Laughter Really Is The Best Medicine

Laughter reduces pain, increases job performance, connects people emotionally, and improves the flow of oxygen to the heart and brain.

Laughter, it's said, is the best medicine. And there's lots of evidence that laughter does lots of good things for us.

It reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.

It reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and nondiabetics alike.

It improves your job performance, especially if your work depends on creativity and solving complex problems. Its role in intimate relationships is vastly underestimated and it really is the glue of good marriages. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.

Laughter establishes -- or restores -- a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between two people, In fact, some researchers believe that the major function of laughter is to bring people together. And all the health benefits of laughter may simply result from the social support that laughter stimulates.

Now comes hard new evidence that laughter helps your blood vessels function better. It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, it's good for your heart and brain, two organs that require the steady flow of oxygen carried in the blood.

At this year's meeting of the American College of Cardiology, Michael Miller, M.D., of the University of Maryland reported that in a study of 20 healthy people, provoking laughter did as much good for their arteries as aerobic activity. He doesn't recommend that you laugh and not exercise. But he does advise that you try to laugh on a regular basis. The endothelium, he explains, regulates blood flow and adjusts the propensity of blood to coagulate and clot. In addition, it secretes assorted chemicals in response to wounds, infection or irritation. It also plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease.

"The endothelium is the first line in the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries," said Dr. Miller. "So given the results of our study, it is conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium. And reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."
At the very least, he adds, "laughter offsets the impact of mental stress, which is harmful to the endothelium."

The researcher can't say for sure exactly how laughter delivers its heart benefit. It could come from the vigorous movement of the diaphragm muscles as you chuckle or guffaw. Alternatively, or additionally, laughter might trigger the release in the brain of such hormones as endorphins that have an effect on arteries.

It's also possible that laughter boosts levels of nitric oxide in artery walls. Nitric oxide is known

to play a role in the dilation of the endothelium. "Perhaps mental stress leads to a breakdown in nitric oxide or inhibits a stimulus to produce nitric oxide that results in vasoconstriction."

Dr. Miller offers a simple prescription that won't bankrupt you and could save your life. "Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system," he says.

Psyched for Success, April 5, 2005Last Reviewed 21 Jun 2005Article ID: 3726

How To Handle Holiday Stress

Welcome to the holiday season -- that whirlwind of gift-giving holidays, marketing blitzes, holiday parties and activities galore that begins right after Halloween, builds to Thanksgiving, and continues, gaining momentum, through the end of the year.

While this season is meant to bring feelings of love and cheer, it’s also the harbinger of holiday stress for many. In fact, according to a poll conducted on this site, more than 80% of us find the holiday season to be ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ stressful -- that ranks navigating the holidays right up there with asking for a raise! What is it that has us all so hot and bothered?

What Causes Holiday Stress?
· Doing Too MuchAll things in moderation, as the saying goes. The problem with the holiday season is that we often experience too much of a good thing. While stress itself is necessary for our survival and zest for life (researchers call this positive type of stress "eustress"), too much stress has a negative impact on our health, both mental and physical. Too many activities, even if they are fun activities, can culminate in too much holiday stress and leave us feeling frazzled, rather than fulfilled.

· Eating, Drinking and Spending Too MuchAn overabundance of parties and gift-giving occasions lead many people to eat, drink, and be merry -- often to excess. The temptation to overindulge in spending, rich desserts or alcohol can cause many people the lasting stress of dealing with consequences (debt, weight gain, memories of embarrassing behavior) that can linger long after the season is over.

· Too Much TogethernessThe holidays are a time when extended families tend to gather. While this can be a wonderful thing, even the most close-knit families can overdose on togetherness, making it hard for family members to maintain a healthy balance between bonding and alone time. Many families also have ‘roles’ that each member falls into that have more to do with who individuals used to be rather than who they are today, which can sometimes bring more dread than love to these gatherings.

· Not Enough TogethernessFor those who don’t have these family issues, loneliness can be just as much of a problem. As the world seems to be gathering with family, those who rely more on friends for support can feel deserted and alone.

· Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)An often unrecognized problem that comes with the holiday season is actually a by-product of the seasons changing from fall to winter. As daylight diminishes and the weather causes many of us to spend more time indoors, many people are affected to some degree by a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder. It’s a subtle, but very real condition that can cast a pall over the whole season and be a source of stress and unhappiness during a time that people expect to feel just the opposite.
Minimizing The Holiday Stress

The great thing about holiday stress is that it’s predictable. Unlike many other types of negative stress we encounter in life, we know when holiday stress will begin and end, and we can make plans to reduce the amount of stress we experience and the negative impact it has on us.

Here are some tips you can try to help reduce holiday stress before it begins so that it remains at a positive level, rather than an overwhelming one:

· Set Your PrioritiesBefore you get overwhelmed by too many activities, it’s important to decide what traditions offer the most positive impact and eliminate superfluous activities. For example, if you usually become overwhelmed by a flurry of baking, caroling, shopping, sending cards, visiting relatives and other activities that leave you exhausted by January, you may want to examine your priorities, pick a few favorite activities and really enjoy them, while skipping the rest.

· Cut CornersIf you can’t fathom the idea of skipping out on sending cards, baking, seeing people, and doing all of the stuff that usually runs you ragged, you may do better including all of these activities in your schedule, but on a smaller scale.

Send cards, for example, but only to those with whom you maintain regular communication. Or, don’t include a personal note or letter in each one. Find a way to simplify. The same goes for the baking -- will anyone be enraged if you buy baked goods from the bakery instead? If you find ways to cut corners or tone down the activities that are important to you and your family, you may enjoy them much more.

