Friday, April 3, 2009

Three Tips for Forgiveness: A Key Factor in Anger Management
By Dr. Tony Fiore

Elizabeth, 32, cried during anger management class as she told how one year ago - her 19-month-old girl was permanently brain-damaged as the result of a medical error at the hospital in which she was delivered.

Elizabeth had a legitimate grievance toward the hospital and medical staff, and felt that she could never forgive them for what she saw as their incompetence. She clearly was not yet ready to forgive. She felt she needed her simmering anger to motivate her to do what she felt she needed to do legally and otherwise to deal with this horrific situation.

Yet, at some point in the future - when she is ready - Elizabeth might decide to find a way to forgive. To be able to do this, she will have to take the step of separating two things in her mind: (1) blaming the hospital for what they did and (2) blaming them for her resulting feelings about the situation.

Reasons to forgive

Elizabeth cannot change what was done to her daughter, but she can change how she lives the rest of her life. If she continues to hold an intense grievance, she is giving what happened in the past the power to determine her present emotional well being. Until she forgives, Elizabeth will be victimized over and over again, trapped in an emotional prison.

Should you forgive?

The answer to this question always comes down to personal choices and decisions. Some people in our anger management classes feel that certain things cannot and shouldn't be forgiven; others feel that ultimately anything can be forgiven.

As an example of what is possible, the staff of the Stanford Forgiveness Project successfully worked with Protestant and Catholic families of Northern Ireland whose children had been killed by each other. Using the techniques taught by the Stanford group, these grieving parents were able to forgive and get on with their lives.

On the other hand, Dr. Abrams-Spring, author of the classic `"After the Affair," cautions that quickly and easily forgiving a cheating partner indicates low self-esteem. In her view, forgiveness must be earned by the offending partner, but given automatically.

Reasons to forgive

Studies have shown that there are measurable benefits to forgiveness:

- Forgiving is good for your health. Studies show that people who forgive report fewer health problems while people who blame others for their troubles have a higher incidence of illness such as cardiovascular disease and cancers.

- Forgiving is good for your peace of mind. Scientific research shows that forgiveness often improves your peace of mind. A 1996 study showed that the more people forgave those who hurt them, the less angry they were.

- Two studies of divorced people show that those who forgave their former spouse were healthier emotionally than those who chose not to forgive. The forgivers had a higher sense of well being and lower anxiety and depression.

Forgiveness tips

It is common for angry people to think, "I want to forgive, and I know I should, but I don't know how." Here are some starting points:

Tip 1: Remember, forgiveness is a process that takes time and patience to complete. You must be ready. Realize that forgiveness is for you - not for anyone else.

Tip 2: Realize that forgiving does not mean you are condoning the actions of the offender or what they did to you. It does mean that you will blame less and find a way to think differently about what happened to you.

Tip 3: Refocus on the positives in your life. A life well lived is the best revenge. People who find a way to see love, beauty and kindness around them are better able to forgive and get past their grievances.
How To Use Diet To Reduce Your Stress
By Stuart Nelson

The Problem
You don’t need me to tell you how pervasive stress is in our modern lives. In part, this is due to our chosen life styles. One element of our life styles that is likely to be making matters worse, is our diet, by which I mean, what we eat.

You see, when we are under pressure, we tend to save time by eating food that actually increases our stress and may fuel an addiction to stress.

Now before you turn off in disgust, thinking that this is an entirely negative article about what is bad for you, let me assure you that some changes to your diet can be achieved very easily with a little thought and that I am not advocating wholesale changes in your life styles, though this would possibly be the best way to defeat stress.

It is not impossible that you are reading this article out of sheer curiosity, or that you suffer from stress although your diet is of the kind that I would recommend (for diet is not the only factor in reducing stress). Accordingly, I suggest we do a simple test to see if what I am going to tell you could benefit you directly if you took my advice. Just answer these questions:

1. Do you frequently or continuously complain of any of the following?

• Tiredness

• Fatigue

• Exhaustion

• Lethargy

• Apathy

• Poor concentration

• Lack of motivation

If the answer is yes, you almost certainly need the advice contained in this article.

