The Downside of Everyday Uppers: How Your Daily Joe Hurts Your Body (And Your Life Insurance Quotes)

The American Heart Association says that those who drink caffeinated beverages should do so in moderation, which means about two cups of coffee a day. That's about 200-400mg of caffeine. But except for that whole living longer thing, where's the inspiration to put down the coffee pot? It's not like quitting coffee is going to help you save money on your life insurance quotes or anything.

Is it?

Actually, you'd be surprised.

The Dark Side of Your Dark Brew

Caffeine in moderation doesn't seem to have a lot of long term effects on most people, except the lovely headache that comes if you skip a day (and the jail time for the death threats against your co-workers). But medicine's definition of moderation and yours might differ by a pot or two a day, and more than the daily recommended max is bad for health.

Forget the jitters, the shakes, and the tendency to annoy others by talking waaaay too fast, which aren't the only manifestations you get of coffee overdose but are certainly the most noticeable! The catch is, everyone metabolizes caffeine differently. Some people are lucky. Their bodies process caffeine quickly and efficiently, which helps prevent heart attacks and diabetes. (Not to mention they live longer that way. Metaphorically speaking. Not literally.)

That's lovely, right? But what about the people who are slow metabolizers, genetically predisposed to heart attacks when stimulated by something like caffeine? They're out there. Are you one of them? Would cutting back on the amount of coffee, tea and soda you slurp every day save your life, as well as your life insurance quotes?

Let's talk about those Z's. Do you know how much your caffeine of choice affects your beauty sleep? Some people can drink coffee right before bed and drift off without a problem. Others can have a half a cup at 2pm and stay wide awake for hours after they'd prefer to be in dreamland. Someone who lets that afternoon pick-me-up keep them awake often enough can become run down and irritable, reaching for another cup of coffee or bottle of Mt. Dew to keep that self destructive cycle running over and over again.

Do you know what staying awake too long can actually do to your body? Lack of sleep over a long period of time leads to all kind of health problems, from catching colds faster than usual to encouraging cancer to grow. It sounds dramatic, but sleep is the body's time to heal.

Wait, Cancer? From Coffee? What Kind of Wacky Scare Tactic is This?

New piece of information for you. Every person fights off little cancers at several times in life. It's our immune systems that keep away as many illnesses as possible. No sleep means a poorly functioning immune system and no time to repair the damage we do every day.

Caffeine increases heart rate and can help everyone- athletes and desk jockeys alike- work harder and longer. The science is there- it's called an ergogenic effect, and that sounds great, right? Butthink about how hard you push your body and your brain every...single...day. Without sleep, one can imagine the permanent damage done to the body and brain. The heart. The lungs. Any organ can wear out if pushed too far too often with no proper recouperation.

How is a person supposed to fight off the carcinogens if the body can't rest because of that sweet morning brew? Your body's good, but it's not THAT good!

The lack of sleep from badly timed caffeine consumption isn't the only possible cancer risk from our stimulating friend. Moderate caffeine use has actually been shown in some British and American studies to help fight cancer. Don't cheer just yet, though. Studies also show that more than 400 mg a day has been associated with an increase in the risk of certain cancers.

Are you at risk? Are you extremely sensitive to caffeine, or are you one of the fast metabolizers protected by a bit of caffeine? Do you know for sure?

Probably not. Guess what? Your life insurance company doesn't know either. Your insurance questionnaire may not contain any questions about coffee or tea or energy drinks or chocolate. It will, however, contain a lot of questions about medical conditions- heart trouble, cancer, diabetes, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression, all of which can result from taking in too much caffeine, and all of which spell bad news for your life insurance quotes.

If you've read this and fall into the more than 400mg of caffeine on a regular basis, you should really consider cutting down. It'll cut down on your health risks, cut down on your consumption expenses, lengthen your body's natural lifespan and, in the process, cut down the cost of your life insurance while it's at it.

Cushing's Syndrome: Abnormal Levels of Cortisol

Cushing's syndrome is a disorder caused by elevated levels of cortisol in blood and the normal level of cortisol may rise either by the intake of glucocorticoid drugs or by tumors that result in excessive secretion of cortisol or adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). Truly speaking Cushing's disease is the result of a tumor in the pituitary gland that causes excessive secretion of ACTH which in turn elevates the level of cortisol. About 70% of the patients suffering from this disease get affected due to the tumors and rest 30% suffer from the disease because of the intake of glucocorticod drugs. The pathology of the disease was first studied in detail by Harvey Cushing in 1932. The syndrome is also known as Itsenko-Cushing syndrome or hypercorticism. This syndrome is not only confined to humans only but has also been identified in domestic dogs, horses and rarely in cats. The syndrome should not be confused with a clinical condition identified as Cushing's triad where the intracranial pressure increases enormously. The disease is known to affect the individuals of the age group 20-50. According to a report about 10-15 million individuals suffer from Cushing's syndrome every year.

