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Influenza (Flu) News and Articles
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U.S. and World News Weekly
Multicultural Magazine of the Times and Diverse People Promoting
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DAILY NEWS BYTES
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Experts Warn Nation's Pandemic Flu Preparendess Not
Keeping Pace with Advancements in Science, Technology
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Trust for America's
Health (TFAH) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America
(IDSA) today raised concerns that pandemic flu preparedness efforts
are falling behind advances in science and technology. The scientific
and health groups issued a set of policy recommendations that
outline actions that should be taken now to better prepare the
nation for a pandemic flu outbreak. [More]
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Age-Old Remedy for the Newest
Flu
by Kathryn Beach
Every year the seasonal flu kills about 36,000 people and
sends 200,000 to the hospital, according to the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Every year during "flu
season" (typically starting around Thanksgiving and peaking
around Christmas) there's a rush to get flu shots; especially
among the elderly, the ill, and the very young, the concern is
well-grounded.
For most sufferers -- between 5 and 20 percent of the population
every year -- the flu brings fever, headaches, fatigue, aches
and pains, stomach distress and other symptoms that make life
miserable for days.
Rumor of a pandemic flu outbreak has brought increased concern.
It's important to understand exactly what this means, rather
than just being fearful of something arriving at the nearest
airport to which you have no defense.
Viruses are the invading organisms responsible for most epidemic
illnesses. Virus-caused illnesses range from the common cold
to cold sores, warts, measles and chicken pox, hepatitis, West
Nile virus, the "ordinary" flu, and AIDS. Most recently,
it's the Avian flu that has people on edge.
We can help prevent the passage of viruses from person to
person by avoiding large indoor gatherings of people (right...during
the holiday season...) and exercising good sanitary practices
- washing hands often, etc. Viruses are known to be resistant
to pharmaceutical antibiotics. Many public health experts have
pinned their hopes on the antiviral drug Tamiflu to fight the
Avian flu, for example, only to find that resistent cases are
emerging. A flu virus mutates frequently and sometimes a new
strain emerges that humans have not been exposed to. If the strain
spreads easily between humans, it can cause widespread death
and overwhelm global health resources. (It's important to realize
that the Avian flu in the news these days is NOT passed easily
between humans; it seems to mostly be passed from poultry to
humans.) A flu virus from half a world away is one to which you
will most likely have no immunity, unlike the local ones you
contact, and the mutations can leave us even more defenseless.
Enter the powerful healing properties of the oil of the tea
tree, Melaleuca alternifolia. Just because a substance is naturally-occuring
with no known side effects, does not mean it can't be effective.
Tea tree was an important medicinal for native Australians. They
drank tea made of the leaves and applied tea tree poultices to
treat wounds, cuts, and various skin disorders. In 1920, Dr.
A. Penfold tested the oil's properties for the first time. He
discovered that tea tree oil was 12 times more potent than the
accepted antiseptic at the time, carbolic acid. Dr. Penfold's
research prompted further testing in the following decades, contributing
to its increasing use by the public.
Tea tree oil is a valuable alternative to pharmaceuticals.
Its complex chemical composition makes it extremely difficult
for germs to develop resistance. Traditional antibiotics possess
more simple chemical structures to which germs can easily develop
immunity. Tea tree oil is readily absorbed and it continues to
block germ growth at the site for several days after the initial
application. The oil is a proven immuno-stimulant; it is even
currently being tested in the treatment of AIDS.
You should apply a small test amount to the skin before using
it for the first time, as with any product, there is always the
chance of sensitivity in any particular individual. Adding a
couple drops to a vapourizer and inhaling the fumes helps to
freshen and disinfect the air, killing germs that infect the
sinuses and lungs, and opening clogged respiratory passages.
The oil can be rubbed into the skin at full strength, or mixed
with a carrier oil or lotion. The oil can also be added to a
hot bath and is then assimilated both through the skin and the
nasal passages.
Personal use of tea tree oil is not to be substituted for
advice from your family doctor. It is, however, useful in prevention
and as a first aid treatment. And there is anecdotal and scientific
evidence of truly amazing results using this phenomenal substance.
Kathryn Beach offers affiliate marketers support
and advice, and has gathered extensive information about
herbal remedies on her website, "Learn
About the Tea Tree Oil Phenomenon".
