Caffeine Withdrawal Makes Tinnitus Worse, Not Better
by Tanya
Giving up caffeine doesn't ease tinnitus, a new study from Centre for Hearing and Balance Studies at Bristol University has shown. In the contrary, it only adds to the problem.
In the study, sixty-six volunteers who experienced tinnitus and who usually consumed at least 150 mg a day of caffeine took part in a 30-day trial.
Their usual caffeinated tea and coffee was replaced with double-blinded supplies, under one of two conditions: usual caffeine consumption followed by phased withdrawal; or phased withdrawal followed by reintroduction then usual caffeine consumption.
"With almost 85 per cent of adults in the world consuming caffeine daily, we wanted to challenge the claim that caffeine makes tinnitus worse," said Dr Lindsay St. Claire, Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Hearing and Balance Studies at the University of Bristol, and the lead researcher on the study.
"Many professionals support caffeine withdrawal as a tinnitus therapy, even though there is a lack of any relevant evidence, and, in fact, acute symptoms of caffeine withdrawal might even make tinnitus worse," she added.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
02/09/10
Tinnitus Not Exactly Hereditary
Tinnitus Not Exactly Hereditary
by Gopalan
New research from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shows that the relative importance of genetic factors in tinnitus is low. This is the first large population-based study to measure the heritability of tinnitus.
The study looked at prevalence of tinnitus and to what degree it is hereditary. Prevalence of tinnitus was 15.1 percent, which correlates well with findings from other countries.
Tinnitus is a symptom with a variety of underlying causes, such as impaired hearing or exposure to noise and medicines.
The study shows that only 11 percent of the variance of tinnitus in the population are caused by genetic effects, whereas environmental factors account for the remaining 89 percent.
"Such a low heritability is a surprising find because most other diseases studied earlier have been more or less hereditary. We had expected that genetics and the environment would be roughly as important as each other," said Dr Ellen Kvestad at the Division for Mental Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
However, researchers said that In the study it was not possible to differentiate between different clinical forms of tinnitus.
"Our findings do not mean that genes are not important for some forms of tinnitus. Some sub-groups of tinnitus with certain underlying causes can have higher heritability. From our findings alone, resources cannot be allocated to find specific genes that code for tinnitus in general, added Kvestad.
The study used data from the Nord Trøndelag Hearing Loss Study, which is an integral part of the Nord Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). Self-reported questionnaires were used to collate information on prevalence of tinnitus from 51,574 people over 18 years of age.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
by Gopalan
New research from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shows that the relative importance of genetic factors in tinnitus is low. This is the first large population-based study to measure the heritability of tinnitus.
The study looked at prevalence of tinnitus and to what degree it is hereditary. Prevalence of tinnitus was 15.1 percent, which correlates well with findings from other countries.
Tinnitus is a symptom with a variety of underlying causes, such as impaired hearing or exposure to noise and medicines.
The study shows that only 11 percent of the variance of tinnitus in the population are caused by genetic effects, whereas environmental factors account for the remaining 89 percent.
"Such a low heritability is a surprising find because most other diseases studied earlier have been more or less hereditary. We had expected that genetics and the environment would be roughly as important as each other," said Dr Ellen Kvestad at the Division for Mental Health at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
However, researchers said that In the study it was not possible to differentiate between different clinical forms of tinnitus.
"Our findings do not mean that genes are not important for some forms of tinnitus. Some sub-groups of tinnitus with certain underlying causes can have higher heritability. From our findings alone, resources cannot be allocated to find specific genes that code for tinnitus in general, added Kvestad.
The study used data from the Nord Trøndelag Hearing Loss Study, which is an integral part of the Nord Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). Self-reported questionnaires were used to collate information on prevalence of tinnitus from 51,574 people over 18 years of age.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
01/09/10
Hooked on Headphones? Personal Listening Devices Can Harm Hearing, Study Finds
Hooked on Headphones? Personal Listening Devices Can Harm Hearing, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Aug. 31, 2010) — Personal listening devices like iPods have become increasingly popular among young -- and not-so-young -- people in recent years. But music played through headphones too loud or too long might pose a significant risk to hearing, according to a 24-year study of adolescent girls.
The study, which appears online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, involved 8,710 girls of lower socioeconomic status, whose average age was about 16. Their hearing was tested when they entered a residential facility in the U.S Northeast.
