Weight Lifting 101

WHY WEIGHT LIFTING?
What's the one thing that you can do to lose weight, re-shape your body, improve muscle tone, become stronger, fight off osteoporosis, lower blood pressure, etc.?
Weight Lifting!  Or as it's also called, Strength Training! 
For the rest of this book I will refer to the art of weight lifting as strength training.  One of the reasons a lot of people don't lift weights is because they are intimidated by the word weight lifting.
It amazes me to see how many people avoid lifting weights for one reason or another.
Let me make sure you are clear of one very important fact.
LIFTING WEIGHTS IS ONE OF THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR OVERALL HEALTH!!!
Let's jump right in and start off by covering exactly "what" strength training is.
It's actually very simple.  Strength training or weight lifting is the lifting of heavy weights and/or resistance in a prescribed manner as an exercise or in athletic competition.
Notice I said weights and/or resistance.  It doesn't have to necessarily be a weight plate or a dumbbell.  We'll get into that more later.
As simple as that definition of strength training sounds, why are you and so many other people not doing it?
The answer to that is probably one of these two:

    You're not sure what to do, or you're confused about what to do.
    You have never realized that strength-training can and will build muscle, which in turn will help you look and feel great.

You very well could be on a strength-training program right now.
Even if you are, I want you to really pay attention to what we're going to talk about for the rest of the book.  I'm sure it is going to have you thinking differently about why you should be lifting weights from now on.
We're going to talk about why developing a strength training program will ultimately help you lose weight, add some muscle tone, look better and feel better about yourself.
We will go over some "myths" about strength training and the real facts behind them.
So, whether you're new to strength training or you've been doing it for years, pay close attention.
MYTHS
Let's first clear up some of the misconceptions about strength training and the truth behind these myths.
This first myth is the "biggie" and it has prevented many of you from weight lifting (especially women).
It sounds a little something like this; "I don't want to lift weights because I don't want to get big and bulky."
It's a shame that a lot of people think like this because it is so far from the truth.  Let's explore that myth a little.
When you think of weight lifters, you probably think of body builders, right?
You think of the men and women on ESPN parading around in little swimsuits with big bulky muscles popping out all over the place.
There are three reasons for this:

    These people are an extremely minute percentage of the population.
    That is their livelihood and they spend 4 to 5 hours a day in the gym.
    Some of them are using performance-enhancing drugs (steroids, etc.) to look like that

So if you can get that image of the "bodybuilder" out of your head and think in terms of the average everyday person, you will see why the myth about getting bulky is just that, a myth!
What we're going to talk about next I will try to explain to you in an easy to understand way, without using any medical or professional terminology.
When you lift weights your body builds muscle.  The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest).   The more calories you burn the less you weigh.
It's as simple as that!!!
Let me give you an example of this that might make it a little easier to understand.  We'll talk about 2 women in this example.
Let's say you and your best friend are sitting on the couch watching some T.V.  You personally strength-train 3 times a week, but your friend does not.
After an hour of watching T.V goes by, who will have burned more calories?
The common answer to that would be that you both burned the same (almost nothing), since you weren't doing anything.
But the actual answer would be that you burned more calories, and I'll tell you why for one simple reason.  THE MORE MUSCLE YOU HAVE THE MORE CALORIES YOU BURN!!
Now you might say to yourself, "But if I lift weights, my muscles will get bigger and I will appear big and bulky."
This does have a tendency to happen to men sometimes, and that is because of the male hormone testosterone.  But what also happens to men, just like the women, is that they will get rid of the fat and replace it with lean muscle.
So the lean added muscle will now be there instead of the soft jelly-like fat.
With that said, keep this in mind.  Evan though men have more testosterone, it would still be very difficult for a man to get big and bulky.  You would have to train like a real bodybuilder in order for this to occur.  Being genetically blessed doesn't hurt either.
And if you did see yourself starting to "bulk" up a little, and that's not what you want, just decrease the amount of weight you are lifting.  Very simple.
Women on the other hand, do not have enough testosterone to even come close to "bulking up".
Which brings us to another myth.
That myth being one of the most popular in the world of exercise, which is, "Muscle weighs more than fat."
How ridiculous is that saying?
That's like the old joke, "Which weighs more--10 lbs. of steel or 10 lbs. of feathers?"
Hopefully by now you know that the answer to that question is that they both really weigh the same.  10 lbs. is 10 lbs. no matter what it is made of.
Let's go over this in a little more detail.
Muscle is much more compact and dense than fat.  It actually takes up less space than fat does because of that.  That makes sense, right?
Fat, on the other hand, is very soft and jelly-like and is a lot bigger than muscle.  By that I mean it takes up more space than muscle does.
Let me give you another example to clarify this a little more.
If you were to take 10 lbs. of fat and 10 lbs. of muscle and roll each of them into a ball, the 10 lbs. of fat might be the size of a bowling ball.  In comparison, the 10 lbs. of muscle would be about the size of a baseball.
Let's take this a step further and use you and your friend in an example.  You and your friend, for argument sake, are both 5' 5" tall and both weigh the exact same weight of 130 lbs.
Your friend, as we mentioned, does not lift weights or do any kind of strength training.  Her dress size is a size 12.
You, on the other hand, lift weights and follow a strength-training program 3 times a week.  Your dress size is a size 8.
If you and your friend were standing side by side people would definitely think that you weighed less than your friend.  But in reality you both weigh exactly the same.
How can that be?
It all relates back to what I said earlier.  Muscle does not weigh more than fat, it weighs the same.  It is more compact than fat and it takes up less space.  So you, the strength trainer, have more muscle than your friend does which means you will take up less space.
That's why it's also not a good idea to let the scale be your judge of your progress.  You can very well have lost weight, but it won't show up on the scale sometimes.  A good indication of progress is how your clothes fit.  If you are getting smaller, or should we say more compact/dense, you will notice that your clothes are getting a little looser.
Well all right you say, "I'll lift weights, but I'm only lifting light weights and doing lots of repetitions."
This is another mistake a lot of you are making.  Now I'm not saying that this is the wrong way to lift, but it is not the optimal way to go about strength training if you are looking to lose weight and change your body.
So, is it all right for you to lift heavy weights and fewer repetitions?  ABSOLUTELY!!
There's another statement you need to clear your head of---"I shouldn't lift heavy weights because that is for bodybuilders."
You absolutely can and should be lifting heavy weights if you want to change your body!
Let's take a moment now to recap some of the main ideas we have just covered;

    Lifting weights will not make you bulky (it will make you leaner and more toned)
    Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat; it's simply more compact and denser than fat. (Remember, muscle actually takes up less space than fat)
    The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn (even at rest!).

Now you are well informed of why strength training will help you look and feel great.  Hopefully this cleared up any confusion you might have had and now you are ready to "hit the weights."
"WHAT DO I DO NOW"?
So you now know what strength training is and you know why it will help you change your body.
"But how do I actually go ahead and get started?"
As I said before, this is one of the main reasons if not THE main reason that most people don't lift weights.
But what if I was to tell you that it's not nearly as complicated as you might think.
What we're going to discuss now is the "nuts and bolts" of designing a strength-training program.
Let me first start out by saying that if you are out of shape, haven't exercised in awhile, suffer from any kind of medical condition (heart problems, high blood pressure, etc.) or are over 40 years old, you should make an appointment with your doctor to get a physical to make sure you are ready to start lifting weights.
With that said, here we go!
One of the very popular questions is what equipment do I need to strength train?  Or better yet, what equipment is the best?
Luckily, there are plenty of options; machines, free weights (dumbbells), elastic bands, using your own body weight, which is called isometrics (push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc.).
I guess the best way to decide what equipment you are going to use is to first decide exactly where you'll be working out.
Will you be at home, or will you be at some kind of gym or fitness center?
Let's first explore the many options you have at a gym or fitness center.
Depending on your particular gym, you will probably have the choice of using free weights (dumbbells, weight bars, weight plates, etc.) or machines.
If you are a beginner to lifting weights, I highly recommend you use the machines for a few reasons.

    Almost no chance of injury
    Much easier to use proper form
    Easily change weights via a pin

