Light therapy is an innovative way of treating many skin coditions, and is gaining much popularity in recent years. So what is light therapy and what are the benefits of using light therapy?

- Light therapy is a non-invasive methodology that may kill acne-causing bacteria.

- shortage of light, as well as the grey air of winter, can trigger depression.

- Light therapy can treat depression anomalies by giving patients numerous amounts of light, awakening the brain into believing the less grey seasons of summer and spring have come.

- Light therapy lamp emitted light can work into the body’s sleep rhythm, or circadian rhythm. Analysis shows that our sleep habits are ruled by light, and light therapy exploits this fact by giving patients varying amounts of light at chosen times of the day. This keeps patients from taking tranquilizers to get a good night’s sleep. It may also deaden the agony of jetlag for frequent travelers.

- If you are miles away from the beach, but still need to get a tan, you can go to a licensed tanning shop for UV light therapy.

- Light therapy can be done at home, with special light boxes. Though expensive, rising demand can lower the costs of such light boxes. If you fear needles and knifes, but wish to get cured and improve, then light therapy may be the answer you’re looking for.

Light boxes are metal systems that hold white fluorescent bulbs behind diffusers placed on them ; the look of the light treatment boxes is such the bulbs are leaned forward as a strategy of making sure the emitted light will be directed down. This is done as a technique of allowing more light to get into the eyes. Finding the best light boxes is of urgent signification if you’re to triumph over the difficulty of Seasonal Affective Disorder ( Sorrowful ) which is newly identified medical disorder that’s characterized by varied winter symptoms which enroll the fall as well as the gain of weight in winter.

There are a wide range of choices of executive gifts available in the market, but what is hard is to choose which gifts will suit their classy personality. When you are planning to give a special executive present to him or her, it should suit your gift recipient’s taste and lifestyle, or else both of you will get upset.

Executive gifts can be given to loyal employees, long standing clients, your boss, colleagues or even someone who likes the idea of being executive-oriented. Executive gifts are a good way of showing them appreciation, thanks, and recognition. If you’re not so good in picking out executive gifts for him or her, here’s a list of products that you might want to check out:

Quality Desk Accessories Gifts

Instead of novelty executive gifts, unique executive gifts for him or her can come in the form of interesting and unusual quality desk accessories that best suit their executive or corporate lifestyles or complete their elegant office ambiance.

For fun desk accessories, you can consider to accentuate your gift recipients’ office and desk with hynotic jellyfish aquarium or self sustaining ecosphere. They are unusual fun gift ideas for executive office. Busy executives who have hectic work schedule and little time to maintain a typical aquarium would love these fun desk accessories gifts.

Cool desk accessories gift ideas for home office? What about practical desk top accessories like the desktop light therapy box, personal ultrasonic humidifier or desktop air purifier? These gifts are suitable for executives who have little time to maintain clean and healthy air zone for their work space.

You can also find many interesting and unusual gifts for mobile office. Busy executive on-the-move will appreciate unusual cool gadgets or portable electronics that give them lots of mobility, improve their work efficiency or reduce their work stress and anxiety level.

Personalized Fashion Jewelry Gifts

Consider giving engravable jewelry. Personalized jewelry in modern and contemporary style are great fashion accessories gifts for any executive men or women.

Even without personalizing fine jewelry, they are beautiful and elegant enough to be given away as gifts for him or her. But if you are looking for unique executive gifts for office staffs or unusual birthday gifts for co-workers, men’s engravable jewelry or women’s engravable jewelry is one of the top gift ideas they will truly appreciate.

Once the jewelry is personalized with their names, initials or monograms by experienced engravers, it gives them great pride in wearing them for work. These engravable jewelry and accessories gifts are likely to add lots of charm, style and elegance to their executive look and will certainly be treasured for a long time too.

Executive Retirement Gifts

Personalization is the key for executive retirement gifts. Instead of traditional keepsakes with their name and company logo, there are many creative ways to personalize executive retirement gifts that can remind them of their special contributions to the organisation.

Giving retiring executives custom photo collage jigsaw puzzles using a collection of photos that best captures all the special memories of his working life is an interesting and unusual gift ideas that will create lots of fun and surprises for him or her. You can customise the size of jigsaw puzzles and the number of pieces up to 1,500 and it takes only 3 easy steps to create personalized jigsaw puzzles of high quality and any retiring executive will enjoy solving the puzzle image as attached to the top of the puzzle box and frame them up proudly as wall decor.

