SIGNS YOU MAY HAVE A CODEPENDENT PARENT

The Fine Line Between Caring and Codependence

The first thing that comes to mind when we hear the term “codependent” is usually an abusive boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. However, this is not always the case. Believe it or not, most codependent relationships are between a parent and child, not romantic partners. In a codependent parent-child relationship, the lines between protective and obsessive, engaged and over-involved are often blurred beyond recognition. The caregiver/care-receiver nature of a parent-child relationship makes codependency particularly difficult to detect.

Here are a few signs to help you figure out whether your parent-child relationship is codependent.

1. The Codependent Parent Has a Victim Mentality

We all face obstacles in life, but the codependent parent believes that the other people in their life, particularly their children, owe them penance for the wrongs committed against them. Often this manifests in guilt-tripping behavior intended to garner sympathy from the child for negative experiences the parent has been through, with the end goal of altering the child’s behavior in a way that will somehow set things right.

This is where the problems begin. Rather than dealing with the traumas and difficulties in their own life through healthy means such as self-reflection and therapy, the codependent parent latches onto a child and demands compensation.

Compensation can take many forms. Many times a codependent parent will live vicariously through a child. For example, a mother who got pregnant in her teen years may demand repayment of the burden she faced by putting expectations on her daughter to seize advantages in life that she missed out on. A codependent father may demand that his son excel in sports to make up for his own lack of athleticism in childhood. If the child shows signs of taking their own path in life, the parent will use guilt to manipulate them into compliance.

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Rather than dealing with the traumas and difficulties in their own life, the codependent parent latches onto a child and demands compensation.

2. The Codependent Parent Is Never Wrong

In normal relationships, one party is right some of the time but never all of the time. In a codependent parent-child relationship, the parent is always right. Even when the child is an adult, the parent will refuse to approach an argument or even a simple discussion with openness to the possibility of being wrong. Instead, they will seek to impose their own view of the situation and “correct” the adult child, as opposed to engaging in a discussion where neither party is presumed right by default.

So rather than listening to the child's feelings and problems and learning about the child's personality and way of being in the world, every situation becomes a threat to parent's authority.

Even if it becomes apparent that the codependent parent is wrong, they will not apologize—or, if they do, it will come off as forced or insincere. The codependent parent requires absolute dominance over the child, and any admission of wrongdoing on their part would be a sign of weakness and an invitation to challenge their dominance in the relationship.

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In a codependent parent-child relationship, the parent is always right.

3. The Codependent Parent Is Overly Emotional

People sometimes end up crying, yelling, and giving others the silent treatment, but the codependent parent has refined these acts into an art form. When they feel that they are losing control of a situation or the upper hand in an argument, they will resort to crying, screaming, and other acts of intimidation to restore the balance in their favor. If called out on this manipulation tactic, the codependent parent will often accuse the child of being callous or insensitive, or feign ignorance altogether.

If the child cries or expresses hurt or anger, the codependent parent may get unusually angry and claim that the display, no matter how genuine, is insincere and being used to manipulate when, in reality, they are upset that their tactic is being turned around on them.

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The codependent parent has refined crying, yelling, temper tantrums, and silent treatments into an art form.

4. The Codependent Parent Never Listens

Many children of codependent parents complain that speaking with their parent is like “talking to a brick wall.” In fact, one doesn’t speak with a codependent parent as much as to them. No matter how valid the argument, the codependent parent will not be moved in their position. Instead, even when presented with irrefutable facts that would cause a normal person to reconsider and reevaluate their position, the codependent parent will either refute the facts or move onto a different argument without addressing the point being made.

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Speaking with a codependent parent is like “talking to a brick wall.”

5. The Codependent Parent Parrots Words and Phrases

Instead of listening to the child's feelings, a codependent parent will parrot, mirror, or mimic them. If the child claims that the parent is hurting their feelings, for example, the codependent parent will, perhaps seconds or even hours later, return with, “You’re hurting my feelings!” Whatever concern the child expresses, the codependent parent will find a way to turn it around and regurgitate it as their own, thus reversing the defensive and offensive roles in the conversation. If called out on this behavior, the codependent parent will ignore it, become angry, or act bewildered and confused.

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The codependent parent will find a way to appropriate the child's feelings and present them as their own, thus reversing the defensive and offensive roles in the conversation.