Also when using machines, especially the newer ones, there is usually a picture on the machine that demonstrates someone doing the actual exercise.
There is also a great product out now that is a ring of 50 pocket-sized exercise cards. They not only show a full color photo of each exercise, but each card also contains easy-to-read instructions as well as helpful trainer's tips and common training mistakes, which are found on the back of the cards.
These cards are excellent and I highly recommend them.
Log on to my web-site at www.thefitnessleader.com and go to the "Products" page.  There you will see a link for the cards.  Click on that link and order your set of cards today.  There is a lot more that comes with your set of 50 cards, and they are definitely worth having.
Another option is to purchase some really great books.
There are hundreds of great picture books out there to help you get started.
If you go to my web-site (www.thefitnessleader.com) and go to "products", there you will find a link to Amazon.
Once you click on the link, you will find some great books that I recommend that are very helpful for the beginner exerciser.
There is of course the third option, which is to hire one of the personal trainers that works at your gym or an in-home personal trainer, like myself, who comes to your house and sets you up on a program.
One word of advice if you decide to get a trainer.  Make sure this person has the right credentials (personal trainer certification and/or fitness related degree).  Don't just assume that since they work in a gym or because they call themselves a personal trainer, that they are qualified.
It's always best to watch the trainers for a couple of weeks if you are at a gym, or get a free session from an in-home trainer.  See how they operate, how they get along with their other clients, what kind of personality they have, etc.  Make sure you think that they will be a good fit for you.
I would personally love to tell you about all of the wonderful exercises you can do, but I would need about 200 pages just to list the pictures and explain proper form and technique.
Your best move would be to buy the cards (they are great) get your hands on a good "beginner's exercise" book and/or hire a certified personal trainer.
Are you now saying, "But what if I don't want to go to the gym, it takes too much time driving, it's always packed, and I just don't like the whole gym scene."
"Can I still lose weight and get in shape at home?"
ABSOLUTELY!!
A lot of people feel the same way that you do.  Either they don't have time to go back and forth to the gym, or they're just more comfortable working out in the privacy of their own home.
Depending on the space you have, you can make your own little "private" gym just for you and your family.
For this section of the book on working out at home, let's assume that you don't have a huge space.
The only things you actually need, believe it or not, are a bench and some free weights (dumbbells).
It would also be a good idea to get some exercise bands that you can use to do lots of different exercises, in addition to bench exercises, that will help diversify your program.
Again, I would highly recommend that you get either the Solotrainer cards or a beginner's exercise/weight training book to help you get started with your workouts.
Okay, let's get back to the equipment that you'll need.  First off is a bench.
BENCH
The bench you purchase should be multi-functional.  In other words, it should be able to incline as well as being flat.  Some benches can even decline in addition to flat and incline.  It is not necessary to have a flat/decline/incline bench or even a flat/incline bench, but I definitely recommend it.
It allows you to do a lot more exercises as you get into your program a little more.
FREE WEIGHTS
There are numerous types of free weights to choose from.  There are traditional dumbbells that range anywhere between 1 lb. to 200 lbs.
Depending on how much space you have and how much weight you think you'll be lifting, this will determine what kind of dumbbells you will be looking for.
One item that comes to mind is the PROBELL 30 Classic Adjustable Dumbbell System.  It sounds intimidating, but it's not at all.  It's actually quite a space saver.  It is a pair of dumbbells that can go from 2 1/2 lbs. to 30 lbs. each, in 2 1/2 pound increments, with the turn of a dial.  So in other words, you get 12 pairs of dumbbells all in 1 pair. 
This is a great product and I definitely recommend it, especially if you want to save some space.
You can get this item too by going to my web-site and finding it in the "Products" page under the BIG FITNESS link.  It is called the ProBell Classic.
Another option, or rather an accompaniment, to the bench and free weights, is exercise bands.
For those of you who aren't familiar with these, they are elastic rubber bands with handles at the ends and some companies also have ankle straps for leg exercises. 
I personally use these myself and with all my clients.  I love them!!!
BODYLASTICS is a great company that makes an excellent little package.  It includes 4 bands (each one a little harder), 2 handles, 2 ankle straps, 1 door anchor, and a video and booklet.  At the time of this printing the price for the package is $50.  It's a great value.
You can also find these on my web-site under the "Products" page.
Okay, now you know what equipment you'll need, but what about questions like:

    How many days a week?
    How many sets and repetitions?
    When do I change my routine?

These are all very good questions.  Let's take a look at the first question now.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?
There is not a straight forward simple answer to this question.  It really all comes down to two things:

    How many days can you realistically devote to lifting weights?
    How much improvement are you really looking to get from your program?

Before we address these two questions let me first say that lifting weights once a week is probably not enough and four or five times a week might be a little too much (especially for a beginner).
That leaves us with 2 or 3 times a week.
As you can probably imagine, 2 times a week is good but 3 times a week is better.
This is of course assuming that you are training every body part during each workout.  Some people prefer to train 1 or 2 body parts a day.  There are good and bad points to this. 
The good thing is that since you are only training 1 or 2 body parts (an example would be training your chest and triceps) you can really do a lot of exercises for each body part.  The bad thing is that if you train 2 body parts per work out, and since there are 6 major body parts (chest, back, triceps, biceps, shoulders, and legs), even if you work out 3 times a week you will only be able to train each body part once.
That's why I recommend training every body part, every work out.  This way you'll be training every body part at least twice or maybe even three times a week.  The most bang for your buck.
So, getting back to the issue of how many days a week.  If you have the time and you are really looking to see some changes in your body, I definitely say go for 3 times a week.
With that said, if you really aren't sure about the time issue and if you are a beginner, start out at 2 times a week.
This will give you a chance to ease into it.  Once you're comfortable, in a routine, and you find that you have time to add an extra day, then consider bumping it up to 3 times a week.
HOW MANY SETS AND REPETITIONS?
Let's first start out by explaining what sets and repetitions are.
When you do any particular exercise, let's say the arm curl, each time you curl the weight up and bring it back down would be considered a repetition.
Now let's say you did 12 repetitions, took a break for 1 minute, then did another 12 repetitions.  You would have done 2 sets of 12 repetitions.

Simple, right?
What sometimes seems confusing for some people is that they think they should do a certain number of sets and reps (reps is short for repetitions).
The fact is that there is no certain number of sets and reps that you should be doing.  It will probably vary from time to time, based on your goals.
The one BIG mistake a lot of people make is doing too many repetitions.
Often times at the gym I'll see someone doing 20 or 30 reps.
Now like I said, there is a place for that depending on your goals.  Certain sports require extensive muscular endurance, in which case you should do a lot of reps.
But your goal is to lose weight, get stronger, and change your body.  So the best way to achieve that is to lift a weight that is heavy enough to fatigue your muscles between 8 and 12 reps.

Remember, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!
Okay, so what if you can lift a weight for 13, 14, or 15 reps and beyond?
Very simple.  Just increase the weight slightly and that will get you into the 8 to 12 rep range.
HOW MANY SETS SHOULD I DO?
Same thing applies here as it does to the number of reps; nothing is set in stone.
I can give you a recommendation though.  1 set is definitely not enough and depending on how much time you have to exercise, 4 or 5 sets might be too time consuming.
If you are first starting out, I would say do 2 sets for each exercise.  Just like with the number of days you are lifting, it's a good way to ease into it.  Also, starting out right away with 3 sets will probably leave you feeling very sore for the first week or so.
And just like with the days of the week, a good goal to shoot for is to work your way up to 3 sets.  This will make sure you are working your muscles to fatigue, and that's when you will really start to notice some changes.
And again, you'll see as you get into it more and more, you might want to challenge yourself and add in a 4th or 5th set on some exercises.
This ties in nicely to our 3rd question.
WHEN DO I CHANGE MY ROUTINE?
Never!
Just kidding.  That's actually another big mistake that a lot of people make.  They do the same thing over and over again, day in and day out.
That will work for a beginner just starting out, and you will see some improvement, but after about 6 to 8 weeks you will start to plateau.
Your muscles need to be challenged or "shocked" in order to stimulate them.
On the other hand, you also want your muscles to adapt and improve to the increasing weight.
By that I mean you want to give your muscles a chance to get stronger and you want to be able to increase the weights on the same exercise and see what the most weight is that you can actually lift on that same exercise.
For that reason you don't want to change your routine every time either.
"So what's the bottom line then?  How often should I change my routine?"
A good rule of thumb to follow is to keep your routine relatively the same for about 6 to 8 weeks, then make some changes.
"What exactly do you mean by change the routine?"
The best way to change your routine is to do totally different exercises.  Let's say for example that for your leg muscles you've been doing leg presses, lunges and leg extensions.  For a complete change you can now do squats, leg curls, and abduction (for the outer thigh).
Other changes include;

    changing from using a free weight to a machine for a particular exercise.
    doing 4 or 5 sets instead of 3.
    switching the order of your exercises.  Instead of training your chest, back, biceps, shoulders, legs and triceps, you can do just the reverse.  Triceps, legs, shoulders, etc.

The possibilities are endless.  The nice thing is that there is no "wrong" way.
Which brings up a good point.  There is no wrong routine, but your form and/or technique can be wrong.
Always remember to use a slow, controlled motion.  Don't use momentum or "jerk" the weights around.
It should take you approximately 2 to 3 seconds to lift or push the weight (which is called the positive) and 3 to 4 seconds to lower or let down the weight (which is called the negative).
That's right, it should take you a little longer to lower the weight than it takes to raise it.
Most people do the opposite and that's why you see a lot of people using momentum and jerking the weights around.  You're not using your muscles when you do it like this.
And that's really it!  As you can see, it's not all that difficult.  What it does take is a COMMITTMENT.  If you can make a COMMITMENT and be consistent with your strength training program, I GUARANTEE you that you will be successful and notice considerable changes in they way you look and feel.
With that said, just take a moment now and look over the main areas of a successful strength-training program:

     The optimal strength training routine should be performed 2 to 3 days/wk.
     you should do 2 to 3 sets for each exercise.
     use a weight that will fatigue or challenge you to do between 8 and 12 reps.
     change your routine approximately every 6 to 8 weeks to prevent plateaus.
    always use proper form; slow, controlled movements.  No jerking the weight or using momentum.
     and most important, make sure to visit your doctor and get a physical so you know you have no medical conditions that would prevent you from participating in a strength training routine.

There you have it, a nice little introduction to the world of strength training.  Something that I hope will help you get started.
So give strength training a try, you have nothing to lose (except for maybe a few pounds of fat!!!).