Individuals suffering from Cushing's syndrome may develop moon-like faces, facial plethora, supraclavicular fat pads, buffalo hump, truncal obesity and purple striae. They often complain of proximal muscle weakness, easy bruising, weight gain, hirsutism and growth retardation in children. Hypertension, osteopenia, diabetes mellitus and impairment of the immune system are other common symptoms. Excessive intake of exogenous glucocorticoids is also responsible for this syndrome. Exogenous steroids results in suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. An individual with suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may not be able to increase steroid production appropriately during a medical illness or stress so requires exogenous doses of steroids to avoid adrenal crisis.

The most frequently observed symptoms of Cushing's syndrome include rapid weight gain particularly of the trunk and face with sparing of the limbs. A very common sign is the development of fat pads around the collar bone, on the back of the neck and a round face also known as moon face. Other symptoms include excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis, dilation of capillaries (telangiectasia), thinning of skin and other mucous membranes, purple or red striae on the trunk, buttocks, arms, legs or breasts, proximal muscle weakness, hirsutism, baldness or brittle hairs. The rare symptoms include hypercalcemia that causes skin necrosis. Excessive secretion of cortisol also affects other endocrine systems and causes insomnia, inhibited aromatase, reduced libido, impotence, amenorrhea and infertility due to elevations in androgens. Patients also suffer from psychological disturbances that may range from euphoria to psychosis. Depression and anxiety are other common symptoms. The most striking and remarkable skin changes include facial acne, susceptibility to superficial dermatophyte and malassezia infections and characteristic purplish striae on abdomen.

Other noticeable symptoms include polyuria, persistent hypertension and insulin resistance that cause hyperglycemia and diabetes mellitus. Insulin resistance is accompanied by skin changes like acanthosis nigricans in axilla and around the neck as well as skin tangs in axilla. If left untreated Cushing's syndrome results in the development of heart disease and chances of death increase. Excessive secretion of ACTH causes hyper-pigmentation. Hyper-pigmentation is the due to the activity of Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone (MSH) which is produced as a byproduct from ACTH synthesis. This hormone is formed from Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC). Cortisol also participates in the exhibition of activity of the mineralocorticoids in high concentrations and causing hypertension and hyperkalemia. Gastrointestinal disturbances, infections and impaired wound healing are the other symptoms of this syndrome. Osteoporosis is also a symptom associated with Cushing's syndrome. Bone loss also occurs and bones of lower back, hip and shoulders also start paining. Cortisol level can also increase due to intake of estrogen in the contraceptive pills that contain a blend of estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is responsible for the increase of cortisol-binding globulin that is responsible for the elevated level of cortisol.

When body tissues are exposed to elevated levels of cortisol for prolonged period of time then Cushing's syndrome occurs. Many individuals suffer from this syndrome as they consume exogenous glucocorticoid hormones namely prednisone for asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other inflammatory diseases. Rest of the individuals develops this syndrome due to overproduction of cortisol by the body. A chain of events generally occur inside the body that finally results in the formation of cortisol. Hypothalamus is a very important part of brain which is about the size of a sugar cube sends corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) to the pituitary gland. This CRH stimulates pituitary gland which in turn releases the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) that finally acts on the adrenal glands. Adrenal glands are small glands located just above the kidneys and when they are stimulated by the action of ACTH they release cortisol in the bloodstream. Cortisol has a number of important functions to perform inside the body. It maintains blood pressure and cardiovascular function, reduces immune system's inflammatory response and regulates the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Cortisol also helps the body to respond to stress. For this reason, women in last 3 months of pregnancy and the highly trained athletes normally have high levels of cortisol. People suffering from depression, alcoholism, malnutrition and panic disorders also have elevated levels of this hormone. When the level of this hormone is adequate in blood then, the hypothalamus and pituitary release less CRH and ACTH. This confirms that cortisol released by the adrenal glands is precisely balanced to meet body's requirements. However, if something wrong happens either with adrenal glands, hypothalamus or pituitary glands then this balance may experience fluctuations. Pituitary adenomas are responsible for most of the cases of Cushing's syndrome. These adenomas are benign, non-cancerous, tumors of pituitary glands that result in excessive secretion of ACTH. Most patients have a single adenoma. This type of Cushing's syndrome is five times more frequent in women as compared to that in men. Some benign or malignant tumors that arise outside the pituitary gland can also produce ACTH and this condition is identified as ectopic ACTH syndrome. Lung tumors are associated with 50% of such cases and men are affected three times more than women. The most common forms of ACTH-producing tumors are oat cell, small cell lung cancer or carcinoid tumors and they account for 25% of lung cancer cases. Other types of tumors that also result in the production of ACTH are pancreatic islet cell tumors, medullary carcinomas of thyroid and thymomas.

