“Healthy Living” is the new tag phrase in Oregon. In the last year alone Portland moved from number 17 to number 9 on the “Americas fittest cities” list in Men’s Magazine. Maintaining a fit or healthy lifestyle can be easy to achieve for many reasons. One, Oregon is heavy on the out door sports and activities. Second Oregon is never short on organic products and healthy foods both on the menu and in grocery stores. Lastly, Oregon has many weight loss facilities all over the state. However, Oregon was not always so health conscious, but over the last decade Oregon has made a pledge to fight obesity one person at a time.

Passing the “bike bill” in 1971 put Oregon as the first state which took the first step toward healthy living. By 2001 3.8% of people were biking to work at least three days per week to according to Oregon.gov. Other fitness activities have also increased over the years. The Nike Hood to Coast Relay Marathon is the largest relay race in North America. It began in 1982 with eight teams. By 1999 it reached capacity of 1,000 teams. If biking or running is not really your cup of tea, there are plenty of hiking trails, gyms and countless dog parks where all activity levels are welcome.

Portland had one of the highest percentages of organic food buyers in 2007 (27%) which only just trailed San Francisco (35%) and Seattle (37%) according to Vegetarianorganicblog.com. Seeing this demand, grocery stores met with a supply of organic products, a health food section and stocking Trans fat free items. As early as ten years ago, many grocery stores either did not offer items such as tofu or soy and if they did, the cost was excessive. Now with the increased interest in these products, stores have answered with sales in these items. Grocery retailers are not the only ones seeing the growing health trend, restaurants see the benefit to healthier choices as well.

Not only in Oregon but nationwide restaurants are offering alternatives to high calorie menu items. Applebee’s was one of the firsts to offer Weight Watcher menu items and Red Robin offers meat substitutes for all their burgers. Often dieters avoid eating out because typically there are few healthy choices besides a salad on menus. But now with these special menus, dieters can feel confident eating out instead of feeling chained to their ovens and health food recipe book.

If achieving a healthy lifestyle is difficult to do on your own, help is just a phone call, or in Oregon’s case, just around the corner. In Salem alone there are five Weight Watcher sites, a Jenny Craig and a LA Weight loss center all within a five mile radius. This is not including all the private organizations such as Salem Weight Management Center. All of these companies have one thing in common, they all want to help as many people as they can be healthy for life.

Being outside and having healthy foods at the tips of your fingers is not something every state can brag about, the elite states such as Oregon can claim to be a “health nut” state. Oregon’s healthy lifestyle trend is not likely to change anytime soon. Get out and enjoy the bragging rights, every healthy Oregonian has earned them!

According to www.wikipedia.org over 50% of states are covered by a smoking ban of some form. In some states smoking is ban in restaurants and bars, in others this ban also includes hotel rooms and even patios. America is trying to tell smokers in one voice, smoking is bad, be healthy. The smoking bans are not going anywhere anytime soon more and more states are jumping on the wagon.

In 2005 Washington state imposed $100.00 fines for lighting up within 25 feet of restaurants, bars, movie complexes and other public places according to an article in USAToday. California also became the first state to out law smoking on all of its beaches, Indiana will not allow smoking at bus stops or ATMs, and in many states healthcare workers are forbidden to smoke during the work day and must sign a contract agreeing to this rule. Other states have taken their smoking bans to another level, in Iowa even smoking in your car anywhere on the grounds with get you a fine USAToday also reports. These trends have no where to go but up mainly due to people raising awareness among the public.

More and more research has come out about second hand smoke. Often those who are exposed to second hand smoke suffer the same health problems as smokers. Cancer, asthma, and emphysema are some of the more common problems associated with second hand smoke. The public feels an obligation to keep non-smokers healthy. The cost of health care are on the rise because of both obesity related health problems and smoking related health complications. The public has had enough.

Since California has been one of the major players in the smoking ban, they decided to take it one step further and set an example. Just when the public thought the ban couldn’t get any tougher, California added an amendment and included a ban on driving while smoking with children in the car. This law passed in 2007 making it one of the most drastic in the nation according to cigarettehouse.net. It outraged smokers who feel smoking in their own car is their business, however California’s govern and its lawmakers felt differently. Children should not be made to be exposed to second hand smoke.

