The problem is that up until now no one has explained why they don’t work and more importantly how are we going to reach our ideal size and weight without dieting.  Well, this series of blogs will provide the answers under the following headings.

1.    Why do we eat they way we eat, when we know the way we eat piles on the pounds?
2.    The definition of a diet and why a diet will never work in the long term
3.    The secrets of ‘naturally’ slim people and why they seem able to eat anything they wish without gaining an ounce
4.    The five steps to attaining your ideal weight and size and remaining there permanently

So…..
Why do we eat the way we eat, when we know the way we eat piles on the pounds?

To understand this conundrum we need to go back in time.

Consider a small baby (in this case, a baby girl), when she is hungry she cries for food.  She drinks until her hunger is satisfied and then stops.  She moves away from the breast or the bottle and no amount of coaxing will tempt her to drink another drop.
She’s a healthy baby girl and she grows, weaned off milk she now enjoys solid food.  The same pattern occurs.  When she is hungry she cries and Mum or Dad are ready with the baby food, she eats until she feels pleasantly replete but never overfull, she might even have room for some pureed pudding.

One thing is absolutely certain when her hunger is satisfied she will not eat another bite.  If her parents try to persuade her to eat more the food tends to travel a different route; on the table, over the high chair, on the walls, on the parents, everywhere but in the babies mouth.

The reason for this is straightforward.  Every baby that has ever been born starts out in life as a natural eater.  All babies begin by eating when they are hungry and stopping when they are full.  They regard food on a fundamental level, fuel to help the body survive and grow.
So what happens?

Now although it pains me to admit this, being one myself – PARENTS HAPPEN.  I’m sure many of you are familiar with the book ‘Parent’s F*** You Up’, in this case it’s absolutely true.

So what is this ‘cardinal sin’ that most parents commit, this elementary error that the majority of us are guilty of?  Well there are two really, the first is  – WE WORRY!!

It usually starts when our children are between 2 and 4.  We start to analyse their eating habits, usually this is a slow insidious mental process that creeps up on us over a period of time.  Is our son or daughter eating too much, or too little, are they eating the right food or do they leave the salad on the plate and hope for some sweets later?  Are they growing too fast or too slow?  With all these questions we do what every parent does in these circumstances – WE WORRY

At least that’s what we do initially.  Then after we worry, we interfere!  You will remember that at this point our child’s relationship with food is natural and instinctive.  Their bodies are complex, wonderful machines that know exactly what type and quantity of food is needed to keep them healthy, fit and active.  If left alone the body will ensure that from the available food, the child receives the correct balance of nutrients.

Then we parents interfere. We try and change our child’s eating habits by:
•    Forcing them to eat food that they don’t really want e.g. ‘You’re not leaving this table until that plate is clean!’
•    Regulating their eating to certain times of the day e.g. ‘No you can’t have a sandwich, you’ll have to wait for your lunch!’
•    Forcing them to eat foods that are unpalatable to them e.g. ‘Of course you must eat your spinach, it’s good for you!’
•    Comparing their eating habits to others e.g. ‘Why can’t you eat like your friend Johnny, he always finishes all his food!’
•    Shaming them into eating e.g. ‘Think of all the starving children in the world, what they would give to have a nice plate of food in front of them…….like you have!!’

During this interference we commit the second error – BRIBERY
•    ‘If you finish all your dinner, I’ve a nice pudding for you’
And the bribery moves into other areas.
•    ‘If you finish all your homework, you can have a sweet’
•    ‘The winner can have an extra slice of cake’

The consequence of our interference and bribery is fundamental and enduring.  In our child’s subconscious mind, food was initially categorised as fuel to maintain the body’s health and growth. Over a period of time we change our children’s perception of food and now the subconscious mind associates food with emotions ….. guilt, pleasure, shame pride.  A whole plethora of emotions that have nothing to do with the real reason that we need to eat, as fuel for the body.