6. The Codependent Parent Has Mood Swings

Drastic mood swings can happen over a couple of minutes or a couple of days, but the codependent parent has the ability to rapidly shift from one mood to another. This is especially true when their manipulation tactics have succeeded in garnering the child’s acquiescence. The codependent parent may be yelling and screaming one moment, but once they get their way, they may be exuberant. Conversely, they may sulk in an effort to rebuff any guilt as a result of their power play.

For example, a mother screaming at her son for not calling often enough may eventually get him to give in and promise to call more. Once she attains what she wants, in an effort to keep her victory and her role as the victim, she may say something like, “No, never mind. I don’t want you to call. You’ll just be doing it because you have to.” Then, the son will not only have to call more, but ensure her that this is what he truly wants to do of his own free will, thus absolving her from any responsibility and guilt.

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The codependent parent will rapidly shift from one mood to another in order to avoid responsibility and guilt.

7. The Codependent Parent Must Maintain Control at All Costs

Control is the end goal of all codependent parents. Most codependent parents expect a level of devotion and love from their children that is unhealthy and unnatural, intended to make up for that which they lack in other relationships. Often the codependent parent wishes to garner from their child the love and/or attention they failed to receive from their own parents. This creates a dramatic role reversal of the parent-child relationship and turns it into a vampiric dynamic rather than a mutually beneficial one.

Whatever it is that the codependent parent seeks to gain by controlling the adult child, when it becomes clear that they won’t succeed, a meltdown will often ensue. If the parent controls with guilt by appearing frail and playing the victim card, they may become suddenly venomous and aggressive when the adult child refuses to give them what they want. Conversely, a codependent parent who controls through subtle manipulation and passive-aggression may suddenly become dominant and plainspoken.

It is important to remember that these dramatic shifts in the face of lost control are not a mood swing or an “episode.” Instead, the codependent parent is revealing their true nature as opposed to the façade they must maintain in order to keep things going their way. Once there is no hope of getting their way, this façade will become useless and be easily stripped away.

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Often the codependent parent wishes to garner from their child the love and/or attention they failed to receive from their own parents.

8. The Codependent Parent Manipulates – Subtly

The most effective form of manipulation is the kind that you can never be called out for directly. Examples include the silent treatment, passive aggressive comments, denial of wrongdoing and projection, among others. The codependent parent will leave the child in a state of confusion, wondering who really is “the bad guy.”

Often, the parents will be genuinely unaware of their own manipulation. Many codependent parents truly believe that they are doing what’s in their child’s best interest and execute some of the most unsettling control tactics and manipulative power plays with simultaneous mastery and obliviousness. In fact, when called out on their manipulation with specific examples, the codependent parent will often be genuinely and deeply hurt and bewildered.

In fact, the codependent parent does not usually manipulate because they wantto; they manipulate because they have to. They simply don’t know any other way to communicate with the adult child who is beyond their direct control. Thus, they will manipulate with finances, emotion, guilt, and any other tool at their disposal to maintain the imbalance of the codependent relationship.

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Examples of things codependent parents will use to subtly maintain power:

guilt trips,

the silent treatment,

passive-aggression,

withholding (of money, time, or affection),

denial of wrongdoing,

and projection, among others.

So You Have a Codependent Parent... What Should You Do?

This is not an exhaustive list, but it does cover the basic signs and symptoms of codependency to watch out for. In my experience with my own codependent parent, many of these are hard to recognize but, on closer inspection, they deviate significantly from the norms of a healthy parent-child relationship.

There is no single, quick, or easy way to deal with a codependent parent. It depends on the individuals as well as the severity of the codependency within the relationship. In some cases, the only thing the adult child can do is sever ties with the codependent parent completely. In others, carefully imposed boundaries, discussion, and family therapy can be used to maintain a healthy relationship for both parties.

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Many codependent parents truly believe that they are doing what’s in their child’s best interest.

HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD IN 24 HOURS

As a child, we often got told to make wishes. Blow out your birthday candles, make a wish. Its 11:11, make a wish. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?The most common answer for a child is a pony; a bike; a holiday to Disneyland. However, as we grow older we desire more global outcomes such as the end to world hunger, the need to achieve world peace, the wish to have a healthy body and mind…

What if I told you these wishes can come true? They could come true today. Just by changing your diet.