Fanning the Flames of the Diabetes Epidemic

INTRODUCTION
It is my pleasure to introduce to you, a new Diabetes Prevention Education, Public Relations Campaign established under the name Fannie Estelle Hill Grant, started by me, Lyndia Grant-Briggs, after the loss of my mother who succumbed to Type 2 Diabetes on Christmas Day, December 25, 2000.  I noticed a fire burning in the Diabetes health arena, and it is still burning out of control. The diabetes prevention and education public relations campaign was started in an effort, to "Fan the Flames", and put out the fire. 
Fannie Grant was 73 years old, a homemaker, who loved her family very much, and she believed in preparing wonderful home-cooked meals for the family.  You name it, and we had it.  We would have desserts any day of the week.  Mama enjoyed cooking, cleaning and washing clothes, and although she raised nine children of her own, she always had room for other needy children. 
In our early years, from 1945-1965, Mother was the wife of a sharecropper in North Carolina, but they moved the family to Washington, D.C. in 1965.  So for more than 30 years, Mother Grant, our father and all of us children called the Washington Metropolitan Area home.
Our family learned that Mother had Type 2 Diabetes after a major stroke she had back in 1988-89.  She lived 11-12 years after the diagnosis.  Lyndia and her Sisters, (The Grant Sisters) pledged to begin the educational prevention campaign while they visited with and/or cared for their mother during her last year of life. 
After moving back home to North Carolina, Mother Grant enjoyed her latter years in a very peaceful way.  Us children purchased her a new home, took over all of the mortgage payments, and she was happy.  Mother Grant enjoyed living on this wonderful 227-acre farm, near Kinston, North Carolina.  She was one of the heirs to this wonderful farm left to her family by their father, and my grandfather, Floyd Hill.
She enjoyed walking around the farm, following my father, Bishop Benjamin Grant, around the garden as he worked.  She enjoyed shopping with her sisters going to yard sales.  Shopping gave her considerable joy near the end of her life.
Mother suffered numerous strokes, seven to ten to be specific.  During one stoke, she lost the use of her tongue and couldn't speak at all.  Mother Fannie's kidney failed, she was receiving kidney dialysis for the last two years of her life, she had high blood pressure for many years, and both of her legs were amputated above her knees. 
The Problem
We wanted to know more about the disease that took our mother in such a brutal fashion.  There was so much pain and suffering prior to her death.  Mother Grant was a Christian, she was an Evangelist who preached the gospel in churches throughout the Washington D.C. Area, and everyone loved her and called her Ma. 
Our mother was very special, and as her oldest daughter, I promised to carry out a public awareness campaign, to educate millions of people regarding the causes and preventions of Type 2 Diabetes.  In educating the general public, I feel a lot better, because my mother's living shall not be in vain.  My sisters and I have been blessed over the past 20 years, we've had lots of success in publicizing several major events, we coordinated a major festival, called Georgia Avenue Day in Washington, D.C.  The festival and parade attracted more than 200,000 people, major corporate sponsors and celebrities.  We worked for two Presidential Inaugural Committees, one was for the Republicans, George Herbert Walker Bush and for other for the Democrats, President Bill Clinton, for two D.C. Mayors, Marion Barry and Sharon Pratt Kelly, and three D.C. City Councilmembers, Charlene Drew Jarvis, Frank Smith and Eyde Whittington.  Another major achievement was an appointment that I received as project director by Councilman Frank Smith, to erect the Spirit of Freedom Memorial, a new national African American Civil War Memorial located in Washington, D.C.  This monument pays tribute to 209,145 United States Colored Troops who fought in the American Civil War. 
As you can see, Mother Grant passed down some strong self-worth values.  She taught us that we can do anything that we want, and that we can be the best at whatever we choose.  The business of public relations is "in my blood."  There was no way that I could see the devastation caused by Diabetes and understand this disease, and do nothing about it.  I wanted to know "what happened to Mother, how did this happen, could we have done something differently, if only we had known that an improved diet and regular physical exercise could have made a difference."  
I know that I've been chosen to get the word out regarding this disease that's burning "out of control" in the African American community.  It has been extremely hard to continue to live without our Mother, but in sharing this information with others, it gives me some relief from my grief.
So, what exactly is Diabetes?  Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterized by high levels of blood glucose. It results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can be associated with serious complications and premature death, but people with diabetes can take measures to reduce the likelihood of such, according to recent studies found by the National Institute of Health.  Some researchers believe that African Americans, (Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders were also included in the study) inherited a "thrifty gene" from their African ancestors. Years ago, this gene enabled Africans, during "feast and famine" cycles, to use food energy more efficiently when food was scarce. Today, with fewer such cycles, the thrifty gene that developed for survival may instead make the person more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes.
The problem dates back to the beginning of the slave trade, documented as beginning in 1790, and for those enslaved ones, food was still scarce, thus the "thrifty genes" protected them.  If you research the documentations found on record at the National Archives and Records Administration, slaves received rations.  It really doesn't matter what the diets were of African people hundreds of years ago, as they roamed around freely on the African continent, in townships like Johannesburg, Freetown, Rwanda, Sudan, South African and Sierre Leone.  What does matter is the fact that those Africans who managed to survive the slave trade here in America, arrived on the shores very strong. The majority of them worked in the fields from sun-up to sundown, six days per week, and in many cases, seven days/week.  Slaves ate scraps, like hog mauls, chitterlings, pigtails, pig feet, pig ears, and they drank milk from a trough along side other animals.
African people became Americanized, they were no longer in their homeland, so to live, they had to eat whatever was made available to them, they were fed last, after the horses and the pigs had been taken care of, whatever was left was given to those enslaved people -- scraps, left-overs, garbage.  In an effort to create a delicious meal, the women worked at creating recipes that they could all enjoy.  They loved collard greens with fat back meat, and learned to bake sweet potato pies, cleaned chitterlings and made them into a delicacy to be eaten on special occasions.  They made pots of beans seasoned with ham hocks, or pigtails, and they seasoned with pork.
They made home-made biscuits from self-rising, white flour and lard, and they learned to make hush puppies, candied yams, lots of potatoes, and they ate plenty corn bread, so even until this day, African people who became African Americans beginning in the late 1700's, had a very different diet than Euro-Americans.  Even though this wasn't a "good" and "healthy" diet for the slaves, they ate it, they enjoyed it, and they were able to sustain themselves easily.  They worked so very hard in the fields 12-16 hours a day.  But of course, since they had the so-called "thrifty genes" which allowed their bodies to preserve food in an appropriate manner, when food was scarce, seems that was probably a good thing, since the enslaved didn't always have ample food supplies. 
There is a bright side to this though, as they worked, they were receiving strenuous daily exercise, which kept them healthy.  It really didn't matter what the slaves ate, because what they ate, in today's standard would have fattened them too, but it didn't, because they burned it off every day out in the fields working.  It was a vicious cycle. They ate, and they worked off the carbohydrates.  They ate and they worked off more carbohydrates, and they didn't die from diseases back then, as they do today, diabetes or cancer, and don't think that their bowels didn't move regularly as well, thus eliminating all of the colon cancer, they eliminated the toxins from their bodies through sweat and perspiration.  They may have been tired, but they had healthy bodies.  So all of these diseases that are out of control today, like Diabetes came along later due to the many lifestyle changes of Americans.
Let us all learn a very important lesson from this bit of history:  According to all legislations and laws today, African Americans can Be whatever they want to be, they can Do whatever they are capable of doing, and they can Have whatever they can manage to work hard enough to achieve.  We know that this is a true statement, when you look around and you see such role models as Oprah Winfrey, the queen of talk shows, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, we have had several black Miss America's, including the current reigning queen, we have Tiger Woods, the best golfer of all times and The Williams Sisters, who have broken all records.  The list goes on and on.  Today, we live in fabulous homes; our children can now go to college, (sidebar:  yet we have more African American men in prison today, over 900,000 than we have in college today, only 600,000, that's another article.) 
The trouble with this whole thing is, African Americans continue to enjoy many of the delicious foods handed down to us by our ancestors, our diets haven't changed very much, but we've forgotten one very important ingredient, our ancestors worked 12-16 hour days, performing physical labor.  They received the necessary exercise daily, therefore, they didn't get sick with diabetes, and all of the fat was burned off in blood, sweat and tears.
Today, in order for us to get proper exercise, we must plan to have physical exercise at least 30 minutes daily, one-hour is preferable, but no less than 30 minutes.  That's not a lot, compared to the amount of time our forefathers worked, but according to studies done by the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, the little time we manage to put in, while exercising for 30 minutes, 3-4 days/week can prevent the occurrence of Diabetes.
Today, we continue in the tradition of eating our "soul food" diets, very much the same as we did 200 years ago, except today, most of us don't use lard, and we can eat all we want.  We've graduated to vegetable oils like Crisco and other vegetable oils.  (Olive Oils are better for us, less cholesterol).  Families today still enjoy foods, which include far too many carbohydrates like macaroni and cheese, desserts, and lots of bread.  We have enjoyed these foods for hundreds of years, but now, we sit at computers, walk out to our cars, drive everywhere, including to the grocery stores, we don't have to walk to school for miles any longer, we can ride the school buses, and exercise has all but been eliminated.  America is overwhelmingly FAT, even our children in many cases are overweight and/or obese. 
It's a simple problem, bad diets that includes too much junk food from fast food restaurants, and a lack of strenuous exercise.  How many times have you pigged out, after a hard day, then, you fell asleep?  That food is fattening you up, just the way that it does for newborn babies.  Remember how babies eat and sleep, and soon, you notice their little legs beginning to get a little meat on their bones.  But you can almost look at them grow and gain weight.  But they are still babies, and that's what they need, nutrition to grow. 
For adults though, it's a different story, we have already grown up, and all we can do now is grow OUT!!!  We just keep getting BIGGER and BIGGER and BIGGER!  We look bad to ourselves and to others, we can't fit into our nice clothing, we have to keep buying fat clothes.  And worst of all, our hearts cannot stand this, and neither can the rest of our organs.  (I give a speech entitled "Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled" - How to have a healthy mind, body & spirit).  It's no wonder that our starvation genes are reacting the way that they have, this so-called "thrifty gene" that is found in African Americans seems to store even more of this foreign food that we continue to ingest into our bodies.  We came from strong, lean backgrounds, Africa has never been a "fat" nation, but as African Americans, we have Americanized our bodies so badly, that our health problems are out-of-control!
If you take a look at the stats provided by the National Institute of Health, Today, diabetes mellitus is one of the most serious health challenges facing the United States. The following statistics illustrate the magnitude of this disease among African Americans.