Sometimes abnormalities may also take place in the adrenal glands and Cushing's syndrome may occur. This condition generally crops up in the individuals of 40 years of age. Most of these cases involve non-cancerous tumors of adrenal tissues known as adrenal adenomas that are responsible for excessive secretion of cortisol in the bloodstream. Adrenal cancers rarely result in the development of Cushing's syndrome. Cancer cells result in excessive secretion of cortisol and adrenal androgens. Most of the cases of this syndrome are not inherited at all. In very rare cases of Cushing's syndrome individuals have inherited tendency of developing tumors of one or more endocrine glands. In Primary Pigmented Micronodular Adrenal Disease children or young individuals develop small cortisol-producing tumors of the adrenal glands. In Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type I (MEN I) hormone secreting tumors of parathyroid glands, pancreas and pituitary occur. Cushing's syndrome in MEN I may occur due to pituitary, ectopic or adrenal tumors.

Pituitary gland is located just beneath the hypothalamus and both these essential structures are finally present in the brain. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of hypothalamus is responsible for the production of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropin (ACTH). ACTH travels via blood and reaches the adrenal glands which get activated and release cortisol. The zona fasciculata of the cortex of the adrenal gland respond to ACTH and finally release cortisol. Elevated levels of cortisol exhibit a negative feedback on the pituitary which finally decreases the secretion of ACTH. Adenoma in the cortex of the adrenal glands is also responsible for the excessive secretion of cortisol which is one of the causes responsible for Cushing's syndrome. Adenoma causes the cortisol level to become very high and the levels of ACTH are also very low. This syndrome only refers to hypercortisolism where the ACTH levels become very high along with elevated levels of cortisol in the blood. The levels of ACTH are very high because a tumor in the pituitary gland makes it unresponsive to the negative feedback against the elevated levels of cortisol. This disease was the first autoimmune disease discovered in humans.

Diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome is based on the patient's medical history, physical examination and laboratory tests. Tumors of the adrenal and pituitary gland can be detected by using X-rays. These tests can help a medical expert to identify if the blood cortisol levels are high and why this is so. The 24-hour urinary level free cortisol level test is the most appropriate diagnostic test. In this test as the name indicates urine of the patient is collected after an interval of 24 hours and then levels of cortisol are checked. If the amount of cortisol is higher than 50-100 micrograms within an interval of 24 hour then the individual is at the risk of suffering from this syndrome. The level of cortisol may vary depending upon the techniques utilized. Once Cushing's syndrome is diagnosed other tests are required to locate the exact regions that are associated with the abnormality that results in excessive cortisol production. These tests are based on the choice of the endocrinologist. Dexamethasone suppression test is another test that can be performed. This test helps to distinguish patients with excessive production of ACTH due to pituitary adenomas from those with ectopic-ACTH producing tumors. Here the patients are given a synthetic glucocorticoid known as dexamethasone orally for every 6 hours for 4 days. For the first two days the dose of this compound are kept low while it is increased to higher ones on the last two days. 24-hour urine samples are also collected before the administration of this compound.

Cortisol and other glucocorticoids signal the pituitary gland for lowering the secretion of ACTH in blood so the normal response after taking dexamethasone is a drop in blood and urine of cortisol levels. Different responses of cortisol to dexamethasone are noticed depending upon the cause of Cushing's syndrome either by pituitary adenoma or ectopic ACTH-producing tumor. The dexamethasone suppression test can give false results for the patients suffering from depression, high estrogen levels, alcohol abuse, stress and acute illness. Drugs namely phenytoin and phenobarbital may also give false results in response to this compound. So the physicians advise the patients to stop the usage of these drugs one week before undergoing dexamethasone suppression test. CRH stimulation test helps to distinguish between patients with pituitary adenomas or those with ectopic ACTH-producing tumor and cortisol-secreting adrenal tumors. Patients are given injections of cortiocotropin releasing hormone which in turn is responsible for the secretion of ACTH from the pituitary glands in blood. Patients with pituitary adenomas generally experience very high levels of ACTH and cortisol in blood. This response is generally rarely seen in the patients with ectopic ACTH syndrome and never in patients with cortisol-secreting adrenal tumors.