Every day 2.6 million cows are slaughtered for meat at a weight of 1,250 pounds (lbs). For every 1 pound of meat, a cow must eat 6 pounds of corn. This means that every day a 19.5 million pounds of corn is fed to cows worldwide. The US alone could feed 800 million people just by giving grain to starving people, instead of force-feeding cows which will die within 18 months of birth.

In fact, in 2011, 883 million tons of corn and 260 million tons of soybeans were grown globally. However, 50% of corn and 80% of soybeans were fed to livestock rather than the 925 million people who face hunger and starvation each day.

My question is: why are we allowing children, women and men to starve just to satisfy our dietary wishes?

Despite popular beliefs, animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, ect) are not healthy. By avoiding meat, you can lower the risk of cancer, lower the risk of heart disease, and lower the risk of kidney/gallstones. Not only that, but meat can carry diseases due to the disgusting conditions animals are kept in. Antibiotics are pumped into the livestock’s feed in attempt to avoid such diseases, however this also affects the consumer of the meat by causing a development of intolerance to antibiotics, making it more difficult for doctors to cure illnesses in humans.

As for dairy, we’ve all been told to drink milk for strong bones, however, studies show that we’ve all been lied to. Instead of providing calcium for developing bones, dairy does quite the opposite. Dairy is the leading cause of osteoporosis; this is because animal products, especially dairy, produce poisonous by-products when broken down which causes problems with digestion due to the body’s attempt at buffering the toxins before eliminating them. Put simply, humans are not supposed to drink cow’s milk. If your dog had just had pups, would you take her milk and pour it on your cereal? If your cat had just had kittens, would you take her milk and pour it on your cereal? If a chimp just had a baby, would you take her milk and pour it on your cereal? No? Then why do you take a cow’s milk?

And eggs? They cause high cholesterol. Enough said.

Not only are the physical benefits better for your health, but so are the mental benefits. Studies have shown that those who avoid eating animal products have lower stress levels and it also aids in lowering anxiety levels and depression.

What’s not to love?

By changing your diet in just one day, you can drastically improve your health, contribute to ending world hunger and join the fight for world peace by not taking part in the ruthless slaughter of animals.

WHY DO PEOPLE CUT THEMSELVES

What is cutting?

If you are reading this article, are are most likely interested in finding out about teenage cutting, and more importantly, 'why do people cut themselves'? Cutting is a destructive habit that involves self-injury and self-harm. People who cut often use sharp objects such as needles, knives or razor blades to cut or scratch their skin to the point of bleeding. People most commonly cut in body parts that can easily be hidden, such as the inner wrist and the thigh, but the inner palm, stomach, legs are also common areas. You will notice that people who cut are most likely to be seen in long-sleeved shirts or tops and full length pants, even though the weather may be hot. They do this to hide their wounds, or scars that are formed when their wounds heal. You will also find that teenage cutting is quite common in today's world. You might be wondering, 'Why would anyone want to harm themselves?' and 'Why do people cut themselves, anyway?" Cutting is a serious mental disorder and is often done impulsively without forethought. After cutting, people often feel ashamed and wish they had not done it in the first place. However, as an addiction, people find themselves going back to cutting. This is especially true for teenage cutting.

Why is cutting addictive?

Once people start cutting, they find that they cannot stop. They may say to themselves, "This is the last time, and then I won't do it again," or "I can always stop when I want to," or "I have control over this, I can stop whenever I want to." This is how teenage cutting becomes addictive. The person believes they have the control and can stop when they want to, but this is seldom the case.

Starting to cut and feeling a strong urge to do it over and over again is compulsive behaviour. It is habit forming and is fatal. Just like any other addiction, people who cut start associating the act of cutting with the temporary relief that they get.

To make it clearer, think of people who are binge eaters. They know that compulsive overeating is bad for them - but over time, their minds begin to associate binge eating and the relief it provides them as a way to escape intense emotions or disturbing memories.

Similarly, the minds of those who cut start making a connection between cutting and their childhood abuse to the temporary relief that cutting brings as a means of escape and false deliverance. This is one of the reasons that answers your question, "Why do people cut themselves?"

But cutting only provides temporary relief for less than 5 minutes. Once that numbness from cutting elapses, you immediately look down and see what you have done, only to find yourself in disappointment, disgust, more pain and shame.

What group is more likely to cut?

