Archive for May, 2008

“You cannot always control circumstances, but you can control your own thoughts.”

Discussed in this article:

1) The Sleep-Diabetes Connection. 2) Sleep and Depression–A Brief Overview 3) How A Hypnotist Can Help.

The Sleep-Diabetes Connection

“Declare the past, diagnose the present, foretell the future; practice these acts. As to diseases, make a habit of two things–to help, or at least to do no harm.” (1)

Unfortunately sometimes a solution to one problem creates another. This means that, in some cases, to help is to inadvertently invite harm. Doctors are faced with this dilemma everyday.

For example, if a diabetic patient is depressed then, anti-depressants may be one solution. The challenge is that anti-depressants and many other medications can cause insomnia. (2)

This brings us to this article’s main point: The ‘Hidden Condition’ that frustrates doctors and hurt diabetics—Sleep disorders.

Sleep disorders have been linked to exacerbating or even precipitating diabetes as well as depression.

Allow me to explain more fully: It is known that poor sleep robs people of their health in general. But, for diabetics, it can actually cause a worsening of their condition. In the 2001 annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, a study was presented that warned that a chronic lack of sleep may cause far more serious problems than a tendency to get sleepy behind the wheel.

The study found that people who do not get enough sleep on a regular basis tend to become less sensitive to insulin over time. This can raise the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. In fact, according to Bryce A. Mander, the study co-author, it turns out that chronic sleep deprivation–6.5 hours or less of sleep a night–has the same effect on insulin resistance (3) as aging.

Furthermore, according to the study director, Dr. Eve Van Cauter of the University of Chicago, healthy adults who averaged 316 minutes of sleep a night–about 5.2 hours–over 8 consecutive nights secreted 50% more insulin (4) than their more rested counterparts who averaged 477 minutes of sleep a night, or about 8 hours. As a result, “short sleepers” were 40% less sensitive to insulin.

What is fascinating is that the poor sleep/excess insulin (hyper-insulinemia) connection has not received the attention it deserves. Even the Mayo Clinic is apparently unaware of this connection. Please review the following definition of hyper-insulinemia given by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER): “The term hyper-insulinemia means abnormally high levels of insulin in your blood. It’s not a disease. Instead, it may indicate an underlying problem that’s causing your pancreas to make and release too much insulin. Insulin helps regulate blood sugar.

Causes of hyperinsulinemia include:  Insulin resistance. This occurs when your body doesn’t use insulin properly. Risk factors include a family history of insulin resistance, lack of activity, obesity and polycystic ovary syndrome.  A tumor of the pancreas (insulinoma), which secretes excess insulin.

Hyper-insulinemia doesn’t cause signs or symptoms. But if it leads to abnormally low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), signs and symptoms may include sweating, weakness, slurred speech, confusion and seizures.

Hyper-insulinemia is often associated with type 2 diabetes” By Mayo Clinic staff —December 10, 2003″ (http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=HQ00896)

Here is the challenge with the preceding information: It seems that it may not be fully accurate. This idea is put forth because the preceding Mayo definition states that: (a) Hyper-insulinemia is not a disease and that (b) Hyper-insulinemia has no signs.

Addressing the first point that hyper-insulinemia is not a disease: Hyper-insulinemia is a now well recognized to be a predictor of diabetes. Also important to note is that excess insulin can cause or significantly contribute to the onset of heart disease and premature aging as well as diabetes. Also bear in mind that insulin is a storage hormone produced by the body to lower blood sugar by sending it into the cells. Over time, excess blood sugar and insulin stresses the system and the cells become less responsive. This condition is known as insulin resistance. Also note that in his best-selling book Protein Power, Dr. Michael Eades wrote:

“When insulin levels become too high… metabolic havoc ensues with elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, diabetes, and obesity all trailing in its wake. These disorders are merely symptoms of a single more basic disturbance in metabolism, excess insulin and insulin resistance.”

It is also understood that excess insulin promotes smooth-muscle growth in blood vessel walls, which contributes to the formation of plaques. Artery walls become thickened and stiff, causing blood pressure to rise.

So, to classify hyper-insulinemia as a non-disease seems a bit short sighted when, if it was treated with more concern and urgency as a disease, then perhaps other disease states could be avoided.