Some feel by imposing smoking bans on the public, law makers are taking away a smokers right to choose what they do to their own body. While this maybe true, children and non-smokers are not given a choice at all when they are being exposed to second hand smoke. Smokers are still able to smoke in their homes and private property. They are only asked to respect the public who does not want to be around smoke.

Fifty years ago smoking in public places and job sites was widely accepted. It was considered a social thing and not thought of as a dirty habit. However after seeing the effects of smoking many have chose to quit. Banning smoking is replacing the smoking socialization factor of fifty years ago, the new trend is healthy and no one should expect this new trend to go anywhere any time soon.

There are many things in life worrying about, but stress should not be one of them. Stress is like disease which sucks the fun out of everything. Stress cause sleep deprivation, lose interest in activities you once found entertaining, and stress can also cause your work performance to suffer.

Many people think stress is caused from things such as financial problems, marital problems or family issues. This is not always the case, stress can be happy events such as a wedding, children, or a vacation. Stress is about perception. What is stressful for one may not be for another. Many times we blow things out of proportion and therefore causing more un-necessary stress in our lives. Stress, whether good or bad can lead to other very serious problems.

Stress has been linked to medical problems such as chronic headaches, age acceleration, lower immune system, heart attacks, chronic body aches, depression and stomach problems. Many people under stress are also short tempered, tense, anxious and jumpy. The list of medical problems from stress goes on and on.

The good news is stress is manageable. By learning to manage stress, you will find that you look forward to meeting new people, regain your sense of humor and self confidence. You will also find you are more relaxed, calmer, and have increased energy. You may even find renewed excitement with recreational activities and have more independence.

You know what makes you stressed out and how your mind and body react to stress. Some have a rapid heart rate, become sweaty, or feel nervous. You know what causes stress in your life, maybe it is your children, money or simply your job the list is endless. It is time for you to take a look at your life and see how stress is affecting you and the people around you.

There are many ways to manage stress. Some turn to professional help such as a counselor, others use medications, and some turn to hypnosis. It is important to research all aspects of each treatment to decide what is right for you.

Hypnosis allows people to change your response to stress. You will find yourself calmer, rational and more relaxed. Hypnosis can help you in multiple ways, one through body relaxation. You will learn to control how breathing which will instantly create a calming effect on your mind, and it will fight tension which can lead to chronic medical problems. It will also help you to address the behaviors you have while experiencing stress such as anger or frustration and allow you to be calm.

Chances are you will always have stress in your life but it does not have to rule your life. There are options out there and it is up to you to make the best decision for YOU. Stress is not good for anyone, you, your family or friends. The time has come for you to make a choice.

Thousands of memories make up our lives and our own personal history. Memories can make us laugh, cry, or bring a smile to our face. Often we wish we could relive certain memories everyday and enjoy them or sometimes we wish we could go back and change things. To change a memory is impossible, but with today’s advancing science and other clinical practices, it is not so absolute.

Imagine you are reliving a memory everyday, constantly. Think about how you would feel and maybe what you would do differently. Now imagine for a moment that memory being a traumatic one, which puts you in a state of extreme anxiety and stress. Imagine reliving this awful memory each day for the rest of your life, this is what people with post traumatic stress syndrome go through each and everyday. The memory consumes them, often they are not able to hold jobs, have healthy relationships, or simply cease to function all together. Anyone can suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome, a soldier from war, a rape victim, a battered child, or it could be from something as simple as a car accident.

Post traumatic stress syndrome can cause people to of depressed and dysfunctional, as well as stressed and anxious. Sometimes these reactions are so severe, people begin to self medicate through drugs and alcohol. They are typically trying to forget the painful memory and drugs or alcohol can provide that. Often this method of treatment gets out of control, their addictions start to take over their lives just as much as the memory, this can only make things worse for the person.

New treatment avenues are being explored for those who suffer form post traumatic stress syndrome, one of those is hypnosis. Hypnosis or behavior modification, works with the mind in a unique way. While under, you are able to revisit the memory and learn to deal with it differently. You will learn how to deal with your feelings about the memory and how if has effected your life. In some cases you will be able to forget the memory entirely.

