Pheromones Institute Website Review

Human pheromones have created a lot of buzz in the past few years. These olfactory sensors have been known to be in animals for a long time, yet human pheromones have had little research in past decades. In animals, pheromones are used to attract a mate, mark territory, and mark trails. Human pheromones can regulate menstrual cycles of females living in close quarters, as well as increase attraction between potential mates.

Curious as to how human pheromones can work for you? At www.best-pheromones.com, you can discover the benefits of pheromones with a full ONE YEAR money-back guarantee. The site offers both pheromones for men and pheromones for women. Human pheromones can work for you, whether you are trying to increase your attractiveness, improve sexual activity, or even improve your likability in the workplace.

Their website has some great studies and testimonials to back up their claims. A simple, straightforward interface and lots of links will make your visit to their site enjoyable. Be sure to check out their Buy 2 get 1 free package; this can save you a lot of money! The only downside to their site is that their articles are slightly outdated; apparently the news media has not kept up with the trends in pheromone research. The best way to decide if these pheromones will work for you is to try it yourself. If anyone does, I'd love to hear your testimonials!

Human pheromone research is in its infancy. There are so many untapped potentials for pheromones. Time will tell what research will be able to discover. Stop by their website to start your own research. Remember, you have a full year to decide if you are truly satisfied with your results. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. More confidence, more attractiveness, and more likability can be yours, through the natural power of pheromones.


NOTE: In the interest of full disclosure, this post is a paid review of this website. I do not accept every paid review offer, and I write my own opinion of their site, be it positive or negative. This disclaimer is a reminder to you to please make your own judgment of any website, as you see fit. Thank you.

Day 3: A Review of Meter

Okay, I must admit that I'm a free verse kinda gal all the way. So seeing this prompt today was a bit of a downer for me. I don't seem to think in meter, and trying to get the words to flow into a box, well, seems limiting to me. Although I believe the practice is good once in awhile. It keeps the mind nimble, and lets you break into areas you never thought possible. So, with meter in mind, here's my third offering.

Aloneness

A mind forgotten
A word misspoken
A hope replacing
A night foreboding.

Ripe for the chopping block
Sick of the endless knocks
Raised on the chimney tops
Looking for time to rot.

Cast upon the open sea
I glance at the night released
Mired within the starry trance
I rest at peace, lonely lance.

Day 2: Be Specific

This is a great writing prompt, and great wellness advice too. No matter what your goals, being specific is critical. How will you know when you've reached them, unless you specifically spelled out your goals in the beginning? Also, being specific in your relationships will help avoid unnecessary misunderstandings. Clarity in thought and purpose will keep your mind free of clutter.

Here's poem two: Empty Heaven's Entourage

I stood in the rain
molting droplets from
the surface of my earth worn skin
beneath the tatters of my ancient clothes.

I looked up
to the oblivious sky
pouring its fury
to the scattered lost
residents of the land below.

I never knew what alone meant
til I observed the icy urgent rain drops
exacting their revenge beneath
the clarity of their beings.

I turned my etched face down
avoiding the relentless rage
and resumed my walk
amongst the shiftless, aching souls
in their blue corduroy jeans
and soft pink tattered umbrellas.

Carrying little but their names
they trembled on
looking for the hope, once remaining
now lost beneath the shattered sky
of their hollowed blackened minds.

Day 1: I Believe

Here is day one of the 30 day poetry challenge. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to use poetry as a tool for better mental and spiritual wellness.

It occurred to me that many people prefer journal writing instead of poetry. I do write in my journal from time to time, but I find that those entries tend to be self-absorbed and whiny. Those posts don't seem to do much for my mental state, but instead drag me down into the deep. Try both, and see which way works best for you.


I Believe

The world holds
many roads
that lead to
Rome.

I have held hands
with the devil
and went where
he left me.

In my dreams
I was still alone
reaching out
for the one.

Without leaving
I could never return
tasting bittersweet droplets
on my tongue.

Catharsis of Poetry -- 30 Day Poetry Project

I love poetry. I haven't had the presence of mind to write poetry in many years; life and stress have reared their ugly heads. But I enjoy reading it, and writing it especially. What words can't describe in direct prose, becomes clear in the impressions and imagery of poetry.

Poetry has always been a therapeutic medium for me. It lets go of many of the worries and fears I have, no matter how dark and deep I choose to go into my chosen topic. Writing brings forth deep release, and poetry is king.