· Change Your Expectations For Togetherness With family and friends, it’s important to be aware of your limitations. Think back to previous years and try to pinpoint how much togetherness you and your family can take before feeling negative stress. Can you limit the number of parties you attend or throw, or the time you spend at each? Can you limit your time with family to a smaller timeframe that will still feel special and joyous, without draining you?
Also, when dealing with difficult relatives, it’s okay to set limits on what you are and are not willing to do, including forgoing your visits or limiting them to every other year.
For those who experience loneliness during the holidays, consider inviting a group of friends to your home. If virtually everyone you know is with family during the holidays, you might consider volunteering to help those less fortunate than yourself. Many people report these experiences to be extremely fulfilling, and your focus will be on what you have rather than what you lack.

· Set A SchedulePutting your plans on paper can show you, in black and white, how realistic they are. If you find a time management planner and fill in the hours with your scheduled activities, being realistic and including driving time and down time, you will be able to see if you’re trying to pack in too much. Start with your highest priorities, so you will be able to eliminate the less important activities. Be sure to schedule in some time to take a walk in nature each day if at all possible, as exercise and exposure to daylight can drastically reduce or even eliminate the symptoms of SAD. (If climate or other factors prohibit this, try to find some time to sit by a window and look out; several minutes of exposure to natural light, even if through a window pane, can help.)

· Breathe!This sounds like a no-brainer, but sometimes we forget to take deep breaths and really give our bodies the oxygen we need. It's great if you can take ten minutes by yourself to do a breathing meditation, but merely stopping to take a few deep, cleansing breaths can reduce your level of negative stress in a matter of minutes, too. If you visualize that you are breathing in serenity and breathing out stress, you will find the positive effects of this exercise to be even more pronounced.

With a little planning and a few minor but significant changes, this holiday season can bring the love and joy it was meant to bring, and leave you feeling fulfilled rather than drained.
Source: American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 1994.

Males Suicides Are On The Rise In These Troubled Times

John Kevin Hines had been pacing on the Golden Gate Bridge for 40 minutes in anguish, crying. If one person asks me what's wrong, I won't go through with this, he thought, over and over.

Eventually, a woman wearing giant sunglasses approached him. "Would you take my picture?" she asked. The 19-year-old accepted the camera from her and clicked it five times. Then he snapped. The moment Hines released his hold on the 4-foot-high railing, he regained his grip on reality.

During the 4 seconds between jump and splashdown, he could think clearly. All the problems that had made him want to die moments earlier? Those seemed less overwhelming than a 220-foot plunge into San Francisco Bay. Oh, my God, I don't want to die, he thought. What have I done? God, please, save me. It's a prayer seldom answered. Since the bridge opened in 1937, someone has jumped from it every 2 weeks on average. Out of roughly 2,000 attempts, only 28 "failed."

The psychologist Edwin S. Shneidman, Ph.D., a pioneer in suicide research, once said that it's a bad idea to kill yourself when you're feeling suicidal. That's no joke: You're not solving problems well. You're unable to step outside your troubled mind. And those things make you a very, very dangerous man. Realization of the risk comes too late for many, from bottom-rung stragglers to men whose lives and achievements seem worthy of celebration, not self-termination.

Their final act perplexes family and friends. It saddens them, sickens them, and even angers them. And in the end, it worries the rest of us, too. Because any of us could be walking that bridge one day. The numbers are so gut-churning, it's like looking over a bridge railing. Nearly 26,000 men took their own lives in 2005. That's nearly four times the number of women who did the same thing, even though three times more women than men attempt suicide. (For every completed suicide by a man or woman, 25 attempts fail.)

Whereas a woman might swallow pills halfheartedly, a man is four times more likely to complete the act, mostly because men tend to use guns — and their aim is true. As grim as that sounds, it gets worse. Mark S. Kaplan, Dr.P.H. who researches suicide at Oregon's Portland State University, believes the suicide death toll may be up to 25 percent higher than officially recorded. Many single-car accidents seem mysterious. When an overdose occurs and toxicology results are ambiguous, as in the case of Heath Ledger, was it a tragic accident or an exit strategy? Some medical examiners will certify a death as suicide only if the victim leaves a note, and yet only about 20 percent of people who kill themselves do so. Sometimes insurance companies pay the survivors less or nothing at all, in cases of suicide. The denial of friends and family is a factor, too: It's less painful to think a loved one didn't die by his or her own hand.

This is what stress will do. It will make you commit suicide. Some people just can’t handle it.

They just can’t seem to get a grip on life and all its problems.

They don’t realize they have a sense of humor that can actually save them. That can make them realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope.

When you laugh it off, it’s so much easier to handle.

All this stress is brought on by the government. That’s right, the smartest minds in America have created this mess that our country is in, but you don’t hear of them committing suicide, do you? No of course not. And you shouldn’t either.

When the going gets tough, the tough start laughing.

Things will get better. They can’t get any worse. You aren’t the only one who is going through this. We all are. Even the rich are feeling the pinch.

Just laugh it off and don’t worry about it. All worrying does is create stress and drives you to do something stupid, like kill yourself.

Believe me, the world is a better place with you in it. Remember that.

Laughter Is The Best Medicine

Laughter reduces pain, increases job performance, connects people emotionally, and improves the flow of oxygen to the heart and brain.

Laughter, it's said, is the best medicine. And there's lots of evidence that laughter does lots of good things for us.

It reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort.

It reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and nondiabetics alike.

It improves your job performance, especially if your work depends on creativity and solving complex problems. Its role in intimate relationships is vastly underestimated and it really is the glue of good marriages. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.

Laughter establishes -- or restores -- a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between two people, In fact, some researchers believe that the major function of laughter is to bring people together. And all the health benefits of laughter may simply result from the social support that laughter stimulates.

Now comes hard new evidence that laughter helps your blood vessels function better. It acts on the inner lining of blood vessels, called the endothelium, causing vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow. In other words, it's good for your heart and brain, two organs that require the steady flow of oxygen carried in the blood.