2. Do you seek relief from the worst effects of stress and regain energy by:

• Eating sugary foods?

• Drinking coffee or tea?

• Smoking a cigarette?

• Burying yourself in a high-powered job?

• Indulging in an exhilarating sport or pastime?

If the answer is yes, you are probably addicted to stress, and the advice in this article is essential for you.

Let us first of all set the scene.

Stress Chemistry
Whenever we perceive a situation that needs urgent and immediate action, our adrenal glands begin to make adrenalin. Almost immediately, our heart is pounding, our muscles tense, our eyes dilate, our breathing changes, our blood thickens and glucose is pumped into it: so much glucose that we could run a mile, though this might be overkill if the cause of our stress is an unwanted telephone call, a traffic jam, or kids fighting on the back seat.

The glucose is produced by breaking down the glycogen that is contained in our muscles and liver. Getting it from our blood to our bodies is achieved by hormones, produced by the pancreas. These are insulin and glucagon. The insulin, with another chemical, this time from the liver, facilitates the movement to the cells of the body, whilst glucagon is used to top up the blood sugar levels if these fall too low.

You will realise that this process of equipping us for fight of flight is expensive of energy. We might wonder where the extra energy comes from, especially if we were feeling tired immediately before the event that we are now reacting to.

The answer is that energy is diverted from the body’s normal functions of maintenance and repair. Thus, so long as we are feeling stressed, our digestion, rejuvenation and cleansing functions are turned off. No wonder people who are continuously stressed look old before their time.

But things are even worse than this for people who suffer from chronic stress. Consider the unnecessary aging involved in the process if the pituitary, the adrenals, the pancreas and the liver pump out chemicals continuously to control blood sugar that we don’t need. In short, the process wears us and our bodies out.

The Blood Sugar Saga
Worn out by the process described above, our energy is sapped. We lose concentration, become easily confused, make silly mistakes, fall asleep after lunch, become irritable, find it hard to sleep at night, don’t want to wake in the morning, sweat more than normal, and/or suffer from headaches. Does this ring any bells with you?

This is where most people turn to stimulants to help them regain energy and control. Typically, these will include tea, coffee, cola drinks, chocolate, cigarettes, horror films, retail therapy and such extreme activities as free-fall parachuting and bungee jumping. Those who are not fussy about keeping within the law may seek their buzz from amphetamines, crack, cocaine, or crime.

The use of stimulants to regain energy tends to lead to a demand for relaxants, such as alcohol, sleeping pills, tranquillisers and cannabis.

It will not surprise you to learn that no-one can live like this for long without experiencing burn-out. This is why holidays are so popular. But packing and travelling can be extremely stressful too. Moreover, the typical holidaymaker will choose to read a steamy or gripping paperback novel while waiting for the plane or while lying on the beach. Stress is never far away.

If the holidaymaker is truly addicted to stress, he or she will soon crave some excitement. Lying on the beach is not enough to provide the buzz that is needed. Water skiing or wind surfing may meet the need.

If you have ever found that you become ill or feel completely exhausted whenever you take time off from work, it is likely that you are already addicted to stress.

The Formula for Balance
In order to maximise your energy resources and avoid burning out, follow these guidelines.

• Eat slow-releasing carbohydrates (such as fruit and nuts), but not fast-releasing carbohydrates (such as sugar, white bread, foods containing sugar).

• Check that you are taking in all essential nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals (eat plenty of fruit, nuts and vegetables).

• Avoid taking stimulants (e.g. coffee and tea) and depressants (e.g. alcohol.

This doesn’t mean that you can never break these rules – unstressed people can safely eat chocolate and drink wine, in moderation - but if you are addicted to stress or just badly stressed you break the rules at your peril.