"I had the rare opportunity, as an audiologist, to see how this population changed over the years," said Abbey Berg, Ph.D., lead study author and a professor in the Department of Biology & Health Sciences at Pace University in New York.
In this period, high-frequency hearing loss -- a common casualty of excessive noise exposure -- nearly doubled, from 10.1 percent in 1985 to 19.2 percent, she found.
Between 2001, when testers first asked about it, and 2008, personal music player use rose fourfold, from 18.3 percent to 76.4 percent. High-frequency hearing loss increased from 12.4 percent to 19.2 percent during these years, while the proportion of girls reporting tinnitus -- ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears -- nearly tripled, from 4.6 percent to 12.5 percent.
Overall, girls using the devices were 80 percent more likely to have impaired hearing than those who did not; of the teens reporting tinnitus, all but one (99.7 percent) were users.
However, "just because there's an association, it doesn't mean cause and effect," Berg said. For the girls who took part in the study, other aspects of their lives -- poverty, poor air quality, substance abuse, risk-taking behavior -- might Sadd to the effects of noise exposure.
"This paper offers compelling evidence that the inappropriate use of headphones is indeed affecting some people's hearing, and the number of 'some people' is not small," said Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston.
Science News Share Blog Cite Print Email BookmarkHooked on Headphones? Personal Listening Devices Can Harm Hearing, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Aug. 31, 2010) — Personal listening devices like iPods have become increasingly popular among young -- and not-so-young -- people in recent years. But music played through headphones too loud or too long might pose a significant risk to hearing, according to a 24-year study of adolescent girls.
The study, which appears online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, involved 8,710 girls of lower socioeconomic status, whose average age was about 16. Their hearing was tested when they entered a residential facility in the U.S Northeast.
"I had the rare opportunity, as an audiologist, to see how this population changed over the years," said Abbey Berg, Ph.D., lead study author and a professor in the Department of Biology & Health Sciences at Pace University in New York.
In this period, high-frequency hearing loss -- a common casualty of excessive noise exposure -- nearly doubled, from 10.1 percent in 1985 to 19.2 percent, she found.
Between 2001, when testers first asked about it, and 2008, personal music player use rose fourfold, from 18.3 percent to 76.4 percent. High-frequency hearing loss increased from 12.4 percent to 19.2 percent during these years, while the proportion of girls reporting tinnitus -- ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears -- nearly tripled, from 4.6 percent to 12.5 percent.
Overall, girls using the devices were 80 percent more likely to have impaired hearing than those who did not; of the teens reporting tinnitus, all but one (99.7 percent) were users.
However, "just because there's an association, it doesn't mean cause and effect," Berg said. For the girls who took part in the study, other aspects of their lives -- poverty, poor air quality, substance abuse, risk-taking behavior -- might Sadd to the effects of noise exposure.
"This paper offers compelling evidence that the inappropriate use of headphones is indeed affecting some people's hearing, and the number of 'some people' is not small," said Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston.
The level of impairment detected in this study might have been relatively subtle "but the point is that it is completely avoidable," said Fligor, who has no affiliation with the study.
"The ear is going to be damaged throughout your lifetime; what we're seeing here resembles early onset age-related hearing loss -- you might think of it as prematurely aging the ear," he said.
"I don't demonize headphones," said Fligor, who encourages moderation, not prohibition. At a reasonable volume -- conversational or slightly louder -- there's little risk, he said: "It's when you start overworking the ear that you get problems."
Berg said her findings suggest the need for more effective educational efforts to reduce unsafe listening behavior, particularly among disadvantaged youth. "You have to target them at a much younger age, when they are liable be more receptive," she said.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
http://www.handletinnitus.com/
ScienceDaily (Aug. 31, 2010) — Personal listening devices like iPods have become increasingly popular among young -- and not-so-young -- people in recent years. But music played through headphones too loud or too long might pose a significant risk to hearing, according to a 24-year study of adolescent girls.
The study, which appears online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, involved 8,710 girls of lower socioeconomic status, whose average age was about 16. Their hearing was tested when they entered a residential facility in the U.S Northeast.
"I had the rare opportunity, as an audiologist, to see how this population changed over the years," said Abbey Berg, Ph.D., lead study author and a professor in the Department of Biology & Health Sciences at Pace University in New York.
In this period, high-frequency hearing loss -- a common casualty of excessive noise exposure -- nearly doubled, from 10.1 percent in 1985 to 19.2 percent, she found.