Acupuncture for anxiety

Further information available on Acupuncture for depression

Depression can affect up to about 16% of the population of the United States, sometimes in a milder, sometimes in a more acute form different forms. Treatment is usually necessary in order to help the individual cope with ordinary life. Do you want to know why anxiety and depression can be healed with acupuncture? Do you know how a more active life can heal Seasonal Affective Disorder? If so please keep reading.

‘Tis The Season For SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). If you or someone you know has been feeling moody, tired, depressed, anxious, and has the autumn blahs or winter blues, you or they could be experiencing SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). SAD is a type of anxiety, sadness or depression that occurs at the same time of the year on a recurring basis. Symptoms often begin in the fall as the daylight hours shorten (often in October or November) and continue into the winter months (ending in January or February). Less frequently, SAD can be experienced by some in the spring with the lengthening of daylight hours (around April) and continues through the summer.

Symptoms of Fall/Winter SAD may include the following:
- Feeling depressed, sad, anxious, moody, lacking energy
- Sleeping more and still feeling tired
- Loss of interest in usual activities
- Craving for carbohydrates like pasta and bread
- Weight gain or loss
- Difficulty concentrating and processing information at work or school

Way to Control Your Panic Attacks

Stress and anxiety can be found in just about any person. Many people experience stress and anxiety so great that they can’t do their day to day activities. There are some symptoms for daily panic attack such as trembling, dizziness, breathing problems, and stomach pain. There are lots of people that go to the emergency room because they think that they are having a heart attack. Indeed these are very scary symptoms but they however are not life threatening at all.

To help yourself in gaining control over your panic attacks you need to first recognize what the triggers are of the panic attacks. If you happen to do this then it will give you time to deal with them.

There are some relaxation methods that may help with staying focused and calm. Yoga, meditation, and some breathing techniques can help. When you have a panic attack you react out of proportion and out of reality. If breathing methods are practised you could remain calm and in focus, helping you stop a panic attack before it starts.

Diet pills, coffee, tea, soda and other intake of caffeine needs to be avoided at all means. Panic attacks are triggered from the central nervous system and caffeine stimulates it.

Factors that may be related to SAD:

- Your biological clock (circadian rhythm). Having less sunlight in fall and winter may confuse your body’s internal clock, which signals when you should be awake or asleep. This disruption of your circadian rhythm may lead to feelings of depression.

- Melatonin levels. The change in season can disrupt the balance of the natural

hormone melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.

- Serotonin levels. Reduced levels of sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood. Too little serotonin can cause depression and anxiety.

Risk factors that may increase your risk of SAD include:

- Being female. Some studies show that SAD is diagnosed more often in women than in men, but that men may have more severe symptoms.

- Living far from the equator. SAD appears to be more common among people who live far north or south of the equator. This may be due to decreased sunlight during the winter and the longer days of summer.

- Family history/environment. Depression and anxiety syndromes (including SAD) can run in families. Genetics is believed to play a role in some and environmental factors also can be a huge factor. During fall and winter months there are more family gatherings due to holidays (Thanksgiving, Hanukah, and Christmas) and severe weather can cause more confinement of families indoors for extended periods of time. Family can be supportive and positive- or some family members can be negative and draining (Energy Vampires). We can buy into the negative energy of the people around us; or we can choose to transform the negativity and rise above it (this is what our Shift book series SHIFT: 12 Keys to Shift Your Life and Shift: A Woman’s Guide to Transformation was designed to assist with).

Exercise needs to be a ritual. Exercise will release endorphins into your blood stream. These are hormones that help you reach an euphoric feeling, at also can be called a “runners high.” Consistent exercise will help you stay focused, and also relaxed.

Hopefully with using these methods of ways to control your panic attacks you will be able to gain some sort of control over them.

Treatments for SAD:
1. Exercises For The Mind and Body:
Move! Walk, run, bike, or go to the gym. Practice yoga, tai chi, or qigong. Dance around the room in figure 8′s, and/or wave your arms and move your hips in figure 8′s. Do the ’3 Thumps’ every morning. Use EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) to tap for your symptoms of sadness or anxiety (watch our free EFT demonstration video if you need a refresher in the procedure or tapping points). Meditate or use guided imagery (our guided meditation CDs are designed to assist) to diminish sense of abandonment, powerlessness, feeling unlovable, fear of the unknown, heartache, guilt, shame, anger or resentment. Any physical activity should help move your energy (externally and internally) and the more often you get off the sofa or chair the better. Massage therapy or acupuncture to free stuck or excess energy in your meridians can also be helpful.