At this year's meeting of the American College of Cardiology, Michael Miller, M.D., of the University of Maryland reported that in a study of 20 healthy people, provoking laughter did as much good for their arteries as aerobic activity. He doesn't recommend that you laugh and not exercise. But he does advise that you try to laugh on a regular basis. The endothelium, he explains, regulates blood flow and adjusts the propensity of blood to coagulate and clot. In addition, it secretes assorted chemicals in response to wounds, infection or irritation. It also plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease.

"The endothelium is the first line in the development of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries," said Dr. Miller. "So given the results of our study, it is conceivable that laughing may be important to maintain a healthy endothelium. And reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease."
At the very least, he adds, "laughter offsets the impact of mental stress, which is harmful to the endothelium."

The researcher can't say for sure exactly how laughter delivers its heart benefit. It could come from the vigorous movement of the diaphragm muscles as you chuckle or guffaw. Alternatively, or additionally, laughter might trigger the release in the brain of such hormones as endorphins that have an effect on arteries.

It's also possible that laughter boosts levels of nitric oxide in artery walls. Nitric oxide is known to play a role in the dilation of the endothelium. "Perhaps mental stress leads to a breakdown in nitric oxide or inhibits a stimulus to produce nitric oxide that results in vasoconstriction."

Dr. Miller offers a simple prescription that won't bankrupt you and could save your life. "Thirty minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of laughter on a daily basis is probably good for the vascular system," he says.

Psyched for Success, April 5, 2005Last Reviewed 21 Jun 2005Article ID: 3726

The Effect of Groucho Marx Glasses on Depression

A confession: I was a network situation comedy writer who decided to get mymasters in psychology. I was making retribution for my sins.

It was a startling contrast going from studio lots where people worked at finding laughs to a profession where the mandatory operating equipment includes a box of Kleenex.

Since one of my key survival mechanisms in life is laughing, I asked my teachers if I could use humor with my clients. Their response: "Be very cautious." Only last year, the American Psychoanalytic Association held that humor was "inappropriate" to their mission, but lately, cracks in the wall have begun to appear. A recent article in the American Psychological Association Monitor described a "mirthful consultant" who helped psychologists brighten patients' lives using stuffed bears and scarf juggling. Other articles in magazines such as Humor and Health have shown that mirth can lower stress and help strengthen the immune system.

The diagnosis is that mirth is good for psychologists and their clients. Organizations have been formed, businesses incorporated and conventions held. I can hardly wait to see the scientific presentations: "The Effect of Groucho Marx Glasses on Depression" or "The Impact of Different-Size Whoopee Cushions in Clinical Settings." Can it be long before we are blessed with specialists called mirthologists?

Hopefully this new attitude will be reflected in graduate training programs. The only humor I recall was strictly unintentional. For example, one of my teachers was named Dr. Looney. She pronounced it loon-ay, but that just made it funnier. I envisioned her marrying a man named Tunes and becoming Dr. Loon-ay-Tunes.

Irony abounded. The man who ran the program wrote a textbook with touching humanistic tributes but barked at his students like a Marine Corps drill sergeant: "You're being insensitive! You keep acting like that and you're out of here!"

Sometimes I felt like I was in a situation comedy. As part of a class project, a test completed by my best friend in the program indicated she had lesbian tendencies. Should I tell her? What were the right words? "You're closed off at times and by the way--you might be gay." To my surprise, she said she'd never seriously considered it, but relationships with guys weren't going all that well. Last time we talked, she was living happily with another woman.

I understand that psychology has had to be somber to be taken seriously--getting people to pay to talk with you is not an easy sell. But it's time to stop acting like we're in a French movie where everybody is so serious you want to scream at the screen. I'm not suggesting that psychological training include classes in clowning and stand up comedy, but loosening up a little could help therapists and their clients. Therapy is a relationship, and enjoying a spontaneous humorous moment together can establish rapport and offer insights. Humor is idiosyncratic, a child of the moment we can all use more of in our lives. After all, how many clients have gone to a psychologist because they were laughing too much?

Adapted by Ph.D. Steven Pritzker, Ph.D., is PT's humor editor. He has written for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Love Boat and Maude, and is co-editor of the new Encyclopedia of Creativity (Academic Press, 1999).

Therapy: The Laugh Track

Every Monday evening about 10 people gather at Better Health Chiropractic in New York City to laugh. About absolutely nothing.

The group is one of approximately 2,500 "laughter clubs" that have sprouted around the globe since the mid-'90s, when Indian physician Madan Kataria founded the first club in a Bombay park. Each club follows the same curriculum: Members stand in a circle while a certified instructor leads the group in some 20 different laughs.

One prescribed chuckle is the "broken vase" laugh. The leader pretends to drop an imaginary vase on he floor and then lets out a distinctive snicker. The group then performs the exercise together.

The point, says Kataria, is to "laugh without reason," which he believes is good for one's health. In the clubs, humor plays little role in initiating the laughter, although participants report that watching another person giggle is in itself pretty funny.

Today, laughter clubs can be found at U.S. elementary schools, churches, hospitals and military bases, although no studies have been performed to test whether forced laughter is effective.
Robert Provine, a neuroscientist at the University of Maryland who has studied laughter for more than a decade, has found that laughter is produced 30 times more often in social situations than in isolation. All the more reason, he says, to try laughing with others rather than alone.

Although he believes laughter is beneficial to health, Provine says it's probably not as powerful as many hope it to be. "If laughter were a drug going in front of the FDA, it would be rejected," he says. However, Provine says laughter clubs may very well spur genuine giggles—and boost health. He says that's because "laughter is contagious."

Visit worldlaughtertour.com for more information.

Psychology Today Magazine, Jan/Feb 2005Last Reviewed 2 Jul 2008Article ID: 3677

Survey: Gender, geography factor into feeling, dealing with stress

the following is a post By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

Almost half of U.S. households are worried about their family's basic needs, according to new data from the American Psychological Association, which shows that food, housing, health care and transportation are major sources of stress in the faltering economy.

The findings of a series of online surveys released today also show that stress overall has increased in a year's time.