Kathryn Beach may be contacted at http://www.7affiliatecentral.com or bekat@7affiliatecentral.com
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Experts Warn Nation's Pandemic
Flu Preparendess Not Keeping Pace with Advancements in Science,
Technology
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Trust for America's
Health (TFAH) and the Infectious Diseases Society of America
(IDSA) today raised concerns that pandemic flu preparedness efforts
are falling behind advances in science and technology. The scientific
and health groups issued a set of policy recommendations that
outline actions that should be taken now to better prepare the
nation for a pandemic flu outbreak.
"The United States must expand and accelerate research
efforts and ensure we rapidly translate scientific breakthroughs
into real-world practice to prepare for a possible pandemic,"
said Kathleen Maletic Neuzil, MD, chair of IDSA's Pandemic Influenza
Task Force and associate professor of medicine at the University
of Washington School of Medicine, who is a co-author of the report.
"This is particularly important in the area of flu vaccine
production and delivery, which will always be the best defense
against pandemic flu."
TFAH and IDSA recommend that:
-- The U.S. develop a Pandemic Vaccine Research and Development
Master Plan to systemize and greatly enhance the current U.S.
and international vaccine research and development strategies,
bringing together the knowledge of government and private industry
scientists. The program would provide a comprehensive approach
to vaccine development, production and delivery. A substantial
increase in federal funding would be required to match the scale
needed for this effort.
-- The U.S. adopt policies to increase seasonal influenza
vaccination rates to reduce rates of illness and death from yearly
influenza and stabilize the nation's vaccine manufacturing and
distribution capabilities. This includes encouraging state and
local health departments to use federal preparedness funds to
purchase annual flu vaccine in order to test mass vaccination
capabilities. This would be an important way to exercise our
capacity to conduct mass vaccinations in a public health emergency.
-- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continue to
streamline the licensure process for pandemic flu vaccine to
make the vaccine available for public use as quickly as possible
and to adopt appropriate criteria that will allow foreign clinical
trial data to speed the use of advances made in other countries
into the U.S.
-- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
implement a nationwide, real-time system to track the use and
effectiveness of vaccine, which is needed to make the most efficient
use possible of limited amounts of vaccine.
-- The U.S. expand and strengthen working relationships with
other countries to improve the ability to identify and respond
to an outbreak as soon as possible.
-- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
increase the amount of antiviral medication in the Strategic
National Stockpile to be able to treat at minimum 25 percent
of the U.S. population. The current model requiring states to
cover 75 percent of purchasing costs for well over one third
of the stockpile will likely lead to inequities leaving some
communities less protected than others due to differing financial
resources in states.
-- The Congress rapidly pass and the administration implement
the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act to improve the
country's public health response capabilities and expand programs
critical to supporting innovation in the private sector.
"The possibility of a pandemic requires that we step
up our research and development efforts in order to have the
state-of-the-art science and technology we need to address the
threat," said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH.
"Congress made a serious investment of more than $5 billion
into pandemic preparedness last year; this helps the country
take the first steps toward fixing vaccine capacity and preparedness
after years of neglect. However, this problem can't be resolved
with a one-time infusion of funds. It requires an ongoing and
sustained effort and investment.
The recommendations are included in a new report, "Pandemic
Influenza: The State of the Science," which draws upon interviews
conducted with 14 leading scientific experts on influenza, pandemics
and infectious disease to examine what is known scientifically
about influenza viruses as well as developments in vaccines,
medications and diagnostics that could be used in the event of
a possible pandemic.
Experts consulted for the report include: Lawrence Deyton,
MSPH, MD, with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Anthony
S. Fauci, MD, with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases; David Fedson, MD, formerly with the University of Virginia
and Aventis Pasteur; Gregory K. Folkers, MS, MPH, with the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Scott Harper, MD,
with the New York City Department of Health; Hillery A. Harvey,
PhD, with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases;
Frederick G. Hayden, MD, with the University of Virginia Health
Sciences Center and the World Health Organization; Kathleen Maletic
Neuzil, MD, with PATH and the University of Washington School
of Medicine and Chair of IDSA's Pandemic Influenza Task Force;
Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, with the Center for Infectious
Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota; Andrew
T. Pavia, MD, with the University of Utah School of Medicine
and Chair of the National and Global Public Health Committee
of the IDSA; Gregory A. Poland, MD, with the Mayo Vaccine Research
Group; Robert T. Schooley, MD, with the University of California
at San Diego; John Treanor, MD, with the University of Rochester
School of Medicine and Dentistry and Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation
Unit and Tim Uyeki, MD, MPH, MPP, with the National Center for
Infectious Diseases of the CDC. The opinions presented in the
paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
those of the interviewees.