The result of our body’s change in perception is that we now start to eat food for all the wrong reasons:
•    Because we’re happy
•    Because we’re sad
•    Because we’re bored
•    As a treat
•    As a consolation
•    As a replacement
•    Because we’re stressed
•    To celebrate ….. etc. etc.

This is one of the significant reasons that cause difficulty in controlling our weight, because our motivation to eat has become biased in favour of our emotions.

When you experience a panic attack it is likely to make you feel out of control and dependent.  You feel that you are the victim of your own bodily reactions and outside circumstances over which you have no control. The first step along the road to recovery is recognising that you have the power to restrain your symptoms.

Take control

Start by really looking, in detail, at your panic attacks. When did they happen? Where were you? What were you thinking? See if you can identify particular thoughts that trigger a panic reaction.

A number of experts have emphasised the need to accept the panic attacks when they occur and that it may in fact be most helpful if you try and ride out the attacks to learn that no harm will come to you. This may sound strange, but fighting them only increases your level of fear and allows your panic to take on tremendous proportions. Accept that a panic attack is unpleasant and embarrassing, but that it isn’t life-threatening or the end of the world. By going with the panic, you are reducing its power to terrify you.

Creative visualisation and affirmations

Creative visualisation and affirmations are techniques that may be helpful. You can use them to re-train your imagination and to get yourself moving in a more positive direction.
Many people who suffer panic attacks have a vivid imagination, which they use to conjure up disaster, illness and death. You can train your imagination to focus on situations that give you a sense of wellbeing. You can imagine you are in a place that symbolises peace and relaxation for you, such as drifting on a lake. You can practise this anywhere but, until you have got used to doing this, try sitting in a chair with your limbs as floppy as possible, and think of calming images.

You can use visualisation to focus on situations that you fear. Imagine the situation and speak positively to yourself: ‘I am doing well’, ‘This is easy’. These simple, positive, present-tense affirmations are messages that you can say silently or out loud.
These techniques do not provide a quick fix. If you have been used to thinking negatively, over a long period of time, you will need to practise every day. You may then gradually notice positive changes in the way you think of yourself and others.

Assertiveness

You may be having panic attacks because there are aspects of your life that are undermining your confidence. It may be useful to look at your family life, your job, and so on, and identify changes you would like to make. If you feel trapped in a situation, and find it very difficult to express your true feelings (to say ‘no’ or to set proper limits in relationships, for example), you may find assertiveness training helpful.
Learn a relaxation technique

If you habitually clench your jaw, and your shoulders are tensed up, this will generate further stress. Relaxation techniques focus on easing muscle tension and slowing down your breathing. It helps your mind to relax.

Breathing

Hyperventilation (over-breathing) commonly leads to panic attacks. Many people get into the habit of breathing shallowly, from the upper chest, rather than more slowly from the abdomen. Put one hand on your upper chest and the other on your stomach. Notice which hand moves as you breathe. The hand on your chest should hardly move, if you are breathing correctly from the diaphragm, but the hand on your stomach should rise and fall. Practise this breathing, slowly and calmly, every day.

Diet

Unstable blood sugar levels can contribute to symptoms of panic. Eat regularly and avoid sugary foods and drinks, white flour and junk food. Instead, choose complex carbohydrates, such as potatoes, rice and pasta. Caffeine, alcohol and smoking all contribute to panic attacks and are best avoided.

First aid

If you are having a panic attack, try cupping your hands over your nose and mouth, or holding a paper bag (not plastic!) and breathing into it, for about 10 minutes. This should raise the level of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream and relieve symptoms.
Other first-aid tips include running on the spot during a panic attack. If you feel unreal, carry an object, such as the photograph of a loved one, to anchor you in reality, or finger a heavily textured object, such as a strip of sandpaper. You could also distract yourself, by trying to focus on what is going on around you.

Which therapies are effective?

Drug therapy

Drugs are effective in treating the symptoms of a panic attack.  Antidepressants dull the senses and slow down the brain functions making the symptoms of an attack less threatening.  Drugs taken in isolation will not eliminate the root causes of panic attacks.  Drugs should be used under strict medical supervision to help manage the symptoms in conjunction with additional therapy to identify and eradicate the root cause.
Antidepressants, especially SSRIs, are difficult to come off for many people, so when you are ready to stop taking them, you should always withdraw slowly.