Now, let’s look at the second point that hyper-insulinemia has no signs. Wouldn’t it make sense to think that perhaps it has symptoms and signs not yet recognized or associated? In my opinion, this condition does have plenty of symptoms: Low blood sugar reactions (moodiness, irritability, sweating, confusion, etc..), weight gain, elevated triglyceride and cholesterol levels.

And there are probably a host of other signs and symptoms that accompany excess insulin levels. The question to ask is Who is looking for them? The answer? Not too many people. Hence, no generally agreed upon signs or symptoms.

If nothing else, the preceding should challenge those who can, to seek to eliminate or validate the idea that hyper-insulinemia is indeed a health crisis of a significant degree and, that it’s treatment could have untold benefits.

Sleep and Depression–A Brief Overview

Poor sleep and depression form a very vicious circle.

It is well noted that poor sleep contributes to depression. During a webcast on August 21, 2003, James C. O’Brien, M.D., FCCP, ABSM stated that:

“During REM-stage sleep is where we learn situations and incorporate situations and deal with emotions that, unless we deal with it properly, will affect us in terms of our daytime functioning on a mental, emotional level.”

The point is that feelings of depression that can be caused just by poor sleep, can adversely affect a person’s ability to take proper care of their health. Hence, good sleep is especially important for diabetics because sadness or depression induced by poor sleep can have deleterious consequences never mind the actual physical problems noted earlier.

Health care workers should also note that according to the National Sleep Foundation 2002 Annual Sleep Survey, almost 74% of Americans do not get enough sleep each night. The survey also found that those with sleep problems are twice as likely to feel stressed and tired.

The preceding facts are pointed out to alert those who treat diabetics that: (a) There is a very good chance that their diabetic patients are suffering from a sleep disorder and (b) A sleep disorder can frustrate their attempts to treat their patients for diabetes.

Something else that may interest those who treat diabetics is that sleep apnea treatment can lower glucose levels in diabetics. (5)

How A Hypnotist Can Help

All the preceding information and discussion takes us to our next point. Now that it is recognized that good sleep is utterly essential as an adjunct treatment for diabetes and pre-diabetes, doesn’t it make sense that a non-medicated approach to good sleep for these conditions would be reasonable as an important, first effort treatment?

I state ‘first effort’ because the dictum, “First do no harm” would seem to indicate that drug therapy should be a second treatment approach because some drug medications can sometimes cause other problems.

So what is a safer, first approach treatment for good sleep? Hypnosis.

William S. Kroger, M.D., states in his book Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis that “Hypnosis effects improvement in acute cases of insomnia. Often a single session is effective in restoring the sleep cycle, particularly if auto-hypnosis has been taught on the initial visit.”

Karen Olness, M.D. and Daniel P. Kohen, M.D. in their book Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy With Children, note the following:

“Hurwitz, Mahowald, Schenck, Schulter, and Bundlie (1991) described the successful use of hypnosis in 27 adult patients with sleep terror disorders. Seventy-four percent reported much or very much improvement with the use and practice of self-hypnosis.”

Bear in mind that if you go to see a hypnotist for a diagnosed sleep disorder (or any other diagnosed medical condition) the hypnotist must have your doctor’s consent before treating you. In this referral, it must be clear that you have been cleared of any disorder that a hypnotist cannot or should not treat that may be causing your sleep problems.

As a final note: A hypnotist truly can make an enormous difference in a person’s quality of life and health simply by helping them to sleep better. If you have not been sleeping well and, it seems to be worsening other conditions than, at the very least try a hypnosis for better sleep CD. The are hundreds available on the internet.

Warm Regards,

C. Devin Hastings “Speak well to yourself because your deep mind is always listening.”

BIOGRAPHY

C. Devin Hastings, a diabetic, suffered from depression for over 20 years and is dedicated to making information available to others that can help them to change their lives. To learn more about Devin and hypnosis, please visit: www.MBH4U.com

REFERENCES:

(1) Hippocrates in his Epidemics, Bk. I, Sect. XI. (2) National Sleep Foundation Sleeptionary TM About Insomnia. URL: http://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleeptionary/index.php?secid=&id=19 (3) Insulin resistance is a major factor in most cases of diabetes. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body cannot properly utilize normal amounts of insulin. (4) The more insulin a person’s pancreas has to produce, the more likely it is that eventually the beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas, will break down. (5) Archives of Internal Medicine–February 28th, 2205

About the Author

Devin Hastings is an international speaker on the medical applications of hypnosis to diabetes, depression and other problems.

