within the adrenal gland, which means these nutrients are in constant need of replenishment.

In addition, modern scientific research has begun supporting the traditional use of some botanicals for maintaining adrenal gland health and reducing the negative impact stress can have on the body. Some botanical supplements—including Rhodiola rosea, Withania somnifera, Schisandra chinensis, and Siberian ginseng—are categorized as adaptogenic botanicals, and are known to increase resistance to a variety of chemical, biological, and physical stressors..

Get your body (and mind) moving

Did you know 30 minutes on the treadmill, a brisk walk, or a game of basketball can go a long way for managing stress? Physical activity not only distracts you from stressors, but it also energizes your body and helps you release frustration. Exercise can also decrease stress hormones, and increase endorphins—your body's “happy” chemicals—giving your mood a natural lift. If traditional forms of exercise don’t entice you, yoga, Tai chi and other meditation practices are also helpful for stress management because it teaches useful relaxation techniques.

Catch your Zzzz’s

We hear it over and over again—get at least eight hours of sleep. While ideal, studies show that many adults struggle to get even six or seven hours f solid sack time. Without enough sleep you are likely to run your body down. However, getting enough sleep will help you face the day ahead with renewed energy and focus, keeping your stress level to a limit. Some supplements may help promote healthy sleep patterns, including melatonin, which helps regulate the human biological clock; valerian, which has been used as a natural sedative; and 5-HTP (also known as 5-Hydroxytryptophan) which helps the body make serotonin and tryptophan and has been shown to improve the duration and depth of sleep.

Put yourself—and your health—first

There is no need to be a superhero day in and day out. If you’re feeling stretched and are asked to take on an extra responsibility at a school function or the office, just say no (without any guilt)! Running on overdrive will only wear you out and create more stress for you and your immune system. Help your immune system function at its best by ensuring you are meeting all of your nutritional requirements. If there are places you may be lacking in your diet, consider taking a multivitamin to fill in the nutritional gaps. Taking care of you first can positively impact how you deal with life’s everyday stressors.

More Stress & Health Articles:

Minimize Stress, Maximize Nutrition

I Bite My Nails, Could This Be From Stress

10 Tips to Easily Manage Holiday Stress

The human mind is constantly separating its experiences into two primary categories: that which it likes and that which it dislikes. Nowhere is this more clearly seen than when we sit in the stillness of meditation.

As details of our moments come into our awareness, we immediately start categorizing. I like the fact that I’ve found time to meditate, but I don’t like the sound of my neighbors' snow blower outside, I like that I get to see my best friend later today, but I don’t like that I have to go to the other end of the city to pick something up, I like my new meditation pillow, I don’t like that my mind is so busy - on and on it goes. When we let our opinions lead us, we experience the inner conflict as we grasp and try to hold onto certain aspects of our experience and push away and avoid other aspects.

The first thing to realize is that compartmentalizing is a normal behavior of the conditioned human mind. Human beings are pleasure-seekers; life conditions us to look for pleasure in certain things that seem to feed us, and to avoid things that bring us face to face with discomfort and pain. The Buddhist teachings have reminded us thoroughly that life is both pleasure and pain, ’ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows’, and that while we can’t avoid pain, suffering comes from wanting things to be different than they are.

In meditation, we can begin to untangle ourselves from this pattern by simply seeing the conditioned self for what it is: a series of thoughts, sensations and emotions that arise from past experiences, and related beliefs that have very little to do with what’s real and true. By witnessing what’s arising in each moment but not engaging with it, we can begin to disconnect from the ongoing need to control this moment to match our ‘ideal’ version of it. We perceive the thoughts and sensations but we don’t entertain them, follow them, argue with them, fix them, or try to make them go away. We notice the mind grasping at certain states and pushing away others – but because we are viewing the pageantry of experience from the place of awareness the unfolding becomes less personal.

Through the stillness of meditation, we can also inquire more deeply into the parts of our experience that we tend to push away to free up disowned aspects of our being that have been tucked away. A willingness to bring awareness to all aspects of our experience is an important step toward the freedom of being in this moment exactly as it’s showing up. If in meditation I feel irritation arising because of noise that is disturbing me, I can turn my attention instead to what’s really here now instead of getting caught in wanting the noise to go away, which is often beyond my control.