"Before, it was like 'Big Brother will take care of me. My 401(k) with Lehman or my company will take care of me.' We could go out to dinner on a credit card. We could buy our groceries without thinking. We could fill the car up. We had choices," says Kathleen Hall, founder of The Stress Institute in Atlanta.

"What you're seeing this year — especially in the last three months — is the eroding of that security blanket."

It's all too familiar to Lizzette Anderson, 38, of Queens, N.Y. She and her husband and 12-year-old daughter had to move to a smaller two-bedroom apartment because they couldn't afford their larger one.

"We had been in the apartment 10 months, and then we spoke to the landlord and said we couldn't afford it anymore. He understood and let us out of the lease," says Anderson, an administrative assistant.

Her husband, Windel Anderson, works as a sales supervisor. They had been saving for a house the past three years, she says.

"We had almost $3,000, and we were just trying to put more money in to save it faster, but it turned out that it went backwards and we were taking money out," says Anderson.

The new survey also found that women appear to bear the brunt of the financial stress and report more physical symptoms and unhealthy behaviors. More women than men say they're stressed about the economy (84% vs. 75% of men); housing costs (66% vs. 58%); and health problems affecting their families (70% vs. 63%).

Also, 56% of women report headaches, compared with 36% of men; 53% of women report a lack of motivation or energy, vs. 45% of men.

To manage stress, 39% of women reported eating to cope, vs. 29% of men. Men were more likely to drink, with 22% of men drinking to deal with it, vs. 15% of women.

Colleen Bacckus, 43, of Dearborn Heights, Mich., says the economy has caused her to spend more cautiously, but her greater stress involves home and family. Bacckus' job as a project manager for a commercial interior design firm is key because her husband is a paraplegic who is unable to work; their children are grown.

"It's trying to strike that balance between working full-time and being the primary breadwinner and balancing the family time and the needs at home," she says.

Working in the garden, playing with their dogs and reading does help relieve stress, she says, but she has noticed changes as financial news has worsened.

"There will be sleepless nights, and I'll get a little snappish," Bacckus says. "I'm just like everybody else — you go for that comfort food if you get too stressed."

Social psychologist Viktor Gecas of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., says the current economic downturn is the most serious since the Great Depression, but he doesn't expect the lengthy and massive unemployment of that period.

"In the short-term, it does have consequences," which he says "do add to more individual stress, which also spills over into marital problems, parent-child problems and family stress in general."
Rev. T. Michael Rock, a 40-year-old United Church of Christ pastor in the Minneapolis suburb of Robbinsdale, says he's been flooded with congregants seeking his ear to discuss financial concerns, which he says they don't often talk about openly.

"If I had 10 people in the last year, I had 10 people the past week, either for them or their children or their parents," he says. "They're coming to say 'I can't hold all this information by myself. I have to share it with somebody.' "

Gecas, head of Purdue's sociology department, suggests the economic downturn may have some hidden positives by forcing people to take stock of their lives and re-evaluate their lifestyles.
"It's easy to fall into habits of behavior that may not necessarily be good for you or the environment," he says. "If you do manage to cope successfully with the adversity, you might come out stronger and more resourceful in the end. This is not to minimize the pain of an economic downturn and the negative things, but it's not necessarily all bad."

Optimisim And You Health

Look for the silver lining…

Buddy DeSylva's upbeat lyrics to Jerome Kern's lovely tune provide an appealing call to a positive outlook on life, even in the face of adversity. Indeed, a cheerful disposition can help you get through the tough patches that cloud every life, but do people who see the glass half-full also enjoy better health than gloomy types who see it half-empty?

According to a series of studies from the U.S. and Europe, the answer is yes. Optimism helps people cope with disease and recover from surgery. Even more impressive is the impact of a positive outlook on overall health and longevity. Research tells us that an optimistic outlook early in life can predict better health and a lower rate of death during follow-up periods of 15 to 40 years.

Measuring optimism

To investigate optimism, scientists first needed to develop reliable ways to measure the trait. Two systems are in widespread use; one measures dispositional optimism, the other explanatory style.

Dispositional optimism depends on positive expectations for one's future. These are not confined to one or two aspects of life, but are generalized expectations for a good outcome in several areas. Many researchers use the 12-item Life Orientation Test to measure dispositional optimism.

Explanatory style is based on how a person explains good or bad news. The pessimist assumes blame for bad news ("It's me"), assumes the situation is stable ("It will last forever"), and has a global impact ("It will affect everything I do"). The optimist, on the other hand, does not assume blame for negative events. Instead, he tends to give himself credit for good news, assume good things will last, and be confident that positive developments will spill over into many areas of his life. Researchers often use either the Attributional Style Questionnaire or the Content Analysis of Verbatim Explanations method to evaluate optimism based on explanatory style.

bc is a stress relief expert and humor therapist. His website is www.worldwidebc.com

Stress Is Everywhere - Everywhere

I'm going to start off this posting with bad news, good news and more bad news. The first bad news is, there's stress everywhere you turn. You can't avoid it. You don't have to accept it, but you can't avoid it.

And most of it caused by a place just north of here (NC) called Washington, DC. Have you noticed that? High gas prices, the dollar shrinking, illegal aliens taking over the country, fighting a war that we should not be in, politicians taking money from Lobbyists and voting their way and not ours, it all causes stress in our lives.

But we have to take the blame for it because we are the ones who elected the politicians who are in Washington creating all this stress. Their lives are stress free. They live in a different world than we do. And we're paying for that world and that creates more stress in our lives.

We don't just need to vote for a politician, we need to follow them into Washington and make sure they do what they said they were going to do before they were elected. They know that once they get elected we are going back to our jobs and our lives and that's going to leave them open to do whatever they like. And, apparently what they like is creating stress in the voters lives.

You need to be more careful about who you vote for.

The good news is there is humor all around you too. Everywhere you turn it's there. The more bad news; we don't see the humor, we only see the stress. We're programmed that way. You need to re-program yourself to see the humor and not the stress. Then your life will be so much better.