Direct visualization of endocrine glands or radiologic imaging helps in the identification of shape and size of pituitary and adrenal glands. These techniques help to detect if any tumor is present. The most common techniques used are computerized tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging. Computerized tomography actually produces a series of X-ray images that imparts a cross-sectional image of any part of body. Magnetic resonance imaging also generates images of body parts but no ionizing radiation is used. The imaging techniques are generally used for the detection of tumor once Cushing's syndrome is finally diagnosed. These techniques are not used for the diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome. Petrosal sinus sampling is another test that is not always used but can be used for the separation of pituitary from the ectopic causes of Cushing's syndrome. Petrosal sinuses are actually the veins that drain blood to the pituitary glands so blood samples are taken from them by the introduction of catheters by using local anesthesia and mild sedation. X-rays are often used for the detection of the correct position of the catheters. To improve the diagnostic accuracy injections of CRH are often given. The levels of ACTH in the petrosal sinuses are measured and then they are compared with the ACTH levels in a forearm vein. Higher levels of ACTH in the petrosal sinuses than in the forearm vein is indicative of the presence of pituitary adenoma and if the levels are similar then ectopic ACTH-syndrome is present.

Some individuals have elevated cortisol levels but do not show progressive effects of Cushing's syndrome like muscle weakness, fractures and thinning of skin. These individuals may be suffering from pseudo-Cushing's syndrome which was originally described in people who were depressed or alcohol addict. These individuals do not show long term effects shown by individuals with Cushing's syndrome so they do not require direct treatment of the endocrine glands. Generally dexamethasone-CRH test is performed to distinguish patients of pseudo-Cushing's syndrome from those with Cushing's syndrome. This test combines dexamethasone suppression and CRH stimulation tests. Elevated levels of cortisol suggest the presence of this disease. Some individuals may have substantially high levels of cortisol but they do not show effects of this syndrome. The high cortisol levels may be compensating for body's resistance for cortisol effects. This rare syndrome of cortisol resistance is a genetic state that results in hypertension and chronic androgen excess. Sometimes other conditions may be associated with this disease like the polycystic ovarian syndrome that causes menstrual disturbances, weight gain from adolescence, excessive hair growth and sometimes diabetes. Generally weight gain, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are associated with resistance to insulin action and diabetes often described as Metabolic Syndrome X. Patients with this disorder generally do not have elevated levels of cortisol.

The common treatments available for Cushing's syndrome include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or use of cortisol-inhibiting drugs. A number of therapies are available to treat the ACTH-secreting adenomas of Cushing's syndrome. The most commonly used treatment is the surgical removal of the tumor known as transsphenoidal adenomectomy. In this process the surgeon approaches the pituitary gland either through the nostril or through an opening made below the upper lip. Very fine instruments and special kind of microscope required for this purpose. As this surgery is very complicated so the patients are advised to consult the specialized centers only. The success rate of the surgery is 80% if carried out by an experienced surgeon. If surgery fails or only temporary cure is achieved then it can be repeated in order to obtain good results. After the successful pituitary surgery the elevated levels of ACTH drop two times lower as compared to the normal level. This is a natural but temporary drop in the level of ACTH and the patients are given synthetic form of cortisol. This replacement therapy can be stopped in most of the patients within an interval of one year.

Patients who fail to give promising results to transsphenoidal adenomectomy or candidates who are not suitable candidates for surgery, radiotherapy is a promising treatment. Radiation to the pituitary gland is generally given at an interval of 6 weeks. The chances of success range from 50-80% in both adults and children. A combination of radiotherapy and a drug known as mitotane helps in faster recovery. Mitotane suppresses cortisol production and thereby brings a decline in the plasma and urine hormone levels. Mitotane has shown 30-40% better results in the patients with Cushing's syndrome. To cure the overproduction of cortiol due to ectopic ACTH syndrome, it is always beneficial to remove all the cancerous tissue that produces ACTH. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy or a combination of these therapies can help in removal of cancerous tissue. The ACTH-secreting tumors may be very small or widespread at the time of diagnosis so mititane is a promising drug that can be administered for better results. In some cases if the pituitary surgery is not successful then surgical removal of the adrenal glands may replace the drug therapy. Surgery is the only treatment available for the benign and cancerous tumors of adrenal glands. Primary Pigmented Micronodular Adrenal Disease and the familial Carney's complex require surgical removal of adrenal glands.

Iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome is the most common form of Cushing's syndrome which is generally caused by treatment with corticosteroids. The incidence of the pituitary tumors may be relatively high but only a minute fraction of them are active and result in excessive hormone secretion. Adults with this disease may show symptoms like extreme weight gain, excessive hair growth in women, high blood pressure and skin problems. Additional symptoms may include muscle and bone weakness, osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sleep disturbances, moodiness, irritability and depression followed by amenorrhea in women, decreased fertility in men, baldness and hypercholesterolemia. Most of the cases of Cushing's syndrome are due to the action of exogenous glucocorticoids. About 13 cases per million individuals are diagnosed every year that are due to the endogenous reasons. Of these 70% of cases are due to ACTH-producing tumor, 15% due to ectopic-ACTH and 15% due to primary adrenal tumor.

Mortality and morbidity associated with Cushing's syndrome are primarily due to the effects caused by excessive levels of glucocorticoids. A very large pituitary tumor may cause panhypopituitarism and visual loss. Rare adrenocortical adenomas are also associated with a survival rate of only 5 years. Excess glucocorticoids also cause perforated viscera and increased susceptibility to fungal infections. Other additional problems that crop up due to excessive glucocorticoids include hypertension, obesity, osteoporosis, fractures, impaired immune function, impaired woun healing, glucose intolerance and psychosis. The female-to-male ratio of Cushing's syndrome is 5:1 which may be either due to pituitary or adrenal tumor. Ectopic ACTH production is more frequent in men than women due to increased incidence of lung tumors in them. The peak period of occurrence of Cushing's syndrome due to adrenal or pituitary adenoma is 25-40 years. Ectopic production due to lung cancer may occur in later phase of life. For keeping a regular check on Cushing's syndrome patients should be educated about adrenal crisis. Instruction for the intake f specific drug for treatment should be given.

How I Beat Depression Without Medication

I beat depression without medication and so can you. For years I was caught in the unforgiving clutches of manic depression, "bipolar disorder" or what ever else people call being unhappy. Taking complete responsibility for my self was the key, and I'm happy to share what I've discovered with you here.

There are thousands of people and doctors who are more than willing to say that you need to be on medication or that you need the advice of some "expert" with a degree hanging on their wall in order to feel happy. And I guarantee that every one of those people or doctors want your money in exchange for their so-called expert advice or medication. In reality, only you are an expert on you. Only you know what makes you tick and what you should do to improve the quality of your life. The shocking and often avoided truth is: No one else can figure this out for you!

By nature, people seek easy and automatic answers to their problems. And unfortunately, there are stadiums full of others chomping at the bit to tell people where to go and how to live their life for a nominal fee. I know this first hand. I've had my share of being manipulated and taken advantage of by society's "experts" on how to be happy. I noticed one common denominator between them: none of them got to the root of my problem. Their intention was not to help me but to "use me" to help them selves.

Eventually I saw through their facade and immediately took all of my prescribed pills and threw them in the garbage. I felt horrible for a couple days while those toxic chemicals were flushing out of my system. And yes, that's exactly what they are: toxic chemicals. I'm referring to the dozens of different prescription psychiatric medications. Becoming dependent on something outside of you is indeed a destructive dead end road to travel. And putting those foreign substances in your body throws your body's natural chemistry out of whack. Not to mention the horrible side effects they all have.

Most doctors are quick to say someone has a "chemical imbalance" and therefore they should "buy my drugs so I can afford a second yacht!" My question is: a chemical imbalance compared to whom? Every person's body chemistry is different. No one can be compared to others because we are all individuals in completely different situations with different body chemistries.

No one is unhappy because they have a "Prozac deficiency." Your headache doesn't come from having an Advil deficiency. You don't need masks for your problems, you need to stop doing the things that cause the problems! So what are these things that cause depression? Well it's a complicated and dynamic answer. Bare with me for a few sentences so I can give you accurate context:

Unfortunately, society judges mental stability by how well one can accept or conform to the screwed up society we live in. All you have to do is turn on the news to see blatant dishonesties, corruption, war, murder, fraud, and despair every where around us. If we are grounded in reality enough to recognize all of this as fundamentally wrong and against honest productive life, then often we develop mental disorders if we lack the tools to properly deal with such things going on around us.

Yes, everywhere you turn you see an uphill battle: Public education is set up to keep us specialized with impotent minds. The result is we end up never thinking for ourselves and we take orders from someone for 40 years until we're handed a measly retirement. We never fulfill our dreams or even have a clue about how to start to achieve them.