New studies in Canada are offering hope to those suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome. According to a Canadian newspaper, Ottawacitizen.com, scientists have been using a drug called Propranolol, commonly used in patients with hypertension, to treat and delete memories in people with post traumatic stress syndrome. The drug is injected to a certain part of the brain while thinking of a specific traumatic memory. Once the drug is injected, studies have shown that particular memory has been deleted or replaced. The treatment is still in the early stages or research and development and there are no concrete studies to prove this drug actually works, only suggestions. People who suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome need help now, everyday is like torture for them, and they need something that will work. Hypnosis is safe, proven to work through actual patient testimonials and is available now.

Hypnosis offers a safe, non invasive, and readily available treatment for those suffering from painful, traumatic memories. No one wants to feel trapped in their mind and have one memory control everything in their daily lives. These painful memories make everything more difficult, even if they memory it self seems trivial. There are new treatments on the horizon for people who suffer from this condition, there is no need to wait when there is something available to help you now.

Smoking in restaurants, bars, and casinos is something which has long been a fixture in the food and entertainment industry. Often non-smokers avoided places which allowed smoking for both work and recreation. However in 1998 California became one of the first to pass a bill which outlawed smoking in casinos, bars, clubs and restaurants. In the last ten years, other states such as Arizona, Florida, New York and recently Oregon have followed California’s example. In 2001 Oregon law makers argued both sides of the law, however it was passed by a reasonable margin. The main reasons the bill passed was attributed to the need for a healthy work environment and a smoke free zone for consumers who did not smoke.

Through out the 80’s and early 90’s bills were passed all over the country outlawing workplace smoking. However these bills did not include bars, restaurants, bowling alleys or casinos. Lobbyists argued for these workers and brought forward statistics showing the effects of second hand smoke. They did not feel it was fair to offer a smoke free environment for some workers and not others. Many of the workers liked their jobs and wanted to keep them but ultimately did not want to be around smoke but they suffered through. In the end they had to deal with many second hand smoke issues.

Dining out is all about the experience. When people describe a positive dining experience, rarely do they describe it having a heavy cloud of smoke. In the past restaurant and bar owners offered both a non and smoking section. However after examining the filtration systems in restaurants, health officials reported increased chances of second hand smoke health problems. This was due largely to ventilation. Smoke can not be properly filtered out with ventilation. The only way to insure a healthy environment is to have smoking only outside. This has an appeal to non-smokers because not only can they dine and actually smell their dinners but they can also not worry about developing other health risks. For restaurant workers, they are able to also rest easy and know their work environment is not causing them cancer.

Some opponents to the bill felt it was taking away the right for an adult to choose what they do to their own bodies. However what they failed to see what by smoking in public places the smoker is taking away the right for a non-smoker to be healthy. In Oregon a compromise was made, smoking would be allowed outdoors. While this does not agree with everyone on each side of the issue, it is a fair compromise for bars and restaurants which have outdoor seating available.

Smoking can effect everyone who is exposed to it. Being exposed to second hand smoke exposes non-smokers to all the same risks as if they smoked. They can develop lung cancer, emphysema, and asthma. Some feel by working in places where smoking is allowed such as bingo halls or clubs, the employee is knowingly exposing themselves to smoke and the health risks. However, previous legislation promised a smoke free work environment for all, not simply for those who can work a better job.

Health and fair working conditions are something Oregon law makers truly believe in. Oregon is taking strong steps toward those who are noncompliant with the new bill. There are fines and other consequences for those found to be in violation of the new law. No one should have to make the choice between having health problems and not simply so they can get a job or eat out.

According to Obesitysurgicalcenter.org, 127 million adults in America are over weight. Of those 60 million are obese and 9 million severely obese. Gastric bypass and other similar surgeries are among the fastest growing elective surgeries in the country, next to breast augmentation. Gastric bypass is reserved for those who are morbidly obese, and for them, the benefits are endless. According to Obesehelp.net, a web site which explains the surgery, 75% of patients can expect to lose up to 80% of their body weight, 80% will be off hypertension medications and 90% with type two diabetes will be off medication as well, just to name a few.