When starting antidepressants, the side effects may include anxious, jittery feelings. The longer you are on them, the more likely you are to experience withdrawal symptoms, which can include panic attacks.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is extremely successful in treating sufferers of panic disorder.  The hypnosis (hypno) element helps the sufferer quickly experience a deep level of relaxation. While in this relaxes state, the subconscious is accessed and through the therapy element of hypnotherapy the original reasons for the disorder can be unearthed. This normally occurs when young (between the ages of 1 – 6 years old) and develops into a full blown fear of a particular situation. By revisiting the original memory and interpreting it as an adult, the correct interpretation can be made, thus removing the irrational fear.

Hypnotherapy is usually used in conjunction with other treatments such as CBT, breathing and relaxation exercises.
Generally this treatment is given in a face to face session usually at the therapist’s clinic or sometime at the family home.  The problem is that panic attacks do not fit around a session of therapy and if a sufferer is experiencing an attack it is often difficult for that person to physically visit the therapist’s clinic (especially if one of the symptoms of an attack is agoraphobia).  The development of Hypnostyx ‘Conquer Panic Attacks’ offers a solution as it enables a sufferer to enjoy a complete therapeutic session wherever and whenever they need to do so.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)

Our thoughts have a very powerful impact on our behaviour. You may be unaware of seemingly automatic thoughts and misinterpretations that provoke attacks. This is because thoughts happen so quickly and may take the form of images and sensations, rather than words.
The way we interpret things can cause extreme distress. But it is possible to bring about a state of wellbeing by changing habitual thought patterns. If we think that our racing heart is a sign of a possible heart attack we’ll be very frightened, but if we think that it is due to excitement or too much coffee, we’ll feel very differently about it.

CBT aims to identify and change the negative thought patterns and misinterpretations that are feeding your panic attacks.

Behaviour therapy

Many people develop a pattern of avoiding situations that have previously provoked a panic attack. They may become withdrawn and phobic. A clinical psychologist can address the problem using behavioural therapy. The therapy concentrates on encouraging you to imagine anxiety-provoking situations, at the same time as practising relaxation. You will be encouraged to confront your fears, in fantasy, and then move on to facing your fears in reality. In learning to relax and face up to feared situations, you will unlearn your feelings of panic.

Complementary and alternative therapies

Complementary and alternative therapies can be helpful when people are experiencing stress-related symptoms, anxiety and depression. They can be a useful tool in promoting relaxation and inducing a state of wellbeing.

Complementary health practitioners stress the connections between mind and body, and aren’t concerned with merely treating symptoms. There is an enormous number of different therapies: acupuncture, aromatherapy, autogenic training and homeopathy, to name but a few.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of one of the nicotine patch, one of the most popular NRT’s (nicotine replacement therapies) available on the market today.

The patch, like other NRT’s, allows a person to put more focus on conquering the psychological addiction to the smoking habit without having to endure physical withdrawal from nicotine at the same time.

• The patch first became available in the U.S. by prescription only in 1992, and by 1996 could be bought over-the-counter.
• The nicotine patch looks like a square tan bandage. Applied once a day in the morning to clean, dry, non-hairy skin, the nicotine patch is left on all day, and removed just before bed. Nicotine patches are also available in a clear material, making them less visible on the skin.
• Wearing the nicotine patch to bed at night can disrupt sleep and cause vivid dreams.
• The nicotine patch works by delivering small, controlled doses of nicotine into the bloodstream, but without all of the other toxic and dangerous chemicals present in cigarette smoke.
• The patch comes in several different dosage strengths, with 21mg(amount of nicotine in the product) being the highest.
• The 21mg patch is recommended as a starting point for people who smoke a pack of 20 cigarettes or more daily. From there, following package instructions, the user steps down gradually to lower dose patches until the final step down to no patch.
• Side effects associated with the nicotine patch may include itching, burning or tingling at the site of the patch. This usually goes away within an hour, and is a result of nicotine coming in contact with the skin. After removing the patch, the skin could be red for up to a day. If a rash develops, or the area becomes swollen or very red, consult your doctor.
• If you take any other medications, be sure to check with your doctor before starting the patch, as it can change the way some medicines work.