2. Light therapy:
In light therapy, also called phototherapy, you either go outside during bright daylight hours or sit a few feet from a specialized light therapy box or full spectrum plant light, so that you’re exposed to bright light that mimics sunlight. Artificial light therapy mimics outdoor light (must include a full spectrum of light) and appears to cause a change in brain chemicals linked to mood by stimulating the pineal gland. This treatment is easy to use and seems to have few side effects. Dawn simulation is another light treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.
Certain hardware stores such as Lowes or Home Depot have full light spectrum lamps in the garden section. You don’t have to spend a fortune… to feel or see the light.

3. Medications:

Some people with seasonal affective disorder benefit from treatment with antidepressants, especially if symptoms are severe. They include:

- Serotonin Specific Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Antidepressants. Antidepressants commonly used to treat seasonal affective disorder include paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), (Luvox), citalopram (Celexa), and escitalopram (Lexapro). SSRI medications address the symptoms of depression and anxiety with associated insomnia, excessive worry, and decreased appetite.

- Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (NRI) Antidepressants (Bupropion). An extended-release version of the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin SR or XL) may help prevent depressive episodes in people with a history of seasonal affective disorder. NRI medication is helpful for depressive symptoms with associated low energy level, poor motivation, and increased sleep.

- Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake (SNRI) Antidepressants. Medications in this class include venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR), (Cymbalta), and (Pristiq). SNRI medications address the symptoms of depression and anxiety with associated excessive worry, low energy level, and poor motivation.

4. Counseling:
Counseling (individual, marital or family) is another option to treat SAD. Psychotherapy (cognitive behavioral, insight-oriented, brief solution-oriented) can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that may be contributing to depression or anxiety. You can also learn healthy ways to cope with SAD and manage stress.

5. Nutritional and dietary supplements used to treat mild depression/anxiety or poor concentration/focus symptoms of SAD include:

- St. John’s wort. This herb has traditionally been used to treat mild depression and anxiety. Be sure you are taking a pharmaceutical grade and that it does not conflict with medications you may be taking.

- SAMe. This is a synthetic form of a chemical that occurs naturally in the body. SAMe hasn’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression in the United States. However, it is used in Europe as a prescription drug to treat depression.

- Melatonin. This natural hormone helps regulate mood. A change in the season may change the level of melatonin in your body. Some people try taking melatonin supplements, but discuss this with your health care provider first before doing so as it may be contraindicated with certain medications.

- Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have been shown to relieve mild depression or anxiety symptoms in some studies. Sources of omega-3s include fatty, cold-water fish, such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Flaxseed, flax oil and walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, and small amounts are found in soybean and canola oils.

- Huperzine. Huperzine-A is a plant alkaloid derived from the Chinese club moss plant, Huperzia serrata (a member of the Lycopodium species). In China, huperzine extract has been used for centuries to treat various ailments such as swelling, fever and blood disorders. During the past few years, Huperzine has been studied extensively for its potential in treating dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease. By reducing the activity of acetylcholinesterase, Huperzine A may help to reduce the breakdown of acetylcholine and may help preserve or even restore memory. While recent studies have shown that taking Huperzine A may help to relieve dementia symptoms and appears to enhance general mental functioning (poor concentration and focus) when it was taken consistently for as little as one month; more research is needed before Huperzine A can be recommended for either dementia or general memory improvement.

Additional tools and techniques (specific meditations, energy medicine techniques, qigong exercises, stress reduction tips, etc) for transforming SAD or other obstacles, situations or circumstances which might be causing you to feel ‘stuck’ can be found in our latest best-selling book titled Shift: A Woman’s Guide to Transformation by Tracy Latz, M.D. and Marion Ross, Ph.D. (available on Amazon). In short, you do not have to silently suffer with SAD. It is important to know that SAD is a real, defined issue for a large number of people and that professional help is available and should be consulted if you become suicidal or consistently feel that life is not worth living. Severe depression should be taken seriously as it can be a life-threatening illness. Help is available if you find your self in a deep dark hole from which you cannot escape- contact your primary care physician, local mental health center, local hospital, therapist, psychiatrist, or pastoral counselor for further assistance.