When you keep to these rules, you will find that you are better able to face stressful events. This is because you have given yourself a consistent supply of energy. Adopting this approach both helps to break the cycle of energy-consuming behaviour (the blood sugar saga) and creates energy to overcome the mental habits that result in our reaction to stress in the first place.

Warning
If you give up tea and coffee and other stimulants, sugar and chocolate, and you begin to suffer headaches, loss of concentration, tiredness or nausea, this is evidence enough of addiction. You are suffering withdrawal symptoms. Stick to your plan and these unpleasant side effects will pass. What’s more, you will feel a whole lot better when they do than you did before you stopped taking the stimulants.

Use this article for your training, website, or newsletter.
There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not.
Robert F. Kennedy
Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.
Napoleon Hill
Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.
Winston Churchill
Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.
Winston Churchill
Enthusiasm is the mother of effort, and without it nothing great was ever achieved.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit.
Gordon Parks
A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.
Charles M. Schwab
I studied the lives of great men and famous women, and I found that the men and women who got to the top were those who did the jobs they had in hand, with everything they had of energy and enthusiasm.
Henry Truman
The 80/20 Success Secret

By Rasheed Ali

Have you ever wondered if there was a way to apply the Pareto Principle or 80/20 Principle to success or rather becoming successful?

If you’re a reader of the Conquer Your Adversity Newsletter, then you should be familiar with this principle from my article Achievement & Happiness The 80/20 Way – www.rasheedali.com/8020.htm.

In the past what I’ve found is that most people don’t hesitate to point fingers at whom or what they think is responsible for their failures or lack of success in life. The problem is that they never look in the mirror and see that the main problem is them! At that time I believed that there were two groups of people, successful and unsuccessful.

Recently however I came across another group of people who all want to be successful and realize that they must change. When they ask me how they can achieve success, I give them all the same answer. I’ll get to that in a minute, because first I want to tell you why.

When I was a baby about two months old, my parents sent me from New York to the island of Trinidad to live with my Grandparents. During those early years, I was given love, attention and I was taught the importance of hard work. You see, my Grandfather and all of his brothers for that matter were entrepreneurs. My Grandpa was a poultry farmer. He raised chickens! Not just any chickens, but the best tasting, natural chickens around. Not just a few chickens, but anywhere from 20,000 to 40,000 at a time. Not only that but, he still worked at his job as the Pay Master at the Texaco oil refinery.

To little me, Grandpa was the strongest man in the world and he knew more than anyone!

Over the course of the years I would be taken away from my Grandparents many times by my parents, only to be sent back again. Each time I would learn something new. I learned how to run a poultry farm and business, how to handle money, how to deal with customers, how to give a quality product, the importance of learning by doing and most of all what I tell my clients and people wanting success.

No, I’m not going to tell you yet! ;-P

Fast forward to 1990-91 and I’m homeless on the streets of New York. Of course my Grandparents had no control over these events. It was my parents that left me no choice.

There I was a skinny 15 year old with big glasses, no money and nowhere to live. I had lived in fear for so long in the past that I looked like an owl on crack!

I had no clue what to do and I had already been on the streets a couple of weeks. I was hungry, cold (it was winter) and tired.

As events unfolded a severe beating by four 22 year olds, put me in the hospital near death and I would later end back up on the streets. This time I had learned of other options by listening to other peoples’ conversations. I had heard about a place called Covenant House in Manhattan. It took another week or two before I ended up there because I didn’t trust that anyone would help me.

The people at Covenant House took me in one cold night and gave me a place to stay, warm food and counseling.

There I met a 17 year old guy who would become a big brother to me for a short while. His name was Tony. He as it turned out was in New York because he was running from some very dangerous people in Florida who killed his friend. Tony was a “metal-head,” head-banger type but was a good natured person and took a liking to me. He protected me from the other kids who were in gangs and were too rough and dangerous for me to handle at the time. He taught me how to fight, how to think on the streets, and the same thing my Grandpa taught me.

