Medication Enhances Creativity in Parkinson’s Patients
Professor Rivka Inzelberg is on a mission to prove her observation that people with dopamine […]The 5k Run - A Way for a lot of us to Become More Active
The 5k event is run (or walked, or even danced) over 5 kilometres (or 3.1 […]Why Lack of Sleep May Be Contributing to Weight Gain
Insufficient sleep can reduce mood, cause mood swings, reduce cognitive function, increase risk of numerous […]Green Fingered Therapy For Dementia
The power of gardening is really underestimated. It’s so good that it’s used for a […]Could Some Cases of Alzheimer's Disease Be Preventable?
A recent analysis of population based data has suggested around a third of Alzheimer’s disease […]Striving for Optimal Health- Signs to Ease Off
You are the minority… the elite. When writing these articles I’m not naïve, I’m writing […]Fighting Depression with Food (Blog 2 of 2)
Nutrition not only has a huge influence in the prevention of depression, but may also […]Need To Memorise Something? Try Walking
Sure enough regular physical activity is good for our brains. It helps to improve our […]Fighting Depression with Food (Blog 1 of 2)
Due to the fact that depression may relate to individuals to experiencing chronic low mood, […]Never Ever, Ever, Ever, Ever Feel Guilty About Your Emotions
As any long term illness develops responsibility can often shift towards friends and family members […]Stand Up For A Successful Meeting
Who would have foreseen that the difference between a good and a bad business meeting […]Enhancing mental resilience and positivity with Omega 3
I’ve posted several articles before referencing how common depression is and its influence on emotional […]Animal Data Suggests that Activity 24 Hours after Stroke May Benefit
Strokes are caused by a lack of oxygen supply to the brain. Stroke can lead […]Could Just One Bout of Exercise Be Good for the Brain?
It’s evident that regular activity is beneficial not only for the body, but for the […]Work, Nutrition and Exercise - The Key to Longevity?
Dr Charles Eugster, who soon turns 95 believes the key to longevity is work, nutrition […]Depression- What to Look Out for
Throughout life certain circumstances cause us to worry about friends and family. Many individuals fear […]Risk and Progression of Dementia - Support is REALLY Important
Dementia is a condition that many fear as they age. Engaging in activity, eating a […]OCD, OCS and Depression in Ageing Populations
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) tend not to be talked about […]Giving Health Concerns the Boot
For a lot of people structured exercise can be boring, tedious and repetitive. Going to […]Out with the Old, In with the New – Reprogram your Brain
We all have things we enjoy in our lives. It can be anything from food […]Who is Supporting the Supporters?
Dementia is a condition that has an impact extending beyond the individual. It also impacts […]The 98-year-old Fitness Instructor
To add to my growing list of blogs on inspirational people, is 98-year-old Hildegard Gigl. […]You’re Not a Hero, Good for You
In an attempt to fight discrimination against those that are disabled or diagnosed with long […]Relativity of Life Events and Depressed Mood
The ignorance of population awareness of depression appears to be subsiding. Increased media coverage of […]Alcohol and Depression- Escape or Exacerbation
Depression is a condition in which individuals experience chronic low mood and reduced motivation to […]Respect The Process.
I have recently joined a newly opened gym local to me in Liverpool. This is […]You Are Limitless
The very image above has impassioned me to write this blog, and whilst overtraining is […]How Google Glass Is Set To Help People With Autism
The benefits of google glass for doctors and people with health conditions and disabilities is […]Everybody’s Different, Do It Your Way!
A lot of the time when I’ve spoken to people about exercise they have often […]Pride, Privilege and Ignorance
Right, Pandora, here we go. After reading some online literature and considering the implications of […]Why aren’t we Exercising? Practical Management Tips for Busy People!
Engaging in exercise can be difficult for a lot of people, as we often find […]Targeting Risk Factors for Maximum Gain
The identification of comorbidities (additional long term conditions) are extremely common at first diagnosis or […]Depression and Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition which causes swelling, stiffness and pain around the joints potentially […]Daily Activity to Reverse the Effects of Age Related Memory Loss
One of the most common assumptions when referring to the ageing process is that everyone […]It’s all about the Accumulation
30 minutes of ‘exercise a day’. “Right, shall I run, walk or cycle… I feel […]Why Is Physical Activity Good For My Anxiety?
If you have anxiety that you cannot control then it is wise to see your […]How Can Physical Activity Be Good If I Have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
If you have chronic fatigue syndrome then being physically active is probably the last thing […]It’s Healthy To Have A Glass Half Full
It’s healthy to have a half glass full approach to life according to researchers. That […]How Does Physical Activity Help Us Age Well?