Between 2001, when testers first asked about it, and 2008, personal music player use rose fourfold, from 18.3 percent to 76.4 percent. High-frequency hearing loss increased from 12.4 percent to 19.2 percent during these years, while the proportion of girls reporting tinnitus -- ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears -- nearly tripled, from 4.6 percent to 12.5 percent.
Overall, girls using the devices were 80 percent more likely to have impaired hearing than those who did not; of the teens reporting tinnitus, all but one (99.7 percent) were users.
However, "just because there's an association, it doesn't mean cause and effect," Berg said. For the girls who took part in the study, other aspects of their lives -- poverty, poor air quality, substance abuse, risk-taking behavior -- might Sadd to the effects of noise exposure.
"This paper offers compelling evidence that the inappropriate use of headphones is indeed affecting some people's hearing, and the number of 'some people' is not small," said Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston.
Science News Share Blog Cite Print Email BookmarkHooked on Headphones? Personal Listening Devices Can Harm Hearing, Study Finds
ScienceDaily (Aug. 31, 2010) — Personal listening devices like iPods have become increasingly popular among young -- and not-so-young -- people in recent years. But music played through headphones too loud or too long might pose a significant risk to hearing, according to a 24-year study of adolescent girls.
The study, which appears online in the Journal of Adolescent Health, involved 8,710 girls of lower socioeconomic status, whose average age was about 16. Their hearing was tested when they entered a residential facility in the U.S Northeast.
"I had the rare opportunity, as an audiologist, to see how this population changed over the years," said Abbey Berg, Ph.D., lead study author and a professor in the Department of Biology & Health Sciences at Pace University in New York.
In this period, high-frequency hearing loss -- a common casualty of excessive noise exposure -- nearly doubled, from 10.1 percent in 1985 to 19.2 percent, she found.
Between 2001, when testers first asked about it, and 2008, personal music player use rose fourfold, from 18.3 percent to 76.4 percent. High-frequency hearing loss increased from 12.4 percent to 19.2 percent during these years, while the proportion of girls reporting tinnitus -- ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears -- nearly tripled, from 4.6 percent to 12.5 percent.
Overall, girls using the devices were 80 percent more likely to have impaired hearing than those who did not; of the teens reporting tinnitus, all but one (99.7 percent) were users.
However, "just because there's an association, it doesn't mean cause and effect," Berg said. For the girls who took part in the study, other aspects of their lives -- poverty, poor air quality, substance abuse, risk-taking behavior -- might Sadd to the effects of noise exposure.
"This paper offers compelling evidence that the inappropriate use of headphones is indeed affecting some people's hearing, and the number of 'some people' is not small," said Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children's Hospital Boston.
The level of impairment detected in this study might have been relatively subtle "but the point is that it is completely avoidable," said Fligor, who has no affiliation with the study.
"The ear is going to be damaged throughout your lifetime; what we're seeing here resembles early onset age-related hearing loss -- you might think of it as prematurely aging the ear," he said.
"I don't demonize headphones," said Fligor, who encourages moderation, not prohibition. At a reasonable volume -- conversational or slightly louder -- there's little risk, he said: "It's when you start overworking the ear that you get problems."
Berg said her findings suggest the need for more effective educational efforts to reduce unsafe listening behavior, particularly among disadvantaged youth. "You have to target them at a much younger age, when they are liable be more receptive," she said.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
http://www.handletinnitus.com/
30/08/10
24/08/10
New Norwegian Earplug Solution to a Deafening Problem
New Norwegian Earplug Solution to a Deafening Problem
ScienceDaily (Aug. 20, 2010) —
Some 600 cases of noise-induced hearing impairment are reported by the Norwegian petroleum industry every year. A new, intelligent earplug is now set to alleviate the problem.
Norway's largest company, Statoil ASA, is taking the problems associated with noise exposure seriously. Over the course of four years the international energy company has led efforts to further develop an existing combined hearing protection and communication product for use on offshore platforms.
World's most advanced hearing protection device
A microphone on the outside of the new "offshore" version of the QUIETPRO earplug picks up ambient sounds. The sound is digitally processed, and unwanted loud noises are filtered out before the sound is sent to a speaker inside the earplug. Users can adjust the level of ambient sound, as desired.