    2.8 million African Americans have diabetes.
    On average, African Americans are twice as likely to have diabetes as white Americans of similar age.
    Approximately 13 percent of all African Americans have diabetes.
    African Americans with diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes complications and experience greater disability from the complications than white Americans with diabetes.
    Death rates for people with diabetes are 27 percent higher for African Americans compared with whites
    National health surveys during the past 35 years show that the percentage of the African American population that has been diagnosed with diabetes is increasing dramatically.  The surveys in 1976-80 and in 1988-94 measured fasting plasma glucose and thus allowed an assessment of the prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes as well as of previously diagnosed diabetes. In 1976-80, total diabetes prevalence in African Americans ages 40 to 74 years was 8.9 percent; in 1988-94, total prevalence had increased to 18.2 percent--a doubling of the rate in just 12 years.
    Prevalence in African Americans is much higher than in white Americans. Among those ages 40 to 74 years in the 1988-94 survey, the rate was 11.2 percent for whites, but was 18.2 percent for African Americans
    Regular physical activity is a protective factor against type 2 diabetes and, conversely, lack of physical activity is a risk factor for developing diabetes. Researchers suspect that a lack of exercise is one factor contributing to the high rates of diabetes in African Americans. In the NHANES III survey, 50 percent of African American men and 67 percent of African American women reported that they participated in little or no leisure time physical activity.

Conclusion
In furthering the causes of this Diabetes Educational Prevention Campaign, the first order of business has been to make my very own Lifestyle Change.  My Mother was buried on December 30th, 2000.  When I returned home to Silver Spring, Maryland, it took a few months before I could go on, the grief period was extremely hard, but the first order of business, was to begin a regular exercise routine.  Walking became my exercise of choice -- two to four miles three to four days each week.  Some weeks I walked, and continue to walk, five days, even six days a week, and recently, I've added "walking up and down the stairs in five minute increments, for 12-15 minutes.  There is an extreme difference in the way that I look and feel.  The pounds and inches have been steadily coming off. 
I've changed my diet. I'm now drinking green mineral drinks each morning, (you can buy green drinks at organic stores); and I'm no longer eating white bread.  In fact I don't eat very much bread at all, but when I do, it is whole grain or wheat bread, brown rice, more fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables.  I enjoy using my juice machine for fresh green spinach and carrot drinks.
Recently, I found myself with excellent health results from my physical examination.  My cholesterol level was low, at 126, and my glucose levels were average.  My blood pressure was 120/80, which is fine for me, and I feel wonderful too.   There is one area that I'm still working on, and that is my Ideal Body Mass, IBM.  I'm still overweight, but I've lost 30 lbs., and still counting.
If you are reading this article, and you're at risk for Type 2 Diabetes, consider making a major Lifestyle Change.  It's very simple:  1-Change your diet, eliminate most of the carbohydrates from your diet; 2-Exercise regularly for the rest of your life, and 3-Get rid of the extra pounds, work toward maintaining your ideal body weight.  If you make this promise to yourself, to change your life, you will be "Fanning the Flames of the Diabetes Epidemic in America," and soon the fire will be put out, but it will take millions of people to join this fight.  Won't you begin today?  You don't have to get Diabetes, it can be prevented, you don't have to lose one limb to this vicious disease, nor do you have to lose your kidney.  Change your life, and enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner - with all of the trimmings, but the next day, get back to the business of getting fit and staying healthy.
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Death, Aging, Rejuvenation (Part 4)

Biological clock
Obviously you need biological clock to time and alarm the point when you need to die and when you need to age. Aging is the same death as in those one-day butterflies, but a little bit prolonged one. Not immediate kill but gradual shut down of protection mechanisms - immunological, genetical repair, and just other necessary functions of proliferation. As soon as those functions turned off - an organism starts to deteriorate and wear off.
Interesting that our organism is not a static thing. We probably replace all molecules in our body within relatively short period of time. Obviously water is replaced completely every couple months. Water is 60% of our body. Other molecules are replaced as well. Thus, human being is just some unstable chemical organisation around genetical information. Molecules swirl and disappear like crazy. DNA in cells maybe is not changed so fast, but the cells themselves change quickly in most of cases. There is no need to age just because of wearing.
Biological clocks are necessary and there is no doubt they exist.
The theories of aging that consider death as a sequence of events caused by external causes - like oxidations and accumulation of genetical errors should anyway include the idea of Internal Biological Clock as well. Simple example is menopause in women. Somewhere at 40-55 all women undergo menopause. Unavoidable. Though there were reports of childbirth at 60 yo but considering one chance in billions, it is just a joke. Males have their equivalents too. All people after certain age change their immunological, hormonal, metabolic levels and so on. Majority of organs decrease their function . Thymus involute. Fat cells overgrow others, muscle cells degenerate etc. The same happens to all other multicellular animals and plants.
Now the real question: Is it possible to break the biological clock or at least slow down and rejuvenate?
Possible methods of rejuvenation.
1. Telomeres lengthening and other genes regulation.
Several genes that might play role in aging described recently. Telomerase encoding genes are the most discussed. In theory, if we lengthen the telomeres (these are the ends of chromosomes that are shortened with each division by very interesting mechanism), we could overcome cell tendency to lose ability for proliferation. Hence, we have "immortal cells". Hence, immortality or at least longevity is reached - cells divide indefinitely and repair organism. Basically, to restore telomeres length we need to activate production of or to introduce into the cell an enzyme named telomerase. To reach each cell in the body we would use viral vectors or smallRNA. Working with virus production and then cell transduction I would say it is difficult, very difficult. There are too many obstacles to use them efficiently. SmallRNAs would be more promising. In any case, when you go from theory to practice problems rise exponentially. Biggest question: will it work? Immortal cell (cell which is able to divide indefinitely) does not mean immortal body. One of the outcomes would be uncontrollable cell growth and, hence, cancer. Actually scenists discuss telomeres mostly in connection with cancer. They are very cautious saying about the rejuvenation. Mass media extrapolates the findings to possibility of longevity and further rejuvenation.
My guess would be that telomeres are some of the "final cogwheels" in the Internal biological clock. It is useful to divide the clock on intracellular and whole body levels just for understanding. But in reality the levels are not separable, they continue one into another. It is easy to understand that intracellular production of any protein, any enzyme depends on transmembrane regulation. Hormones activate receptors that activate DNA transcription and protein production. Other genes that play role in cellular aging are described recently as well. I do not know how to use this method at present time
2. Hormone replacement.
When I studied in med school, several time I met mentions about hormonal side effects that cause a person to look much younger. Well known for example are: If a woman in menopause suddenly resumes menstrual cycles and looks younger than her age, we might suspect an ovarian Tumour producing excess of estrogen. If a person has thyrotoxicosis - excess of hormone thyroxine - he/she loses weight and looks much younger Persons with manic phases of bipolar disorder look younger, more energetic. Certain hormones - corticosteroids for example - might be increased or decreased in elderly. Couples that look younger were shown to have increased level of sexual relationships. Again, that supposedly should significantly change the hormonal levels.
If we give a person some of those synthetic hormones - estrogen, thyroxine - we can sometime reproduce the younger looks.
It is not the same as plastic surgery or skin creams and massages. It invigorates whole body. Skin as well. There is heavy price - recent debates are waxing and waning - if estrogen replacement increases or decreases risks of cancers (uterine, breast, ovarian etc.) Thyroxine excess takes heavy tall on cardiovascular system. Psychiatric disorders (mania for example) was linked to ceratin changes in neurotransmitter levels. Certain psycho tropic drugs change the ratios. Supposedly they can be employed for rejuvenation. Unfortunately, you would rather receive a psychosis than younger look.
On internet you can find massive information about hormones that rejuvenate you. I saw some websites that list practically any major hormone:

    estrogen
    androgens
    corticosteroids
    growth hormone
    thyroxine
    DHEA
    melatonin
    and some others as a drug that leads to rejuvenation.