-----
Trust for America's Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization
dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community
and working to make disease prevention a national priority, For
more information, visit http://www.healthyamericans.org
-----
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) is an organization
of physicians, scientists and other health care professionals
dedicated to promoting health through excellence in infectious
diseases research, education, prevention and patient care. The
Society, which has 8,000 members, is based in Alexandria, Va.
Nested within IDSA is the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the
professional home for more than 3,000 physicians, scientists
and other health care professionals dedicated to the field of
HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit http://www.idsociety.org.
-----
The Pew Charitable Trusts serves the public interest by providing
information, advancing policy solutions and supporting civic
life. Based in Philadelphia, with an office in Washington, D.C.,
the Trusts will invest $248 million in fiscal year 2007 to provide
organizations and citizens with fact-based research and practical
solutions for challenging issues. For more information, visit
http://www.pewtrusts.org.
http://www.usnewswire.com/
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A Step By Step Guide On How To Prevent Bird
Flu
by Kanishk manchanda
Bird Flu is one of the greatest threats to our modern civilization
and if at all a pandemic strikes our planet earth, we are not
at all prepared to face it. Bird flu spreads and multiplies in
unhygienic conditions. In fact the carriers of this deadly virus
are the wild birds, which remain unaffected by the outcome of
the virus infiltration.
Bird flu is just an influenza virus. Generally this virus does
not infect the humans. But a single strain of this virus, known
as H5N1 can show infection symptoms in humans, dogs and pigs.
Many of the viruses of this deadly disease has a common route
to enter. They are found in our finger nails and enter through
the mucous membrane of our nose and eyes.
However, the bird flu virus can be easily prevented. Some of
the preventive measures are:
1.Maintaining proper personal hygiene. For that it is advisable
that you wash your hands frequently, particularly while taking
meals. And if you are looking for more safety use gloves while
stepping out of your homes.
2.Apart from personal hygiene, proper sanitation is also very
important. Unhygienic sanitation places are the best breeding
grounds for the flu virus.
3.As it has been said earlier that the virus spreads through
the mucous membranes so it is advisable for you to take some extra
precautions. While traveling out in crowded places, make sure
that you cover your eyes with a pair of goggles. And also try
to cover your mouth and nose with the clinical masks available.
4.This is an advise both for the doctors and the general family
members. While addressing a patient suffering from the virus,
you should always cover your nose and mouth with a mask or an
handkerchief. Because the mucous dropping by the patients carries
the bird flu virus that might infect you.
5.There is some special care to take if you are a worker in
a poultry farm. You need to protect all your body parts. So for
that reason wear clinical masks and gloves for a complete protection.
Keep separate clothes for the workplace and for home.
6.And if you find any bird suffering from the symptoms of the
flu, you should immediately seclude it from the others. Do not
allow the nasal discharge, fecal matter and the blood droplets
of the infected chicken to come in contact with the healthy chickens.
7.There are certain vaccines for the bird flu disorder. But
these vaccines sometimes fail to show positive results. So it
is better to look for prevention than the cure.
8.While disposing the things used, like the gloves and the
masks used while monitoring a bird or a human suffering from the
virus, you should take some extra care. Dispose them as indicated
on their manufacturing boxes.
9.The other natural way to prevent encounter with a flu virus
is by improving your immune system. A strong immune system helps
you fight this deadly virus. More over if you try to keep your
general health fine, there are less chances of you being infected.
Preventing bird flu virus from spreading is not a difficult
task. All you need to do is to be a little more careful about
your surroundings and your health. An efficient immune and health
system can fight any disease. The same is true with the prevention
of the bird flu virus.
To get more information on bird flu, bird
flu prevention and bird
flu vaccine visit http://www.isitbirdflu.com/
Kanishk manchanda may be contacted at
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September 2004, Vol. 6, No.
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DVC Catalog Showcase
32011 This wood photo frame has the
"shabby elegance" look of an old-fashioned window and
holds a 4" x 6" photo. 11" x 1 3/8" x 9 7/8"
high.
 33218 A fabric
garden angel with painted tin wings floats cheerfully above goldtone
pipes in a spring-inspired wind chime. A very special accessory
to bring music and color into your garden! 4 3/4" x 11 5/8"
high.
34039 "Peace" is the message of this blue
wax candle, pressed with dried flowers. 3 3/8" diameter
x 5 1/4" high.
