The Impact of Self-Esteem on Health and Well-Being

The Impact of Self-Esteem     Self-esteem is intensely personal, in part because it says something about who we are and how we live our lives. There is not one aspect of life in which self-esteem does not contribute. Every choice, decision, and thought draws from an individual’s self-esteem. It is a determinant of positive affect or happiness, it negates how you view yourself and others; your work and social life; your physical, mental, and emotional health; how you cope with situations, challenges and stress; your social relationships, interactions, activities, and energy levels. For example, individuals who have a higher self-esteem, are more likely to secure job interviews, show superior performance and productivity, earn a higher salary, and are less likely to experience job burnout. Individuals become more likely to contribute positively to society, have high quality social relationships, receive greater social support, engage in social activities, and tend to have more fulfilling marriages. Greater self-esteem equates to fewer physical ailments, better health, positive self-perceptions, and a decreased likelihood to suffer from mental illnesses or conditions.     For these reasons, fostering the development of self-esteem is highly important in childhood and adolescence, a time of identity development and budding independence. Whether parent or teacher, sister or brother, it’s important to understand the role you play in the development of self-esteem in those who model after you, but most importantly in yourself. For it is from your self-perceptions and behaviors, regardless of positive or negative intent, that others come to develop their own. Therefore if you, the model, display aspects of low self-esteem, regardless of whether your insecurities are spoken, they are noticed. Finding your self-worth and value becomes a guide for your future decisions, life choices, and goals but also for those around you. Like charity, self-esteem starts in the home. If you would like to learn more about what you can do to positively foster the development of self-esteem, self-worth, and self-care sign up for our upcoming workshop: Fostering Self-Esteem for Parents & Adolescents on Tuesday October 25th at 7:30pm.  Check Out our Workshops, Retreats, Groups, Fitness Classes & Services Below! A Quick Energy Packed Snack Recipe  Baked and/or Lite Tortilla Chips (your choice) Shredded 2% Cheddar Cheese, 1/4 - 1/2 Cup per person Salsa (bottled and your choice of "Hotness") Sliced Black Olives (optional) Layer on a microwavable plate in the above order Microwave at half power (5) for 30 -45 seconds (time depends of microwave) Enjoy with a flavored bottle of water of choice Call or Visit Us Online for More Information or to Schedule an Appointment: (703) 255-7012 www.totalhealthconcepts.net UPCOMING EVENTS Fostering Self-Esteem for Parents & Adolescents Tuesday October 25, 2011 7:30-9:30 PM •Understand self-esteem and the role you play in fostering it’s development •Model a positive attitude, teach  independence, and self-worth

Insulin's Role in Weight Gain

Ever wonder about the connection between carbs, insulin, and weight gain? Here are some thoughts to consider:

After eating our body breaks down carbohydrates and other nutrients into blood sugar. This in turn stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin into the bloodstream to transport the blood sugar into our cells for energy. However, if we are overweight and/or consume too many simple carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice, cereal, crackers, soda, candy, etc.) our cells won't work as efficiently to allow the insulin and blood sugar in. In effect, the cells close and lock their doors! This action leads to elevated levels of blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The relationship to obesity is that insulin is a "fat storage" hormone, thereby storing more fat on our body, particularly around our midsection.

What can we do to prevent and/or reverse insulin resistance?
- Exercise cardiovascularly 20+ minutes daily. (It is fine to break this into small segments!)
- Cut back on carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, rice, cereal, sody, candy, sugar) and high fructose corn syrup in diet
- Focus on fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits -- at least 8 servings per day
- Incorporate dried beans and legumes into your daily diet
- Include lean protein at each meal/snack (organic beef, poultry, fish, eggs, whey protein)
- Incorporate healthy fat sources into your daily diet (olive oil, almonds, walnuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, cold water fish)
- Supplement your diet with a high-quality multivitamin plus 8-10 grams of Omega-3 fish oil for optimum cellular function and insulin/glucose sensitivity

A “Flexitarian” Writes a Food Diary - Well+Being (washingtonian.com)

A “Flexitarian” Writes a Food Diary - Well+Being (washingtonian.com)

Eating Out and On the Run

Let's face it, we're busy -- and often we don't have time to prepare meals at home. Don't let eating out stress you out. You can stay on your healthy plan by carefully reading menus, pre-planning your intake and using portion control. Here are some tips for eating out in restaurants:

- Think about where you will be eating. Pick a place with a varied menu. Select a fast-food restaurant with healthy choices. (Many have those these days!)

- If you are planning to have a large meal, bank calories. Cut back 100 calories each day several days before in preparation for having a big meal out.

- If a portion is too large, request a doggy bag. Learn to leave food on your plate instead of joining the "clean your plate" club.

- Order a la carte to have more control over what you eat.

- Ask the server to remove bread, chips, or nuts to avoid filling up before the meal is served.

- Start with a salad to curb your appetite.

- Beware of hidden calories in dressing, sauces and gravies. Ask for these items on the side. Use the "fork dip" method and dip your fork into the dressings and gravies rather than pouring them on your food.

- Leave the table while you are still ahead of the calorie game. Instead of a rich dessert, order a hot beverage or light dessert such as sherbet, frozen yogurt, angel cake, fresh fruit... or share a dessert with others.

- Tighten your belt or wear tighter-fitting pants to help make yourself aware when you have become full.

Most importantly, enjoy your meal! It is important to be able to fit "real life" into your healthy eating habits.