A microphone on the inside of the earplug picks up speech signals through the skull. This means that users do not have to have a microphone in front of their mouth, as is the case with the ear protection devices currently used on most offshore platforms. Another advantage is that the microphone inside the ear does not pick up background noise in the way that a microphone in front of the mouth does.
The QUIETPRO hearing protection and communication device was originally developed for military use by the Trondheim-based company Nacre AS, which has its origins in Scandinavia's largest independent research organisation, SINTEF. The company's customers include the United States Army, which uses QUIETPRO devices in armoured vehicles, among other applications
More energy and increased safety
"The new hearing protection device enables employees to preserve a lot of energy," explains Asle Melvær, noise specialist at Statoil, who initiated and is responsible for the R&D project Offshore Safety for Hearing and Verbal Communication (SoHot). The project receives funding under the Research Council of Norway's Large-scale Programme for Optimal Management of Petroleum Resources (PETROMAKS).
"Users of the new device do not have to strain to hear what is being said over the radio, and the noise reduction system in the earplug means that the level of sound is adapted to the surrounding environment. On board an oil platform understanding messages transmitted by radio can be a matter of life and death," states Mr Melvær.
The earplug also alerts the user if it is not inserted into the ear correctly, providing additional safety.
New generation soon to be tested
The hearing protection device was tested in 2009 on the helicopter landing pad at the Oseberg Field Centre outside Bergen. Starting in December 2010 the next generation of devices will be tested both there and at the Snorre oilfield a little further north.
"One important feature of the new version is a built-in noise dose meter that emits a warning signal before any damage to hearing has occurred -- which is quite unique," explains an enthusiastic Asle Melvær. "This function will make it possible for us to withdraw personnel from hazardous noise areas before they have been exposed to noise levels that can damage their hearing."
The new earplug is explosion-proof and can be used anywhere on the platform.
Important initiative
"It is wonderful to be able to play a role in the development of new technology that will undoubtedly reduce the number of cases of hearing damage among employees in the petroleum industry," says Mr Melvær. "Nevertheless, it is important to emphasise that the development of better hearing protection must not become an excuse for failing to implement measures to reduce noise levels. This should still be given first priority," he states.
Research Council supports HSE projects
The PETROMAKS programme is responsible for the Research Council's health, safety and environment-related (HSE) activities within the petroleum sector. "Efforts to develop a new version of the QUIETPRO earplug provide a good example of the type of creative projects that exist in this field that make use of technology and system solutions across sectors," explains Tor-Petter Johnsen, Adviser for the PETROMAKS programme.
"Close cooperation between advanced Norwegian technology groups and highly skilled customers in the petroleum industry has not only led to the development of a new product but has also provided better insight into the serious health risks to which employees in the industry are exposed," Mr Johnsen concludes.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
ScienceDaily (Aug. 20, 2010) —
Some 600 cases of noise-induced hearing impairment are reported by the Norwegian petroleum industry every year. A new, intelligent earplug is now set to alleviate the problem.
Norway's largest company, Statoil ASA, is taking the problems associated with noise exposure seriously. Over the course of four years the international energy company has led efforts to further develop an existing combined hearing protection and communication product for use on offshore platforms.
World's most advanced hearing protection device
A microphone on the outside of the new "offshore" version of the QUIETPRO earplug picks up ambient sounds. The sound is digitally processed, and unwanted loud noises are filtered out before the sound is sent to a speaker inside the earplug. Users can adjust the level of ambient sound, as desired.
A microphone on the inside of the earplug picks up speech signals through the skull. This means that users do not have to have a microphone in front of their mouth, as is the case with the ear protection devices currently used on most offshore platforms. Another advantage is that the microphone inside the ear does not pick up background noise in the way that a microphone in front of the mouth does.
The QUIETPRO hearing protection and communication device was originally developed for military use by the Trondheim-based company Nacre AS, which has its origins in Scandinavia's largest independent research organisation, SINTEF. The company's customers include the United States Army, which uses QUIETPRO devices in armoured vehicles, among other applications
More energy and increased safety
"The new hearing protection device enables employees to preserve a lot of energy," explains Asle Melvær, noise specialist at Statoil, who initiated and is responsible for the R&D project Offshore Safety for Hearing and Verbal Communication (SoHot). The project receives funding under the Research Council of Norway's Large-scale Programme for Optimal Management of Petroleum Resources (PETROMAKS).