32037 A loving African
couple, splendidly carved in alabastrite. 2" x 2"
x 5 1/4' high Their traditional attire is enlivened by the colors
and designs of Africa. 2" x 2" x 5 1/4" high.
31417 Magnificently arrayed in brilliant colors,
this beauty displays her handcrafted hats for all to see. 5 3/4"
x 5" x 13" high.
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Painless, Non-Invasive Breast
Fluid Test Discovers Breast Cancer at Early, Most Treatable Stage
September 2004 (Newstream) -- Doctors will soon
have a powerful tool - a non-invasive, painless nipple fluid
test - in their fight to make breast cancer a more treatable,
non-fatal disease.
Within the next couple years, women will be able
to go for a routine check-up and receive the test - currently
in development at IMI International Medical Innovations - that
can detect breast cancer in its early, most treatable stage.
IMI's breast cancer test identifies a cancer-associated sugar
in a sample of nipple aspirate fluid derived from the breast
ducts and painlessly expressed through the nipple using a pump.
See www.imimedical.com.
"Most breast cancers originate in the breast
ducts, so nipple aspirate fluid is a logical sample to target,"
said Dr. Anees Chagpar, an assistant professor in the Division
of Surgical Oncology, University of Louisville. "The early
results we have seen with this test are promising, and we are
planning additional studies to confirm and expand our findings."
Widespread screening for early-stage breast cancer
could minimize the devastating effect of the disease. Breast
cancer, currently the second leading cause of cancer death for
women, is nearly 100 percent treatable when diagnosed early,
according to the American Cancer Society.
The test is cost effective relative to other current
screening options and could one day be a front-line test for
this deadly disease, according to Michael Evelegh, PhD, who oversees
product development and clinical affairs at IMI.
Current screening techniques available to women
include mammography, clinical breast examination and breast self-examination.
But some breast changes that indicate early-stage cancer may
not be evident on a mammogram or be picked up by touch.
The same sugar marker is being used by IMI in new
tests for colorectal and lung cancers, which examine rectal mucus
and sputum respectively. In each test, the sample is treated
with a series of chemicals that cause a color-change reaction.
The color change is measured by a spectrophotometer, producing
a quantified test result.
According to the World Health Organization, more
than 1.2 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with breast
cancer this year. The American Cancer Society projects an estimated
215,990 new cases among women in the U.S., with an expected 40,110
deaths by the end of 2004.
For more information, visit www.imimedical.com.
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June
2004
Vol. 6, No. 6
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Raw Foods Diet One of Seven Most Popular Diets in
The World Today
-by Katie Savage 2/27/04
"The Top 7 Diets in the World", an article on "Medical
News Today" on February 11th cited The Raw Foods Diet as
being amongst the seven most popular diets in the world today,
along with The Atkins Diet, The Zone Diet, and the Macrobiotic
Diet.
What the heck is the Raw Foods diet, where did it come from and
why is it suddenly so popular?
Raw Food Educator Jinjee Talifero at the Ekaya Institute of Living
Food Eduction (E.I.L.F.E.) (http://www.thegardendiet.com)
believes that the Raw Foods diet has become a major trend due
to the Internet, where there are literally thousands of articles,
bulletin boards, and websites where raw foods advocates share
with others the many ways in which they have improved their health
through this diet. People around the world claim to have healed
themselves of everything from acne, asthma and multiple sclerosis
to cancer, heart disease and diabetes by consuming only unheated
fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and juices and avoiding all heated
foods.
The online raw food community has generated a slew of books about
raw foods. A search for "Raw Food" on Amazon.com yields
355 books on the subject. David Wolfe, author of several books
on raw foods appears on Sci-Fi Channel's Mad Mad House this spring.
Roxanne's, a 5-Star Raw Food Restaurant in Larkspur California
has a 6 week waiting list for reservations. Countless celebrities
and Hollywood Industry trend-setters such as Demi Moore, Woody
Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone and Angela Bassett have all embraced
the Raw Foods Diet. And famous Chef Charlie Trotter's book "Raw"
will be available in May.
Unlike Atkins and the Zone there is no best-selling raw food book
or central figure in the movement. There is no large corporate
interest such as a big publisher or a vitamin manufacturer providing
money to promote the raw food diet. But somehow this diet has
crept from a little known secret of enlightenment-seeking initiates
such as Shaolin Monks and Essene Priests to a leading-edge lifestyle
being accepted worldwide.