With this willingness to be open to the entire experience comes a freedom and spaciousness that accesses stillness and peace in spite of the noise. Rather than being fixated on the noise I am now resting as awareness itself – as sound, thoughts and sensations are moving through a spacious presence that experiences everything as one and the same, beyond the realm of compartments.

In other words, as my teacher likes to say sometimes: enjoy yourself, even when you’re not!

How do feelings of jealousy work?

Let’s take a closer look at the ego. By ego, I am not only referring to the idea that we are self-important or conceited, though this quality is certainly prevalent at times. Instead, I prefer the definition borrowed from psychoanalysis that says the ego is “the part of the psychic apparatus that experiences and reacts to the outside world.” Think of the ego as the wizard in the Wizard of Oz, an elaborate and convincing mask that we often hide behind to guard our smallness, project our grandeur, and keep ourselves protected from perceived emotional dangers. On the one hand, the wizard can be likened to the overprotective parent whose intention is not all bad but goes way too far. On the other hand, his intent is similar to that of the controlling parent who wants us to believe that all our fears are true and must be thought about obsessively.

The ego is determined to prove itself right, and its hunger is relentless. The only way for it to prove itself is by convincing us of the illusions or fears that it has created. You have most certainly experienced this in your everyday life. It usually begins when you focus on something outside yourself. I had a client who had recurring nightmares of being cheated on by her boyfriend. Her nightmare invaded reality with one phone call. The girlfriend was studying for finals at home while the boyfriend attended a party. Everything seemed fine until he told her that his ex-girlfriend was there and they were catching up over a few drinks. Cue the ego into a state of panic, set up by the nightmares, tapping into deep-seated fears of abandonment. Her imagination went straight to catastrophizing, a common coping strategy. Within minutes, my client was convinced that her boyfriend and his ex had rekindled their love, consummated it, and were planning a nursery in their new house, even before she had hung up the phone. This is when the ego has got you by the throat, exactly where it wants you, believing every crazy thought. You are now outside of yourself with the ego in charge, which is very dangerous because if you believe strongly enough, you can manifest these thoughts.

Why does the ego dominate in this way? Why is it hell bent on making us feel so crummy?

The underlying truth is the ego’s interest is not about you at all. It only seeks to preserve itself by avoiding vulnerability. When we feel vulnerable or true compassion for others or ourselves, there can be no blame or finger to point. We are inside ourselves and that can be scary. The ego thrives on comparison. It may start in a good place; admiring someone’s art, noticing a beautiful house, congratulating a friend on his or her promotion or for having lost weight. It is usually not long before we start to wonder why we have not lost weight, bought a house, or created a breathtaking sculpture. Comparing is the ego’s playground. When the ego dominates, the end result is usually to bash you or the other person because the ego has no desire to admit to its own frailty. You may be sad, grumpy, or tired but the ego will instead have you believe that you are not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, successful or creative enough. It keeps you locked in fear and away from love and self-love, where your actual relief awaits.

How to know when the ego is taking over:

• your reaction doesn’t seem congruent to the situation at hand

• you are building stories about what’s happening

• you are assuming what it means without anything to prove it so

• you feel disconnected from your body and spirit and maybe other people

• you can’t spend time alone or seem to sit still

• you don’t feel like yourself and can’t stop focusing on the external

What to do to get some clarity:

• talk to a friend who can be unbiased

• ask yourself if your thoughts are absolutely true and factual

• make some time alone to sit with your feeling, allow yourself to cry, scream or anything in between

• allow some space to clear your mind by: writing in a journal, talking to a therapist or getting into nature

• taking time away from the situation nearly always allows for a fresh perspective

Recognizing jealousy as an alarm bell is good. We should understand this signal as a warning to us that we are outside of ourselves, and a reminder that instead of looking externally, we need to be spending time within even if it may be uncomfortable. So, reign in that green-eyed monster and remember, it is always all about you.

We are living in a world of great change. Once we realize that we are part of this change, we will better be able to influence it. To do this, we all need to stand up, acknowledge our own power and work together in LOVE. Part of the process of awakening to our own power is realizing what we give our power away to.

My definition of "giving your power away" is the conscious or unconscious act of seeing something outside of yourself as having more power or information than you have within yourself. It can also be described as anything that you look to or give yourself to without equal power. The only exception to this would be giving your power away to a higher aspect of yourself.

