sip of life. my life.

milk makes you drunk. or not?

Wednesday, October 08, 20088:50 PM

in light of the whole China milk scandal thing, my mum received a very interesting email about it. i got her to forward it to me, so im going to post it up here. how much of this is actually true, i have no idea. but this sounds almost plausible. and no, i didnt do much research (a first!) except the part on melamine and how it's formed. so yeah.

and i apologize for the English because im just copying and pasting from the email (it's in both Chinese and English). i'll try to correct the grammar and stuff to the best i can, but well, there's so much i can do/understand =x

(from a milk collector from China)

"I cannot keep this to myself anymore, for I know the truth!

I am a milk collector from one of the big player companies in the milk industry. It is nothing new, but it is just a matter of time when it will be revealed. This is just the start. Some may say it is immoral for a resigned employee to talk bad about the company. However, it is immoral if I don't tell the truth. After leaving the job, I never drank a single drop of milk again.

The process: milk is collected based on quality in terms of pH, protein content and dry solids. Private collectors collect milk from farmers and send the milk in tanks to the factories. Factories collect samples and pay according to the quality.

Where is the problem?

To earn more, water is added. Even when the milk from one of the farmers spoils the quality of the whole tank, the milk collector will not throw that tank of milk away. If I said farmers are the root cause of the problem, I would be too naive. Milk collectors and factories already know about it.

We never stop collecting milk. We know that we have to maximise the value/profit of the milk. Milk is stored separately according to their qualities. Milk with the best quality will be sent for yogurt making, followed by pure milk and high calcium milk. Low quality milk will be used for "peanut milk" and breakfast milk. As for the milk that turns sour, it will be used to make acidic milk drinks. This is how the company earns money. The cost of the milk is lower than the cost of the box. How about milk that is very smelly? Simple, it is used to make ice cream (as it will smell the best). How about smelly and sticky milk? It is made into industry milk powder, which has its other purpose (milk powder without packing).

We have the world's largest and best developed volumetric storage system which was hailed by the media. However, have you ever thought that such a product was meant for quick sale purposes rather than for storage purposes? What is the use of having such a big warehouse? Acidic milk will taste better the longer it is stored. How about the expiry date? Simple! Put a date which is a month later. I am telling you, the milk that is in your refrigerator has already been expired for a week. You drank it and have no problems. This is because the milk being sold is processed using UHT (ultra high temperature) to kill the germs. There is no nutrient value after the UHT process. This is the saying of someone in China: don't bother about what milk you drink, it it just milk.

There is an advertisement stating that a Chinese company is the world's largest UHT manufacturer. This is not because the technology is good and better than that of developed countries. The reason is developed countries no longer manufacture them.

Some say, "Let's drink high quality milk! The advertisement mentioned that a quality lifestyle should drink that kind of milk. It is expensive, and expensive things are good. It is high in protein, even the Australians look up to us for that!"

I dont believe any cow can produce such milk with such high nutrient levels.

On the current Sanlu milk powder case, as a person who knows the truth and chemistry, I would like to provide my view:

1) Be it the media, factory, national quality control, or to just cheat people, adding melamine directly into the milk is not possible. The price of melamine is not low. Farmers will count its costs and avoid trouble. However, why do they keep saying that someone added melamine? This is because they want to cover a greater problem, which is adding an even more toxic material: urea. Urea is a cheap fertilizer and an economic additive.

2) Why add urea? As a milk collector, the testing of proteins is based on nitrogen content. Urea is a common nitrogen-based fertilizer. It has a unique structure with around 2 nitrogen atoms and something else (which i can't remember). Adding in the urea will increase the nitrogen content and increase the price.

3) Why does urea turn into melamine? It is simple. During the milk making process, fresh milk is kept in high temperatures. It is then sprayed to form milk powder. At high temperatures, urea will then form melamine, and the toxic milk powder is formed.