No, I won’t tell yet.

That wasn’t the end of my street life but, that’s where we’ll fast forward into my twenties.

My mind had been made up since I was a child that deep down I really wanted my own business. So I went out and did what any normal kid would do. Go to college right!

Well after a few semesters, I realized that I was really in for long frustrating hours of studying things that I did not want to know. So while still in school and working full time, I started to self educate myself with self improvement books and business books.

Needless to say, I got hooked! Paycheck after paycheck I would buy and read these books, online and offline. Wow I really knew my stuff I would think. Then I would look at successful businesses and say, “Wow I still have a lot of learning to do.”

So I started out on my quest to conquer the internet. Or so I thought.

Again, I purchased and read many e-books, reports, software and services and began to build a small income online.

Thousands of dollars and some successful clients later, I had very little to show for it other than all of the money I made others and the vast library of knowledge in my head. (I do have a pretty big head -- ;-D )

Then one day through world famous internet marketer Jo Han Mok, I met Mike Litman, then Dave Lakhani & Steve Watts. Mike and Dave showed me what I was doing wrong, what I needed to know and how to apply it. Most importantly they showed me what they had learned so that I didn’t have to make the same mistakes.

If you fast forward to today you will see that I’m now helping change the lives of thousands of people around the world through my newsletter and coaching system and I’m well on my way to creating millions in revenue!

So what’s the 80/20 Success Secret?

It is….

Finding Mentors or Coaches and learning everything you can from them.

Instead of investing tons of money in books and programs, invest in a mentor and you WILL get the most results!

Remember very few actions generate the most results. Instead of taking 1,000 steps and many years to achieve your desired results, you’re only taking one step and very little time to get your results this way. You’re paying them to learn from their mistakes and successes.

No book or program can offer you that!

So when you’re ready to leap towards success and break through your obstacles, seek out your mentor(s) and be ready for anything!
You Are What You Believe

By Joe Love

The most important quality you can ever develop is having belief in yourself. The belief that you can, without a shadow of a doubt achieve success in every area of your life. Virtually every person has the capacity to do wonderful things with his or her life. But the greatest single obstacle for most people is self-doubt. Many people wish they could accomplish certain things but lack the belief that they can actually do it.

When people under achieve in any part of their life, it is their beliefs more than anything else that hold them back. Self-limiting beleifs act as breaks on our ability to achieve our goals. Many of us have high hopes, dreams, and aspirations, but we let doubts creep in and undermine our talents, abilities, and effectiveness.

Each one of us has feelings of inferiority because we feel that we are not good enough. We think that we are not as good as other people, and we feel that we are not good enough to acquire and enjoy the things we want in life. Often we feel that we don't deserve good things. Even if we work hard and have some achievements in our life, we often feel that we are not really entitled to our successes.

The Universal Law of Belief says that whatever we believe, with feeling becomes our reality. We don't beleive what we see; instead, we see what we believe. Our beliefs form a screen as to how we see the world, and we never allow any information that is not consistent with our beliefs to pass through it. Even if we have beliefs that are totally inconsistent with reality, we won't let them through because our beliefs have become true for us.

The most common and also the most harmful beliefs are the ones that are self-limiting. These are beliefs about yourself. For example, believing that you can't acheive something because you don't have enough money or education. You might believe you can't acheive something because you are the wrong sex, race, age, or it is because of the economy. Most of these beliefs are not true, but they will hold you back nonetheless.

The fact is, you deserve every good thing that you are capable of acquiring through the use of your talents. The only real limitation on what you can be and have, is if you lack the desire. If you you set a goal and want to achieve it badly enough, nothing in the world can stop you from achieving it, as long as you're willing to persist long and hard enough.

To develop positive beliefs, you have to decide exactly where you want to end up in the future. The clearer you are about the result you want in your future, the easier it will be for you to change your actions and behaviors in the short term. This in turn,will assure that you achieve what you want in the long term.