Many people who cut themselves are in their preteen to teen stages; but many carry this habit to adulthood as well. It has also been found that girls are more likely than boys to cut themselves. Teenage cutting is a growing problem in society today thanks to increasing divorces, disfunctional families and negative messages bombarded through media.

Why do people cut themselves?

Now you may be wondering why anyone would ever want to injure themselves and cause pain to themselves. Indeed it may seem unfathomable that anyone would deliberately pick up a sharp object to cause harm to themselves. Many people who cut themselves do this as a way of coping with situations in their life that they think are too stressful or painful to bear. Of course, cutting is not the best way to cope with life's troubles at all. Cutting does not help solve the problem at hand - if anything, cutting only adds on to the problems one already has.

When I was in high school, I had a friend who used to cut himself. He would mostly use needles, sometimes fountain pens to sharply indent his skin to the point where he forms deep cuts that left behind pink scars. On the outside, he seemed like a very social, happy and outgoing person but when he went back home, he would occasionally cut himself. It was his way of coping with all the pressure that was on him from his family, who expected him to get straight A's and his friends, who expected him to constantly be 'cool' and 'in with the gang'. Obviously, cutting himself was not the right thing to do, but as a young teen, that was something he did that made him feel better - but only temporarily.

Reasons Why People May Cut

So, why do people cut themselves? There are various reasons why people cut themselves. Below are some of the reasons;

1. Some people cut to get 'relief' from pent up feelings. Cutting gives them a false sense of respite from their mental stress or emotional problems.
2. Cutting may give them a platform to express intense feelings such as depression, rejection, anger, betrayal or confusion.
3. Curiosity. There are some people who are led to cutting simply by curiosity. Ever heard the saying "Curiosity killed the cat"? Well, as much as curiosity can be a good thing, in this case, it does not lead to any benefit at all. At first, they may try out cutting as a harmless innocent thing, but this is addictive and compulsion to cut may cause life-threatening situations. As teens are in a stage of exploring and are more curious in that stage of life, they are more likely to indulge in dangerous habits such as smoking, drinking and self-injury through cutting.
4. Emotional abuse or physical abuse may cause some people to close off the outside world and become reclusive. In this state, they may resort to cutting.
5. Adding on to the above, many victims of emotional and physical abuse often feel 'unclean' and 'disgusted' with themselves that they cut themselves as a way of punishing themselves. Most such victims feel that it was their fault that some one physically or mentally abused them and so they punish themselves for their 'crime' by cutting or self-injuring themselves.
6. Self-hatred. Many people who cut themselves do not appreciate themselves or their bodies. They find themselves to be 'ugly' or 'fat', and in a desperate situation, they harm themselves by cutting, to get a quick fix for their problem. If they learn to love themselves, they wouldn't dream of deliberately harming themselves.
7. Too much pressure or stress can cause teenagers to resort to cutting. You would be surprised to know that many teens who cut themselves are actually honor studentsReasons why peop

How can you help someone who cuts themselves?

Stopping the habit of cutting is not an easy thing for someone who has already begun cutting.