In life, we are presented with things that we need to either release or acknowledge. Frequently these are the things that we give our power away to. Most people give their power away to things unconsciously, because they have been conditioned to do so. Some people have been giving their power away for so long it is now a habit. These situations and actions do not normally go away or resolve themselves without us trying to solve them. Instead, they continue to repeat and grow stronger as long as we allow them to exist.

We need to reclaim our power. As we awaken to a higher consciousness, the more power our thoughts, emotions, and actions have in our manifested reality. The things that we give our power away to hold us back and work as lower frequency energetic ties. In order to release these lower frequency ties we first have to acknowledge that they exist. These ties show themselves in our everyday life and continue to do so until we release them. Empowering yourself is the conscious effort to release all things that we give our power away to.

Here are some ways in which we give away our power:

• Many people look to food for security or comfort. Food is only an energy that our body uses to survive. However our world is filled with information that conditions us to think otherwise. For many people this is a major energetic tie, which has been reinforced over several years or even decades. People can also give their power away to food when dieting or eating restrictively. Restricting ourselves from something is another way of giving away our power by telling ourselves that we are not in control.

• No matter how evolved our consciousness becomes, as long as we are in the human body we will have an ego. Most people give their power away to the ego because they know no differently. We trust the voice of the ego because it's the main voice we have always listened to. However, the ego is a separate entity from our true self. It is a self defense mechanism that creates fear and judgment in our life. The only reason the ego speaks through us is because we allow it to. To control the power of the ego, we must learn its voice. When trying to distinguish if a thought or action is created by the ego, ask yourself if it is based in fear or judgment.

• As I mentioned before, fear is created by the ego. Many people have told me that they need fear in their life to survive, or that fear is a natural emotion. Sure it is a natural emotion and so is evil, but few people think of it this way. The truth is that we do not need fear in order to survive. However, when we experience fear, chemical exchanges take place within our cells, which sends our body into survival mode. Living in a state of fear means you’re always in survival mode.

How many times a day do you feel fear? There is the fear of loss, fear of illness, fear of dying, fear of someone else dying, fear of evil or dark energy, fear of other people, and in many cases fear of ourselves. The list could go on and on. Fear in an illusion; you cannot touch it. It is unnecessary to give your power away to fear of any kind. The easiest way to release yourself from the security of fear is choose the security of love. Start thinking and living your life in terms of love.

As we can see, there are a number of different ways that fear can take control of our lives. It is up to us to identify how we let fear dominate our lives and reclaim this power so we can reclaim our lives.

There’s no doubt that many food cravings have a physiological basis, but if we’re honest with ourselves, many of us also use food as a mood booster.

Having written a book on the four steps to winning your inner battle with food, I know all about emotional overeating. It used to be that I couldn’t walk past a snack machine without feeling like there was a giant magnet in my pocket drawing me toward the coin slot. If I went to a dinner party and somebody left a half-eaten piece of pie on the table, that’s where my attention went. Instead of focusing on the conversation around me, I zeroed right in on that plate, wondering how anyone could eat only half a dessert!

I was addicted to food. Food was my drug of choice. I could definitely identify with the word “HALT” – an acronym used by those in addiction recovery as a way of staying in touch with your feelings. There’s no doubt that when you’re Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired, you’re more likely to give in to temptation, like that chocolate chip cookie that calls to you relentlessly from the sealed bag in the cupboard.

But it’s totally coincidental that the four-step process I introduce in "Conquer Your Cravings" is based on the same four letters. While it’s helpful to be aware of some of the triggers that can lead to overeating (hunger, anger, loneliness, and tiredness), it’s even more important to know how to overcome your cravings when they hit. If you’re constantly at war with food … if you think that food is the enemy … then you’ve been sabotaging yourself.

Food is not the enemy—your erroneous thoughts are. These often subconscious thoughts bombard your brain and keep you trapped on an emotional merry-go-round. I call that ride the craving cycle, and it goes like this:

• You have a negative thought about yourself (which may or may not be food-related).

• You experience anxiety and other negative emotions.

• You get the uncontrollable urge to eat to make you feel better.

• You experience more discomfort and anxiety as you struggle against the craving.

• You surrender and eat something.

• You feel bad for eating when you really didn’t want to.

• You have negative thoughts about yourself.

• You feel even worse.

• You get the uncontrollable urge to eat.