And the business structure is set up the same way. We're expected to clock in from 9-5 every day and do what we're told in stagnate routine ruts void of creation and exhilaration. This is not the way conscious life is meant to exist. Very few people develop enough integrated thinking capabilities to work for themselves doing what they enjoy.

Yes folks, it's an inconvenient truth, but the establishment of society is set up for us to fail in life. From birth we are programmed to fall in line, serve someone else, and do what we're told. And unfortunately you can never find happiness if you're constantly living for someone else. Almost everyone lives a boring stagnate routine life and has to numb the pain on weekends with whatever they can get their hands on. Being strong enough to admit that this is the way things are is the first step in overcoming those bad cards we are all dealt. Denying that things are set up this way is a sure fire way to remain specialized and depressed your whole life.

And now for the biggest tangible value in this article: So where does happiness come from? How do I acquire it? Again genuine happiness does not come from a pill, fancy cars or clothing or from what some PHD tells you to do. Happiness comes from within yourself and it is your prime responsibility to build your amount of happiness.

Happiness comes from putting value into society. It's as simple as that. Human beings are social animals and we derive genuine happiness when we use our honest efforts to put something of tangible value into our society. Ever notice why politicians, tort lawyers, most religious leaders, dishonest journalists and the like are genuinely unhappy people? Despite their fake smiles and keen ability to hood wink others into thinking they "have it made", they are unhappy inside because they take more out of society than they put in. People like this such as the common criminal are parasites on society and quietly envy the honest productive individual who lives through rational action.

It takes honest effort to live in accordance with reality. It requires honest effort to take a brutally honest look at your self and figure out what makes you happy. Once you find out what you enjoy doing...what you are passionate about, you can pursue it and claim your own amassing happiness.

One of my passions is internet marketing. I focus on it everyday because it is something I enjoy. The crazy world around me can do what it wants...but in my private world of bettering myself and acquiring more genuine happiness, I see things for what they are. I look forward to developing my internet marketing skills. I'm drawn to it. Sometimes I wake up at 3:00 in the morning and get on the computer to pursue my passion. This is where genuine happiness comes from. It comes from defining what you're passionate about and pursuing it; nothing more. Your family, romantic partner, and vacations don't give you happiness. They are simply avenues to express and feel your earned self worth and happiness.

Happiness comes from honest productive work. This can come in the form of many different things. The bottom line is: it must be enjoyable for you and a benefit to society. For example: Take a married couple of a man who does honest and enjoyable work that benefits society and his wife who makes a supportive and functional home life for him. They both contribute tangible values to society. He does directly and she does indirectly through him. Now any woman can rise as high as any man in any career...My point is that if you make your livelihood into enjoyable, honest productive work which truly benefits society, you've found the key to happiness.

I stopped letting others tell me what to do, who I should be, and what a "good life" is. I quit depending on others for guidance. I took the time to look within to find out what I enjoy doing. This is an extremely important first step. You must put forth the effort it takes to find what you're passionate about- if you don't know what it is yet.

After defining what I was passionate about, I decided to look out for my own best interest (since no one else was) and I started taking small steps each day to pursue my passion. As you can see, I'm a very individualistic person. My passion for internet marketing allows me to work from home without anyone breathing down my neck and telling me what to do. Personally, for me this is perfect.

After a year or so of stumbling around online, I found a very potent online club for learning internet marketing. I joined the club and to my surprise, I started learning everything there is to know about internet marketing and how to sell products online. I now have the tools to fulfill my dreams. This is just my path. Obviously yours might be quite different. The key is simply finding out for yourself what you enjoy doing and pursue it. No one can do this for you; you have to do it yourself.

I learned to pick my self up by the bootstraps and make a tangible and constant self investment into my future every day. I'm sure you can do the same if being genuinely happy is important enough to you. Just keep in mind, it does take work, there is no easy answer. But if you find something you're passionate about and pursue it at least a little bit every day, you are guaranteed to gain happiness...And who knows? One day you might find yourself doing it for a living!

Rehab for Depression

Sadness is the normal reaction to unfortunate events. It resolves in time and with new ways of seeing things.

Depression is an involutional melancholia: a sense of inner emptiness that has no external cause. It comes from nowhere. It simply exists and won't go away.

It is important to distinguish between sadness and depression. Sadness does not need treatment; depression does.

Doctors who fail to make this distinction will tend to prescribe antidepressants for everything. How else can we account for 31m prescriptions for Prozac and similar pharmaceutical drugs being given out each year? There may sometimes be an unthinking exchange between doctor and patient:

'I am depressed.'

'You suffer from depression. Here is an antidepressant.'