The latest face cream, the specialist tea, the superfood, the coffee bean from a secret […]The Performance Attitude - we can ALL be better.
Nobody consciously wants to lose fitness, to become worse at our day to day activities […]Erectile Dysfunction and Cardiovascular Disease- The Vicious Circle
Erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well known to be related with most […]Boredom Busting - Running
Boredom – in my opinion is one of the most common reasons as to why […]New App Will Predict Mood Swings
The hallmark feature of bipolar disorder is a changing between depressive and manic states. Now […]The Perception of Old Age
What do you think constitutes old age? Falling asleep watching TV, becoming forgetful, groaning when […]We All Need a Pep Talk…
Motivation is the driving force behind everything we do. Put simply it is why we […]Having A Reason To Get Out Of Bed Makes Us Live For Longer
On this blog we talk a lot about how physical activity, food, sleep, and technology […]Get by with a Little Help from Your Friends
Social Support Helps You Go Further To maintain a healthy lifestyle we have to eat […]Can Money Really Buy Happiness?
As the saying goes, ‘money can’t buy happiness’ – but science suggests otherwise. Maybe to […]Retirement Villages - An Alternative Way to Face Old Age
Many retirement villages have been opened across the United Kingdom and Europe, providing an alternative […]Using Life Logging To Improve Memory In Dementia
One of the biggest challenges of dementia is memory loss, and it can have a […]Age Is Just A Number - The Key To Aging Well
As a generation, we are living for longer and surely this gives us more of […]Quick Ways to Relaxation
With the stress associated with everyday life we are often trying to find ways to […]Boredom Busting in the Gym
Boredom – one of the reasons people fail to go to the gym. So here […]Gym Memberships Held Against First Time Buyers
In the current financial climate the scrutiny surrounding mortgage approvals is becoming more intense, especially […]Avoiding Temptation
Temptation – the voice in your head telling you to just go ahead and eat […]STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!
Being a stroppy young man has its advantages, I have empathy with anybody diagnosed with […]Lifestyle Change that You Enjoy - Important!
There is a saying that the best type of exercise is the exercise that you’ll […]Feeling Connected To Alleviate Depression
Withdrawing from social situations is one of the hallmark symptoms of depression, and can keep […]Consistency Trumps Accuracy when Tracking Lifestyle
Being inaccurate certainly isn’t beneficial in your school exams, degree courses, driving test, spelling, report […]Improving Confidence (II) – Reducing Anxiety for a More Confident Approach to Exercise
Researchers have reported that anxiety can be both facilitative and debilitative to performance in those […]Born To Exercise?
More and more research is published every month trying to uncover the links between our […]Why Your Job May be Slowly Killing You
Never again will the words “work is killing me” be uttered in such a relaxed […]Get Motivated
Motivation is key in all aspects of life. If you aren’t motivated to do something […]Another Reason For Grandma To Babysit - but not too much!
Minding the kids is great brain training for grandmothers, new research reveals. But don’t get […]Normal Isn’t Recommended and Recommended Isn’t Optimal
You’re confused about what to do about your health and well-being. I don’t blame you, […]I Can’t. I Can. I Did
If we don’t make changes, things will stay the same. Don’t expect a change if […]Taking control of your life - long term conditions
The negative stereotypes associated with long term conditions can end up with individuals being labeled […]You’re a Scientist, Maybe You Just Don’t Realise It… Yet
Here’s an interesting concept… in almost every action you complete and every decision you make, […]Goal Setting Part II – Evaluate and Review
During the course of Part I of this article we looked at the best way […]Goal Setting Part I – Creating Goals to Motivate Yourself
Goal Setting is a very simple term and one that you may be very familiar […]Becoming Self-Aware - Overcoming Your own Negative Thoughts and Creating a Positive Mind
The mind is a very interesting mechanism within the human body. It has the ability […]Creatine Supplementation and Bipolar Disorder- the highs and the lows?
Everyone has fluctuations in mood but bipolar disorder is an extreme version of this. Essentially, […]Quitting Smoking Is Good For Our Mood
There’s no shortage of reasons to quit smoking. It’s better for your physical health, it’s […]An Introduction to Psychological Benefits of Exercise: The Immediate Effects of Regular Exercise on our Mental State
We are all aware of the physical benefits of partaking in regular exercise, which include […]Botox: A New Treatment In The Fight Against Depression?