Lastly, how do I know the truth? A few years ago around 2001 or 2002, I investigated a case where sub-quality milk was used as high quality milk. During the investigation, I learned that they added urea, oil and large amounts of water (potable water or pond water), and used a mixer to mix everything. High protein milk was then produced. The criminals said that it was not their invention but it is infact a common practice. We went to "Tian You" to understand. Indeed, during the collection, they can't afford the money and effort to conduct proper analysis due to the high number of collection points and testing system. On seeing the mixing process done by the farmer, the collector chose to keep quiet. Because of this, I am very certain the Sanlu case will definitely surface.

yeah so that's about it. again i apologize for the English, but hopefully most of it was understandable, especially the important information regarding what is being done to the milk. im not sure if this is true or not, but hey, you never know right? and i have a link on melamine as well, in case you're interested.

and yeah the ice cream you're eating? the 'cream' might have originated from China. i heard that China sells the base 'cream' to other countries, who then make their own ice cream from there using their own ingredients. same goes with smarties and m&ms. omg someone kill me. I NEED CHOCOLATE LOR. what the.

(i repeat: I DO NOT KNOW IF THE ABOVE ACCOUNT IS TRUE. I READ IT, AND THOUGHT OF IT AS A POSSIBLE ANSWER TO THE CURRENT MILK SCANDAL IN CHINA. I AM NOT ANTI-CHINA OR WHATEVER. DAMNIT I AM A CHINESE CAN?!?!?! PLEASE READ WITH A READER'S CAUTION.)

Labels: health, milk scandal

say something,

say it RIGHT.

all that we know is killing us :(

Sunday, October 05, 20086:25 PM

including one of my most essential items that i always MUST bring around: gum.

aiyo chewing/bubble gum la, not the gum holding your teeth in place -___-"

and yes i look damn retarded in the picture, honestly. but well the sole purpose was the bubble!

haha just for fun. and to show you my pearly whites. i should model for an oral b/colgate ad la :D (oh, there's no darlie here, which is why i didnt mention it)

okay first let me scare you with my current stash of gum, which i carry around EVERYWHERE, especially to school (to keep me ~~awake~~ during lessons, why else?).

hmmm what do you think is inside this innocent-looking plastic bag? look at it look at it!

oei the bag la, not my ugly nails :[ just to sidetrack a little, i ripped my fake nails off (literally, cos they were dropping out anyway) as i got sick and tired of them falling out everytime i jabbed people in the ribs (who ask them disturb me? :p)and with the weather getting cold it's hard to wear gloves with long nails... (no la haven't started wearing gloves yet, but hey, just in case)

anyways, back to the bag!

stop looking at my nails! here! shall force you to stare at the bag! heeheeh...

aiya the answer is so freaking obvious.

yes that's the amount of gum i bring to school daily, or anywhere for that matter.

insert *holymamaareyouserious???* here

yes yes i am serious. lie for what.

but look! arent they oh-so cute and colourful? admit it la...

taken with flash

and without flash

scary eh? haha... in case i run out but get too lazy to stock up :D

and yes this is the extra pack i have at home, in case of emergencies :D

haha in case of emergencies, open packet -___-"

so anyways, you know how almost every single piece of gum is sugarfree now? yupyup! huh you dont know? .

go research la :p my camera is so lousy, cant take a picture of the words on the gum wrappers clearly :/

so, why am i blogging about this, saying it's killing us, you ask.

because. GUM IS SUGARFREE.

"but sugarfree then good ma! siao! how can it kill us???"