Worrying about how things are will only make matters worse. It never ceases to amaze me at what people do to get over stress. They smoke, they drink, they binge eat; all of which causes more stress in their lives.

All you need to do is see the humor in life and enjoy living more.

BC is a stress relief expert and humor therapist. His website is www.worldwidebc.com

Washington DC is the Reason for our Stress

Did you know that most of the stress in our lives comes from Washington, D.C.? It's true. Think about it; high gas prices, corporations downsizing, moving overseas greatly increasing the unemployment rate, selling the country to foreign companies, illegal aliens taking over the country, the war in Iraq that should have never happened, crooked politicians (like there's any other kind) taking advantage of their position, misusing our hard earned tax dollars; it all causes stress and it's all the fault of Capital Hill.

Meanwhile, they ride to work everyday in a limousine, have expensive wine every night for dinner, which they don't pay for, the vote themselves a raise whenever they want to; they live in a different world from me and you, but we're paying for that world and that causes stress.

I can't believe that American voters are so stupid that they vote for these people. Of all the qualified people we have to lead this country, look at the two we ended up with.

And all they're going to do is more of what every other person we've elected has done. Obama isn't going to change anything. It's going to be business as usual in D.C.

If you want to end stress in your life, be more careful with who you vote for. Follow them to Washington. We have TV channels and websites to tell you what your politicians are doing. Keep up with them. And if they don't do what they said they would do, VOTE THEM OUT.

People like Kennedy and Byrd and that creep in Alaska who are career politicians are screwing this country to death, yet they keep getting elected because the people who vote for them are ignorant.

Don't be ignorant. Be careful who you vote for. Let's take America back and end the stress in our lives.

Stress On The Job

Stress on the job is not healthy. Check out the results of this 2000 annual Attitudes In The american Workplace VI

80% of workers feel stress on the job, nearly half say they need help in learning how to manage stress and 42% say their coworkers need such help;

14% of respondents had felt like striking a coworker in the past year, but didn't;

25% have felt like screaming or shouting because of job stress, 10% are concerned about an individual at work they fear could become violent;

9% are aware of an assault or violent act in their workplace and 18% had experienced some sort of threat or verbal intimidation in the past year.

Stress can be dangerous. You need to get a grip on it before it gets to you.

B.C.'s book Stress Management 101 teaches you how to get over stress in your life with humor and meditation. To order your copy send $15 to: WorldWideBC, 115 Sunset Point, Semora, NC 27343

B.C. is a stress management expert and humor therapist and is available for keynotes and seminars Nationwide.

Meditation

Everyday ways to practice meditation
Here are some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose. Take a few minutes or as much time as you like.

Breathe deeply. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. Focus all attention on your breathing. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. Breathe deeply and slowly. When you feel your attention wander,
gently return your focus to your breathing.

Scan your body. When using this technique, focus attention on different parts of your body. Become aware of your body's various sensations, whether that's pain, tension, warmth or relaxation. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body.

Repeat a sacred name or phrase. A mantra is the name of a sacred deity or a sacred phrase that you repeat silently or aloud. You can create your own mantra. Mantras are the building blocks of transcendental meditation. Examples of religious mantras include a Jesus prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the Om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions.

Walking meditation. Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking - in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall. When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.

Engage in prayer. Prayer is the best known and most widely practiced example of meditation. Spoken and written prayers are found in most faith traditions. You can pray using your own words or read prayers written by others. Check the self-help or 12-step-recovery section of your local bookstore for examples. Talk with your rabbi, priest, pastor or other spiritual leader about resources.

Read or listen and take time to reflect. Many people report that they benefit from reading poems or sacred texts silently or aloud, and taking a few moments to quietly reflect on the meaning that the words bring to mind. You can listen to sacred music, spoken words or any music you find relaxing or inspiring. You may want to write your reflections in a journal or discuss them with a friend or spiritual leader.

Focus your love and gratitude. In this type of meditation, you focus your attention on a sacred object or being, weaving feelings of love and gratitude into your thoughts. You can also close your eyes and use your imagination or gaze at representations of the object.

Stress & Anxiety

Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. What is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to another.

Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.

Stress is a normal part of life. In small quantities, stress is good -- it can motivate you and help you be more productive. However, too much stress, or a strong response to stress, is harmful. It can set you up for general poor health as well as specific physical or psychological illnesses like infection, heart disease, or depression. Persistent and unrelenting stress often leads to anxiety and unhealthy behaviors like overeating and abuse of alcohol or drugs.

Emotional states like grief or depression and health conditions like an overactive thyroid, low blood sugar, or heart attack can also cause stress.

Anxiety is often accompanied by physical symptoms, including:
· Twitching or trembling
· Muscle tension, headaches
· Sweating
· Dry mouth, difficulty swallowing
· Abdominal pain (may be the only symptom of stress, especially in a child)

Sometimes other symptoms accompany anxiety:
· Dizziness
· Rapid or irregular heart rate
· Rapid breathing
· Diarrhea or frequent need to urinate
· Fatigue
· Irritability, including loss of your temper
· Sleeping difficulties and nightmares
· Decreased concentration
· Sexual problems

Anxiety disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that involve excessive anxiety. They include generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and social phobia.

Certain drugs, both recreational and medicinal, can lead to symptoms of anxiety due to either side effects or withdrawal from the drug. Such drugs include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cold remedies, decongestants, bronchodilators for asthma, tricyclic antidepressants, cocaine, amphetamines, diet pills, ADHD medications, and thyroid medications.

A poor diet -- for example, low levels of vitamin B12 -- can also contribute to stress or anxiety. Performance anxiety is related to specific situations, like taking a test or making a presentation in public. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a traumatic event like war, physical or sexual assault, or a natural disaster. People with generalized anxiety disorder experience almost constant worry or anxiety about many things on more than half of all days for 6 months. Panic disorder or panic attacks involve sudden and unexplained fear, rapid breathing, and increased heartbeat.