1. Encourage them to indulge in a productive and healthy hobby. Inform the person that there are other ways to get rid of emotional burdens and societal pressures. Dealing with emotional pain and stress can be daunting but cutting is not the solution. Help them find healthier ways of occupying themselves such as photography or scrapbooking, which is not only fun but is also a great way to express oneself.
2. We care about you. Show them that there are people who care for them. If one of your friends is cutting, show them how much you care for them and how much you wouldn't want them to get hurt or lose them. They may realize that there are so many people who care for them after all, and out of compassion for all those who love them, they may leave cutting.
3. Get them to exercise. Helps strengthen the immune system and boost up good hormones in the body such as seratonin, which help you feel content and relaxed. Exercise is not only a way to keep busy and occupy yourself, but is also a great way to tone up, get fit and improve general well being. Most especially for teenagers, exercise does not have to mean hitting the gym and walking on the treadmill for an hour - you can make 'exercise' fun by engaging in any sports activity such as swimming, tennis, volleyball or soccer.
4. Get them to join a club. Find out what they like. For example, do they like wildlife? If they do, they can join a wildlife club. Do they like crafts? Get them to join a crafts club. Joining a club can enable them to be surrounded by like-minded people and this can make them feel more secure and comforted. Many teens who feel awkward or like the odd one out at high school can find solace in the like-minded people that they may meet in these clubs.
5. Charity. Serving the community and taking the time to help out needy people by helping them build houses etc can do wonders for anyone. When I was in high school, we had a week of community service where we joined a local charity organisation to help a poor community build permanent structures to dwell in. Just helping to lay a few bricks and interacting with the people, was a life-changing experience. It helps you to see that there are people out there who are less fortunate than you. It helps you become more grateful and more appreciative of your life.
6. Talk about it. Many teens cut in secret and may be very afraid to tell an adult about their cutting. Improving your relationship with your child can help them be more relaxed and friendly with you such that they can feel free to share with you. Talking about problems is a good starting step to get your child/friend to stop cutting. 'Problem shared is problem solved.' However, please ensure that you don't came across as too domineering or pushy, else you make the person become even more reclusive and uncorporative.
7. Councelling. Many people who are cutting are doing so because of deeper and more complex issues such as childhood abuse or physical torment. Getting them to see a professional therapist can help them to receive qualified treatment and healing to solve the root cause, such that they can stop cutting.
8. Writing. Writing is a great therapeutic tool that can help relieve tension and pain. Encourage your child/ friend who is cutting to keep a diary to record their observations and thoughts during the day. Poetry is also a great means of expressing ones creativity or locked up emotions, and watching your poem take shape is a rewarding and fulfilling experience, rather than cutting and harming yourself.
9. Join a support group. Joining a support group can help a cutter feel that they are not alone. In a support group, they can share their personal stories and get to hear the stories of other such people. This can help them gain strength and confidence to stop cutting. Online support groups are very convinient and also provide privacy. Here are 3 helpful online support groups; a) Experience Project: I can't stop cutting; b) Support Groups.com - Cutting; c) Daily Strength.com - Self Injury.
10. Learn to Love yourself. If you want to help your friend or child who is cutting, one important thing to do is to get them to love themselves unconditionally. Loving oneself means that you would not hurt yourself in anyway or cause yourself any pain deliberately. Many people who cut themselves are sensitive compassionate souls, who would never hurt another human being. Get them to see themselves and their own bodies as their 'friends'. Ask them, would they hurt a friend? The answer would most definitely be 'no'. If they treat themselves like friends, they would find it easier to not cut.

HANGOVER VS ALCOHOL POISONING

So You're Too Legit to Set Down that Drink?

We've all been there at least once in our lives. Saturday night rolls around and your buddies beg you to go out with them for a "few beers." Before you know it, you're crawling out of the stinky backseat of a taxicab at 4 in the morning, wishing you had never left your couch eight hours before. It takes you ten minutes just to find your keys and then you step on the innocent cat's tail on your way in the door. You collapse on the bed and fall asleep, hoping the spinning feeling will be over soon.

And then the next morning arrives, and you are HATING life. Your head is pounding and the spins are still ever-present. Are you having a normal hangover or could you be on the brink of alcohol poisoning?

Signs of a Hangover

Maybe you still reek of alcohol; maybe you can still taste the booze on your breath. Did you puke last night? You can't quite remember, but this headache is killer! How do you know if you just have a regular hangover? How do you know it's not something more?

Here are the cardinal signs that you are having a typical (but quite unpleasant) hangover:

• headache
• sensitivity to light and noise
• nausea, potential vomiting and diarrhea
• irritability, decreased attention span
• you may feel extremely tired and weak
• muscle pains are possible
• you don't want to eat much (or you may prefer to eat something filling and greasy)

Hangover symptoms are different for everyone and vary depending on the quantity of alcohol consumed in a night. Obviously the more you drink, the more intense your symptoms will be the next day. But why do we experience these symptoms and how can we avoid them? We'll find out soon enough, but let's first see how a hangover is different from alcohol poisoning.

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is a step up from a hangover. It is more intense and more dangerous to one's body, and it can occur faster (a hangover is usually experienced the next day, while alcohol poisoning can be experienced around the same time as the alcohol consumption).

Alcohol poisoning can also be experienced the morning after the partying. So how can you tell the difference between a hangover and alcohol poisoning?

Here are the cardinal signs of alcohol poisoning:

• low body temperature: chills and you just can't get warm no matter what you do!
• increased heart rate, lower blood pressure
• continuous vomiting
• a difficulty breathing or slower breathing rates
• confusion or stupor
• potential seizures
• cyanotic (blue-tinged) skin around lips, nail beds, etc.