Let your doctor know if you have any illnesses, including the following:

• chest pains or a recent heart attack
• heart disease
• http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/000213.htm]stomach ulcers[/link]
• thyroid disease
• diabetes
• skipped or irregular heart beats
• allergies to tapes, bandages or medicines
• skin rashes or skin diseases
• high blood pressure
• kidney or liver disease.

A DEFINITION OF NICOTINE

Prussic acid is the deadliest poison known to science; nicotine approaches it in poisonousness, and often “acts” as rapidly. Eleven milligrams (about one-sixth of a drop) of nicotine will kill a cat or a rabbit. From one-half to two drops placed on the tongue of a dog kills almost instantly; a drop placed on the eye of a sparrow or a white rabbit kills at once. Eight drops will kill a good stout horse in four minutes. The amount required to kill a man ranges from sixty to one hundred and twenty milligrams, (one to two drops), depending on the age and condition of the individual.

One ordinary cigar contains enough nicotine to kill two full-grown men if extracted and injected internally. Only a very small amount of the nicotine of a cigarette or cigar enters the body with each smoke or chew, too little to kill, else would nobody live to smoke or chew more than once.
Please note! Do not smoke when using any NRT, as you run the risk of receiving an overdose of nicotine.

Signs of an overdose may include:

• dizziness
• upset stomach
• bad headaches
• vomiting
• cold sweats
• drooling
• confusion
• blurred vision
• hearing problems
• weakness or fainting

If you suspect an overdose, take the patch off and call your doctor immediately.

I used the nicotine patch, and it worked effectively for me in alleviating the physical withdrawal from nicotine. Each step down left me feeling mildly edgy for a couple of days, and by the third day, I was back to normal. I was extra good to myself during the transition period. I got more rest, had a treat here and there, and made pamper the word of the day. When I took the final step to no patch, I found the symptoms were just the same as the other shifts – a day or two of edginess and it was gone.  Ridding yourself of the physical addiction of nicotine is the first step to becoming a natural non-smoker.  The final stage is to rid your subconscious mind of the psychological need for cigarettes and tobacco.

As I mentioned, it was a great aid for me, but it worked because I was determined to get cigarettes out of my life no matter what it took. I knew that the responsibility for success or failure was on my shoulders, not on the patch.

NICOTINE OVERDOSE

Definition:

Poisoning from an overdose of nicotine.

Poisonous Ingredient:
Nicotine

Where Found:

• Animal tranquilizers
• Some brands of insecticide
• Tobacco leaves
• Cigarettes
• Chewing tobacco
• Pipe tobacco
• Nicotine gum (Nicorette)
• Nicotine-transdermal-patches (Habitrol, Nicoderm)

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive

Symptoms:

• Agitation, restlessness, or excitement

• Muscular twitching
• Weakness
• Convulsions
• Coma
• Fainting
• Difficulty breathing
• Rapid breathing
• No breathing
• Abdominal cramps
• Vomiting
• Drooling (increased salivation)
• Burning sensation in mouth
• Rapid and pounding heartbeat followed by slow heart rate
• Elevated blood pressure followed by decreased blood pressure
• Confusion
• Depression
• Headache

Home Treatment:

Seek emergency medical care immediately. Call Poison Control. You may be instructed to INDUCE VOMITING.

If there is skin exposure, wash the area well with soap and water.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

• The patient’s age, weight, and condition
• Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strength if known)
• When it was swallowed or inhaled
• The amount swallowed or inhaled

Poison Centre or a local emergency number:

If you think you are suffering from nicotine poisoning in the US call the Poison Centre on  0800-222-1222 and in the UK call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

What to expect at the emergency room:

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

• May administer activated charcoal.
• May administer a laxative.
• May use gastric lavage (pump the stomach).
• Will treat other symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis):

Overdose may cause seizures. Recovery depends on the dose, the amount of time before treatment, and severity of seizures. An overdose may be fatal. Unless there are complications, long-term effects from nicotine are uncommon.