The websites often have references to scientific literature. Most of the websites just sell you those hormones or offer courses of hormone therapy.
My personal opinion would be that blind replacement can cause more harm than lead to any desired rejuvenation.
Useful information that I would extract from the item is that A) Practically every hormone in the body is involved. B) Certain means of rejuvenation are actually documented. That gives hope.
I do not use hormones personally. If I would employ them, I would use them in very small quantities to mimic physiology and in special controlled conditions that I will describe below. The doses that are used in regular therapy are actually way to high compare to the natural levels of a healthy organism.
3. Antioxidant therapy.
As we discussed, in the best case antioxidants are the method for longevity, not rejuvenation. I use mega-doses of antioxidants available over the counter. I use only those that I consider safe. I have a lot of doubts they give measurable effect. Anyway I use them. Would not throw away.
4. Caloric restriction.
I use it as well. 60% of regular meal - is way to much - you would barely move your feet. I regulate it. My opinion: if you increase your activity, you can eat more. Just balance your food and motions. Though I might be wrong.
5. Hypothalamic regulation.
This is scary level. Hypothalamus is the area of your brain that sits on the base of your skull. Why do we discuss hormones above? Well, hypothalamus contains hundred of centres that regulate your metabolism and first of all, hormonal status. Studies of hypothalamus are complicated - mostly there are postmortem studies of brain sections. To perform functional study you need to use micro-neurosurgical techniques (still very rude) and try to register changes in a hundred or so cells out of several billions. Changes would include minuscule production (nano and Pico grams) of poorly defined neurotransmitters. The infinitely small quantities of those neurotransmitters are produced by only few out of hundreds cell connections and exist only several nanoseconds. In general to study this area is more difficult than to look for a needle in a haystack. If you consider that there are only few centres have appropriate expertise, you would understand why the progress is relatively slow. Even fewer labs study rejuvenation. Though there were reports that transplantation of hypothalamic tissue from younger animals to older could result in rejuvenation-like effect.
I mention this level because A) hypothalamus regulates production of bunch of intermediate messengers that in turn activate hypophysis, that activate adrenal glands, ovaries, thyroid gland etc (maybe many other areas in th body) that in turn produce the hormones discussed above. (Full description you could find in a textbook of Endocrinology) B) because of complexity of hypothalamus it is a good candidate were a "supreme cogwheel" of biological clock may reside. One hint would be proximity of epiphysis - small pea-like gland that produce melatonin and regulates circadian rhythms. It would not be surprise that all that is interconnected in the hypothalamus. One of objection - what is about worms? They do not have hypothalamus as it is. But they age and die as well as humans. Explanation would be that worms also have nervous system and some other part of it may play the central role in the biological clocks. Another explanation would be that there is no such centre at all, everything happens on the lower levels.
I was interested in methods of rejuvenation since childhood. Maybe I read too many science fiction. When I was in medschool a saw some mentions of unusual phenomenon in magnetic radiation. To make story short, eventually I found a book - 400 pages of fine script. I found the book in Central Medical Library in Moscow. Even our relatively large library in Russian State Med U did not have this book. In addition I read the dissertation thesis, that were related to that book. Several Russian scientists developed relatively complicated theory, done many hundreds of experiments. Theory is a little bit complex, involves discussion of stress and adaptation syndrome. Obviously hypothalamic area also discussed. I am not big fan of that theory. But result the authors described were striking: they were able to restore menopause in rats, prolong rats life span almost twice and more important repeat it again and again. By the description from the book "rejuvenated rats" looked the same as young, but were just bigger in size. Well, you saw a lab rat, you know that older rats have rare hair, bleak eyes, are in menopause etc. Young rat, in opposite, would have bright red eyes, very sleek hair, menstruations, etc. This is no surprise - all growth of hair, production of oil by skin, production of moisture in lacrimal glands and so on are regulated by the hormones. The same is true for rats as well as for humans. Authors described the methods that they found mostly empirically. Moreover they tested some methods on humans and described treatment of variety of diseases - asthma, gastritis, peptic ulcers, low grade skin cancers (non-melanoma) just to name few. As I understand they did not describe rejuvenation in humans. Though later there were some mentions in literature. Authors describe zones of activation, training and stress. In general the methods are difficult to apply - they require permanent control of organism condition for many months, maybe years. Control of hormonal level and control of blood work. In addition parameter would vary from individual to individual. In modern medicine it is much faster and more reliable to cut out skin cancer with knife or give powerful proton pump inhibitors for a gastric ulcer.
I realized that I used some of the methods described, even before I read that book. Since then I added some more methods for my own use. Mostly I use the methods that I feel safe and efficient. For example transplanting of hypothalamus would be out of question. It is a wacking unsafe procedure. Recently there were reports that DHEA, melatonin or other hormones could make miracles: older people feel as young. I would wait confirmation of the effects. Some authors suggest rejuvenation may be reached by individually designed cocktails of hormones. I would think that any hormone given makes more mess than regulation. Practically every hormone described have loops and pathways that prevent overproduction. If you just replace the hormones by giving the substitute, you wack the production of your own hormones those that injected as well as many others. All hormones are complexly interrelated. Individual cocktails would be better, but the doses described in literature are wacking. Again I might be wrong. Maybe everything is so simple - just get cocktail and you will jump as a newborn bunny.
Considering different information from different sources, I would propose following theory:
To rejuvenate yourself you need to recreate the hormonal and metabolic level of young organism.
This is actually very difficult to reach: your organism have all the means to produce all the necessary hormones. Levels of hormones in elderly are not so far from the levels in youth actually. The difference is several percentages, not several folds. But biological clock switch to underproduction. The idea is to cheat the biological clock and to restore the youth levels. The most difficult part is to get into the window of optimal production. You can not go too low - just wouldn't have any effect on rejuvenation. You can not go above the optimal level - it will cause stress and even more deterioration. So approach is very individual. There is no quick effect - you can not rejuvenate from looking 50 to looking 30 overnight. You really need a lot of commitment and time. The methods which you choose are not of so great importance. Practically any action toward your body would cause changes in your metabolic and hormonal status. Physical exercise, herbs, yoga, hormones (low doses) etc - we could list thousands.
Personally I used available antioxidants, slight caloric restrictions, herbs (some of substances in herbs like ginseng, Echinacea, etc mimics hormones in their chemical structure), self-hypnosis, neurolinguistic programming (NLP), auto-training, different exercises, lactic bacteria, etc. Important is the ability to adjust the level of treatment - reduce the dose of herbs or increase dose of exercise etc.
Methods of control are of much great importance. The described methods include measurement of hormonal level and of certain fractions of cells in the blood work(that is also regulated by hormonal and metabolic reactions)
If I would have a clinic of rejuvenation therapy I would probably use many of those methods - they are objective and reproducible. But they require blood work.
For individual use there some subjective methods exist. They are described in literature as: If you are in the condition of rejuvenation you feel great energy, hunger, restlessness. Your sleep would be normalised, you are fighting regular infections much more efficiently - inflammatory reaction might be exaggerated, but they last shorter time. Your eyes would glisten as in youth. You will feel constant euphoria and need in doing something. There are some other subjective criteria. Personally, I would add: you will notice that your nails and hair grow like crazy in those conditions.
The biggest problem is how to hold in this condition of rejuvenation for a prolonged period of time. You really can not go overboard - super activation would just wack all your system. You can not go under activation - just no any useful effect. You need to get it is just right. Solution is tight, continuos control. Boy, it's really tough in the modern stressful environment (would not describe all the junk that I had in recent years), but it is possible. Dedication is your solution. Some formulas to calculate doses of stimuli are described in the literature, but I feel it is easier to go with individual subjective feelings. Below there is an animation that contains some simple elements of NLP and might help to tune a brain a little.
Now, what did I get by using those methods? Well not much, but I hope for more. At present time I am 35 yo I do not really have good control group in my personal experiment. Sometime people asked me if I am younger than my brother (He is younger than me for several years). Maybe it is some sort of control group. When I come into a bar (can not say often, maybe once in a year with friends) waiter often asks my ID. It is funny also because I do not use alcohol. So, to drink a Coke I need to show ID, being 35 yo. Sometime people ask me are you 18 or 19 When I played water polo at Yale, undergrads told me they thought I was freshman (as I guess also 18 or 19). That time I was 33. Teenagers often start to talk to me in the way if I am another teenager. And so on.
So, in general it is really hard to measure rejuvenation. All measurements are mostly subjective. Even in well designed scientific trial you find either some description of biochemical changes (which doesn't say you anything about rejuvenation as it is) or some subjective descriptions - "patients felt much better, felt rejuvenated and invigorate". How much rejuvenated? How many years were reversed? It is very difficult to estimate. If I say to a person that I have MD and PhD, he says "aha". Mentally they immediately adjust and now they say that I am probably 30. OK. Sometime they just say: you look so young.
Again 35 is not the age where you really can brag that the methods worked. I would wait couple more decades to say that there was measurable effect. Unfortunately. You do not have the right for a mistake. If a method did not work , you can not go back and change it. You already are behind for several years.
But my personal, subjective feeling is that the methods do work. I believe that it is possible by tight control maintain the level of younger organism. It just requires a lot of work.
Below there is animation that might help to tune in the desired "optimal rejuvenation condition". Animation requires Flash file player I use that animation for myself. I doubt that it will necessarily help you. Maybe 1 out of 10. If you are not sure, don't' touch it. The animation contains some simple NLP information.
Animation
Basically looking at the animation couple times a week for 5 min should start the tuning process (at least I feel so). You should target at the condition when you feel inexhaustible energy, euphoria, normalized sleep, and some feelings that is hard to describe - like a fine tingling in your fingertips, subjectively it feels like a pouring energy. It is difficult to explain, but when you feel you understand it. If you do not feel anything, it means it did not work, forget it.
So to finish I would say that Rejuvenation is difficult but probably possible to reach - at least in a certain degree. A.K.2004