Once you've clearly decided on the type of person you want to be, you will have already taken a major first step in developing new beliefs. In order to incorporate your new beliefs into your every day life, you have to discipline yourself to act exactly in every situation as if you already were that person. When you begin to act like the successful person you want to become, you will actually adopt their values, qualities, and characteristics. And they will then become a permanent part of your personality.

If you consistently act like the person you want to become every day and in every situation it will begin a chain reaction. Your attitude will change and become more postive. This will then build stronger and more postive beliefs. And your beliefs will then, exert a positive influence on your values.

You have no limitations on your potential except for those that you believe you have. Successful people are not extraordinary or special in any way. They are not different from you or I. But, all successful people do have the unwavering belief that they can accomplish anything that they really want in life. You are a good person. From this day forward, see yourself as the very best you can be, and refuse to accept any limitations on your possibilities. Once you develop that belief in yourself, and you act in accordance with your beliefs, your future will be unlimited.
Coping with Pregnancy Heartburn
As if the morning sickness, utter exhaustion, weight gain and swelling weren't bad enough, now you have heartburn. Many women experience the misery of heartburn during pregnancy, and grandmas all over the world offer condolences by assuring us that "heartburn means your baby will have a head full of hair!" While this old wives tale may offer you some comfort, the truth is that heartburn is a medical condition that can be aggravated by pregnancy.

Sometimes heartburn can be triggered by overindulging in rich foods, but in pregnancy your hormones probably have a lot more to do with it. During early pregnancy, your body produces massive amounts of progesterone and relaxin. These two hormones work together to relax smooth muscles all over your body, including the dreaded gastrointestinal tract. This unwelcome relaxation can cause to move more slowly through your system, causing indigestion and bloating. This may seem like a cruel trick of nature, but it is actually beneficial to your baby. When your body slows down the digestion of your food, you bloodstream will absorb more of the nutrients to pass along to your baby.

While you're probably thrilled that your baby is well fed, you're probably not so happy that you're struggling with painful heartburn. Unfortunately, during the last two trimesters heartburn usually gets worse. Your growing uterus pushes your stomach up closer to your throat, sending stomach acid churning and burning you up from the inside out. When heartburn strikes, there are a few ways to minimize your misery and cope with the indigestion.

First, don't wear clothes that are tight around your waist or belly. This may seem ridiculous because when you're eight months pregnant, everything is tight around your waist and belly. But when heartburn sets in, try to change into some loose sweat pants or a baggy t-shirt. Do whatever it takes to free up your stomach from the compression!

Second, eat small meals frequently. Avoid eating large portions or going too long without eating. Aim to eat six small meals each day, spaced at regular intervals. This will keep your digestive tract moving without making your stomach too full at any one time.

Third, sit up straight for a few hours after you eat. No matter how tempting it is, don't go straight to bed after eating. Eating a big meal and then laying flat in the bed is a recipe for heartburn disaster. If you must lay down and rest, try to at least prop up on pillows so that your head is raised higher than your heart.

Try to notice which foods trigger your heartburn. Most women find that spicy foods will trigger indigestion, but deep fried foods are often a common culprit. Try to avoid caffeine, chocolate, and carbonated beverages as these increase heartburn. Another common trigger is peppermint. No one usually suspects that a tiny mint could leave them with hours of heartburn, but this happens all the time!

When you finally crash for the night, try to sleep on your left side. This allows for optimal digestive function and may cut down on your heartburn. Keep your head propped up on some pillows to find relief from middle-of-the-night heartburn.