And on and on it goes. Is it any wonder your cravings never go away? This repetitious pattern will continue until you learn how to stop it. If you want to free yourself from non-hungry, emotional overeating, you need to attack your improper thought patterns and replace them with the kind of winning beliefs that will bring you permanent relief from your cravings. Rather than fearing the next craving, you need to meet it head-on with an entirely new plan of action. And that’s where the HALT process comes in.

If you’re ever going to stop obsessing about food, you need to stop the destructive craving cycle in its tracks, preferably in its earliest stages. You need to recognize that the enemy is lurking right inside your head and call a HALT to this nonproductive pattern. You need to:

• Hear your thoughts (the negative ones that lead you to overeat)

• Allow yourself to feel (for until now, rather than feeling the bad along with the good, you’ve learned to mask unpleasant feelings with food)

• Listen to your intuition (for your inner guidance system will tell you if it’s okay to eat that extra slice of pizza or not), and

• Treat yourself lovingly (because if you’ve let food rule your life, you probably haven’t been taking the best care of yourself)

The four steps work because they attack the very things that keep you trapped in the craving cycle:

• They cause you to become aware of the thought processes that have been leading to your cravings, and show you how to turn them around in an instant.

• They help you identify the emotions your eating has been covering up.

• They introduce you to a powerful source of guidance that’s inside you and is available to help you twenty-four hours a day.

• They teach you to treat yourself with kindness and respect, rather than undermining all your best efforts.

Each step offers new ways of thinking, new ways of looking at yourself, and new ways of dealing with your problems, so when a craving hits, you’ll be able to use whichever solution works for you at the moment.

The next time you become aware of a craving, stop and literally say “HALT” in your mind. Ask yourself what brought on the craving: Are you hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? Or maybe you just looked in the mirror and you didn’t like what you saw? Did you read something unpleasant that reminded you of yourself and you suddenly want to eat something gooey instead of feeling bad?

Now that you’ve heard your thoughts, wallow in the emotions they dredged up for a minute. If the feeling isn’t especially comfortable, simply accept it, then release it. Find a new way of thinking that will make you feel better. Take control of your thoughts and use them to instantly raise your mood instead of turning to food.

Once you start paying more attention to the thoughts and emotions that trigger your cravings, tune in to other subtle feelings in your body. Realize that you have an inner source of guidance that will tell you what’s best for you in any given moment. Does looking at that doughnut in the display case make your mouth drool but your stomach clench? Buy a toasted bagel, instead, and feel the release.

Find more long-term ways to treat yourself lovingly on a regular basis, such as talking nicely to yourself instead of putting yourself down. While you’re at it, start a new exercise routine!

Relief from your cravings begins with awareness, followed by action. As you start to apply the four steps, you’ll no longer struggle when faced with the overwhelming desire to eat. You’ll learn that cravings don’t necessarily mean failure. Instead of being something to fear, cravings will represent an opportunity to put your new strategy to work and succeed in ways you never thought possible.

Instead of reaching for a bowl of ice cream the next time a craving hits, call a HALT. Hear your thoughts and allow yourself to feel them. Eating when you’re not really hungry is not a loving way to treat yourself. Listen to your intuition, then treat yourself lovingly.

My readers have told me that the HALT process has changed their life. Make the decision today to become a conscious eater and change your life for the better.

Suzanne Giesemann is a writer and motivational speaker who focuses on personal excellence and spiritual growth. She is a former Navy Commander who served as a leadership instructor, commanding officer, and aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on 9/11. Her other books include "The Priest and the Medium", "It’s Your Boat Too (A Woman’s Guide to Greater Enjoyment on the Water)", and the memoir "Living a Dream". Web site: www.SuzanneGiesemann.com

It’s getting crisp outside, the leaves are turning red, and the kids are back in school.

Homework and studying are the best, but there’s another way you can help your child’s (and even your own) brain growth and development. Nutrition plays an important role in cognitive function, and Omega-3 fatty acids, whether part of the diet or taken as supplements, are key.

How Omega-3 Fatty Acids Work

Each cell in our body is encased by a membrane made primarily of fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids. This membrane allows the proper amount of nutrients in and ensures that waste products are removed quickly. Studies have shown, diets rich in omega-3's can result in increased learning ability, focus, memory, problem-solving skills, and communication between cells. Omega-3's has also been shown to help promote a positive mood and emotional balance, and can help people maintain healthy mental ability as they age.