Vision as a Metaphor

Why are our eyes called the windows to our souls? Why do we speak of the way that we "see" the world? Why do we say, "I see", in order to communicate that we understand? What is the understanding? What is the relationship between our vision, our eyesight, and our way of Being?
Eyesight is not just a physical process involving acuity. It is a multi-dimensional function affecting and affected by our emotional and mental state of Being, and linked to our personalities. That is, each type of vision impairment correlates with specific personality types.
All nearsighted people have something in common in their personalities, and all farsighted people share a particular character trait, and all those with astigmatism are working with a similar issue in their lives.
All kinds of impaired vision represent stressed ways that a person interacts with their environment.
Some say that stress is responsible for all emotional and physical imbalances, and stress reflects how an individual interacts with his or her environment in a way which is not "at ease". Stress is stored in the physical body in a number of ways, including stress or tension in particular muscles.
We can say, then, that physical tension is emotional or mental tension stored in the physical body, in the muscles. Tension in particular muscles is related to particular emotions and mental states. In other words, where you feel the tension is related to why you feel the tension.
In the case of vision, different visual disorders have been identified with excessive tension in particular extra-ocular muscles (the muscles surrounding the eyeballs), and with particular emotional patterns. To understand this process, let's look at how it works.
Surrounding each eyeball are six eye muscles (see illustration). We use these muscles to move our eyeballs in different directions, and for a while it was thought that this was their only function.  Then, it was discovered that these muscles are about one hundred times more powerful than they need to be to accomplish this, and since structure and function are related in the human body, it seemed evident that these muscles must have another function. They do.
The extra-ocular muscles also serve as part of the focusing mechanism for our eyesight, along with the lens. They cause the eyeballs to elongate or shorten, depending on what we are looking at, and what we are thinking or feeling. In this way, the eye operates more like a bellows camera, with variable focus, than a box camera with a fixed focal length.
Four muscles pull each eyeball straight back into the eye socket, shortening the eyeball. Excessive tension on these muscles, called the Rectus muscles, creates a condition of farsightedness, and is experienced emotionally as tension in the consciousness, as coming out of one's Self, focusing on Image.  It may be experienced as suppressed anger, or anger at one's self (guilt), or a feeling that in some way, the individual is not as important as other Beings.
Two muscles around each eyeball, the Oblique muscles, circle it like a belt, and when these muscles are tightened, they squeeze the eyeball, and it elongates. Excessive tension on these muscles is related to nearsightedness and this tension is experienced in consciousness as hiding within one's Self, retreating inward, as apprehension, fear, or non-trust as a perceptual filter, a sense of feeling threatened, not safe to be one's Self.
Uneven tensions on different muscles can create a condition of astigmatism, distortion of vision, by squeezing the eyeball unevenly in different directions, so that the eyeball is pulled out of roundness. This is experienced by the individual as a sense of being lost, as having uncertainty or confusion about their values, what they really want and/or what they really feel. Values from the "outside" have been included "inside", in a way which is not natural, organic, or real for that individual, and the stress of this situation is experienced in the person's consciousness as well as in the eye muscles.
Impaired vision comes about at a time in people's lives when they are experiencing stress in relation to their environment, and do not see clearly at that time, both literally and figuratively. When this goes on for an extended period of time or to an extreme of intensity, the eye muscles which hold these tensions may become temporarily "frozen", holding the eyeball in an out-of-focus condition. Since the tensions in these muscles correspond with tensions in the person's consciousness, this also holds the individual in a particular state of consciousness. These eye muscles can, however, be relaxed, and clear vision restored, using relaxation techniques and Hatha Yoga eye exercises (similar to what optometrists call "motility training.").
When the proper "tone" is restored to the eye muscles, the eyeballs are able to resume their natural shape, and clear vision can return. Tensions are released in the person's body and consciousness as well, and there is a return to an easier, clearer, more natural (for that person) way of Being.
The natural state of our vision is clear, and returning to clarity is related to returning to balance, and really being ourselves.
Since vision is a metaphor for the way we see the world, and related to personality, once the elements of a person's experience that relate to their impaired vision are identified, they can be released, and clear vision can be restored. Rather than being at the effect of perceptions we know to be distortions, we can decide to be at the cause, to consciously align with and choose those perceptions we know to be really true for us, and which will be more successful for us in our interactions, more in keeping with who we really are.
When we release the excessive tensions in our consciousness, the tensions are then released from the eye muscles from the inside, and the eyeball returns to its natural shape, and clear vision returns.
Naturally, since each type of vision impairment corresponds to a particular personality type, a change in personality may be expected to reflect the change in outer vision. The "new" Being will have the same Essence of Being, yet with a different way of interacting with the environment, a different "dance," without what had been excessive tension for that individual.  It will seem as though the individual had awakened from a very real-seeming dream, and things will make sense in a different way  A perceptual filter will have been removed, a filter through which values had been determined, and without that filter, truer values will become evident.  The "new" Being may even have different tastes in food and/or clothing, and different personal habits, yet will feel more themselves, being who they really are.  It will be a welcome transformation.
Approaches to vision improvement which have not considered the aspect of personality change have had only limited success. In cases where vision has been restored, the person involved has been through a transformative process and has, in fact, dropped a role, and become another Being, with another personality, more real, and with another way of seeing the world. The degree of improvement and the rapidity of improvement has been connected with the willingness on the part of the individual to accept the changes, to accept the new personality, to become the new Being, or rather, to become and live who they really are.
If we imagine that each of us is surrounded by a bubble of energy, our individual perceptual filters, we can see some metaphors. People who are nearsighted see what is close to them easier that they see what is far away. They are more focused on what is in the bubble, and less on what is outside the bubble, preoccupied inside, not looking outside. Energy, the direction of attention, is moving inward, contracting, toward the inside, away from the outside. Things must be held close to be seen clearly and comfortably. What one wants or feels is experienced as more important than what others want or feel. One's orientation is toward Self, to an excess for that person. "I" is considered more important in some way than "YOU," and from the individual's point of view, "WE" does not seem to include "YOU" as an equal consideration. An exceptional need for privacy may be experienced, a withdrawal from the world around them, a sense of being intimidated by their environment, a hiding inside.
The focus of thinking is forward, with fear or uncertainty as the emotional experience of that view. It is a preoccupation, keeping the individual from being totally present, in the here and now. The degree to which this is experienced is a matter of individual balance, and related to the degree of nearsightedness.  Naturally, there may also be different compensations such as aggression to minimize the intimidation, or a forced extraversion to disguise the hiding within, but we are talking about the basis behind these outer actions.
With farsightedness, what is further away is seen more clearly than what is close. Farsighted people are more focused on what is outside the bubble and less on what is inside. Energy is moving outward, expanding, away from what is inside, and holding away or moving against what is outside.  Things must be held away to be seen clearly and comfortably.  What others want or feel is experienced as more important than one's own wants or feeling. One's orientation is toward others, away from Self, to an excess for that person. "YOU" is considered more important than "I," and from the individual's point of view "WE" does not seem to include "I" as an equal consideration. While a nearsighted person retreats in readily and easily, a farsighted person has difficulty doing this, since their attention continues to be directed outward. The person experiences more interest in other people's lives, and an avoidance of looking at their own. One's image is emphasized, and identified with, and gains more importance to the individual than the essence, who the person really is. The sense of anger that the person experiences is suppressed, so as not to offend others. The focus of thinking is toward the past, with anger and self-justification, or a sense of not having done the right thing, and is a preoccupation keeping the individual from being totally present.  Again, the degree to which this is true is a matter of individual balance, and the degree of farsightedness, and there may be outer compensatory behavior, such as exaggerated saintliness to hide the guilt, or extreme kindliness to cover the anger.
With astigmatism, the bubble is distorted, and uncertainty of wants or feelings is experienced, depending on whether the right eye, or the left eye, or both, is affected.
Metaphysically, the right eye (the Will Eye) represents seeing clearly what one wants, and the left eye (the Spirit Eye) represents seeing clearly what one feels. In left-handed people, the traits are reversed. In a given situation, a person with astigmatism wants or feels what is true for them, considers it inappropriate, and changes it, and then believes the pretended change, no longer seeing clearly what was really wanted or felt. The focus is more on what "should" be wanted or felt, rather than what is real for that person, and a sense of confusion about who they really are. Who would they be if they stopped pretending to be who they are not?
Combinations of visual disorders are related to combinations of the qualities that have been mentioned. Astigmatism may be experienced in combination with either nearsightedness or farsightedness. Naturally, these qualities may be experienced by others without the visual disorders, but for those individuals with impaired vision, these traits mentioned are particularly strong.
Nearsightedness means seeing more clearly what is close. Farsightedness means seeing more clearly what is far. While in some rare cases one eye may be nearsighted and the other farsighted, both conditions may not exist within the same eye. When a person sees neither near nor far, the condition is one of rigidity of the accommodation mechanism, reflecting rigidity of consciousness, and relaxation techniques and eye exercises can restore flexibility. As a result, the individual will also notice greater flexibility in their mental process.
We are Beings of energy, and energy is directed by our consciousness.  Ultimately, we have the capability of choosing the direction of the flow of energy depending on the situation, choosing not to be directed by past patterns of actions or perceptions, but rather changing those perceptions which we know to be less than accurate or optimal, with a willingness to see things as they are, rather than through a distorting filter.
The flow of energy between the inside and the outside of the bubble can be changed, as can the nature of the bubble itself, which is in fact the perceptual "filter" through which we perceive our environment. A "stuck" filter predisposes us to particular patterns of interacting and perceiving. It's like a selective lens allowing through only those perceptions which agree with the basic beliefs we have chosen or accepted, and ignoring or discounting all others. Since we act on the basis of the information that gets through to us, we are then predisposed to responding to our environment in a fixed way.  The selectivity of the lens is not the problem, though - the distorting quality of the emotional filter is what must be released.
When we are clear and centered, the bubble is clear, and so are our interactions. When we are in the middle of a strong emotion, we are not centered, and our perceptions change. Situations look different, and so we respond differently. The bubble is distorted with the emotional currents. When the strong emotions of anger, fear, confusion, etc., are suppressed, as is the case with those who have impaired vision, the bubble is also distorted, but the distortion is not recognized. The person has identified with the distorted view, and believes that it represents truth, and who they really are.  In fact, it is not who they are, but just who they seem to be when functioning with the distortion.  They can release the distorting aspect of the lens, and of their perceptions, and return to their true clear selves.
Nearsighted people can direct the energy outward by being more and more willing to be visible - to trust that that will be all right. In a given situation or interaction, they can see themselves as the others see them, in a sense to see themselves through the other person's eyes, so that they not only have the view from the inside looking out, but also from the outside looking in. This will give them the opportunity to step outside themselves, and see things from another point of view, and with the additional information thus gained, to use it to optimize their interactions.
It is also important to treat the other person as they themselves would like to be treated if they were in the other person's place. It isn't necessary to agree with the other person's perceptions of them, but just have the willingness to see that that's how they are being seen, and that the other person's perceptions are as important to the other person as their own are to them. In fact, the other person's perceptions might be very useful to know about.
The idea is to not feel threatened or intimidated by the environment in which the individual finds him/herself, but rather to focus more and more on letting themselves be themselves, and trusting that when they do what they really want to do, and let themselves be real, something wonderful always happens. And since that process is so important for themselves, to recognize that the same process is important for the people around them, also, that everyone is just getting better and better at being themselves.
From the nearsighted person's point of view, "WE" can really include "YOU" as equal to "I," and in fact, just another "I," just as important.
Farsighted people can direct the energy more inward by giving themselves the same consideration they give others. The idea is not to stop considering others, but also to consider themselves. There can be a conscious process of allowing themselves to receive without guilt - not to take, but to receive - and to express wants and feelings, and let themselves have. When receiving, there need not be the need to reciprocate, or to deny, but just to say, "Thank you," and accept unconditionally. Focus on accepting not only things, but also ideas. Notice any of the ways you have been holding things, ideas, or people away, and allow them to come closer. There can be more a focus on who they really are, in addition to their image. Image is important, but Essence must not be overlooked. Outer appearance is not more important than true sentiment, and people do appreciate honesty in feelings.
Consideration must also extend to yourself.  Expressing love need not involve sacrifice. It's not necessary to come out of your space to be loved and respected. The role can be fun, but also remember the Being who is playing it, the person inside. From the farsighted person's point of view, "WE" can include "I" as equal to "YOU," and "I" can be seen as another "YOU," as well as separate and important in its own right.
Astigmatics can ask themselves from time to time, during their day, "What do I really want now? What do I really feel now? What's true for me? What's real for me? If I stop wanting to be what I'm not, who would I be? If I stop living up to other people's standards, who would I be?" If I stop pretending to be the person I've been playing, what would I be doing differently? The feeling may have been that the real person would not be accepted in the environment, by the environment in which the person finds himself or herself. Then, find out whether the feeling is real, by discontinuing the role, and being you. Either you will discover that the feeling was a misperception, and the role was unnecessary, or that the feeling was real, in which case you would then be able to migrate to an environment in which you can be yourself, and be accepted. Either way, the effect would be a greater sense of ease in being you.
There's a place in society for all of us, and if we let ourselves be real, there's a place we really fit in, where we are not only accepted, but also appreciated for who we are. We do not have to pretend to not see what's real for us.  We can all allow ourselves to be more and more who we really are, to be more and more real.
With determination, and a willingness to change perceptions and their accompanying realities, any Being can transform his or her view of the world, both literally and figuratively, and return to a natural state of clarity of vision.
Affirmations you can use (Choose one each day and repeat it to yourself that day. From time to time, read the list to yourself):