If the person experiencing these symptoms is a friend, check their body temperature with a thermometer if you are unsure. If the person is unconscious, passed out, or cannot be roused, you need to get help immediately.

What To Do If You Suspect Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is very serious and can be fatal. If you are with a friend and your friend begins to have trouble breathing, is vomiting profusely, is confused or in a stupor, or you notice any other signs of alcohol poisoning, call an ambulance or the poison control center immediately. You don't ever want to leave a person with alcohol poisoning in a tub or sleeping by themselves because they can lose their gag reflex. This means if they vomit and no one is around, they can easily choke on their own vomit and die.

Cold showers or baths are also not good, as the body temperature is already growing increasingly low. Wrap them up in a blanket and monitor their breathing until the ambulance arrives. Prop them up with pillows or blankets to prevent potential vomiting and aspiration (choking).

If the person is you, and you suspect that you have alcohol poisoning (hopefully you are alert enough to realize it) you need to get help. Call 9-1-1 or a poison control center to get help ASAP. If it's the next day, you might feel severely dehydrated along with the other alcohol poisoning symptoms. Rehydrate yourself with lots of water (even if you continually vomit it back up), and try to eat something filling. If you have anything beyond mild dehydration and a headache, you need to go to the hospital.

How to Avoid Alcohol Poisoning

To avoid all of this, the easiest thing to do is to control your drinking (if indeed you still plan on drinking). Stop yourself after two drinks, as hard as that might be. This will help you to avoid even a hangover the next morning and will definitely prevent you from getting alcohol poisoning. You should also be drinking water between drinks and after drinking to prevent the alcohol from dehydrating your body (alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes your body flush out fluids). Also, make sure you have a good heavy meal before drinking.

Never drink and drive. Call a cab or a friend!

BEST WAY TO LOSE BELLY FAT FAST

Best way to lose weight – 16 Steps to Success

Tired of the belly bulge? Want to learn how to lose belly fat or how to get a six pack? Try these 16 fat busting foods and discover the best way to finally lose belly fat for good. While losing belly fat will take a lot more than just adding a few foods to your diet, there are things you can eat that will help you trim down as quickly as possible.

Whether you are trying to lose weight or are looking for the best way to get back in shape, these belly blasting weight loss tips will get you off to a great start and keep you going over the long haul.

Lose Belly Fat Fast!

How to Lose Belly Fat

Best Way to Lose Belly Fat

Italian Olive Oil Wikimedia Commons

There are many different weight loss programs and diets available that can teach you how to lose belly fat and get into great physical condition, but it is important to understand the effects that certain foods can have on weight loss success or failure. For example, high fructose corn syrup, which is common in many prepared or convenience food items has been shown to actually promote the retention of belly fat. Understanding our body's reaction to these foods is the basis of many successful programs aimed at developing the fastest weight loss strategies. In fact, with the right types of foods it is even possible to get rid of cellulite or at least minimize its effects. This relationship between food and the body is often referred to as metabolic typing and is worth looking into.

Oatmeal –

Your mid morning hunger attack is caused by a drop in blood sugar levels. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber and gives you a sense of fullness and satiety. It also stays in your stomach for hours and will help stave off your morning donut run. Whole grains have also been shown to be an excellent way to lose weight fast because they can actually promote fat burning.

Tip: Avoid the flavored varieties that are loaded with extra sugar. Choose plain steel-cut or rolled oats and use stevia or berries to sweeten.

Berries –

Berries have a lot of filling fiber packed into them. Raspberries have six grams of fiber in a single cup.

Tip: Jelly is not a fruit; it’s the junk food of the fruit food group. It’s loaded with sugar and contains almost no fiber.

Olive Oil –

Fat controls hunger and is vital to proper nutrition. Stick with monounsaturated fats like canola or olive oil, they will help control cholesterol and satisfy cravings.

Tip: Avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils; they’re loaded with trans fats.

Protein Powder –

Protein powder contains important amino acids that help build muscle and burn fat. For a delicious, fat-burning drink, add two teaspoons of protein powder to your smoothie. Protein powder is usually available at most health food stores.

Tip: Watch what you put in your smoothie. Adding protein powder won’t transform an unhealthy smoothie. Use fresh fruit, low-fat milk, and yogurt.