The raw food diet is based on eating only unheated foods. According
to the FDA heated fats become trans-fats, heated proteins are
potential free-radicals, and heated carbohydrates contain numerous
toxins. Heating also damages the vitamins, enzymes and nutrients
in foods. So when we eat heated foods we are not only lacking
nourishment but we are in fact taking toxic substances into our
body. The raw food diet is considered radical and extreme
because mankind has been eating primarily cooked food for millions
of years. It is interesting to wonder whether if we prove this
practice to have been in error we will be able to alter our course
as a species and perhaps improve our lot in life.
Since raw meat and dairy are unsafe, the raw food diet does not
allow these foods. A raw food diet consists of unheated fruits,
vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. Rather than being
boring, raw food dieters claim that there are 1000's of recipes
you can make with these basic foods. Other raw food eaters claim
that there is no need for recipes because you become so sensitive
on the raw diet that a simple piece of raw fruit or a raw vegetable
tastes and satisfies better than a gourmet meal. Most raw food
advocates agree that it is important to eat only organic food
to avoid chemicals present in commercially grown produce and because
it tastes better.
Talifero sells 8 raw food eBooks on her website at http://www.thegardendiet.com
based on the experiences and example of her husband Storm who
has been consuming a raw food diet for over 30 years. Storm, who
is 54, has the physique and appearance of a 20-something year
old athlete. His diet on a typical day consists of fresh squeezed
organic orange juice for breakfast, a large salad with a dressing
made of avocado, lemon and cold-pressed olive oil for lunch and
a nutmilk shake made from germinated almonds and sunfllower seeds,
water, raw honey, unrefined sea salt, and cold-pressed flaxseed
oil for dinner. His diet is very low in calories, which is one
way in which the raw diet is similar to the Calorie Restriction
(CR) Diet. CR dieters also eat a lot of raw foods in an attempt
to consume foods that are nutrient dense. According to recent
studies in which mice who were fed a reduced calorie diet lengthened
their lifespan by a third, the CR diet and raw food diet could
potentially allow us to live until an average age of 130 years
old.
For more information about The Raw Foods Diet visit Ekaya Institute
of Living Food Education online at http://www.thegardendiet.com
More Diet Articles
What
I Know for Sure about Diet
World
Health Organization (WHO) Health Update on Deadly SARS Virus
5-5-03.
New findings from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that
the deadly SARS virus can live in human waste for days –
four days in diarrhea/two days in urine or feces. Traces of the
virus have been found in the waste of patients thought to be virus
free and discharged SARS is primarily spread through coughs and
sneezes. One theory, that leaky sewage pipes triggered a severe
outbreak of 300 people, is now being considered with more validity.
The SARS virus survives on chilled plastic surfaces for four days.
This suggests that if someone with contaminated hands touched
something in the refrigerator it would stay alive for that duration.
Standard
disinfectants like chlorine bleach kill the virus in five minutes.
Caused
by the corona virus, the SARS virus has killed almost 450 people
worldwide in around 30 countries and territories and made over
6,700 sick. The corona virus is the cause of common colds and
gastrointestinal/respiratory diseases in animals.
Presently,
there is no cure. Up to 10 percent of cases are fatal.
On
Friday, health officials in Beijing were optimistic that the SARS
epidemic had reached its height. This is great news considering
the strict measures that had to be taken by the city government
to keep the SARS virus under control with quarantine.
SARS
first emerged in November 2002 in China.
Male Pattern
Baldness Drug May Reduce Odds of Getting Prostate Cancer
6-24-03. A recent study indicates that a male pattern baldness
drug, finasteride, may reduce the odds by 25 percent for getting
prostate cancer; however, those who do take the drug and still
get prostate cancer tend to have a more aggressive form of it.
According to Dr. Ian Thompson, the study's lead author at the
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, "finasteride
is the first drug found to reduce the risk of prostate cancer
cancer. The drug worked for men at low risk for prostate cancers,
as well as those at high risk."
Others ponder whether or not the drug is simply a supresser
of meaningless types of the disease. Then, there are the side
effects like sexual impotence.
In general, prostate cancer is a slow-growing disease and men
who are diagnosed with it, tend to die of something unrelated.
For those men taking the drug, for hair growth, there is the concern
of taking something that promotes aggressive forms of cancer.
Finasteride is made by Merck and available with a prescription
only.
Summer Health Alert:
West Nile Virus
6-24-03. Summer is the time for the United States to be concerned
with West Nile virus because of mosquitoes. According to Dr. Daniel
Blumenthal, an infectious disease expert from Morehouse College
in Atlanta, "I think the smart money would say we're going
to have another heavy season of West Nile virus this summer because
of the wet spring, (which means) a lot of mosquitoes."