Gone are the days that botox was just a beauty treatment. Having recently acclaimed attention […]Embracing Your Days of Other
Today is my birthday (7th April if anybody wants to put it in the calendar […]iFocusBand Helps PGA Golfers Performance
The iFocusBand is a wearable brain training device, composed of a headset and three neuro […]The Benefits of Imagery – Visualise and Achieve
Within the world of applied sport psychology there are various highly effective techniques that help […]Leaving Intensive Care With More Than A Headache
New research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine has found that an alarming number of […]Cardio for Cognition
Cardio in your 20s may help to protect the brain as you move into middle […]The Economic Recession – Changing More Than Just Our Bank Balance
Since the economic recession landed in 2008, the UK government has been trying to rebuild […]Coping With Sports Injury
No one likes to be injured, but injury often comes at a cost of taking […]Exercising To Beat Anxiety
Anxiety describes a group of disorders such as generalised anxiety, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, […]Self-Management Strategies in Depression
Pro-active self management is important for any long term condition, and especially so for depression […]Buddhify 2: An app that will send you to sleep for the right reasons
If you’ve ever found yourself passing through the mental health care system there a few […]Improving Confidence (I) – The Role of Reflective Practice
Confidence is a key component of almost anything that we do. To really get the […]Eating Food For a Good Mood
Food is the fuel for our body. If you put the wrong fuel in your […]Exercise and Perception of Pain
We’ve all heard the phrase “no pain no gain”, but if sport can teach us […]Finding What Works for YOU
Speaking from experience, I’m lucky, I’ve found what works and guess what… it’s an INDIVIDUAL […]The Effects of Negativity on Illness - Keeping Positive Is Key
Illness, especially persistent or long term illness – Long Term Conditions can have multiple negative […]There’s Always Something to Be Done- Putting Your Middle Finger Up to Anybody Suggesting You Give Up
A fire has been lit in my belly. It regards a topic that I feel […]Personal Zen – A New Cutting Edge Game to Help Anxiety
Neuroscientists from The City University of New York have developed an app based game which […]Small and Sustainable Changes
Everyone has their own goals and their own methods to reach them, but how can […]Fish Oil Supplementation - A (Very) Brief Review
The aim of this article is to give a brief review on fish oil supplementation […]Fish and the Brain
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, associated with a decline in brain […]He took up the sport to “attract sexy young 70 year olds at the beach”
We understand the plight of an aging population. An increased chance of injury, development of […]Furry Friends – The Physical and Mental Benefits of Pet Ownership
Many of us probably think of pets as just another member of the family, but […]Pensioners Putting a Spin on Table Tennis
Pensioners of Bishops Waltham have been flocking to a new local table tennis club, set […]Are You an Addict? - The App to Track Your Mobile Phone Usage
With the technological market sprinting towards future development and further research, it appears that the […]STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!
Jack Barton | 2014-06-03 05:03:58
Being a stroppy young man has its advantages, I have empathy with anybody diagnosed with a long term condition, sub-optimal health or that may be engaging in lifestyle behaviours that may not be the best for health. Focusing on this topic this may be an article for those with friends or family that may fit into one of the above categories.
Having the advantage of an outside perspective it is clear to see that friction is placed on relationships affected by increased risk or diagnosis of a long term condition, family and friends just want to help.
The problem is this, in most instances, the smoker for 10 years understands that what they are doing isn’t great for their lungs, the binge drinker knows that what they are doing isn’t the best for their liver. Here’s the thing, in most cases, you telling them that what they are doing is bad may not make any difference whatsoever, in fact many may become cynical and resistant to change.
In my opinion, your job is support, which is part of the principle behind One Precious Life. Education is great, but nobody likes to be preached to, nagged and annoyed. Talking in the first person (avoiding insult and soothing my ego), if I’m going to make a SUSTAINABLE, LONG TERM CHANGE then I need to decide to do it myself. With an end goal in sight, a clear path of how to get to that end goal and a ton of support from everyone around me, not nagging me but giving me information when I need it but overall to reassure that it is possible and that I am improving.
It may just be another of my abstract thoughts but when approaching the obvious, i.e. binge drinking and poor health, perhaps all your friend or family member needs is someone to go through the process with them and to put an arm around their shoulder when they hit a sticky situation. It may sound obvious, but making a change to a habit that has been present for the last 10, 20, 30 or 40 years is damn hard and extremely intimidating especially if that behaviour has become part of an individual’s identity.
Jack Barton (Researcher, Rescon Ltd)