The intention on both sides is that the patient will feel better and function more effectively. Yet vast numbers of controlled studies reveal that antidepressants are only 20% more effective than placebo - dummy tablets that have no active chemical ingredient. Even so, antidepressants can lead to a dependency, they are dangerous in overdose and they can be used in suicide. Paradoxically, they may even lead to suicide by distorting reality, rather than by helping them to face it appropriately, with non-chemical support. Clinical depression, due to chemical imbalance in neuro-transmission systems in the mood centres of the brain, does not inevitably require chemical treatment. There are many alternatives.

Doctors whose training leads them to believe in pharmaceutical drugs as the solution to many of life's emotional, as well as physical, problems will tend to prescribe even more when told that an initial drug has not helped. They may increase the dose of the first antidepressant, add in another and then consider prescribing a mood-stabiliser as well. The doctor's greatest fear is that the patient will commit suicide and that he or she will be blamed for not providing the appropriate clinical treatment. This tends to be judged on what other doctors generally do. Consequently there is a solid inertia: the status quo continues and is unchallenged, regardless of the mounting evidence of serious risks associated with these drugs.

From the perspective of the patient, the sombre feeling and clouded mind make it very difficult to function effectively when faced with very real challenges such as unemployment, bereavement, inadequate housing, family problems and money worries. The doctor's suggestion is often that an antidepressant will 'take the edge off' or 'put the mind in a splint' and thereby enable the patient to be able to function more effectively and even resolve some of the issues. There is very little evidence that this is what happens in practice. It is more probable that the patient becomes dependent on the drug and the problems persist as before.

Patients will often try to lift their depressed moods on their own by using alcohol, recreational drugs, nicotine, caffeine, sugar and white flour. All these substances have mood-altering effects: they act on the mood centres of the brain. Therefore it is very easy to become habituated to them. People who have addictive natures will then become addicted to them, often to several at the same time.

Withdrawal symptoms occur when the individual tries to stop using these substances by 'going cold turkey'. These symptoms are resolved by taking more of the habit-forming drug - and so the rot sets in. Progressive decay is inevitable in physical, emotional, mental, social and every other aspect of life.

It can be argued that depression and a tendency towards addiction are the same thing. The depression exists before the use of mood-altering substances and processes. The addiction to them occurs afterwards. Some people may be born with an addictive nature. This then becomes activated by traumatic events that set up a craving for mood-alteration. Full blown addiction then occurs when the individual discovers the mood-altering properties of one substance or another - or many.

A responsible rehab will focus on helping the patient to become abstinent from all mood-altering substances and processes. Prescription medications will be used in an effective rehab only to cover short-term withdrawal symptoms. Otherwise a disastrous long-term pharmaceutical drug addiction can follow.

The centrepiece of rehab should be trauma resolution, as well as giving insight into the specific nature of addictive disease and recovery.

The appropriate on-going treatment for the underlying depression is through daily working of the Twelve Step programme, first formulated by Alcoholics Anonymous. This is at times an unpopular suggestion - but the process works and there are no damaging side-effects.

Years of misery can be set aside. Gloom and doom become features of the past, not of the present. A fresh outlook on life opens up new visions and presents new opportunities.

People who resist surrendering to a higher power than self in a spiritual (but non-religious) programme can have their previous wretchedness again - any time they want to return to it.

How To Tell If You Are Depressed

How to tell if you are depressed without visiting a doctor? Depression symptoms in women and symptoms in men may differ, however, some depression signs are common to all people no matter what gender you are. It has been proven that only a small percentage of people suffer from inherited depression, but it is highly probable that children whose parents are depressed will suffer from some form of depression later in life - 25% if one parent is depressed and 75% if both parents are depressed.

Based on valuable depression quotes from books about depression, written by people who have suffered from this disease, scientists and medical practitioners, here is a list of possible hallmarks which can help you if you are wondering how to tell if you are depressed:

• you feel hopeless, worried and helpless,


• you feel numbed and empty,


• you feel deep sadness,


• you either suffer from insomnia or you sleep too long,


• you are slowed down,


• you have lost interest in things you used to like before,


• you lack motivation,


• you lack concentration,


• you developed an eating disorder,


• you don't like company anymore,


• you don't see a way out from the crisis you're in.

These signs are considered depression signs only if you have had them for a long period of time. You shouldn't confuse grief and sorrow with depression; if you distress over something, mourn over somebody or feel dispirited for a reason, you should know that it is a normal condition following unhappy events in life, such as death of a loved one, termination of a love relationship or losing a job.