There are three major types of omega-3 fatty acids: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is converted by the body to EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids that the body uses more readily. EPA is believed to play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, while DHA is the necessary for proper brain and nerve development.

Research has shown that DHA has a crucial influence on neurotransmitters in the brain, helping brain cells better communicate with each other. Since 60% of the brain is made up of fatty acids, and the majority of this is omega-3, it stands to reason that it’s very important to have a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids for both adults and children.

Sources of omega-3 fatty acids include cold water fish (such as salmon, cod, halibut, herring, tuna and shrimp), flaxseeds, walnuts, scallops, soybeans, cauliflower, cabbage, tofu, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, cloves and mustard seeds. In addition, certain types of algae contain DHA.

In supplemental form, omega-3 fatty acids are available as softgels or as bottled liquids. Flaxseed oil is a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid, and cod liver oil is a rich source of EPA and DHA. It’s important to note that these oils are highly sensitive to damage from heat, light and oxygen. When choosing a liquid product, look for one that is organic and that has been packaged in a dark brown or green glass jar and is refrigerated. Make sure that you store the product in your refrigerator or freezer.

In capsule form, you can find products that contain lipase which is the digestive enzyme the body uses to break down the oils to their nutritive properties. You will not find lipase in the liquid form because it burns the back of the throat.

If you are concerned about mercury in fish oil supplements, look for a product that has been molecularly distilled. Molecular Distillation is a process used to concentrate EPA and DHA in fish oil, and remove contaminants.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) & Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Children with ADHD may have low levels of EPA and DHA in their bodies. In a clinical study of nearly 100 boys, those with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated more learning and behavioral problems (such as temper tantrums and sleep disturbances) than boys with normal omega-3 fatty acid levels. In animal studies, low levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower the concentration of certain brain chemicals (such as dopamine and serotonin) related to attention and motivation.

A clinical study used omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplementation in 117 children with ADHD. The study found significant improvements in reading, spelling, and behavior in the children over the 3 months of therapy. Another clinical study found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation helped to decrease physical aggression in school children with ADHD. More studies, including comparisons with drug therapies (such as stimulants), still need to be performed.

The evidence is pretty convincing to support the notion that omega-3 fatty acids are essential for good mental health.

References

Arnold LE, Kleykamp D, Votolato N, Gibson RA, Horrocks L. Potential link between dietary intake of fatty acid and behavior: pilot exploration of serum lipids in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 1994;4(3):171-182.

Baumgaertel A. Alternative and controversial treatments for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatr Clin of North Am. 1999;46(5):977-992.

Burgess J, Stevens L, Zhang W, Peck L. Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 71(suppl):327S-330S.

Richardson AJ, Puri BK. The potential role of fatty acids in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2000;63(1/2):79-87.

In part 1 of Techniques for Weight Loss & Wellness, you learned about five relatively “quick” techniques to help you relax and think with your “thinking brain”. I discussed the importance of adding these relaxation exercises to your routine and how beneficial they are for weight loss and general health. Part 2 delves into more involved practices for deeper relaxation, requiring 20-30 minutes per technique [1]. Now, take a deep breath…

End over-talking

Use the following technique during the day for relaxation and to increase concentration. Those who are overly anxious know what I am talking about – when you lie down & try to relax, or sleep, you cannot because of the random thoughts that keep popping into your head.

1. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position;

2. Close your eyes & breathe deeply in a slow, relaxed manner. This is the beginning of meditation.

3. Focus all of your attention on your breathing. Notice the motion of your chest & abdomen: in & out;

4. Block out all other thoughts, feelings, and sensations. If your attention wanders, bring it back to your breathing;

As you inhale, say the word “peace” to yourself – slowly, and make it last throughout the duration of your inhalation. As you exhale, say the word “calm” to yourself, making it last the entire time that you exhale. Repeating these words with each inhalation and exhalation will help you concentrate.

Relaxing your muscles

Use the following technique during the day at work, at home, or before sleep.

Physical and emotional stress can cause muscle tension, which can contribute to tension headaches, TMJ syndrome, chronic or recurrent neck, upper or lower back pain, etc.