"Users of the new device do not have to strain to hear what is being said over the radio, and the noise reduction system in the earplug means that the level of sound is adapted to the surrounding environment. On board an oil platform understanding messages transmitted by radio can be a matter of life and death," states Mr Melvær.
The earplug also alerts the user if it is not inserted into the ear correctly, providing additional safety.
New generation soon to be tested
The hearing protection device was tested in 2009 on the helicopter landing pad at the Oseberg Field Centre outside Bergen. Starting in December 2010 the next generation of devices will be tested both there and at the Snorre oilfield a little further north.
"One important feature of the new version is a built-in noise dose meter that emits a warning signal before any damage to hearing has occurred -- which is quite unique," explains an enthusiastic Asle Melvær. "This function will make it possible for us to withdraw personnel from hazardous noise areas before they have been exposed to noise levels that can damage their hearing."
The new earplug is explosion-proof and can be used anywhere on the platform.
Important initiative
"It is wonderful to be able to play a role in the development of new technology that will undoubtedly reduce the number of cases of hearing damage among employees in the petroleum industry," says Mr Melvær. "Nevertheless, it is important to emphasise that the development of better hearing protection must not become an excuse for failing to implement measures to reduce noise levels. This should still be given first priority," he states.
Research Council supports HSE projects
The PETROMAKS programme is responsible for the Research Council's health, safety and environment-related (HSE) activities within the petroleum sector. "Efforts to develop a new version of the QUIETPRO earplug provide a good example of the type of creative projects that exist in this field that make use of technology and system solutions across sectors," explains Tor-Petter Johnsen, Adviser for the PETROMAKS programme.
"Close cooperation between advanced Norwegian technology groups and highly skilled customers in the petroleum industry has not only led to the development of a new product but has also provided better insight into the serious health risks to which employees in the industry are exposed," Mr Johnsen concludes.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
19/08/10
Hearing Aids: A Boon for Improving Hearing Loss
Hearing Aids: A Boon for Improving Hearing Loss
Author: Victor Ben
Hearing aid is an asset for people suffering from hearing impairment. Hearing loss effects hearing ability and reduces the level of tolerence to certain sounds. This deficiency is very common these days and negligence to the problem may result in severe setbacks. Nearly 10% of the world's population suffers from hearing loss.Despite the fact that many people are suffering from hearing loss, there are very few who are using hearing aids.
Hearing aid is an effective device which helps the users to hear the sounds clearly. Its an effective intstrument that picks up sound with the help of microphones and amplifies it to a certain degree. It helps the person to hear properly.
Earlier, analog hearing aid was the only option for the hearing impaired people. But with the advent of new technology, digital hearing aid has captivated the entire market. It has transformed many lives by providing them with better quality of sound. It ensures perfect functioning and better sound reproduction.
Hearing aids are divided on the basis of size, design, and levels of amplification. Types of hearing aids present in the market are 'In The Ear Aids' (ITE), 'Behind The Ear Aids' (BTE), 'Canal Aids' and 'Body Aids'. Many of these aids come with the warranty which make them easy to try out. There are many points that one has to keep in mind before purchasing these aids. For example, one must consult an audiologist before dealing with the purchase.
Using hearing aid requires prior knowledge so that the user faces less problems and can use the device to the full extent. A person should keep a calm mind while learning to adjust with the device. Various programmes are designed which help the user to understand the gradual process of learning.
For some people wearing an aid doesn't go with their looks, so they don't prefer it. While some find it expensive, some are dissatisfied with the device. These problems highlight the fact that while purchasing any hearing aid, one requires a prior consultation with professionals. Many of the companies provide these hearing aids at quite competitive prices. But one should perform a detailed survey before purchasing hearing aids.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
Author: Victor Ben
Hearing aid is an asset for people suffering from hearing impairment. Hearing loss effects hearing ability and reduces the level of tolerence to certain sounds. This deficiency is very common these days and negligence to the problem may result in severe setbacks. Nearly 10% of the world's population suffers from hearing loss.Despite the fact that many people are suffering from hearing loss, there are very few who are using hearing aids.
Hearing aid is an effective device which helps the users to hear the sounds clearly. Its an effective intstrument that picks up sound with the help of microphones and amplifies it to a certain degree. It helps the person to hear properly.
Earlier, analog hearing aid was the only option for the hearing impaired people. But with the advent of new technology, digital hearing aid has captivated the entire market. It has transformed many lives by providing them with better quality of sound. It ensures perfect functioning and better sound reproduction.