In very rare cases, a tumor of the adrenal gland (pheochromocytoma) may be the cause of anxiety. The symptoms are caused by an overproduction of hormones responsible for the feelings of anxiety.

The most effective solution is to find and address the source of your stress or anxiety. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. A first step is to take an inventory of what you think might be making you "stress out":
· What do you worry about most?
· Is something constantly on your mind?
· Does anything in particular make you sad or depressed?
· Keep a diary of the experiences and thoughts that seem to be related to your anxiety. Are your thoughts adding to your anxiety in these situations?

Then, find someone you trust (friend, family member, neighbor, clergy) who will listen to you. Often, just talking to a friend or loved one is all that is needed to relieve anxiety. Most communities also have support groups and hotlines that can help. Social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals may be needed for therapy and medication.

Also, find healthy ways to cope with stress. For example:
· Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. Don't overeat.
· Get enough sleep.
· Exercise regularly.
· Limit caffeine and alcohol.
· Don't use nicotine, cocaine, or other recreational drugs.
· Learn and practice relaxation techniques like guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, tai chi, or meditation. Try biofeedback, using a certified professional to get you started.
· Take breaks from work. Make sure to balance fun activities with your responsibilities. Spend time with people you enjoy.

· Find self-help books at your local library or bookstore.

Your doctor can help you determine if your anxiety would be best evaluated and treated by a mental health care professional.

Call 911 if:
· You have crushing chest pain, especially with shortness of breath, dizziness, or sweating. A heart attack can cause feelings of anxiety.
· You have thoughts of suicide.
· You have dizziness, rapid breathing, or racing heartbeat for the first time or it is worse than usual.

Call your health care provider if:
· You are unable to work or function properly at home because of anxiety.
· You do not know the source or cause of your anxiety.
· You have a sudden feeling of panic.
· You have an uncontrollable fear -- for example, of getting infected and sick if you are out, or a fear of heights.
· You repeat an action over and over again, like constantly washing your hands.
· You have an intolerance to heat, weight loss despite a good appetite, lump or swelling in the front of your neck, or protruding eyes. Your thyroid may be overactive.
· Your anxiety is elicited by the memory of a traumatic event.
· You have tried self care for several weeks without success or you feel that your anxiety will not resolve without professional help.

Ask your pharmacist or health care provider if any prescription or over-the-counter drugs you are taking can cause anxiety as a side effect. Do not stop taking any prescribed medicines without your provider's instructions.

Your doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical examination, paying close attention to your pulse, blood pressure, and respiratory rate.
To help better understand your anxiety, stress, or tension, your doctor may ask the following:
· When did your feelings of stress, tension, or anxiety begin? Do you attribute the feelings to anything in particular like an event in your life or a circumstance that scares you?
· Do you have physical symptoms along with your feelings of anxiety? What are they?
· Does anything make your anxiety better?
· Does anything make your anxiety worse?
· What medications are you taking?

Diagnostic tests may include blood tests (CBC, thyroid function tests) as well as an electrocardiogram (ECG).

If the anxiety is not accompanied by any worrisome physical signs and symptoms, a referral to a mental health care professional may be recommended for appropriate treatment.

Psychotherapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to significantly decrease anxiety. In some cases, medications such as benzodiazepines or antidepressants may be appropriate.

Stress: Unhealthy response to the pressures of life

Today's news includes round-the-clock coverage of natural and man-made disasters. Earthquakes and floods. Wars and terrorist attacks. Just 10 minutes of watching the news can make your stress level soar which is what the news is designed to do. That's why all the commercials on the news are for drugs that will help you get over the symptons that are caused by stress.

Compounding matters, you've got a big presentation in an hour, and you've hardly had a chance to prepare. Urgent e-mails keep popping onto your display screen, each one sending a stab of anxiety through your chest. your phone is ringing off the hook. As you frantically scribble notes for the presentation, your heart races, your palms sweat and your head pounds. you are stressed out and you don't have to be. Being stressed over the matter only makes the matter worse. Get control.

Physical reactions you experience when you're stressed are no accident. The human body developed these defense mechanisms to deal with the threat of predators and aggressors. But modern life is full of new threats. Your body's well-adapted defenses against physical dangers may not be as effective at dealing with the stress you feel while managing a huge workload, making ends meet, or taking care of an ill parent or child.

Instead of protecting you, your body's response to stress, if constantly activated, may make you more vulnerable to life-threatening health problems.

What is the stress response?
Stress response, often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" reaction, is your body's rapid and automatic switch into "high gear." It's easy to imagine how this reaction helps you deal with a physical threat. You need the energy, speed, concentration and agility either to protect yourself or to run as fast as possible.

When you encounter such a threat, the hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of your brain, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, situated atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones - the most abundant being adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances the brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.
Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes.

The complex alarm system also communicates with regions of the brain that control mood, motivation and fear.

Stress response working overtime
The stress-response system is self-regulating. It decreases hormone levels and enables your body to return to normal once a crisis has passed. As levels of the hormones in your bloodstream decline, your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal, and other systems resume their regular activities.

But physical threats aren't the only events that trigger the stress response. Psychological "threats" - such as the stress associated with work, interpersonal relationships, major life changes, illness or the death of a loved one - can set off the same alarm system. The less control you have over these potentially stress-inducing events and the more uncertainty they create, the more likely you are to feel stressed. Even the typical day-to-day demands of living can contribute to your body's stress response.

Also, many of our modern stressful circumstances, unlike most physical threats, tend to be prolonged. Consequently, you may be running on the fight-or-flight reaction longer than it's intended to operate. What's good for your body in a short-term crisis can be very harmful over long periods.

The long-term activation of the stress-response system - and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones - can disrupt almost all your body's processes, increasing your risk of obesity, insomnia, digestive problems, heart disease, depression, memory impairment, physical illnesses and other complications.