    My vision is improving now.
    I choose clarity.
    I know what clarity is, and I experience it more and more each day.
    I remember clarity, and I am returning to clarity.
    I notice that I see more clearly every day.
    I know I can see clearly now.
    I know that my experiences lead me to clear vision.
    I accept new ways of thinking and seeing which are clearer for me.
    Acceptance and love lead to clarity.
    I accept what I see, and I see more clearly.
    It's easier and easier to see clearly.
    I'm letting myself be real, and watching my vision clear.
    It's more and more comfortable to be myself, and see clearly.
    My mind is reaching out and bringing to my awareness any information I need to experience clear vision.
    I can have clear vision today. I can see clearly today.
    Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better.
    I see more clearly when I'm relaxed and centered.
    I see clearly when I am here now.
    Clarity exists here and now.
    Clarity is my natural state.
    Clarity is what is true for me.
    I enjoy seeing clearly.
    I see that everything is working perfectly.
    I love when I see clearly.
    Clarity is freedom, and being real.
    I see more clearly now.
    I see more clearly than I did before.
    Today I choose to see the love.
    When I do what I really want to do, something wonderful always happens.
    I trust being real, and I see clearly.
    I see clarity coming.
    I can notice clear vision today.
    As I clear my life, my vision clears.
    My vision is clearing now.
    I am free!
    My vision continues to clear as I adjust to my new state of consciousness.
    Instead of problems, I see solutions. I see the way things can work.
    Clearing my vision is easier than I thought.
    I know I can see clearly without eyeglasses.
    I agree with these statements.
    Affirmations always work!

Real Men, Real Depression! (Mental Health Matters)