BECAUSE. they use aspartame, and occasionally sucralose, to sweeten them. They're artificial sweeteners, that's why companies can claim that they are sugarfree. Where do you think the sweetness comes from huh? chew on the gum then the sweetness come out magically meh? siao.

what is aspartame and what is sucralose? i'll let you know in a while. how do i know this? well from my biology course lor.

okay lets start with aspartame, the one which almost every brand of gum uses. this is not just limited to gum, but to fruit juices and carbonated drinks. so what is aspartame and why is it so harmful?

here goes. first up, aspartame is made up of aspartic acids (40%), which cause indigestion, chronic brain disorders and a whole lot of other acute symptoms if consumed in excess. excess aspartic acids kill the neurons in your brain (as if your brain cells dying daily wasn't enough). from this, many health conditions may arise such as:

-memory loss

-hearing loss

-hormonal problems

-epilepsy

-dementia

-AIDS

-brain lesions

walao. wth. kena AIDS and dementia from chewing gum??? what is the world coming to??? oh and the acute symptoms i was talking about include:

-headaches/migraines (shit now i know where my recent headaches stem from...)

-nausea

-fatigue

-vision problems

-sleep problems

-abdominal pains

-asthma/chest tightness

scary huh? all from gum, juices and other artificially sweetened drinks. another thing that also forms aspartame is methanol, aka wood alcohol/poison (10%). wa i tell you. the moment i read that, i just stopped dead in whatever i was doing. POSION??? then why the hell is aspartame still allowed in foods by the FDA?

how heck i know?

you can read the article from here if you want, but be warned that there are lots of scientific terms and what not. and it's really long too. oh and word of caution: aspartame goes by the brand names of NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful and Equal-Measure. if you're thinking of getting a sugar substitute, remember to read the ingredients list, and keep these brands in mind as the TO AVOID brands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

moving on to sucralose, not that oftenly used in gum (by my observations la), but it's used in many many other foods as well as a sugar substitute. like aspartame, it's also used in fruit juices/concentrates and carbonated drinks. in fact, many of the "diet drinks" you see on the market actually contain either one of these artificial sweeteners. still think that can of diet coke is healthy? and what is sucralose anyhoo?

in essence, sucralose is sugar chemically mixed with chlorine and a whole lot of other things (including that wood poison chemical), similar to that of aspartame. yes chlorine. that thing in your bleaches and swimming pools. and it's also known to be a carcinogen (cancer causing agent) and a poisonous gas.

oh oh get this: sucralose stems from the fact that it was discovered while trying to create a new insecticide. do you really wanna choose that over pure, organic table sugar???

unfortunately there have not been enough long-term studies to observe what effects or condition might develop from the long term use of sucralose. but there is one that is pretty certain: health and behavorial changes, especially in children. how they kena? feed them diet drinks lor. how else? so watch what you feed to kids too! later they grow up all emo and stuff... =x

hmmm then those people with diabetes how? i have no idea. im sure lots of people are trying to come up with safe ways to make a non-toxic sugar substitute, but yeah :/ can use honey or not? there's another alternative i read about, but im not exactly sure whether it's safe or not. have a look. it's called stevia, and it's of plant origin. it's even been used traditionally to treat type 2 diabetes in South America! but then again, reader beware.

sighs super sad la! i know i have to kick that gum chewing habit, but how to??? later i fall asleep in class all the time how??? sighs isnt it sucky? the more the world develops, the more problems develop too. sighs maybe i'll sneakily eat sweets in class or something. aiyo between natural sugar (getting fat) and artificial sweeteners (no fats but you get all the other conditions above mentioned), i'd rather getting fat. at least i can exercise or go for liposuction or something. better than messing with your brain. imagine if you're fat and screwed up in the brain. wa jialat.

moral of the story? stick to all things natural. organic if possible. cos now even mother nature is tainted by all the chemicals we humans use on her. so because of us, nothing is safe.

dont eat beef; got mad cow disease. dont eat fish; got mercury poisoning. dont eat poultry; got avian flu. dont eat pork; because i hate the texture of pork and the amount of fats that's inside. then how?

go vegetarian!

eh wait!

vegetables and whatever plants for that matter (including your precious rice) get sprayed by pesticides and insecticides everyday! pesticide poisoning. how? dont eat!

live on water then. oh no that won't work. have you seen what people dump into the waters everyday? you sure you wanna live on that?

live on nothing but air then. no wait! air pollution is all around is! be it from factories, car exhausts, hazes, or second-hand smoke. oh dear, there goes the last physical thing you can possibly live on. how?

aiya fuck la. just eat! sighs. just take certain measures and precautions i suppose =/

links to the sucralose articles i read are here, here and here.

p.s: the above paragraphs (what we can live on) was something my mum and i actually erm... "quarrelled" over once. haha...