Thinking about how to tell if you are depressed, the first thing to consider is how long have you had these depression signs, and whether you see them as weaknesses or an actual disease. If you think that those signs may be indicators of depression, the best thing would be to visit a doctor and get help. Getting help on time may be crucial in overcoming the disease later in life.

Reading a few books on depression might help because these books explain different types of depression, causes, symptoms and ways to overcome the disease. Reading the books may help you recognize your own condition or depression symptoms in somebody else you know. One tip on how to tell if you are depressed would be to select quotations about depression and think about whether you recognize yourself in those quotes on being depressed.

Depression is not the disease of modern time, as it is often called, but the disease just as old as human civilization. Millions of people have had it, described it based on common symptoms, and won against it.

Sleep Apnea and Depression - Is There a Connection?

There has been debate over the sleep apnea depression issue, if sleeping apnea is the cause of depression. The difficulty to answer this question lies in the fact that there are many similar symptoms to these diseases, such as a change in sleep patterns, fatigue and irritability.

Although the connection between sleeping apnea (SA) and depression is unclear, several studies have shown that there is such an association. For example, the conclusions of a study published in 2005 have proved that many people with depression symptoms improved significantly when treated with a CPAP machine.

No wonder that you can't tell the difference between the two. Even the psychologists, psychiatrists and physicians confuse them. If you are worried, stressed out and dealing with adverse circumstances, that might indicate the presence of a depression.

It is not known which one is the cause and which is the effect. Like the egg and the chicken. You can't be sure which one came first. It can happen both ways. SA can lead to a lack of sleep, which turns into fatigue and irritability, and these may end up in a depression. That seams common sense.

A depression has insomnia as one of its symptoms. In time, insomnia can produce a type of SA. It is a fact that those who suffer from depression are five times more likely to experience SA. And this is the sleep apnea depression.

Depression has different negative mental effects. Besides irritability and fatigue it can affect the learning abilities, can lead to a loss of concentration and also a loss of interest in fun activities.

Treating the sleep apnea has proved to reduce the symptoms of depression. But don't rely only on your psychiatrist to help you with sleep apnea. He will probably recommend antidepressants. If you have at least one or two sleeping apnea symptoms, like snoring, then you should probably check this out. That's why for sleep apnea depression is important to know what cures are available.

The Speaking Bubble Technique: A Creative Way To Get A Face-To-Face Sales Appointment

There is a section on my website that lists over 40 quotes related to cold calling. One of these quotes is the backbone of this article and reads: "Do what others are not doing and you will STANDOUT! This is so true and this quote is also an introduction to my "Speaking Bubble Technique." What is it? How does it work?

This technique incorporates certain aspects of one of my most famous techniques called "The Moviestar Technique." This Hollywood-esque technique allows you to instantly warm up your cold calls by contacting prospects that are either quoted or pictured in a medium such as a newspaper or magazine. When you finally reach your prospect you then open the telephone call saying that they are a "Moviestar" and that you saw them in such and such publication. Then you introduce yourself, company and offer a benefit statement as to why they may want to continue speaking with you!

If you are looking for a clever way to set up a face-to-face sales appointment then keep reading. First look through targeted newspapers or magazines to find a prospect that you want to reach. Find one? Ok, now grab a piece of white paper and draw a picture of a bubble. Like how? Yes, draw an image of a bubble that you could put next to your prospect's mouth. Are you done yet? Now get a scissors, cut out the bubble, glue it next to your prospect's mouth and write: "Hi (First name of prospect), thanks for letting me know I was in (Name of publication), sure go ahead and schedule a visit to my office next (List day, date and time)--Best Regards, (Your full name)." Does this sound crazy so far?

What do you do next? Take your artistic project, put it to the side, call your prospect up and say, "Is this (First name of prospect) the moviestar? Your prospect will most likely laugh, ask who is calling and you then respond by saying your name, company and mention the publication that featured a story about them. I would then offer to send this article to them as a courtesy on behalf of (Your company name). I would also mention that you would like to call them in a week or so to discuss (List your what you sell and how you might be able to help them.) Thank them for their time and send your little creative creation to their office (remember to attach your business card with some information about your company) then follow up with a phone call to set up a face-to-face appointment.

Typically I like to get the appointment on the first call and this technique may seem like a lot of work, but no one said things are easy in life, right? If you are looking for a sure-fire way to "get noticed" then I would highly suggest using this idea for your next hard to reach type of prospect. And once again, remember this quote: "Do what others are not doing and you will STANDOUT!"

Copyright 2006 MR. COLD CALL SEMINARS - All rights reserved.