Please fee free to visit either: www.MBH4U.com or www.depression-hypnosis.com

Technorati Tags: Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Hypnotism, 5 PATH Hypnotherapy, Hypnotherapist, Hypnotist

I recently saw a t-shirt with the following saying: “Procrastinate later.” I had a great laugh. However, procrastination is really not that funny.

The Effects of Procrastination

Just what is procrastination? It is the habit of putting things off until the last possible minute. Procrastination in and of itself is not a problem – the consequences of procrastination, however, can be devastating.

If you are a procrastinator, you have likely:

• Missed opportunities
• Worked late hours at work trying to get finished at the last moment
• Felt completely stressed out
• Been overwhelmed
• Suffered feelings of guilt and resentment

Procrastination is a killer – a killer of dreams, ambitions, and achievement.

The Effects of Hypnosis

There is truly no need to continue on the procrastination cycle of wait, wait, wait, stress out, and wait some more. You can overcome procrastination. How? Through the power of hypnosis.

Hypnosis is not some hocus pocus form of psychotherapy – it is simply a natural occurring state of mind that bypasses the conscious part of the mind. When the conscious is bypassed, we don’t pass judgment on what is being suggested.

Believe it or not, we are in a hypnotic state quite often. For instance, here are some times when you have “turned off” the judgment portion of your mind:

• When you see a commercial on TV that influences you to buy a product
• When an expert tells you something and you don’t question the validity of that statement
• Children do it when they are pretending.

By going around the judgment portion of the mind, suggestions can be put into your subconscious and get you to head towards a particular goal – just the way advertisers propel you towards their product.

Your Conscious Mind Resists Overcoming Procrastination

Have you ever tried to stop procrastinating?

What happens? If you are like most people, you tell yourself something and your judgmental mind finds all kinds of reasons why it won’t work!

For instance, one of the main self-help suggestions for overcoming procrastination is to break the overall task into smaller, more doable chunks. This sounds great.

Now try putting that through your conscious, judgmental filter. Here are some of the things you are likely to “hear”:

• “Just what I need – more things to get done that I can’t get done.”
• “If I can’t finish one big thing, what makes me think I can finish many small things?”
• “Who cares if you break it down? You still won’t start it until it is due!”

And this kind of self-talk from your judgmental conscious mind is what you can expect whenever you try to overcome procrastination. So, what can you do?

One way to overcome procrastination is with hypnosis.

Put An End to Procrastination With Hypnosis

Hypnosis can help you overcome procrastination forever. How? By detouring around your conscious mind!

Procrastination is nothing more than a bad habit. Your conscious mind doesn’t like change and will “talk” you right out of changing. However, if you can get those suggestions into your subconscious mind without the judgmental filter, you can change from being a procrastination to being an achiever.

Hypnosis is stronger than willpower because it puts the suggestions straight into your subconscious, the way advertisers do. By the time the suggestions reach your conscious mind, they will have already been accepted by your subconscious – so no more defeating self talk to contend with!

Best of all, your changed status from procrastinator to achiever means that you will achieve your goals and still have time left over. Instead of using up all your spare time with worry and guilt and frustration, you can use your spare time for enjoyment and relaxation!

Hypnosis is an effective and lasting way to overcome procrastination. Use your willpower on procrastination one last time and get your hands on a hypnosis program today!

Learn to Overcome Procrastination in 8 audio sessions over 14 days! The advanced hypnosis techniques used in Dr Neil Fiore’s program will help you eliminate your problems with procrastination, permanently. Dr. Fiore is a licensed psychologist with more than 30 years of research and testing experience. His powerful hypnosis techniques will help you easily become a producer instead of a procrastinator. Imagine, in just as little as two short weeks, you can eliminate your bad habit, have more time for your friends and family, and be much more successful at work and at home!

About the Author

About The Author
Teri Clark s interest in the new and different has led to a successful online writing career as an editor, researcher, ghostwriter, and author. The North Carolina resident has a degree in psychology and her work includes hundreds of articles and several books and e-books on the subject of hypnosis.

This article is free for use on web sites, blogs, and newsletters, with the condition that it is not changed in any way.

Technorati Tags: Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy, Hypnotism, 5 PATH Hypnotherapy, Hypnotherapist, Hypnotist