Labels: artificial sweeteners, health

say something,

say it RIGHT.

your health guru is here and says "READ ME, ALL YE PEOPLE!"

Thursday, September 18, 20085:06 PM

okay no la, im no health guru, and neither do i demand you to read this entry. but if you're hella sickly (like moi), this article might be of interest to you. you can read it here if you want, but im gonna post this up just in case there're people who are too lazy to click on the link (plus in case the webpage expires in the long-run).

1. Ease a cough with chocolate
Active ingredient: Theobromine
What it does: Theobromine suppresses activity in the vagus nerve, which causes coughing. According to a study published in a recent issue of The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology journal, it was one-third more effective at stopping a persistent cough than a placebo.

Suggested serving size: One 50-gram bar of dark chocolate or two cups (500 mL) of hot cocoa (made with real cocoa, not hot chocolate mix) per day.
(really? i should try... but i hate dark chocolate leh...)

2. Stave off a cold with garlic
Active ingredient: Allicin
What it does:
Allicin boosts the immune system and kills off viral and bacterial infections, says Peter Josling, clinical director of the Herbal Research Center in East Sussex, England.

Suggested serving size: Four cloves, two times a week during cold season. You'll get more allicin from raw garlic, so try mashing it on whole wheat bread, pasta or salad.
(shit my parents better not find this out. or it'll be the end of me :[)

3. Curb diarrhea with coconut
Active ingredient: Potassium
What it does:
Coconut water hydrates better than a sports drink. It's also high in potassium, which helps replenish electrolytes (natural salt substances that maintain cell function) lost through diarrhea.

Suggested serving size: Up to two cups (500 mL) of coconut water (it's now available in cartons) per day until diarrhea stops.
(does this work for bananas as well? they're loaded with potassium too...)

4. Kill a yeast infection with yogurt
Active ingredient: Bacteria
What it does: Eating plain unsweetened yogurt promotes the growth of good bacteria in the vagina. Yogurt is also slightly acidic, which adjusts vaginal pH to kill yeast.

Suggested serving size: One cup (250 mL) per day until infection clears. After that, eat at least one cup (250 mL) of yogurt two to three times per week to maintain healthy bacteria levels.
(i've never had yeast infection, but when i do kena, i'll know what to do :D)

5. Fight acne with watermelon
Active ingredient: Lycopene
What it does: The juicy fruit contains almost 40 per cent more skin-soothing lycopene than raw tomatoes. According to Massimo Marcone, a food science professor at the University of Guelph in Ontario, this antioxidant protects skin from oxygen damage, which weakens the skin's outer layer and makes it easier for acne-causing bacteria to invade.

Suggested serving size: One cup (250 mL) of fresh mushed watermelon per day.
(yes!!! i love watermelons!!! why why my face still look like a minefield arh...? MA!!! I WANT MORE WATERMELONS!!!)

6. Ward off rosacea with red peppers
Active ingredient: Vitamin C
What they do: Vitamin C boosts collagen production, which keeps skin moisturized and helps reduce wrinkles. This powerful antioxidant also stabilizes the skin surrounding blood vessels, which Toronto dermatologist Paul Cohen says may reduce blushing.