When all else fails, go see your doctor. There are several antacids and over-the-counter medications that are safe for use during pregnancy. Don't suffer in silence when relief could be as far away as your closest pharmacy. Call your doctor and ask what you can take that will allow you to get some rest and feel better soon.
Hormones and Infertility
Hormones make me crazy. Chances are, they make you crazy too! And what’s even crazier is that your hormones have a lot to do with whether or not you are getting pregnant. So how do you know what your hormones are up to? Let’s take a look at who they are and what they do:

1. Meet ESTROGEN.

Under the influence of Estrogen, you may feel courageous and loving. The man who bored you silly last week will suddenly seem interesting and even attractive, with a little surge of your friend, Estrogen. This nice little hormone will cause that fertile cervical mucus to appear, and she might even peak your sex drive while she’s at it. Estrogen gets us ready to have a baby, so bottom line… she is our friend.

2. Meet PROGESTERONE.

So after the big O (ovulation, not orgasm… are you having an estrogen surge?), we get a visit from our friend Progesterone. She can make us feel a little deflated, with less energy. When Progesterone is around, we may feel quiet and a bit sensitive, solitary, or inward-focused. When you get your period, both Estrogen and Progesterone are at low levels.

3. Meet FSH.

FSH stands for Follicle Stimulating Hormone. If you try to get pregnant for awhile and nothing happens, your doctor might order blood work to test this important hormone. FSH is your magical friend that tells the follicles in your ovaries to begin preparing to release an egg. If your FSH levels are high, then your egg reserves might be running low or you could just have some whacked out hormonal imbalance. Don’t worry… it happens to lots of women!

4. Meet LH.

LH stands for Luteinizing Hormone. This is another hormone your doctor might check through some blood work. LH controls egg development. During ovulation, your LH levels should surge to trigger the release of an egg. If your levels are high, you could have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

So now that you’ve met your hormonal friends, you are one step closer to getting pregnant. Knowledge is power, right?
Causes of Infertility
Do you have a fertility problem?

If you have been trying to get pregnant for awhile, you might start to worry that something is wrong. If you have been actively trying to get pregnant for a year, then you might possibly have a fertility problem.

There is not much that the medical community hasn't unraveled yet when it comes to infertility. There are dozens of known causes of infertility for both men and women. The good news is that many of these conditions can be treated! Let’s look at a few of the most prominent reasons why people don’t get pregnant.

Causes of Female Infertility

Endometriosis- this is a condition characterized by the growth of the endometrial tissue outside the uterus. This tissue is the substance women discharge during menstruation.

Ovulation problem- a condition that arises from abnormality in the release of hormones that drive the release of mature eggs from the ovaries.

Poor egg quality- the weakness or damage in the egg cells usually characterizes poor egg quality. Age is primarily the root cause since as women mature, their eggs mature with them. This condition eventually leads to menopause.

Polycystic ovary syndrome- formation of small cysts in the ovaries may be the result of irregular ovulation or hormonal imbalances.

Female tube blockages- when the passageway for eggs, or fallopian tubes are blocked, conception can be impossible. Causes of this condition may be pelvic inflammatory disease and several forms of sexually transmitted disease.

Causes of Male Infertility

Male tube blockages- this may occur either at the epididymis or the vas deferens, both of which are sperm passages. However, varicoceles located at the testicles account for the leading cause of this condition.

Sperm problems- this could be anything from the absence of sperm cells to low sperm count along with poor sperm quality and sperm deformation.

Sperm allergy- this may the product of the immune system's reaction towards any phenomenon that attracts brain signals sending the reaction of the system. Men usually experience this after having vasectomy.

Combination of Female and Male FactorsThis occurs when both couples present conditions that may be identified as causes of infertility.

Unexplained Infertility

This probably is the catch-all of causes when physicians don't find any results after conducting intensive study of the case.
How to Clean a Fuel-Injection System
The fuel injector is a small engine part that injects fuel where it needs to go at the perfect rate for your particular car. If you keep it in great condition, the injector will filter out bad debris and then allow the good fuel to be used correctly. Cars run better and get better gas mileage when this system is clean, but you need to find the best fuel injector cleaner for your particular car.