High blood pressure also termed as “hypertension”. Isn’t its amazing that this severe ailment can be treated with the help of infrared light therapy? Recently studies have been conducted to prove this. The results have shown the individuals who suffer from the high blood pressure can reap the benefit from the stimulation of light therapy. This light therapy is based on the famous infrared technology.

The high blood pressure can stimulate various other health related issues, some of which may be life threatening. The examples of such life threatening issues are heart strokes and heart attacks. If you also suffer from high blood pressure problem, it is important for you to know different treatment options available for your problem. One latest studied option is infrared light therapy.

When somebody suffers from hypertension it means the force with which the blood is being circulated throughout the body is higher against the walls of vessels. The heart of the person that is suffering from high blood pressure has to work much harder, so the blood can be properly circulated throughout the body.

There are different causes that results in hypertension. It can be caused because of the high-level of stress, excessive smoking, being overweight, increased alcohol consumption, genetics, physical inactivity and many other medical conditions. Infrared light therapy is a treatment that lightens the effects of elevated blood pressure.

The light therapy for the increased levels of blood pressure helps in such a way that circulation to different parts of the body is increased. Because of this increased circulation the heart do not have to work harder any more to pump the blood to make it reach appropriately to all the body parts.

There are number of people who have successfully recovered from the high blood pressure issue by using this treatment of infrared light therapy. Infrared therapy is one of the safest ways of curing from high blood pressure. Now you can get advantage from this therapy. It is the safest and most effective mean of bringing the blood pressure to normal. Different medical facilities are available that offer infrared light therapy boxes.

Light, like every other thing in this world, is meant for a purpose; not only is it the indirect source of providing essential nutrients to our body but has also been researched to be a major factor affecting our mental well-being. Human moods are said to be very well influenced by the impact of sunlight. The glee on every other person’s face on a bright sunny day after prolonged cold days is no surprise. It comes in naturally and has been the subject of study by many medical practitioners since ages.

Light deprivation is usually experienced by people living in areas where the nights are longer and colder than the days. Statistics show that as much as 10% of the population in the north show symptoms of lethargy or lassitude due to the lack of exposure to sunlight. Moreover it has also been found out that women as compared to men are more likely to get affected by almost a 3:1 ratio1. When at a milder stage, light deprivation can be termed as ”Winter Blues”; a condition that results in restrained energy levels, depression and slower reflex actions. Not that the list ends over here, but the incremented cravings for sweet and carbohydrate rich foods makes the patient put on weight, hence adding up to the complexities. A more pronounced form of the just mentioned condition is what we term as Seasonal Affective Disorder aka SAD. With double the level of depression, it is usually accompanied by lack of concentration and even memory loss!

But as the adage goes, ”Necessity is the mother of invention”; there arose the need of producing artificial light, as much effective as the full spectrum sunlight, to serve people being deprived of the natural blessing and useful light boxes came into being! What a light box or more specifically a light therapy box does is that it mimics outdoor sunlight in a way that it contains high output fluorescent bulbs, shielded by a filter that acts as a UV light protector. The light box is then positioned carefully so that it is tilted and placed a little above your eyes, minimizing any unpleasant glare. The patient is then exposed to this artificial light for a time duration that depends on the demand and lifestyle of the affected person. Usually for a beginner, a 15-20 minutes’ exposure is said to be enough, however the span may be extended when needed.

Light from a light box when hits the retina in the eye, gives the brain a stimulus to release certain ”active hormones” that bring about a biochemical change in the body lifting your mood and reducing the symptoms of SAD. Not only does light therapy aid in resolving core SAD issues, it improvises one’s wake-sleep cycle as well. This add-on benefit has its’ roots lying in the research made by scientists that SAD is related to an imbalance in the body’s natural circadian rhythms or the body’s inner clock. The latter term is responsible for governing the timing of our sleep. Hence when we repeatedly try to sleep out of sync with our circadian rhythm, depression occurs; a continued condition like this might even lead to SAD. Light therapy, however, alleviates every affected person of such prevailing conditions.

To sum up, Light therapy is a simple, effective and medically recognized way to beat these symptoms and live a normal, healthy life.

Reference

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