Thinking Styles

Although we may not even be aware of it, we all have a style of thinking -- a style that ultimately affects the way we view our world and ourselves. In general, we notice what is consistent with the way we think; if we think positively, we are more likely to notice positive things around and inside us, and if we think negatively, we are more likely to notice the negative things about ourselves and others. (Need proof? Think about how many things bother you when you're in a bad mood that otherwise seem like not such a big deal.)

Fortunately, we can alter our style of thinking.
Here are some examples of defeating and constructive thoughts about the same situation.

Defeating (All-or-nothing thinking): "I really messed that up! I'm never going to try that again!"
Constructive: "I didn't do that perfectly, but next time I'll know what to do differently."

Defeating (Disqualifying the positive): "Their compliments don't count; they're just trying to make me feel better and don't mean what they say."
Constructive: "I'm glad someone pointed that out to me."

Defeating (Mind reading): "I just know she's mad at me -- that's why she has that angry look on her face."
Constructive: "She looks upset. I think I'll ask her if anything is wrong."

Defeating (Should statement): "I should have done a better job."
Constructive: "I wish I'd done a better job, but I made a choice to focus energy on something else."

Defeating (Labeling): "I'm such a jerk for saying that."
Constructive: "That just popped out of my mouth! Next time I'll think before I speak."

With so many things in our lives that we can't control, it may be helpful to know that we do have an ability to change the way we think. Practice this skill and see how you feel about yourself.

Improve Your Relationships With Yourself and Others

GIVE YOUR SKILLS A BOOST!


Empowerment and Self-Discovery

Do you have difficulty identify and expressing what you need?
Do you put other people’s need ahead of your own?
Do you worry that others have negative thoughts about you?
Do you love yourself and accept who you are?

With our professional guidance, you can learn tools for:

• Identifying and reconnecting to your true self
• Discovering strengths and building confidence and self-esteem
• Renewing commitment to self
• Challenging resistance to change
• Overcoming obstacles to proper self-care



Relationship Enhancement

Do you have trouble expressing what you really want to your partner?
Does one or both of you feel there is no hope for your relationship?
Do you want a better connection and more intimacy with your partner?

You can learn new techniques to become more effective with:

• Reconnecting to your partner
• Enhancing intimacy
• Increasing sexual satisfaction
• Building trust and commitment
• Fostering healthy communication and resolving conflicts

 
For information on these programs or others presently in plcae, contact us at 703-255-7012 or info@totalhealthconcepts.net.

The Power of Assertiveness

Do you feel frustrated when trying to communicate with others? Chances are you feel too passive (because you don't acknowledge your own needs) or you are too aggressive (if you "blow up" when trying to get your point across). Communicating effectively is a skill that you can learn, and it can replace your need to attack, put up defenses, or put your own needs last.

To communicate so that others can hear you, use the Assertiveness Method to spell out what you need.

Begin with "When you..." (This statement does not confront the person, but rather their actions)

Next, say "I feel...." (People are more likely to listen to your feelings than your attacks)

End with, "I need..." (This is not an accusation, but a statement of your desires).

Other tips:
*Use eye contact. Do not shut yourself or anyone else out. Eye contact means truthfulness and a willingnes to share. It also means strength.

*Speak from your body center, where your feelings originate. Do not speak form the head. Find resonance and strength -- your true voice.

It may be helpful to role play this exercise using a situation that did not turn out successfuly in the past.

Cultivating The "Try, Try Again" Attitude

Have you ever eaten a few pieces of candy (a bag of chips, a few cookies, insert your food here) and figured that since you'd already been "bad," you could eat whatever you wanted for the rest of the day?  Do you give up as soon as you've made one mistake? If so, it is important to nuture a "try, try again" attitude.

Think about it: Great sports stars and artists make literally thousands of mistakes on the way to perfecting their sport or art. Would a ballerina give up dancing because she fell while learning a new ballet? Certainly not! She would get up and try again immediately -- fully confident in her ability to learn the dance eventually.

Similarly, making a few choices that are not healthy for your body doesn't mean you will never lose weight. Making mistakes is part of learning a new habit, which includes learning new eating habits. The proper resonse to backsliding is to first learn from the experience, and second to try again. This new response takes a change in attitude from "All or nothing" to "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"

The truth is, if you want your behavior to change, your attitude must come first. All of us are born with the "try, try again" attitude. Just think of the number of times we fell while learning to walk, or the hours of funny sounds we made as we struggled to acquire language... or even later in life, consider the perserverance we showed when learning to ride a bike. We learned these skill and perform them effortlessly now because they have become a habit. If you want to make healthy eating a habit, remember to try, try again.

Take a Deep Breath!

Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean that the stress in your life is gone. Unfortunately, very few of us take the time to manage the stress effectively. While we might tell ourselves to "take a deep breath," we may never listen that that advice! In reality, deep breathing is a quick, effective way to relieve stress.
Deep breathing is the process of inhaling and exhaling with long and steady breaths. When inhaling, fill your lungs to capacity to move your diagphram and let the exhaled air escape through your motugh. Intersperse each long breath with 5-10 normal breaths. Remember to inhale to take in energy and exhale to release tension and anxiety.

What to do:

1. Loosen any tight clothing.

2. Lie on a firm carpet or mattress with your knees bent.
3. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly and rhythmically throughout the exercise.

4. Inhale, slightly deeper than your regular breath for 4-5 seconds. You're inhaling energy!

5. Exhale slowly and purge the tension and anxiety from your body. Then relax.

6. Exhale completely.

Practice deep breathing at elast 3-5 times daily, preferably i nthe morning, afternoon and evening, as well as during stressful periods.