Plenty of products claim to be great fuel injection cleaners, but the nasty truth is that fuel injection systems need to be serviced and cleaned on a regular basis and these products don't always do the job. If you can't afford to have the system professionally serviced, then you can clean it yourself in a few simple steps.

After you buy the appropriate cleaning kit, start by locating the injector. Make sure the fuel will not go through the injector while the car is started, using tubing to bypass the fuel injector or removing the fuel pump.

Now you can hook up the fuel injector cleaners to the fuel injectors you wish to clean. Start the engine and wait for the solvent to go completely through the injectors. Then unhook the cleaners and see if the car runs better. If the car is still idling or running improperly, you will have to venture to a professional to get the fuel injector system removed and serviced.

It is actually really important to get the system serviced annually. When you do the above in-tank cleaning method, you are not able to see the condition of the filters and O-rings. These will wear down over time, causing low gas mileage and lots of other mechanical problems. It is a good idea to get the injectors replaced once a year to ensure a healthy engine and the best fuel economy.

If you choose to serve your own system, don't do it too frequently. The in-tank process can actually damage parts of the injectors, such as the filters, seals, and oxygen sensor over time. After a thorough injection service, you can rest assured that your engine will operate at peak performance. You will notice a difference in the way your car runs and that pesky "check engine" light should finally disappear.
Gift Ideas for the Sick and Hospitalized
So you are stuck in the hospital. You probably aren't in that motorized bed for a luxury vacation, so chances are you feel pretty rotten. The phone is ringing off the hook with well-wishers, who you suspect are more curious than caring. Five ministers have stopped by, eighteen nurses keep drawing your blood (there can't be much left!), and your family is making a McDonald's run while you eat the hospital's mystery meat. A nurse just handed you information on a living will as "Standard Procedure" and to make things worse, you haven't had a really good shower in three days.

Hospital stays are no fun for anyone, but gifts can sometimes make things a little better for a sick friend. Next time you have a loved one cooped up in the hospital, try to steer clear of the conventional gifts and bring something that is actually enjoyable.

Instead of a fragrant flower arrangement to make the room smell better, bring some nice soap or lotion to make your friend smell better.

Instead of balloons, bring breakfast. That is usually the worst meal of the day for hospital patients... those powdered eggs are disgusting.

Instead of a novel, bring some magazines with lots of pictures. Who wants to concentrate on long chapters when they are sick?

Instead of bringing crossword puzzles, bring a board game. Just stay away from Monopoly or any other game that takes hours.

Instead of store-bought card, bring along a hand-written letter. Other great gifts would be a fluffy pillow or cozy socks.

Try bringing along a calling card if the hospital only allows local calls. Maybe loan your friend your laptop computer to check email or surf the net. Computer games would be a good distraction too.

Another great gift would be to offer some help at your friend's home. Maybe you could stop by and feed the dog or water the flowers. You could bring her mail by the hospital along with any other needed items from home.

Whatever you do, let your sick loved one get some rest. There is not much worse than having to entertain a crowd of visitors while you are sick (and wearing a backless gown). Always remember that the hospital is not going to be a fun place no matter what you bring, so be sympathetic and compassionate with each visit. Lighten the mood with some humor and a hug and your friend will be so glad you cared enough to come for a visit.
Treating Swollen Lips and Other Bizarre Reactions
It all started with a heaping plate of steamy stir-fry. It smelled so delicious as the rich scent of grilled peppers and onions mingles with the aroma of perfectly-done sirloin tips. I was pregnant and that strong smell sent me to the stove in a fury. I heaped a large mound of that delicious meal onto my plate and started eating. The onions were the best. They tasted like absolute heaven, which was ironic since I had always hated onions. I don't think I had ever even tasted an onion because the smell was so offensive. But the pregnant monster craved those onions and ate them until I sat back in satisfied bliss.

Thirty minutes later, I looked like I had undergone a black market collagen injection. My lips swelled and swelled until they took over my face. I looked lack a cartoon character. To make matters worse, my tongue started to swell up too. I couldn't even speak and I worried that I wouldn't be able to breathe if I didn't do something fast.