Depression is a serious but treatable medical condition - a brain disease - that can strike anyone, including men. In America alone, over 6 million men have depression each year.
Whether you're a company executive, a construction worker, a writer, a police officer, or a student, whether you are rich or poor, surrounded by loved ones or alone, you are not immune to depression. Some factors, however, such as family history, undue stress, the loss of a loved one or other serious illnesses can make you more vulnerable.
If left untreated, depression can lead to personal, family and financial difficulties, and, in some cases, end in suicide. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, however, most people recover. The darkness disappears, hope for the future returns, energy and desire come back, and interest in life becomes stronger than ever
Depression can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, or gender; however, large scale research studies have found that depression is about twice as common in women as in men. In the United States, researchers estimate that in any given one year period, depressive illnesses affect 12 percent of women (more than 12 million women) and nearly 7 percent of men (more than six million men).3 But important questions remain to be answered about the causes underlying this gender difference. We still do not know if depression is truly less common among men, or if men are just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for depression.
Types of Depression
Just like other illnesses, such as heart disease, depression comes in different forms. This booklet briefly describes three of the most common types of depressive disorders. However, within these types, there are variations in the number of symptoms, their severity, and persistence.
Major depression (or major depressive disorder) is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptoms list below) that interferes with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. A major depressive episode may occur only once; but more commonly, several episodes may occur in a lifetime. Chronic major depression may require a person to continue treatment indefinitely.
A less severe type of depression, dysthymia (or dysthymic disorder), involves long lasting, chronic symptoms that do not seriously disable, but keep one from functioning well or feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes at some time in their lives.
Depression
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood.
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism.
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable, including sex.
Decreased energy, fatigue; feeling “slowed down.”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Trouble sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping.
Changes in appetite and/or weight.
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts. Restlessness or irritability.
Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain that do not respond to routine treatment.
Men and Depression
Researchers estimate that at least six million men in the United States suffer from a depressive disorder every year. Research and clinical evidence reveal that while both women and men can develop the standard symptoms of depression, they often experience depression differently and may have different ways of coping with the symptoms. Men may be more willing to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work or hobbies, and sleep disturbances rather than feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and excessive guilt. Some researchers question whether the standard definition of depression and the diagnostic tests based upon it adequately capture the condition as it occurs in men.
Men are more likely than women to report alcohol and drug abuse or dependence in their lifetime;14 however, there is debate among researchers as to whether substance use is a “symptom” of underlying depression in men or a co occurring condition that more commonly develops in men. Nevertheless, substance use can mask depression, making it harder to recognize depression as a separate illness that needs treatment.
Instead of acknowledging their feelings, asking for help, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, angry, irritable, and, sometimes, violently abusive. Some men deal with depression by throwing themselves compulsively into their work, attempting to hide their depression from themselves, family, and friends. Other men may respond to depression by engaging in reckless behavior, taking risks, and putting themselves in harm’s way.
More than four times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States, even though women make more suicide attempts during their lives. In addition to the fact that men attempt suicide using methods that are generally more lethal than those used by women, there may be other factors that protect women against suicide death. In light of research indicating that suicide is often associated with depression, the alarming suicide rate among men may reflect the fact that men are less likely to seek treatment for depression. Many men with depression do not obtain adequate diagnosis and treatment that may be life saving.
Depression in Older Men
Men must cope with several kinds of stress as they age. If they have been the primary wage earners for their families and have identified heavily with their jobs, they may feel stress upon retirement­loss of an important role, loss of self esteem­that can lead to depression. Similarly, the loss of friends and family and the onset of other health problems can trigger depression.
Depression is not a normal part of aging. Depression is an illness that can be effectively treated, thereby decreasing unnecessary suffering, improving the chances for recovery from other illnesses, and prolonging productive life. However, health care professionals may miss depressive symptoms in older patients. Older adults may be reluctant to discuss feelings of sadness or grief, or loss of interest in pleasurable activities.
They may complain primarily of physical symptoms. It may be difficult to discern a co occurring depressive disorder in patients who present with other illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, or cancer, which may cause depressive symptoms or may be treated with medications that have side effects that cause depression. If a depressive illness is diagnosed, treatment with appropriate medication and/or brief psychotherapy can help older adults manage both diseases, thus enhancing survival and quality of life.
Identifying and treating depression in older adults is critical. There is a common misperception that suicide rates are highest among the young, but it is older white males who suffer the highest rate. Over 70 percent of older suicide victims visit their primary care physician within the month of their death; many have a depressive illness that goes undetected during these visits. This fact has led to research efforts to determine how to best improve physicians’ abilities to detect and treat depression in older adults.
Approximately 80 percent of older adults with depression improve when they receive treatment with antidepressant medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In addition, research has shown that a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication is highly effective for reducing recurrences of depression among older adults. Psychotherapy alone has been shown to prolong periods of good health free from depression, and is particularly useful for older patients who cannot or will not take medication.18 Improved recognition and treatment of depression in later life will make those years more enjoyable and fulfilling for the depressed elderly person, and his family and caregivers.
A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood.
Depression can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, or gender; however, large scale research studies have found that depression is about twice as common in women as in men.In the United States, researchers estimate that in any given one year period, depressive illnesses affect 12 percent of women (more than 12 million women) and nearly 7 percent of men (more than six million men) But important questions remain to be answered about the causes underlying this gender difference. We still do not know if depression is truly less common among men, or if men are just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for depression.
Symptoms of Depression
Not everyone who is depressed or manic experiences every symptom. Some people experience only a few; some people suffer many. The severity of symptoms varies among individuals and also over time.
Depression
Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood.
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism.
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable, including sex.
Decreased energy, fatigue; feeling “slowed down.”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
Trouble sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping.
Changes in appetite and/or weight.
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.
Restlessness or irritability.
Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain that do not respond to routine treatment.
Depression can coexist with other illnesses. In such cases, it is important that the depression and each co occurring illness be appropriately diagnosed and treated.
Research has shown that anxiety disorders­which include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder­commonly accompany depression. Depression is especially prevalent among people with PTSD, a debilitating condition that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.
Traumatic events that can trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults such as rape or mugging, natural disasters, accidents, terrorism, and military combat. PTSD symptoms include: re experiencing the traumatic event in the form of flashback episodes, memories, or nightmares; emotional numbness; sleep disturbances; irritability; outbursts of anger; intense guilt; and avoidance of any reminders or thoughts of the ordeal. In one NIMH supported study, more than 40 percent of people with PTSD also had depression when evaluated at one month and four months following the traumatic event.
Substance use disorders (abuse or dependence) also frequently co occur with depressive disorders. Research has revealed that people with alcoholism are almost twice as likely as those without alcoholism to also suffer from major depression. In addition, more than half of people with bipolar disorder type I (with severe mania) have a co occurring substance use disorder.
Men and Depression
Researchers estimate that at least six million men in the United States suffer from a depressive disorder every year. Research and clinical evidence reveal that while both women and men can develop the standard symptoms of depression, they often experience depression differently and may have different ways of coping with the symptoms. Men may be more willing to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work or hobbies, and sleep disturbances rather than feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and excessive guilt. Some researchers question whether the standard definition of depression and the diagnostic tests based upon it adequately capture the condition as it occurs in men.
Men are more likely than women to report alcohol and drug abuse or dependence in their lifetime; however, there is debate among researchers as to whether substance use is a “symptom” of underlying depression in men or a co occurring condition that more commonly develops in men. Nevertheless, substance use can mask depression, making it harder to recognize depression as a separate illness that needs treatment.
Instead of acknowledging their feelings, asking for help, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, angry, irritable, and, sometimes, violently abusive. Some men deal with depression by throwing themselves compulsively into their work, attempting to hide their depression from themselves, family, and friends. Other men may respond to depression by engaging in reckless behavior, taking risks, and putting themselves in harm’s way.
More than four times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States, even though women make more suicide attempts during their lives. In addition to the fact that men attempt suicide using methods that are generally more lethal than those used by women, there may be other factors that protect women against suicide death. In light of research indicating that suicide is often associated with depression,17 the alarming suicide rate among men may reflect the fact that men are less likely to seek treatment for depression. Many men with depression do not obtain adequate diagnosis and treatment that may be life saving.
More research is needed to understand all aspects of depression in men, including how men respond to stress and feelings associated with depression, how to make men more comfortable acknowledging these feelings and getting the help they need, and how to train physicians to better recognize and treat depression in men. Family members, friends, and employee assistance professionals in the workplace also can play important roles in recognizing depressive symptoms in men and helping them get treatment.
The first step to getting appropriate treatment for depression is a physical examination by a physician. Certain medications as well as some medical conditions such as a viral infection, thyroid disorder, or low testosterone level can cause the same symptoms as depression, and the physician should rule out these possibilities through examination, interview, and lab tests. If no such cause of the depressive symptoms is found, the physician should do a psychological evaluation or refer the patient to a mental health professional.
A good diagnostic evaluation will include a complete history of symptoms: i.e., when they started, how long they have lasted, their severity, and whether the patient had them before and, if so, if the symptoms were treated and what treatment was given. The doctor should ask about alcohol and drug use, and if the patient has thoughts about death or suicide. Further, a history should include questions about whether other family members have had a depressive illness and, if treated, what treatments they may have received and if they were effective. Last, a diagnostic evaluation should include a mental status examination to determine if speech, thought patterns, or memory has been affected, as sometimes happens with depressive disorders.
Treatment choice will depend on the patient’s diagnosis, severity of symptoms, and preference. There are a variety of treatments, including medications and short term psychotherapies (i.e., “talk” therapies), that have proven effective for depressive disorders. In general, severe depressive illnesses, particularly those that are recurrent, will require a combination of treatments for the best outcome.
Alcohol­ including wine, beer, and hard liquor­or street drugs may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants and should be avoided. However, doctors may permit people who have not had a problem with alcohol abuse or dependence to use a modest amount of alcohol while taking one of the newer antidepressants.
Questions about any medication prescribed, or problems that may be related to it, should be discussed with your doctor.
How to Help Yourself if You Are Depressed
Depressive disorders can make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime: Engage in mild exercise. Go to a movie, a ballgame, or participate in religious, social, or other activities. Set realistic goals and assume a reasonable amount of responsibility.
Break large tasks into small ones, set some priorities, and do what you can as you can.
Try to be with other people and to confide in someone; it is usually better than being alone and secretive. Participate in activities that may make you feel better. Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately. Feeling better takes time. Often during treatment of depression, sleep and appetite will begin to improve before depressed mood lifts.
Postpone important decisions. Before deciding to make a significant transition–change jobs, get married or divorced–discuss it with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.
Do not expect to ‘snap out of’ a depression. But do expect to feel a little better day by day.
Remember, positive thinking will replace the negative thinking as your depression responds to treatment. Let your family and friends help you.
How Family and Friends Can Help
The most important thing anyone can do for a man who may have depression is to help him get to a doctor for a diagnostic evaluation and treatment. First, try to talk to him about depression­help him understand that depression is a common illness among men and is nothing to be ashamed about. Perhaps share this booklet with him. Then encourage him to see a doctor to determine the cause of his symptoms and obtain appropriate treatment.
Occasionally, you may need to make an appointment for the depressed person and accompany him to the doctor. Once he is in treatment, you may continue to help by encouraging him to stay with treatment until symptoms begin to lift (several weeks) or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs. This may also mean monitoring whether he is taking prescribed medication and/or attending therapy sessions. Encourage him to be honest with the doctor about his use of alcohol and prescription or recreational drugs, and to follow the doctor’s orders about the use of these substances while on antidepressant medication.
The second most important thing is to offer emotional support to the depressed person. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage him in conversation and listen carefully. Do not disparage the feelings he may express, but point out realities and offer hope. Do not ignore remarks about suicide. Report them to the depressed person’s doctor. In an emergency, call 911. Invite him for walks, outings, to the movies, and other activities. Be gently insistent if your invitation is refused. Encourage participation in some activities that once gave pleasure, such as hobbies, sports, religious or cultural activities, but do not push him to undertake too much too soon. The depressed person needs diversion and company, but too many demands can increase feelings of failure.
Listed below are the types of people and places that will make a referral to, or provide, diagnostic and treatment services.
Family doctors
Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors Religious leaders/counselors
Health maintenance organizations
Community mental health centers
Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
University or medical school affiliated programs
State hospital outpatient clinics
Social service agencies
Private clinics and facilities
Employee assistance programs
Local medical and/or psychiatric societies
Conclusion
A man can experience depression in many different ways. He may be grumpy or irritable, or have lost his sense of humor. He might drink too much or abuse drugs. It may be that he physically or verbally abuses his wife and his kids. He might work all the time, or compulsively seek thrills in high risk behavior. Or, he may seem isolated, withdrawn, and no longer interested in the people or activities he used to enjoy.
Perhaps this man sounds like you. If so, it is important to understand that there is a brain disorder called depression that may be underlying these feelings and behaviors. It’s real: scientists have developed sensitive imaging devices that enable us to see depression in the brain. And it’s treatable: more than 80 percent of those suffering from depression respond to existing treatments, and new ones are continually becoming available and helping more people. Talk to a healthcare provider about how you are feeling, and ask for help.
Or perhaps this man sound like someone you care about. Try to talk to him, or to someone who has a chance of getting through to him. Help him to understand that depression is a common illness among men and is nothing to be ashamed about. Encourage him to see a doctor and get an evaluation for depression.
For most men with depression, life doesn’t have to be so dark and hopeless. Life is hard enough as it is; and treating depression can free up vital resources to cope with life’s challenges effectively. When a man is depressed, he’s not the only one who suffers. His depression also darkens the lives of his family, his friends, virtually everyone close to him. Getting him into treatment can send ripples of healing and hope into all of those lives.
Depression is a real illness; it is treatable; and men can have it. It takes courage to ask for help, but help can make all the difference.