However, this is a drastic surgery, not to be taken lightly. A section of stomach is sealed off to reduce the amount of food which can be eaten, resulting in weight loss. Many patients have follow up care which usually includes an overview of a healthy lifestyle. The post care touches on food choices, diet and exercise plans. Unfortunately many clinics neglect long term post care, however there are other ways of maintaining your healthy lifestyle.

Often people become obese because they do not understand what a healthy lifestyle is and why they eat so poorly. A healthy lifestyle is easy to learn all a patient has to do is visit with a dietitian and understand better choices. The hardest part is to put the tools into action and begin making a better choice. Learning why you eat so poorly is a whole other ball game. Some people eat when they are upset or depressed and some might simply be bored. Maybe there is a happy memory associated with food which makes you crave certain foods. Many have Gastric bypass surgery and are unsuccessful because they have not addressed all their issues with food, which requires help.

Maintenance care can come in many forms such as regular visits to dietitians, physicians and food counselors. However many post Gastric bypass patients choose to use hypnosis as maintenance care to the surgery. Hypnosis works with the mind by addressing problems or emotional blocks attached to food. Rarely does post care touch on the emotional bond a patient might have with eating and food. Hypnosis researches and finds out why food has become such an issue in your day to day life. Hypnosis is also perfect for combating cravings for favorite foods and replacing them with better healthier options such as exercise and health foods.

There are no limits when using hypnosis, as it deals with the mind making it very successful in those who are looking to lose weight or maintain weight loss. It works by helping you to see your memories, associations and feelings about food to improve in your life and choices. Some may feel counselor, dietitian and physician visits are the only way to insure a successful Gastric bypass surgery. Those visits should happen, but with hypnosis you gain a better understanding as to why you feel the way you do towards food and how you can regain control of your life and help make your Gastric bypass surgery the best it can be.

Losing weight is difficult enough without all the fad diets and gimmicks. Once you have made the decision to lose weight, be it with surgery or simply changing a few things, make sure you investigate all options for weight loss and find out what is best for you. If you do elect surgery, consider using hypnosis as a tool in addition to your arsenal again your battle with the bulge.

A quit smoking program using hypnosis should e fairly involved, and I’ll tell you why. Smoking is a habit that generally gets involved in many parts of your life. So it only makes sense that you need hypnosis to address all the different behaviors involved. Hmm, maybe not an uplifting thought for this first paragraph, but consider this: good quit smoking programs are already made, ready for you to obtain and use. The easier the better

You experience your smoking habit in unique ways. You know where you struggle with decisions to smoke or not the most. Your experience is unique and also common. (Yes, it can be both things.)

A modern hypnosis program addresses your problem areas directly. Using the knowledge of how they were formed in the first place. With a goal of removing the craving, urge, desire, whatever you call it. With the craving out of the way, you’re left with a simple decision to smoke or not. There is no mental arguement.

That’s nice, but there’s more to be done. Let’s use hypnosis to start new cravings, like for drinking water, exercise, and breathing fresh air. Let’s create an urge for relaxing distractions. Have things to do to fill-in the time you used to spend smoking. How many cigarettes did you smoke per day? How many minutes per cigarette? It adds-up, doesn’t it?

Stress that builds up might make your cravings stronger. Hypnosis helps with stress directly and indirectly.

Increasing your confidence would be nice to, right? A little hypnosis to build or re-build how you feel? In particular, building the confidence and belief that you CAN quit smoking this time, and feel great while you do it. (One of the ways we learn habits is repetition. I’m fairly certain this is not your first try to quit smoking. Did failing in previous attempts make a little doubt that it will work this time? Better use hypnosis with that also.)

Might as well use some hypnosis to strengthen healthy eating habits too. So you can rest easy that you’re not going to balloon while you stop smoking. Simply knowing you’ve covered this angle too should make you feel relaxed.

With all of that help in your corner, this time, to quit smoking will be a walk in the park. Which doesn’t sound so bad, does it?