Digestive system
It's common to have a stomachache or diarrhea when you're stressed. This happens because stress hormones slow the release of stomach acid and the emptying of the stomach. The same hormones also stimulate the colon, which speeds the passage of its contents. Chronic hormone-induced changes can increase your appetite and put you at risk of weight gain. That's why we have more fat people in America than any other country. We're stressed out more than any other country. Our government is a large source of this stress.

Immune system
Your immune system is a complex balancing act between components that operate as an all-purpose emergency crew and more specialized components that deal with specific disease agents. The immune system, like the hormone system, evolved so that it could quickly deal with physical threats. Indeed, cortisol is one factor that prompts the system to reprioritize its tasks.
These shifting priorities are essential for priming the immune system to respond quickly to injuries, like creating inflammation around a bite or puncture wound, but these changes are not beneficial in the long run. When you experience chronic stress, some features of your immune system may remain suppressed, making you susceptible to infections. Other features of the immune system may be permitted to run unchecked, increasing your risk of autoimmune diseases, in which your immune system attacks your body's own healthy cells.

Stress may also worsen the symptoms of an autoimmune disease. For example, stress can trigger lupus flare-ups.

Nervous system
Certain byproducts of cortisol act as sedatives, which can contribute to an overall feeling of depression. If your fight-or-flight response never shuts off, the stress hormones may contribute to persistent and severe depression, as well as feelings of anxiety, helplessness and impending doom.

Such stress-induced depression often results in sleep disturbances, loss of sex drive and loss of appetite. It also may make you more vulnerable to developing certain personality or behavioral disorders.

Studies also suggest that chronic activation of stress hormones may alter the operation and structure of brain cells that are critical for memory formation and function.
Cardiovascular system

Chronic activation of stress hormones can raise your heart rate and increase your blood pressure and blood lipid (cholesterol and triglyceride) levels. These are risk factors for both heart disease and stroke.

Cortisol levels also appear to play a role in the accumulation of abdominal fat, which gives some people an "apple" shape. People with apple body shapes have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes than do people with "pear" body shapes, in which weight is more concentrated in the hips.

Other systems
Stress worsens many skin conditions - such as psoriasis, eczema, hives and acne - and can trigger asthma attacks.

Individual reactions to stress
Your reaction to a potentially stressful event is different from anyone else's. Some people are naturally laid-back about almost everything, while others react strongly at the slightest hint of stress - but most fall somewhere between those extremes.

Genetic variations may partly explain the differences. The genes that control the stress response keep most people on a fairly even keel, only occasionally priming the body for fight or flight. Overactive or underactive stress responses may stem from slight differences in these genes.
Life experiences may increase your sensitivity to stress as well. Strong stress reactions sometimes can be traced to early environmental factors. People who were exposed to extremely stressful events as children, such as neglect or abuse, tend to be particularly vulnerable to stress as adults.

Managing stress
Stressful events are a fact of life, but you can take steps to manage the impact these events have on you. You can learn to identify what stresses you out, how to take control of some stress-inducing circumstances, and how to take care of yourself physically and emotionally when you face events you can't control.

These strategies can include exercise, relaxation techniques, healthy nutritional choices, social support networks, professional psychotherapy and, of course, a good laugh. The payoff of managing stress is peace of mind and - perhaps - a longer, healthier life.

BC is a stress management expert and Humor Therapist. he speaks to corporations, Chambers of Commerce, Small Businesses and conferences Nationwide. His website is http://www.worldwidebc.com/

Stress Is Unhealthy

Stress: Unhealthy response to the pressures of lifeDate updated: September 12, 2006 Content provided by MayoClinic.com

Today's news includes round-the-clock coverage of natural and man-made disasters. Earthquakes and floods. Wars and terrorist attacks. Just 10 minutes of watching the news can make your stress level soar.

Compounding matters, you've got a big presentation in an hour, and you've hardly had a chance to prepare. Urgent e-mails keep popping onto your display screen, each one sending a stab of anxiety through your chest. As you frantically scribble notes for the presentation, your heart races, your palms sweat and your head pounds.

Physical reactions you experience when you're stressed are no accident. The human body developed these defense mechanisms to deal with the threat of predators and aggressors. But modern life is full of new threats. Your body's well-adapted defenses against physical dangers may not be as effective at dealing with the stress you feel while managing a huge workload, making ends meet, or taking care of an ill parent or child.

Instead of protecting you, your body's response to stress, if constantly activated, may make you more vulnerable to life-threatening health problems.

What is the stress response?
Stress response, often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" reaction, is your body's rapid and automatic switch into "high gear." It's easy to imagine how this reaction helps you deal with a physical threat. You need the energy, speed, concentration and agility either to protect yourself or to run as fast as possible.

When you encounter such a threat, the hypothalamus, a tiny region at the base of your brain, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, situated atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones - the most abundant being adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances the brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.
Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or detrimental in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes.

The complex alarm system also communicates with regions of the brain that control mood, motivation and fear.

Stress response working overtime
The stress-response system is self-regulating. It decreases hormone levels and enables your body to return to normal once a crisis has passed. As levels of the hormones in your bloodstream decline, your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal, and other systems resume their regular activities.

But physical threats aren't the only events that trigger the stress response. Psychological "threats" - such as the stress associated with work, interpersonal relationships, major life changes, illness or the death of a loved one - can set off the same alarm system. The less control you have over these potentially stress-inducing events and the more uncertainty they create, the more likely you are to feel stressed. Even the typical day-to-day demands of living can contribute to your body's stress response.

Also, many of our modern stressful circumstances, unlike most physical threats, tend to be prolonged. Consequently, you may be running on the fight-or-flight reaction longer than it's intended to operate. What's good for your body in a short-term crisis can be very harmful over long periods.

The long-term activation of the stress-response system - and the subsequent overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones - can disrupt almost all your body's processes, increasing your risk of obesity, insomnia, digestive problems, heart disease, depression, memory impairment, physical illnesses and other complications.