In states like Florida, Illinois, and Lousiana, there is early
West Nile virus activity in mosquitoes, birds, and animals. Last
year, only four states in the continental U.S. did not have any
cases. They were Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Ilinois was
the hardest hit state last year with an outbreak of 884 human
cases and 64 deaths.
In perspective, West Nile virus is rare compared to the incidence
of pneumonia and influenza. Last year, there were 284 deaths from
West Nile virus versus 30,000 for pneumonia and influenza. There
are immunizations against the latter two.
American Heart
Association Urges Doctors to Prescribe Exercise
6-24-03. According to the American Heart Association, physicians
should prescribe exercise, that often works as well as drugs,
as a means to lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease and
diabetes. Thirty minutes or more of moderate exercise most days
of the week is recommended by many groups besides the AHA, like
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Speculation
for reasons doctors do not prescribe exercise more than they do
include their lack of training in disease prevention versus disease
treatment, the fact that they do not get insurance reimbursements
for exercise training, and that pharmaceutical companies promote
medications and train doctors on how to use them.
Studies show that exercise can raise "good" cholesterol
levels and lower "bad" cholesterol and decrease premature
death in adult onset diabetics by one-third.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States
killing over 700,000 Americans a year.
Falling Asleep - An ADD
Nightmare
by Jennifer Koretsky
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Like many night people,
I have a hard time waking up in the morning, but I have an even
harder time falling asleep at night. When I spoke to my doctor
about this problem, she offered me a very simple solution: take
three hours to "wind down" before bed. Dont do anything
stimulating in the evening that will engage your brain. Relax,
unwind, and youll find yourself falling asleep much easier at
night. Sounds simple, right? Not when you have ADD!
People with ADD (also
known as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD) often
find themselves chronically tired during the day, but unable
to sleep at night. This can be true for adults and kids alike.
Some of us seem to have our own internal schedule a body and
mind that want to sleep all day and be productive at night. Unfortunately,
most of the world doesnt work this way. Many people with ADD
have a schedule to conform to, and find themselves suffering
with sleepless nights and sluggish days.
But if we have a possible solution dont do anything stimulating
three hours before bed then why do we still have a problem? I
know that if I can manage to spend a relaxing evening free from
stimulation, I have a much easier time both falling asleep and
sleeping soundly. Unfortunately, relaxing and winding down in
the evening is not as easy as it seems. Two main symptoms of
ADD are hyperactivity (which can be physical and/or mental) and
impulsiveness. These are two things that constantly tempt the
brain to get active. Additionally, once a task or project is
picked up, people with ADD have the potential to hyperfocus on
it and lose track of time. In order to avoid this and wind down,
I find it best to adhere to a routine. I have to schedule my
activities for the evening, and not allow myself to get caught
up in anything that I find engaging, like emailing, talking on
the phone, or even picking up an interesting book.
When scheduling your evenings and developing a routine, whether
it is for yourself or your child, identify the one or two things
that usually provide the most stimulation and eliminate them
from the pre-bedtime hours. In my own routine, I begin my wind
down by shutting off my computer right after dinner. This prevents
me from getting caught up in email, research, or any other number
of interesting things that the Internet has to offer.
The next thing to consider when planning your routine is to
schedule in down time for some serious relaxing. For me, this
can mean taking 15 minutes to meditate, going for a walk with
my dog, or even just sitting in my favorite chair and breathing
deeply. Whatever it is, I do it alone.
And finally, set up a signal that will let your body know
its time to start shutting down. The very last thing I do at
night is brush my teeth. This is my signal to my body and mind
that the day is now over and it is time to rest. You may choose
to do some light reading, tuck in the kids, or make your lunch
for tomorrow what it is doesnt matter, as long as its the same
small task repeated every night.
Once you have developed your schedule, make it a routine.
People with ADD often work well with this kind of structure.
You can change the activities you plan for each night, as long
as you stick to the basics. Get your body and mind used to winding
down in the evenings, and you may just find yourself falling
asleep easier at night!
© Copyright 2003 Jennifer Koretsky
Jennifer Koretsky may be contacted at http://www.addmanagement.com jennifer@addmanagement.com.
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here to view more of their articles. Jennifer Koretsky is
an ADD Coach who helps people find peace through ADD management.
She offers private and group coaching, workshops, and a free
e-newsletter. For more information, please visit www.ADDmanagement.com.
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