Suggested serving size: 1/4 cup (50 mL) per day of chopped raw peppers (cooking reduces vitamin C content).
(i dont do well with bell peppers. will plain old vitamin c tablets do just as well? ehhhh reduce blushing? AWESOME! then people won't know when im embarrassed, and they'll think im damned thick-skinned! mwahahaha~)

7. Tackle PMS with milk
Active ingredients: Calcium and vitamin D
What it does: A study published last year in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who had diets high in calcium and vitamin D (1200 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D daily) experienced less severe PMS symptoms. Researchers suggest that decreased levels of estrogen during the latter half of the menstrual cycle may interfere with the absorption of both nutrients, but they're unsure why this might trigger PMS.

Suggested serving size: Four cups (250 mL each) of skim milk or fortified soy milk per day. Substitute a 1/2-cup (125-mL) serving of a yogurt containing both calcium and vitamin D (such as Source by Yoplait) for one to two milk servings. If you're sensitive to dairy, try a calcium and vitamin D supplement.
(lactose-intolerant ladies, you have no excuse! :p)

8. Heal a wound with pumpkin seeds
Active ingredients: Zinc, protein
What they do: Like vitamin C, zinc supports collagen production, which strengthens skin and blood vessels.

Suggested serving size: 1/4 cup (50 mL) of roasted or raw seeds per day until the cut is healed.
(specially for accident-prone people like me!)

9. Boost fertility with cremini mushrooms
Active ingredient: Selenium
What they do: This variety of mushrooms is especially packed with selenium, a mineral that protects your eggs - and uterine cells - from damaging free radicals.

Suggested serving size: Two to 2 1/2 cups (500 to 625 mL) of cooked mushrooms three times a week until you conceive. Cooking shrinks the mushrooms but doesn't compromise the nutrition, says Marcone. It also packs more selenium into each serving.
(whoa... i didnt know mushrooms were that powerful...)

10. Reduce bloating with peppermint tea
Active ingredient: Peppermint
What it does: Peppermint soothes the digestive tract and relaxes muscles to encourage flatulence, says Brenda Arychuk, an Edmonton-based registered dietitian. The tea also eases indigestion and speeds up the passage of food by improving the flow of bile - necessary for fat digestion.

Suggested serving size: One cup (250 mL) or more of peppermint tea, whenever you feel bloated or gassy. Steer clear of this remedy if you have gastroesophageal reflux disease. Peppermint can worsen symptoms such as heartburn and indigestion by relaxing the system so much that stomach acid flows back up the esophagus.
(do read the last line properly. remember everything has its pros and cons yup! on the other hand, if you want to get rid of the oil from that deep-fried chicken dinner, have a cup of hot tea beside you e.g green tea. hot teas help in the breaking down of fats, helping to rid the body of them, whereas cold drinks with an oily dinner will end up solidifying the fats in your body. you dont want that, do you..?)

11. Relieve bowel trouble with black beans
Active ingredient: Fibre
What they do: Black beans are a great source of soluble fibre - a half cup (125 mL) contains 6.4 grams, an amount that Vancouver-based registered dietitian Heather McColl recommends you eat every day. How does this help? Soluble fibre eases constipation by softening stool, making it easier to pass. It also adds bulk to the colon - thickening things up to avoid diarrhea.

Suggested serving size: One cup (250 mL) of canned black beans per day until you're back to normal.
(on a side note, you may want to find another alternative if you worry about having gas as a side effect to this... no kidding man.)

12. Protect your bones with kale
Active ingredients: Calcium and vitamin K
What it does: Kale is a good source of both calcium and vitamin K. Just a half cup (125 mL) of the chopped leafy green covers your daily recommended intake of vitamin K - essential in producing the proteins needed to create strong bones. Calcium further bolsters bone strength to speed healing and prevent future fractures.

