Stress can actually damage that part of the brain which is central to learning and memory. It's called the hippocampus, and according to Robert M. Sapolsky, the problem centers around the continued secretion of corticosteroids or cortisol.

When your body perceives a threat, the adrenal glands release a hormone called adrenalin. If that perceived threat – and a threat can be defined as anything from a life-changing situation to a looming deadline at work – is long-term, your system attacks it by releasing cortisol through the adrenal glands. Cortisol remains in the brain for a longer period of time where it can adversely affect the brain cells.

You might think that improving your memory is pretty much hopeless, short of shutting out all the stress in your life. Cheer up! That's not the case. Stress has another side effect on the body.

Exposure to constant stress literally gobbles up your reserves of the vitamin B-complex vitamins in your system. And while that may sound like more bad news, it really leads us to a solution to stress-induced memory loss.

Research has discovered that simply by supplementing our diets with plenty of B vitamins, we can counter that memory fatigue. The B-complex of vitamins is really a family of eight related nutrients, including Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), folic acid, B12, pantothenic acid, Niacin (B3). B6, and biotin.

Another recent piece of research you might be interested in: Your system has more trouble dealing with stress when it's low on the B-vitamins.

When it comes to B vitamins and stress, it's a lot like that proverbial vicious circle. You're under increased stress at work, let's say. Your body, then, tries to compensate by using more of the B-vitamins. You become dangerously depleted in these nutrients, and your body reacts by managing stress even more poorly, including a sagging memory.

Your brain, just like every other organ in your body, needs to be supplied with plenty of nutrients in order to perform at its peak efficiency. Overexposure to stress depletes your system's reserves of vitamins.

If you find that your memory is failing you and you know that you've been dealing with anxiety or stressful situations, consider supplementing your diet with some B-vitamins. You may find it's just that easy to have a great memory again.

Why Our Memory Falters

While there are many similarities between hypnosis and self hypnosis, there are some differentiating factors. In self hypnosis you are completely in charge. You choose your own time limits that you stay in your alpha state, you choose what health concerns you emphasize and you choose when you do this. With this freedom, you can adjust your self-hypnosis schedules to fit your lifestyle as well as to discover the most effective time and length of session to be beneficial.

When you use self hypnosis, you’re in good company. Many sports champions, like Tiger Words and Evander Holyfield, use this technique to help achieve their goals and improve their performance.

This technique can be used for just about any health concern that you have – from simple relaxation to the pain management of childbirth. It is not, however, intended to actually cure you of any disease. Many people use it quite successfully, however, to alleviate the symptoms of many health problems.

Self Hypnosis To Improve Your Health: Part 2

After you've attended several classes and understand the importance of the postures, you can begin to practice some on your own. Whether you attend a class or you're practicing yoga at home with a DVD or a book, you want to wear either loose, comfortable clothing or a pair of tights or a unitard. You do not want to wear clothes that will restrict or inhibit your movements in any way.

Just as with any exercise, you shouldn't eat or drink directly before a yoga session. You should wait an hour after eating to practice yoga, and preferably three hours. Drink only a little water before your practice and none at all while you are performing your postures.

Before you even begin your first posture, you'll get the most benefits from your yoga exercise if you start with a short meditation. Sit with your spine straight and close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Focus on your breath. Do this for several minutes to get your body slowed a little.

As you practice your poses, remember that yoga is not a competition. Your goal is not necessarily to complete the posture perfectly, but just placing your body into the position as best as you can at this moment. Remember that your instructor has been practicing yoga for many years to achieve the capability of performing those postures. Similarly, the books show photos of the ideal pose. You can't expect to attain that level of completion during your first several attempts. But if you continue, you'll slowly find that you attain more flexibility with each session.

Your session, especially either from a book or a DVD, will have you hold your pose for a certain length of time. When you first start you may find that it's all you can do to hold the posture for the minimum recommended amount of time. As you progress, though, you'll soon be holding them for the maximum period. And if you stay with the practice of it, you may even find you'll want to extend that a little longer. Be sure to increase this time slowly though.

Along the same lines, don't expect to be able to perform the more difficult postures. Yoga receives a lot of attention because many of the poses seem like they are humanly impossible. Certainly as a novice, these are not the ones that would do you much good. But the good news is that there are many very simple poses and moves that will not only help your blood flow more freely through your body, but will help stretch those muscles.

You may find that your back problems slowly disappear first and then slowly you'll notice an overall improvement in your well-being.

Yoga is a great investment of your time and energy.