1. Lie on your back in a comfortable position, resting your arms at your sides, palms down.

2. Inhale and exhale slowly and deeply. Exhale just a little longer than you inhale.

3. Clench both hands into fists as hard as you can and hold for 10 seconds, relaxing the rest of the body.

4. Release the tension in your hands completely. Upon relaxing, feel the warmth that flows through the rest of your body. Maintain this relaxation for 15-30 seconds.

5. Next, tense and relax the following parts of the body in this order: arms, feet, legs, back, face, abdomen, and chest.

6. This exercise should not take longer than 15-20 minutes.

Training your mind and body

Use the following technique at home in a quiet area, before sleep.

Also called “autogenic training”, this European technique is challenging to master, yet very powerful for achieving relaxation and control over stress. As you concentrate, you will become aware of specific sensations. This is an excellent way to retrain your brain to overcome addictive behaviors. It is often used in conjunction with other therapies for the relief of anxiety, tension, insomnia, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and hypertension. Please consult your health professional if you have any of these symptoms or conditions for a complete assessment.

1. Lie on your back in a comfortable position, resting arms at your sides, palms down. Use a pillow if desired.

2. Close your eyes and completely relax all of your muscles, letting everything go limp.

3. Focus all of your concentration on one portion of the body at a time, starting with the feet and legs.

4. Silently, with eyes closed, repeat to yourself “My feet and legs feel heavy and warm” five to seven times, while keeping your mind open to the feelings and sensations in your feet and legs. Pause between each repetition.

5. Practice this same technique of focusing in on only one area for at least one week, until you consistently experience the feeling of warmth and heaviness.

6. After you achieved the desired result, move to the hands and arms, using the same phrase and number of repetitions.

7. At each session, include both areas, feet/legs, and hands/arms, for at least one week.

8. The last area to focus on is the forehead, using the phrase “my forehead is cool”.

Give it a try. Start by scheduling three times during the week when you can use these breathing and meditation exercises to attain balance and relieve stress. Program these times into your mind, write them on your calendar, or enter them into your blackberry. Reducing and managing stress is a key component of any weight loss program. It is all in your head!

True meditation is a living practice that can’t be defined in terms of steps to take.

First of all, there is nowhere to go but to be right here in this moment; so it’s helpful to let go of thinking that you just need to find and master the right technique for peace to happen. That being said, I find there are a few guiding principles to meditation practice that can be helpful to be mindful of to help to lead you to your natural, peaceful and free state.

1. Set aside at least 25 minutes of free time. Make sure you are in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed and get into a comfortable sitting position.

2. Remind yourself, meditation is your natural state. There is no need to control your mind, your breath or any other details.

3. Guide your awareness to your physical body. Begin to notice where your awareness is drawn to. Let awareness be free rather than forcing it to any particular place. Are there any sensations particularly prevalent in your inner body? Let awareness settle with an attitude of openness, curiosity, a willingness to allow it to be as it is. When thoughts come up, allow them to be as they are and guide awareness back to the body. Notice how sensations change and how awareness will naturally be drawn elsewhere according to an innate guidance. Let awareness follow this. This step may last awhile as you work your way down through various layers of the body. Again, trust the body’s wisdom as it guides you. Awareness will dissolve the energy patterns in the body and the mind will begin to become less dominant. I find this step a key component to quieting the mind.

4. Notice what is noticing. In other words, you are aware of thoughts and sensations and sounds, etc., but as you allow these to be as they are can you notice the presence that is noticing? This presence is not somewhere in your body, nor can it be defined in any way. It is spacious, free, unchanging and unaffected by details. Sort of like the vast infinite sky that surrounds and encompasses everything.

5. Abide in the presence. Rest as awareness. When you find yourself contracting on thoughts or sensations or emotions, allow these to be as they are. Leave them alone and suspend entertaining them in any way. This will unhook awareness from the object and allow you to experience more presence.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to get into meditation. Contract on an object…. Allow it to be as it is … rest as awareness … contract on an object … allow it to be as it is .. rest as awareness…

7. Over time, you will catch awareness faster. You will enjoy deeper presence for longer periods of time.

8. Ask yourself if you are trying to control your experience in any way. Are you avoiding particular thoughts, sensation or emotions?

9. 25 minutes in the ideal minimum amount of time to practice. It often takes a good 15 or 20 minutes to unhook from the persistent draw of the mind. If you shorten your practice on a regular basis you will rarely get the opportunity to bathe in the sweetness of presence.

Remember that meditation is an ongoing practice. Enjoy the journey!