Suggested serving size: A half cup (125 mL) of chopped, cooked kale per day until break heals. Too bitter for you? Try adding kale to other foods such as pasta sauce, salad or soup. And choose a bunch with smaller leaves - they have a milder flavour.
(bitter veggie? oh no... do remember to get your daily dose of vitamin d in order for this to work. calcium cannot be absorbed into the body without the help of vitamin d. should you be abundant in calcium but lacking in vitamin d, be warned: the calcium will start wandering around your arteries, and end up sticking itself there; resulting in calcium plaque forming in your vital arteries. and we know what that will lead to right?)

disclaimer: i've never tried any of these before, so try at your own risk. but do let me know if they work yup! i might wanna try some out myself too :D

and yes, my comments are the ones in italics and brackets. i've included additional information from what i know/have learned in my high school years of biology studies. you may think it's rubbish from some random high school teen, but trust me, everything i learn is based on research, so i do know what im talking about. and my family has a lot of medical history, thus adding to what i know of certain things :]

oh oh and if you have additional health information related to the above, let me know! i'd love to post it up here and let everyone know, because everyone has a right to a healthy life :] as we only have one :]

Labels: health, health tips

say something,

say it RIGHT.

Bipolar Disorder?

Thursday, October 26, 20065:51 AM

You Are 88% Bipolar
You have some serious ups and downs, maybe to the point of endangering your own life.Consult a doctor to see if you may truly have bipolar disorder.

die die let me die
let me curl up and die
stop the cycle of asking why
all the stupid tears i cry
bring me on another high
i can't take all these lies
die die let me die~

Labels: bipolar disorder, health, quizzes, randominity, short literature, stress, teenage life

say something,

say it RIGHT.

DEPRESSION

Tuesday, October 24, 20065:08 AM

Symptoms:

-Persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
-Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
-Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness (check)
-Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
-Decreased energy, fatigue
-Difficulty concentrating, remembering and making decisions
-Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping (check)
-Appetite and/or weight loss or overeating and weight gain
-Restlessness, irritability (check)
-Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
-Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts (check... 5 for the record)
-Thoughts or talk of self-harm or harm to others (check)
-Giving away prized possessions or a sudden lifting of depressed mood (often indications that a decision about suicide has been reached)

forms of depression (like that thing itself isn't bad enough):

Major depression
-characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. A disabling episode of depression like this may happen only once, but more commonly people experience several in a lifetime.

Dysthymia
-a less severe type of depression, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are not disabling, but keep one from functioning well or feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes at some time in their lives.

Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive illness)
-not nearly as prevalent as other forms of depression. Characterized by cycling mood changes, the patient experiences severe highs (mania) and lows (depression). Sometimes the mood switches are rapid, but most often they are gradual. In the depressed cycle, an individual can have any or all of the symptoms of a typical depressive disorder. In the manic phase, he or she may be hyperactive, excessively talkative, and have a great deal of energy. (oh jia lat... im like this!!!)

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
-a major depression that occurs in the winter when the amount of sunlight is limited.

Postpartum depression
-occurs within four weeks of childbirth. Most new mothers suffer from some form of the "baby blues." Postpartum depression, in contrast, is major depression, thought to be triggered by changes in hormonal flows associated with having a baby.

Psychotic depression
-a rare form of depression characterized by delusions or hallucinations, such as believing you are someone you are not and hearing voices.

Labels: frustration, health, randominity, stress, teenage life

say something,

say it RIGHT.

TRAUMA

4:07 AM

what is it:

Recent research has revealed that emotional trauma can result from such common occurrences as an auto accident, the breakup of a significant relationship, a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience, the discovery of a life-threatening illness or disabling condition, or other similar situations. Traumatizing events can take a serious emotional toll on those involved, even if the event did not cause physical damage.