FINALLY

Nicotine patches if used responsibly are an effective aid in eliminating your physical addiction to smoking.  Always remember that the magic of success is within you, not in a package containing a quit aid. Use the Hypnostyx Quit Smoking programme to help you develop a rock-solid resolve to do whatever it takes for however long it takes, and apply yourself daily to the task. Do this, and you will not fail!

So how can you conquer your fear of flying , there are various treatments available including herbal remedies, psychoactive medication, systematic desensitisation, even music therapy. However, most of these simply address the symptoms and still leave the sufferer with the underlying cause intact.  The most effective treatment for fear of flying is hypnotherapy because through hypnosis the therapist is able to communicate with the subconscious mind and eliminate the original reasons for the fear.

Research states that between 30 and 40 percent of people experience fear of flying to one degree or another ranging from “mild concern” to avoiding flying altogether.  Where ‘comfortable flyers’ see their flights as a means to an end, fearful flyers see a flight as an end in itself.  Aerophobia is not one class of fear. While some people are mildly anxious, others are paralysed. Some people get nervous as soon as the flight is booked. Others are terrified of takeoff, but OK with landing, or the other way round. For some people it’s the sounds that worry them. Many will keep their eyes on the flight attendant and if they see her moving quickly, they think they’re doomed – meanwhile it’s probably just that the captain wants a cup of tea. Even the language of flying – phrases such as ‘your last call’ and ‘final check-in’ – may be interpreted as doom laden and generate anxiety.

People who suffer from fear of flying tend to be highly intelligent and extremely imaginative. Their mind can easily conjure up escalating images of disaster. Their bodies react to these dreaded images by getting ready for immediate, defensive action, setting off their alarm system replete with pounding heart, sweaty palms and that weak-in-the-knees feeling.”

If fearful flyers can recognise their tendency to believe that harmless body symptoms are signs of imminent danger (which they are not).  They can adopt ‘an attitude of understanding and acceptance of fear-related symptoms and beliefs, which helps to calm both mind and body. It is also important to remember that fear attacks are limited and will peak and start to subside in a few minutes, breathing exercises such as concentrate on breathing slowly and evenly, exhaling longer breaths out than they breathe in.

The Hypnostyx ‘Conquer Your Fear of Flying’ programme employs a number of techniques to treat aerophobia. These include hypnosis, energy techniques and demonstrating ways for clients to calm themselves down.   These techniques are burnt onto a portable MP3 player that will easily fit into a pocket or handbag guaranteeing that help is at hand wherever and whenever it is needed.  The portability of the MP3 player is especially important in creating peace of mind as no matter where a fearful flyer is in the world, they have access to the help they need to conquer their fears.

And then you go to a party…………or for drinks………….and you are feeling relaxed and mellow, and a little voice says “you know what would be really good about now, a cigarette”.  You resist the urge at first but you are feeling so laid back and just the one won’t hurt, it will just be the one – and one won’t hurt.  And you have the one, and then another one and another and before you have even realised it you are a fully fledged smoker again!!

Or you maybe feeling under pressure and you think back “what used to help when I was feeling stressed, ah yes, a cigarette”.  Yes a cigarette will lessen the pressure, just the one will help, and I only need just the one.  And you have that one, and then another one and another and before you have even realised it you are a fully fledged smoker again!!

Sound familiar, of course it does.  I have helped literally thousands of people quit smoking over the years and the above scenarios have affected more than 90% of smokers at one time or another.  This blog will explain why this happens and, through the use of the revolutionary new Hypnostyx Quit Smoking Product how you will be able to quit smoking PERMANENTLY.

The frustrating part is you have kicked the physical addiction, the craving for cigarettes left your body, weeks sometimes months ago.  So why after just one cigarette are you right back where you started?