THE UNSEEN CAUSES FOR ITCHY SKIN?

There Are Numberous Reasons for Itchy Skin

Most of us have experienced itchy skin at some point. For the most part, it occurs in a localised area caused by a small insect bite or other minor irritant. However, persistent and widespread feelings of itching could be a symptom of a serious underlying condition.

What Exactly Is an Itch?

Itching—the medical term is pruritus—starts when an external stimulus alerts your body that some form of defence might be required. The stimulus could be anything from a tiny fibre to a bug, and it sets off a rapid response. In other words, itching results from one of your body's protective features. When something lands on your skin, there might not be an immediate reaction but as the stimulant brushes across your skin, receptors in the dermis of the skin become activated and respond. The split second reaction is in the form of a nerve impulse that goes from the skin receptors to the cerebral cortex in the brain, and a signal is sent back to cause an itch that we then scratch. The receptors involved in the itch response are the same as those involved in pain responses. Therefore, an itch can be viewed as being in a similar category as that of pain.

However, with some illnesses that may be present, other irritants within the body can cause skin to feel itchy. Mostly, these are toxins or other substances that build up due to a medical condition that may be developing. There are also natural life processes that we go through that can also contribute to feelings of itchy skin.

Skin receptors alert the brain to a stimulus brushing the skin, which will lead to an itching sensation. | Source

Ways to Stop Scratching
Scratching itchy skin can lead to more itching, damage to the skin, pain, and infection. Here are some tips on how to avoid scratching.
1. When wearing clothes, pinch the skin near to the itch site rather than scratch.
2. Rub or press the area with the palm of your hand.
3. Keep your fingernails short.
4. File your nails. Clipping or cutting can leave ragged edges that tear the skin.
5. Apply a fat-based cream to the itchy skin. This will protect the area if you do scratch.

There are many reasons why our skin becomes itchy, but the cause is not always apparent. There are both environmental and physical factors that will also lead to itchy feelings such as:

• Age
• Menopause and pregnancy
• Medicines
• Medical conditions, such as liver, kidney, or thyroid problems, diabetes, anemia, or poor circulation.
• Stress and anxiety

We'll take a brief look at each of these causes and give the main reasons why they may lead to itchy skin.

Age

Elderly people can be very prone to itchy skin. The medical term for this itching is called senile pruritus and can affect the whole body. It isn't clear exactly why this condition develops, but it is thought to relate to hormonal changes, deterioration in skin content, and poorer blood supply to the skin, all of which can result in itching either in a local or widespread area.

Menopause and Pregnancy

Itchy skin can happen on all areas of the body due to the lowering of oestrogen levels. Oestrogen helps the production of body oils and collagen maintenance in the skin. Low collagen and oil production can result in dry and itchy skin.

With pregnancy, there can be a higher risk of itchy skin mainly due to hormonal changes and stretching skin as the baby develops.

Medicines

The painkiller codeine can cause itchiness—which is sometimes intense—in a few people. This is one of the unfortunate side effects. And it isn't the only medicine that could cause this. Check the leaflet of any medicines, bought or prescribed, you are taking. Antibiotics may also cause itching as can all the other opiates and phenothiazines (used for some mental health conditions, severe nausea/vomiting).

Medical Conditions

General itching of the skin can be a sign of a serious underlying condition such as:

• Liver or kidney disease—in liver disease, itching of the skin is caused by a build-up of opioid peptides both in the skin and blood. When the kidneys are not working well, there is a build up of toxins in the body, which leads to skin irritation similar to that experienced when the liver is diseased.
• Iron deficiency anaemia—itching skin could be due to a number of metabolic factors.
• Thyroid problems—dry, itching skin can be a symptom of thyroid gland problems.
• Diabetes—itchy skin is also a symptom of the early stages of diabetes. It is caused by high glucose levels in the blood.
• Poor circulation—itchy skin can be a symptom of poor circulation leading to a condition called stasis dermatitis. This can cause intensely itchy skin. According to research carried out by the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 15 million Americans over the age of 50 have this condition. Slightly more women are affected than men. Statistics from the National Collaborating Centre for Acute Care in the UK reports that around 25,000 people in the UK die each year due to complications from poor circulation conditions. For example, venous stasis can lead to life-threatening situations such as deep venous thrombosis.