Hearing aids are divided on the basis of size, design, and levels of amplification. Types of hearing aids present in the market are 'In The Ear Aids' (ITE), 'Behind The Ear Aids' (BTE), 'Canal Aids' and 'Body Aids'. Many of these aids come with the warranty which make them easy to try out. There are many points that one has to keep in mind before purchasing these aids. For example, one must consult an audiologist before dealing with the purchase.
Using hearing aid requires prior knowledge so that the user faces less problems and can use the device to the full extent. A person should keep a calm mind while learning to adjust with the device. Various programmes are designed which help the user to understand the gradual process of learning.
For some people wearing an aid doesn't go with their looks, so they don't prefer it. While some find it expensive, some are dissatisfied with the device. These problems highlight the fact that while purchasing any hearing aid, one requires a prior consultation with professionals. Many of the companies provide these hearing aids at quite competitive prices. But one should perform a detailed survey before purchasing hearing aids.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
18/08/10
Mind Body Spirit and the Power to Achieve Happiness and Success
Mind Body Spirit and the Power to Achieve Happiness and Success
Copyright (c) 2010 Willie Horton
Very often I find it difficult to explore some of the key concepts in what might loosely be described as personal development or self improvement, given that ordinary language and words prove wholly inadequate. For example, do the words 'universal energy' adequately capture the reality that you and I are simply vibrating energy, that we live in a world and universe comprised solely of vibrating energy and that all that energy is highly responsive? Does the sobriquet 'Law of Attraction' mean different things to different people? And where do the boundaries lie between mind, body and spirit?
In fact, of course, there are no boundaries between mind, body and spirit just as there are no limits between you and I as individuals and the universe of which each of us comprises an integral and indispensable part. Not only are we part of a whole, when it comes to us as individuals, there is just one - mind, body and spirit are simply indefinably different aspects of the one. This is important because, when one looks at the facts in this manner, it becomes blindingly clear that what we are thinking, in other words what is going on in our minds, has an immediate and direct impact on how we feel, spiritually and physically. For example, when one dissects the apparent reality of stress and its very real physical consequences, we find that our thoughts directly cause shifts in body temperature and heart rate, changes in the production and release of a whole range of chemicals all of which, if unchecked, lead to serious illnesses - such as heart attack and stroke - and, if seriously out of control, can lead to premature death.
The point that I am making is this. Our state of mind has a direct impact on the state of mind of those around us - this has proven time and again by research in the field of psychology over many years. How much more does our state of mind affect us, ourselves? Your health, fitness and wellbeing are all direct consequences of your state of mind. Even your weight - your ability to gain too much of it or a variety of eating disorders from bulimia to anorexia - is a direct consequence of what is going on in your head.
And what is going on in your head is directly within your own control - or should be if you take the trouble to make the simplest and, ultimately, most powerful decision that we can all make as responsible adults - choosing your own thoughts. As things stand, your normal mind is plagued with inappropriate thoughts, most of which are derived from your subconscious mind. Research has concluded that the normal subconscious focuses on the events of our formative years and is more likely to focus on negative rather than the positive events - things that happened many years ago that made us feel bad about ourselves then and which, through being replayed are still making us feel inadequate. That, sadly, is our default state of mind. Of course, just because that's the default doesn't mean that we cannot control as to what we will or will not pay attention to.
Ultimately, you are your own master. Your life - every single aspect of it - is dictated by the thoughts that you're paying attention to. This is happening whether you're aware of it or not. The ultimate and powerful decision that I've just mentioned can be taken, day to day, moment to moment, by choosing to pay attention to the actual sensory experience of the here and now instead of letting your mind subconsciously wander to the stuff that's hurting you. If you do not take this action, your mind will continue to hurt you. Taking this decision is the only sure-fire way of preventing your own subconscious dwell on the self-destructive thoughts that we all have to a greater of lesser degree. No other way is more effective. No other way has the power to completely transform your health, your fitness, your wellbeing, your personal effectiveness and, ultimately, your ability to live a life of peace, happiness and effortless success.