The answer is addiction.  Not the physical addiction that everyone talks about but the psychological addiction that is stored deep in your subconscious mind and only requires one puff of a cigarette, a day, week month or years after you have quit to fire up again.

Smoking is a learnt behaviour.  The best way to describe this is to return to our infancy.  When we are born we cannot do many things, we can cry, eat, pass waste material, but that’s pretty much it.   What makes us the people we are is the sum of the things we have learnt over the years.

When we learn things we go through four stages:

1.       Unconscious incompetence

2.       Conscious incompetence

3.       Conscious competence

4.       Unconscious competence

An example would be learning to walk.  When we are very young we see people walking and we think we will give that walking thing a try.  We try to stand up and then fall down, over and over again.

Unconscious incompetence – We don’t really know what we’re doing and we can’t do it anyway

But we persevere.  And as time passes we gain the ability to stand, totter a few steps and then fall down.

Conscious incompetence – We know what we want to do but we still can’t do it!

But we persevere.  And then the great day arrives, mum stands at one end of the room and dad at the other end steadying us in his arms.  He lets go and slowly we totter across the room into our mothers arms, we can walk!

Conscious competence – We know what we want to do and now we can do it.  But at this stage we have to concentrate and think about every step we take.

But we persevere.  And then something amazing happens.  Over time the act of walking moves from being a conscious activity to lodge itself in our subconscious mind and become a subconscious behaviour.  And at this point walking becomes as natural to us as breathing, we never think about it, it doesn’t concern us, we just do it!

Unconscious competence

It is now a learnt behaviour.

It’s exactly the same with smoking.

Think back to that first cigarette, it tasted dreadful, made us dizzy and our throat felt sore.

Unconscious incompetence – We don’t really know what we’re doing and we can’t do it anyway.

But we persevere.  And comes the day when it doesn’t feel so rotten to smoke.  We no longer feel dizzy and our throats have stopped feeling like course sandpaper.  But we still don’t like the taste much and occasionally we feel a little sick.

Conscious incompetence – We know what we want to do but we still can’t do it!

But we persevere.  And the day comes when we can inhale without the room spinning, we can blow smoke rings and we really feel like one of the in-crowd.  But even at this point we can go days or even weeks without even thinking about a cigarette.

Conscious competence – We know what we want to do and now we can do it.  But at this stage we have to concentrate and when we’re not actually smoking, cigarettes are seldom in our thoughts.

But we persevere. And then something tragic happens.  Over time the act of smoking moves from being a conscious activity to lodge itself in our subconscious mind and become a subconscious behaviour.  And at this point smoking becomes as natural to us as breathing, we think about it a lot, we alter our daily routines to accommodate it, it starts to rule our lives, we can’t do without it!

Unconscious competence

See the similarities – Smoking is a learnt behaviour and because of this you can stop smoking, rid yourself of the physical addiction and think you are free.  BUT YOU ARE NOT!! As long as that learnt behaviour is still lodged in your subconscious mind, you are psychologically addicted to smoking for a week, a month, a year, forever!

Hypnotherapy is recognised as being the most successful method to help people rid themselves of the psychological addiction to smoking, eliminating the learnt behaviour.  The Hypnosis part of Hypnotherapy allows the therapist to access the subconscious mind and reroute what are known as ‘neural pathways’ to eliminate the psychological craving for smoking and cigarettes.

The only problem with this is that on occasions these ‘neural pathways’ may reconnect.  This could be due to any number of factors the most common of which include trauma or depression.  The result of this reconnection may mean that the craving for cigarettes returns.

The Hypnostyx range of products is designed to overcome this problem.  Not only does the Hypnostyx Quit Smoking Product include a fully tested and guaranteed Quit smoking hypnotherapy programme it is also portable and permanent so that any time your need to reconnect your ‘neural pathways’ you simply plug in your earphones switch on your Hypnostyx  and rerun the programme again.

Using the Hypnostyx Quit Smoking Product really does mean that you can quit smoking easily, quickly and above all permanently.