So my husband called my doctor as I scribbled furious notes about what I had eaten. He told her about the onion fascination that had left me with a ton of onions in my big round belly. Then he listened quietly for a minute before he said, "Well, she looks like she has two huge red balloons on her face. Or maybe sausages. Her lips are so big she can't even talk. She looks really weird, doctor. What should we do?" Pregnancy hormones couldn't take the insult of sausage lips and I started crying, but it came out like a muffled roar from behind the swelling. Tears fell over the puffiness until I couldn't see enough to even check the mirror. Upon doctor's orders, my husband doped me up on Benadryl and I cried until the swelling subsided.

Swollen lips are a classic reaction to an allergy, whether it be food or chemical. I've heard stories of people who blew up a latex balloon only to have the same grim fate. Children with nut allergies often have the swollen lips before a more severe, life-threatening reaction follows. My allergy to onions taught me quite a lesson about trying new foods. It's all about moderation until you're sure that your body likes them as much as your tastebuds.

Swollen lip reactions can happen from anything from chapstick to toothpaste, but what should you do when you feel those puppies start puffing up? The key is to act quickly. Start with the appropriate dose of Benadryl. It will make you sleepy, but your lips will slowly deflate. second, wash your mouth and face thoroughly with soap and water to remove any leftover allergens. This is particularly important if the culprit has come from a contact allergy like latex. Third, apply ice to your lips for twenty minutes. Repeat this once an hour for three hours. The ice will numb some of your discomfort and ease any itching. Try not to scratch or you'll have claw marks that long outlive your puffy lips.

Once the swelling has subsided, use your common sense and avoid the guilty allergen completely. For me, this means I don't even touch onions or eat any foods that have touched onions during preparation. No gourmet French Onion soup is worth the trauma that I know will follow. If you aren't sure what caused your reaction, then see a doctor. A simple allergy test can shed a lot of light on the situation and reveal any potential dangerous allergy triggers.

It's also vitally important to call the doctor during your allergic reaction if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. If the Benadryl doesn't cause the swelling to die down, you also might want to head to the doctor. For children, swelled lips are a reason for an immediate trip to a physician, even if it means you sit in the Emergency Room for a few hours. Allergies can be potentially deadly in children if they are not treated quickly, so don't hesitate to call the doctor or just jump in the car and go. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

One other suggestion that is strictly personal: Hide the camera. If you have those beautiful sausage lips, make sure you hide the camera if you have a husband like mine. He thought that was the perfect opportunity for a hilarious picture. The next Christmas, my relative had a nice long laugh over his surprising personalized Christmas cards. I, on the other hand, was not so amused. My big lips matched my bigger pregnant belly and I looked like the female version of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. So take it from a woman with a history of swollen lips, pictures won't ever be funny no matter how much time passes.
Posted by Amber at 7:25 PM 0 comments
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About Me

I am a wife, mother, and fulltime writer with a passion for using words to impact people. I live in North Carolina and enjoy going to church and spending time with my family.

Education

Tri-City Christian High School
Graduated with a 4.0 GPA as Valedictorian
Catawba Valley Community College
Psychology and Sociology
Mars Hill College
English/Journalism
Wilkes Continuing Education
Certification in Medical Transcription
DONA International
Birth Doula/Childbirth Assistance Training


Experience


My Articles in Print Publications
The Gem
MomSense
Taste of Home
Blue Mountain Arts
BostonNOW
Hickory Daily Record
Tennessee Travel Guide

My Articles in Online Publications
Helium
Associated Content
Constant Content
eHow
Christian Women Online
Just4YouDesign Co.

Awards
"Her Life Reflected" Essay Winner
Christian Women Online 2008

A Personal Message
Thank you for your consideration as you look for the perfect writer for your project. I am confident that you will be pleased with my work and will return with more projects in the future. Thank you for your time and your business.
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