Digestive system
It's common to have a stomachache or diarrhea when you're stressed. This happens because stress hormones slow the release of stomach acid and the emptying of the stomach. The same hormones also stimulate the colon, which speeds the passage of its contents. Chronic hormone-induced changes can increase your appetite and put you at risk of weight gain.

Immune system
Your immune system is a complex balancing act between components that operate as an all-purpose emergency crew and more specialized components that deal with specific disease agents. The immune system, like the hormone system, evolved so that it could quickly deal with physical threats. Indeed, cortisol is one factor that prompts the system to reprioritize its tasks.
These shifting priorities are essential for priming the immune system to respond quickly to injuries, like creating inflammation around a bite or puncture wound, but these changes are not beneficial in the long run. When you experience chronic stress, some features of your immune system may remain suppressed, making you susceptible to infections. Other features of the immune system may be permitted to run unchecked, increasing your risk of autoimmune diseases, in which your immune system attacks your body's own healthy cells.

Stress may also worsen the symptoms of an autoimmune disease. For example, stress can trigger lupus flare-ups.

Nervous system
Certain byproducts of cortisol act as sedatives, which can contribute to an overall feeling of depression. If your fight-or-flight response never shuts off, the stress hormones may contribute to persistent and severe depression, as well as feelings of anxiety, helplessness and impending doom.

Such stress-induced depression often results in sleep disturbances, loss of sex drive and loss of appetite. It also may make you more vulnerable to developing certain personality or behavioral disorders.

Studies also suggest that chronic activation of stress hormones may alter the operation and structure of brain cells that are critical for memory formation and function.
Cardiovascular system

Chronic activation of stress hormones can raise your heart rate and increase your blood pressure and blood lipid (cholesterol and triglyceride) levels. These are risk factors for both heart disease and stroke.

Cortisol levels also appear to play a role in the accumulation of abdominal fat, which gives some people an "apple" shape. People with apple body shapes have a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes than do people with "pear" body shapes, in which weight is more concentrated in the hips.

Other systems
Stress worsens many skin conditions - such as psoriasis, eczema, hives and acne - and can trigger asthma attacks.

Individual reactions to stress
Your reaction to a potentially stressful event is different from anyone else's. Some people are naturally laid-back about almost everything, while others react strongly at the slightest hint of stress - but most fall somewhere between those extremes.

Genetic variations may partly explain the differences. The genes that control the stress response keep most people on a fairly even keel, only occasionally priming the body for fight or flight. Overactive or underactive stress responses may stem from slight differences in these genes.
Life experiences may increase your sensitivity to stress as well. Strong stress reactions sometimes can be traced to early environmental factors. People who were exposed to extremely stressful events as children, such as neglect or abuse, tend to be particularly vulnerable to stress as adults.
Managing stress
Stressful events are a fact of life, but you can take steps to manage the impact these events have on you. You can learn to identify what stresses you out, how to take control of some stress-inducing circumstances, and how to take care of yourself physically and emotionally when you face events you can't control.
These strategies can include exercise, relaxation techniques, healthy nutritional choices, social support networks and professional psychotherapy. The payoff of managing stress is peace of mind and - perhaps - a longer, healthier life.

One Of The Main Causes Of Stress

One of the main causes of stress is a place just North of Virginia called Capitol Hill. They do things that make us stressed out.

They don't get stressed because there is nothing to stress them out. They make the rules, they ride to work in linousines, they eat for free, we pay for it. They take trips and play golf because lobbyists pay for it if they vote in their favor and they usually do.

Their children will never have to pay for the wrong they've done to our country because they're politicians and their children get special treatment. That's why you've never heard of a politician's son going to Iraq. They don't have to.

It's a shame that we sit back and let this happen. But as long as we do, there will always be extreme stress in America.

We're practically in a recession and we're paying our politicians to let it happen. They're not doing a good job, so why should we pay them anything? I'll bet if we passed a law that says they onlly get paid if they do a good job, they'll start making changes and we'll see less stress in out lives.

BC is a stress management expert. His website is http://www.worldwidebc.com/

How To Deal With Stress

The next time you get stressed out over something, stop and ask yourself, "What am I gaining from being stressed out over this?" Train yourself to do this and every time you're stressed out, whether it's traffic, the boss, the kids, whatever, ask yourself this and then change the way you're looking at the problem.

Remember, stress will only make the problem worse, not better. And it will take years off your life. You don't want that do you?

Remember, too, that stress is the number one cause of death in America today. You don't have to be one of them. Don't become a stastic. Laugh and live longer.

Have a good life.

To book a stress seminar or humor therapy with B.c. go to http://www.worldwidebc.com/

Laughter Is Good For You

Laughter does to the soul what jogging does to the body. It's great exercise for the soul. If you laugh at least fifteen minutes a day, you will definately live a healthier, happier and longer life. And you will see life a lot differently than those who don't.

I don't know if you have noticed or not but we are negative by default. we expect everything to go wrong, and when we expect it, guess what, it happens.

How many times have you woke up, looked out the window and said to yourself, "Oh God, another day."? That's the negative way to face the day and if you face it negatively you will never accomplish anything and no one will want to be around you because you bring them down too.

They're already negavite enough. they woke up with the same attitude that you did. They don't need your negative attitude to bring them down more. they need something positive. Why can't you be the positivity that they need?

Tomorrow morning, wake up, look out the window and say to yourself, "Thank God it's another day." Try it and see how much better your day will go.

Think of all the positive things about your life. You have a home, you have a car, you have a wonderful family, you have your health, you have a beautiful sunset at the end of the day, you have everything you need to be a positive person.

Don't think negative, think positive and you will see a great chanbge in your life. just remember these two things,
1. Laugh at the little stuff and
2. everything is little stuff.

Here's to your health.

B.C. is a professional speaker and author of Stress Management 101 His website is www.worldwidebc.com You can order his products from there.