Regardless of its source, an emotional trauma contains three common elements:
-it was unexpected
-the person was unprepared
-there was nothing the person could do to prevent it from happening

It is not the event that determines whether something is traumatic to someone, but the individual's experience of the event. And it is not predictable how a given person will react to a particular event.

symptoms of emotional trauma:

physical:

-Eating disturbances (more or less than usual)
-Sleep disturbances (more or less than usual)
-Sexual dysfunction
-Low energy (sometimes)
-Chronic, unexplained pain

emotional:

-Depression, spontaneous crying, despair and hopelessness (check)
-Anxiety
-Panic attacks
-Fearfulness
-Compulsive and obsessive behaviors
-Feeling out of control (check)
-Irritability, angry and resentment (50% check)
-Emotional numbness (the other 50% check)
-Withdrawal from normal routine and relationships

cognitive:

-Memory lapses, especially about the trauma
-Difficulty making decisions
-Decreased ability to concentrate
-Feeling distracted (sometimes)

extreme symptoms:

Re-experiencing the trauma

-intrusive thoughts
-flashbacks or nightmares (check)
-sudden floods of emotions or images related to the traumatic event (check)

Emotional numbing and avoidance

-amnesia
-avoidance of situations that resemble the initial event
-detachment
-depression (check)
-guilt feelings
-grief reactions
-an altered sense of time

Increased arousal

-hyper-vigilance, jumpiness, an extreme sense of being "on guard"
-overreactions, including sudden unprovoked anger
-general anxiety
-insomnia (check... having it for AGES)
-obsessions with death (check)

Common personal and behavioral effects of emotional trauma:

-substance abuse
-compulsive behavior patterns
-self-destructive and impulsive behavior (check)
-uncontrollable reactive thoughts (check)
-inability to make healthy professional or lifestyle choices
-dissociative symptoms ("splitting off" parts of the self)
-feelings of ineffectiveness, shame, despair, hopelessness (check)
-feeling permanently damaged (check)
-a loss of previously sustained beliefs

Common effects of emotional trauma on interpersonal relationships:

-inability to maintain close relationships or choose appropriate friends and mates
-sexual problems
-hostility
-arguments with family members, employers or co-workers
-social withdrawal
-feeling constantly threatened (er i dunno... it does occur occasionally)

[okay i'll leave these symptoms to the people around me to decide ha hahee ha]

Labels: fear, frustration, health, randominity, stress, teenage life

say something,

say it RIGHT.

STRESS

3:38 AM

physical symptoms:

-sleep disturbances
-back, shoulder or neck pain
-tension or migraine headaches (check)
-upset or acid stomach, cramps, heartburn, gas, irritable bowel syndrome
-constipation, diarrhea
-weight gain or loss, eating disorders (check)
-hair loss
-muscle tension
-fatigue (check)
-high blood pressure
-irregular heartbeat, palpitations
-asthma or shortness of breath (check)
-chest pain
-sweaty palms or hands
-cold hands or feet
-skin problems (hives, eczema, psoriasis, tics, itching) (check)
-periodontal disease, jaw pain
-reproductive problems
-immune system suppression: more colds, flu, infections
-growth inhibition

emotional symptoms:

-nervousness, anxiety
-depression, moodiness (check)
-“butterflies”
-irritability, frustration (check)
-memory problems
-lack of concentration (check)
-trouble thinking clearly (check)
-feeling out of control (check)
-substance abuse
-phobias
-overreactions

signs of acute stress:

-emotional distress (irritability, resentment, anger, anxiety, and depression) (check)
-muscular problems (tension headache, back pain, jaw pain, etc.)
-problems involving the stomach, gut, and bowels (heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome)

signs of episodic acute stress:

-are always rushing and always late
-take on too much and have "too many irons in the fire"
-feel over-aroused, short-tempered, anxious, and/or tense most of the time
-describe yourself as having "a lot of nervous energy" (check... well sorta...)
-have "worry wart" tendencies (focus on negative possibilities and anticipate crisis or disaster in most situations) (check)

health problems that result from stress:

-obesity
-heart disease
-cancer
-depression
-anorexia nervosa or malnutrition
-obsessive-compulsive or anxiety disorder (soon)
-substance abuse
-ulcers
-diabetes
-sexual abuse
-hyperthyroidism
-hair loss
-tooth and gum disease

(thankGod i dont have any of them... yet...)

Labels: frustration, health, randominity, stress, teenage life

say something,

say it RIGHT.