1. Start by finding a quiet, solitary space. Make sure that it’s a private place that’s free from distractions. Turn your cell phone off, switch your home phone to the answering machine and do whatever else is necessary to avoid interruptions.

2. Get comfortable. Find a chair or couch of your choice. Make sure that it’s an inviting, comfortable space. Some people prefer to lie down. However, there is a danger that you may fall asleep if you choose this method.

3. Close your eyes. Empty your mind of all thoughts. Especially rid yourself of all negativity . . . all stress, anxiety and fear. Initially, this will be one of the toughest aspects of self hypnosis. Thoughts may try to invade the empty space. Don’t fight the influx of thoughts. Acknowledge them momentarily, then gently eliminate them from your mind.

4. Recognize the tension that inherently exists in your body. Imagine all tension dissipating from your body. Begin with your toes. Purposely relax them. Feel the muscles release all tension in them. As your toes relax, do the same thing with your calves. Visualize the tension leaving them. Then go to your thighs and do the same. As you relax each body part, go slowly to the next. Move to your hips, your stomach, arms, hands and slowly work your way to your face and head. If you need to, utilize a soothing imagery technique as an aid. Some people visualize a calming stream of water running over their feet, cleansing them of tension.

5. Breathe slowly and deeply. As you exhale, visualize the tension leaving your body. Visualize all negative energy leaving. As you inhale, visualize the air returning to your body as a bright light filled with life and energy.

6. Take a moment to recognize that you are now very relaxed. Imagine you’re standing at the top of a flight of ten stairs. Imagine, in as much detail as you can, your surroundings starting with the top of the stairs to the bottom. Tell yourself that you are now going to walk down these stairs. As you do, start with 10 and count backwards as you step on each stair. Picture each of these numbers in your mind. After you state each number, feel yourself falling even more deeply into a state of relaxation. Continue to count down until you reach the bottom.

7. When you reach the bottom of the stairs, imagine yourself relaxed and content.

8. Now that you’re completely relaxed, address the health issue you’re most concerned about. Using positive affirmations to address your concern, continually repeat your desire. Instead of saying that, “I don’t want to be tired any longer,” say “I have a tremendous amount of energy. Instead of saying “I am tired of being out of shape and overweight,” repeat in this relaxed state, “I am fit, healthy and exercise daily.” Be sure that everything you tell yourself is voiced in a positive way.

9. Repeat these statements as many times as you wish.

10. Once you’re done, count upwards from zero to ten. Again, visualize each number in as much details as possible. Once you reach ten, you’ll slowly rise back to your normal state of consciousness. Remain calm and relaxed.

11. Once you’re down counting, allow a few moments before you open your eyes. Don’t be in a hurry to stand up and get moving right away. Linger in your seat for a while.

1. Before you even begin, decide how you will present your suggestions to yourself. If you do this beforehand, you don’t run the risk of interrupting your hypnotic state.

2. You may even want to write out your suggestions before you begin. This is effective for two reasons. First, you’ll have them prepared and you won’t need to “fumble” through your mind forming statements. But, this exercise can also be a great tool in visualizing your concerns and make them easier to remember.

3. Don’t be afraid to adapt the process to your individual needs. The important points are all the same. If you can’t visualize standing at the top of a stairs, then see yourself on a deserted beach. Visualize that you’re following footsteps or counting palm trees.

4. If you find you’re having trouble relaxing your body try a different technique. A great alternative is to physically contract the muscles in each body area. Hold them this way for ten seconds, then release them. Then, visualize the tension leaving.

5. Some individuals visit a professional, licensed hypnotherapist for an initial, introductory session. During this visit, you can then learn what being in a state of hypnosis feels like.

6. Some find they’re so successful in self hypnosis that they don’t feel they need to take their prescribed medication. DO NOT make this decision on your own. Visit your personal health care practitioner and get his recommendation. Never alter your medication schedule without the explicit instructions of your health care practitioner.

7. If you’re using self hypnosis to overcome a painful condition, you should never use any suggestions that actually remove the pain. Experts say that if you do, you need to add a disclaimer to your system. Pain is a natural signal that something is amiss in your body. If pain didn’t exist, you may hurt yourself even more. If you feel strong enough that you must use some form of this statement, then say something along this line of thought: “My back now feels wonderful and all the pain will be temporarily gone until the condition is healed or the condition worsens.”

8. There’s no right or wrong time to perform self hypnosis. One of the most effective times though is shortly before you go to sleep at night. The process of deliberately inducing relaxation helps you to fall asleep faster and get a better night’s sleep. You’ll also find that the affirmations, repeated shortly prior to bedtime, will soak through your subconscious mind quickly and easily.