Strong words - and, for once, words that are not open to dozens of different interpretations! The choice is stark - it's a life and death decision because if you're not living your life to the full you might as well be dead. Don't leave your fate in the hands of a subconscious mind that always has its finger on the self-destruct button. Grow up - take responsibility for your own life and start living it to the full. While the decision to choose your own thoughts is transformational, we're not talking about any breathtaking leap of faith here. No one is asking you to jump off a cliff blindfolded and trust in the universe to catch you. We're talking about stopping - right now - noticing what you're thinking (or where your mind thinks it is!) and deciding, not on a counter thought, to focus on now. You could focus on your breathing - that's happening now. You could focus on the wind blowing through your hair. If you've no hair, you'll always find something else to focus on!! We're talking about coming to our senses. Because, in doing so, we will stop making a nonsense of our lives and start being all that we can truly be.
http://tinnitus.22web.net
Copyright (c) 2010 Willie Horton
Very often I find it difficult to explore some of the key concepts in what might loosely be described as personal development or self improvement, given that ordinary language and words prove wholly inadequate. For example, do the words 'universal energy' adequately capture the reality that you and I are simply vibrating energy, that we live in a world and universe comprised solely of vibrating energy and that all that energy is highly responsive? Does the sobriquet 'Law of Attraction' mean different things to different people? And where do the boundaries lie between mind, body and spirit?
In fact, of course, there are no boundaries between mind, body and spirit just as there are no limits between you and I as individuals and the universe of which each of us comprises an integral and indispensable part. Not only are we part of a whole, when it comes to us as individuals, there is just one - mind, body and spirit are simply indefinably different aspects of the one. This is important because, when one looks at the facts in this manner, it becomes blindingly clear that what we are thinking, in other words what is going on in our minds, has an immediate and direct impact on how we feel, spiritually and physically. For example, when one dissects the apparent reality of stress and its very real physical consequences, we find that our thoughts directly cause shifts in body temperature and heart rate, changes in the production and release of a whole range of chemicals all of which, if unchecked, lead to serious illnesses - such as heart attack and stroke - and, if seriously out of control, can lead to premature death.
The point that I am making is this. Our state of mind has a direct impact on the state of mind of those around us - this has proven time and again by research in the field of psychology over many years. How much more does our state of mind affect us, ourselves? Your health, fitness and wellbeing are all direct consequences of your state of mind. Even your weight - your ability to gain too much of it or a variety of eating disorders from bulimia to anorexia - is a direct consequence of what is going on in your head.
And what is going on in your head is directly within your own control - or should be if you take the trouble to make the simplest and, ultimately, most powerful decision that we can all make as responsible adults - choosing your own thoughts. As things stand, your normal mind is plagued with inappropriate thoughts, most of which are derived from your subconscious mind. Research has concluded that the normal subconscious focuses on the events of our formative years and is more likely to focus on negative rather than the positive events - things that happened many years ago that made us feel bad about ourselves then and which, through being replayed are still making us feel inadequate. That, sadly, is our default state of mind. Of course, just because that's the default doesn't mean that we cannot control as to what we will or will not pay attention to.
Ultimately, you are your own master. Your life - every single aspect of it - is dictated by the thoughts that you're paying attention to. This is happening whether you're aware of it or not. The ultimate and powerful decision that I've just mentioned can be taken, day to day, moment to moment, by choosing to pay attention to the actual sensory experience of the here and now instead of letting your mind subconsciously wander to the stuff that's hurting you. If you do not take this action, your mind will continue to hurt you. Taking this decision is the only sure-fire way of preventing your own subconscious dwell on the self-destructive thoughts that we all have to a greater of lesser degree. No other way is more effective. No other way has the power to completely transform your health, your fitness, your wellbeing, your personal effectiveness and, ultimately, your ability to live a life of peace, happiness and effortless success.
Strong words - and, for once, words that are not open to dozens of different interpretations! The choice is stark - it's a life and death decision because if you're not living your life to the full you might as well be dead. Don't leave your fate in the hands of a subconscious mind that always has its finger on the self-destruct button. Grow up - take responsibility for your own life and start living it to the full. While the decision to choose your own thoughts is transformational, we're not talking about any breathtaking leap of faith here. No one is asking you to jump off a cliff blindfolded and trust in the universe to catch you. We're talking about stopping - right now - noticing what you're thinking (or where your mind thinks it is!) and deciding, not on a counter thought, to focus on now. You could focus on your breathing - that's happening now. You could focus on the wind blowing through your hair. If you've no hair, you'll always find something else to focus on!! We're talking about coming to our senses. Because, in doing so, we will stop making a nonsense of our lives and start being all that we can truly be.
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