Anxiety/Stress

When we are stressed for extended periods of time, the body can have an immune response that can lead to itching skin. High levels of stress activate white blood cells. These cells are always present within the skin, ready to fight off bacteria or other invaders. However, when the body is tense and anxious, these white cells are triggered and become overactive, which can cause itching.

Research carried out at Charite University in Berlin and McMaster University Canada found that high levels of stress both cause pre-existing inflammatory skin conditions to flare up and new skin complaints to develop.

Top tips to ease itchy skin

Tips
1. Take warm or cool showers instead of hot and use moisturiser immediately after.
2. Use moisturising cream at least twice a day.
3. Avoid harsh soaps and detergents for personal hygiene and laundry
4. Wear non itchy fabrics such as cotton
5. There are anti-itch creams you can buy and anti-histamines from a pharmacy

Don't Ignore the Symptoms

It goes without saying that continual itching of your skin shouldn't be ignored particularly if the itch is:

• Persistent and not relieved by over-the-counter creams or antihistamines. Antihistamines block the effect of histamine, a protein produced by the immune system to help prevent infection. However too much histamine can also cause the skin to become irritated.

• Severe, particularly if it interferes with sleep and daily routines.
• Accompanied by a rash.
• Accompanied by a discoloured are of the skin, which may bleed for no obvious reason.
• Painful and the area becomes swollen.

The majority of skin itches are not serious and usually have a mundane cause. However, as we have seen, the body can produce such symptoms to warn us that a more serious condition might be involved. If you have any concerns or see any other symptoms, speak to your doctor.

The body is very good at alerting us to situations that might be detrimental to our health. It's up to us to start listening to the signals our bodies are giving us and to act on them

Delicious Sports Snacks Approved by Athletes and Scientists

You don't have to stock up on sports drinks and protein bars to power through a tough workout and refuel afterward. A lot of foods you have in your cupboard actually make great training fuel, and some of them are downright delicious. Read on for tasty foods and drinks that have been proven to help you go longer or faster—and get more out of your trip to the gym.

1. COFFEE

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Caffeine is known to give a boost to athletic performance, but caffeinated coffee in particular is a helpful source of energy for athletes, according to new research from the University of Georgia. Reviewing nine previous studies about coffee and endurance, researchers found that consuming 3 to 7 milligrams of caffeine from coffee per kilogram of body weight improves endurance performance by an average of 24 percent. (To give an idea of how much that is, the amount of caffeine in a cup can range from 75 to 200 mg.) All the more reason to let yourself have a cup—or a few—of joe before you hit the gym.

2. DARK CHOCOLATE  

Got a sweet tooth? Good news for you: According to a new study from Kingston University in England, eating a couple squares of dark chocolate daily was shown to up recreational cyclists' endurance. Study participants who nibbled on dark chocolate also covered 17 percent more distance in a time trial than those who didn’t. Researchers think the candy aids performance by making your body use oxygen more efficiently..

3. CHERRY JUICE  

  Provided by Mental Floss

Drinking some tart cherry juice every day can help you recover faster after a lengthy workout, according to a study in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. Researchers found that amateur marathon runners who downed the juice for five days before and two days after a race showed less inflammation and bounced back faster afterward than those who didn’t.

4. ALMONDS 

 

Eating almonds for four weeks helped cyclists pedal a longer distance in a timed trial during a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. The nuts’ fatty acids help contribute energy during endurance training, say the researchers. They suggest eating almonds on a regular basis, not just on the day you’re going out for a long run or ride, as it’s key to have a store of the fatty acids preloaded for muscles to pull from.

5. BANANAS

The fruit is already a favorite of endurance athletes because it packs a mega dose of potassium. But they might provide a bigger training boost than runners, cyclists, and triathletes realized: Eating the fruit improves cyclists’ performance during a 75-kilometer ride as much as a sports drink does, according to recent research in PLOS One. Even better, say scientists, bananas have a healthier combination of sugars and provide athletes with antioxidants not found in sports drinks; they also have more fiber and vitamin B6 (which helps your body convert food to energy).

6. WATERMELON JUICE 

 

Downing half a liter of this refreshing drink prior to exercise led to a lower recovery heart rate and less muscle soreness the next day, a recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found. Researchers suggest that the fruit has an amino acid, L-citrulline, that has this muscle-repairing effect. Try sipping the juice an hour before you work out to get hydrated and avoid achiness later.