But self hypnosis can also help you achieve many healthy lifestyle changes in your life as well. You can go into your alpha state to reinforce your desire to follow an exercise program regularly. But it can also be a boost to helping you get rid of unhealthy habits as well.

That’s why so many people use hypnosis to lose weight and quit smoking.
Self hypnosis is not a technique that everyone can use easily, though. Some individuals find that as much as they try they can’t overcome their initial prejudices and preconceived ideas about the stereotypical aspects of hypnosis. Others find that they can’t produce that relaxed alpha state required for the hypnotic suggestions to become fully embedded in their subconscious.

It’s true that self hypnosis requires more focus and more practice than some alternative health methods, like exercise. But having said that, self hypnosis may also be a great choice for an individual who cannot fully participate in many exercises.

Most often, the cause of depression is a chemical or hormone imbalance in the body. There are several natural and herbal remedies for depression, that can help to effectively regulate these imbalances. Some herbal depression remedies have been used for years by professional herbalists.

One such herbal remedy is St. John's Wort. Some individuals claim that studies have reported St. John's Wort to be even more effective for treating depression than some of the most popular prescription anti-depressants.

Combining St. John's Wort with prescription drugs, however, can be dangerous, because of the potential side effects. Always err on the side of caution, and consult with your doctor before adding herbal supplements to your daily routine.

Licorice is another herbal remedy that is considered a natural anti-depressant. It's recognized as a source of estrogen, and can help treat depression caused by hormone imbalance. It also regulates and stimulates the adrenal gland, and is considered beneficial for the heart and circulation.

Ginseng is a hormone balancing herb, that also helps to relieve stress. It can provide you with more energy, and the lack of energy is a common symptom of depression.

Gota Kola is an herbal remedy that helps to stimulate circulation to the brain, while also helping to balance hormones and the nervous system. When used in combination with Cayenne and Ginseng, Gota Kola can be an extremely effective anti-depressant.

Adding fish oils to your diet can provide minerals and vitamins your body may be lacking. The lack of these essential vitamins and minerals can also contribute to depression.

Other natural remedies for depression include yoga, meditation, and exercise. Exercise can increase your endorphins, which can significantly improve your overall mood. Meditation can help to relieve stress and calm your nerves, and yoga combines the best of both worlds as a form of meditation and exercise.

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If not, then you need to learn how to manage the stressors in your life better. Here are just a few possible stress management techniques:

Talk about it. Yes, we know it sounds corny. But it works. If you can't release those feelings of stress, anxiety and anger, you'll liable to work them out in some unacceptable way. You'll find yourself yelling at your children more, or being more hostile with your spouse. You may also find that untreated stress may make you aggressive.

Look at the bright side of the issue. Stay focused on the positive. No doubt you've heard about that law of attraction. If you stay focused on the positive, then that's what will increase in your life. You'll find that your negative emotions as well as the stressors will eventually melt away – well, at least they'll thaw out enough that they're easier to deal with.

Discover some good relaxation techniques. You might want to enlist the help of your doctor with this one. Ask what he would suggest along these lines. Of course, temporary aids include a good massage as well as yoga classes. You might also want to learn how to meditate, this can lower your heart rate as well as your brain waves.

Did you know that the moment you close your eyes, your brain waves slow and your body is beginning to adjust to a slower pace. Just closing your eyes in the middle of the day, and taking several deep breaths could be the action that saves you from going over the edge.

These are just several of many natural – non-drug alternatives – to stress management.

The best possible scenario is to try to reduce the things that do cause you anxiety, if at all possible. Second, you'll want to change the way you react to the things you can't change. Just as no two people react the same way to the presence of stress; no two people benefit in the same from the same methods of stress management.

If, in your search, you discover that one method doesn't work for you, don't hesitate to discard it and try something else. If you are experiencing stress-related medical problems, it's essential that you work hand in hand with your family doctor.

Your first step is to identify what actually causes your stress. If you're unsure, you should consider keeping a stress journal. In this book, you'll record the occasions that stress you, trigger an angry response in or actually produce an adverse physical response.

For example, if a certain circumstance gave you an upset stomach or a headache, write it down. This response was probably due to stress. Be sure to write down the time of day as well. Then, you need to decipher the types of events or activities which caused this. You then work on alternatives to these circumstances.

You may, at some point, have to re-examine your priorities. You need to ask yourself if this particular situation or condition is important enough in your life that you're willing to tolerate some type of stress.

If working and then coming home and doing all the chores is stressing you out, then you need to find a way to eliminate some of the chores, if possible. Perhaps a spouse can help you with those responsibilities.