At Poewar.com, they have announced a 30 Poems in 30 Days Project. For each day in September, they will post an article about poetry, as well as a poetry prompt. You can use the prompt (or not) to create a poem each day, and share it with the other posters. I have decided to join this challenge. Check out the link here to learn more about it.

I chose to do this for a number of reasons. First, since poetry greatly improves my mental state, I decided to see how 30 days of poetry will make me feel. I will be posting the poems here, as well as my own mental progress. Second, I need as many outlets for my writing as I can, and poetry will always keep my writing hand nimble. Third, I wanted to see if my readers would like to join as well, to learn if poetry writing can improve your mental wellness also. If anyone joins, please drop me a line and let me know!

See you on the 1st!

Peace Comes From Perspective

Okay, I know I said I'd be featuring some of my favorite websites in my next post. This post has been rattling around in my mind for some time, so I thought it best that I share it with you all first.

Many times, people will suggest that when you are stressed, just think about how all of these little things won't make a difference a year from now. And that's true, a lot of the time. For me, however, knowing that the small stuff is indeed small doesn't always translate into immediate peace. Sometimes it takes awhile for the epiphany to kick in, and for the relief to finally arrive.

Here's a real-life example. I met the man of my dreams while in high school. Being a teenager, just learning about relationships and everything that goes with them, I often worried and criticized about the littlest things. I often wondered what others thought about him, and listened to well meaning bystanders who thought I should just leave him, because he didn't meet their standards. As I am a cautiously optimistic person, I weighed these points carefully for some time. Eventually, the overwhelming stress from all sides finally caused me to cave, and I did end the relationship.

Fast forward a few short months. On the rebound, I quickly got married to a person I barely knew. (Bad mistake, yes I know.) The relationship quickly turned sour, and was far worse than anything I could have imagined. I won't go into details here, for his privacy, but I had far greater things to worry about, and they were much more valid worries as well.

I stuck through that relationship well past its natural conclusion, but when I did decide to go, I returned to my high school sweetheart. He is my one true love, and all the little things that were "deal breakers" to a teenage mind, were absolute nothings to a more experienced adult. From going through the fire of an unhealthy relationship, I learned so much about what makes a good relationship. Most importantly, I finally gained the perspective I needed to be a good partner in a relationship. I had nothing to worry about anymore; there was nothing that my beloved could do to stress me out.

From the perspective I gained in my previous relationship, I found peace within myself to maintain my current one. Thanks to this experience, I can take that knowledge that the "small stuff doesn't matter," and realize that although it may take a long time for it not to matter, eventually it will happen, and I'll be all the better for it. I firmly believe this is one of the "School of Hard Knocks" lessons, that you'll only be able to truly understand by living it. Sometimes, we cannot control or eliminate our stress; we can only press through it, and learn from it.

Does anyone have a similar experience they'd like to share, where the peace was not immediate, but rather came years later? I'd love to hear from you!

Quick Review: Three Steps is All You Need!

Now don't get me wrong, there will be lots of steps along your way to a healthy life. The three steps I have outlined are all you need to make sure you're on the right track.

WMWB Step 1: Affirm that you will make the best choices for you today.

WMWB Step 2: Get up and do something, right NOW!

WMWB Step 3: Set a measurable goal.

Since you're a reader here, I'm going to assume that your overall mission is to live healthy and improve your overall wellness. Here are some additional guidelines I suggest to head you in the right direction. You need not do these all at once, and you don't have to do all of them. Just pick and choose which ones appeal to you today. They may help clarify your direction, and decide which area of your life to focus on right now.

1. Take a sheet of paper, and write the categories "Mental", "Physical", "Emotional", and "Spiritual" on it. Under each category, write down specific areas that you would like to work on. For example, under "Physical" you may have wrote down diet, exercise, and/or personal grooming. For each category, pick one area of focus that you feel is most important to you right now. On another sheet of paper, list these top 4 items, and post it somewhere you will look at it on a daily basis. When faced with a decision of what to do, see if it falls under one of your categories of importance. If it does not, then perhaps you should do something else instead.
2. Do some research. Find some websites that will help you reach your goals. Use caution when exploring on the internet of course. Do not let "get rich quick" schemes part you with your money; only invest in reputable websites that you have thoroughly researched and actually intend to use. In my next post, I'll list some of my top wellness websites.
3. Start slow. It's all too easy to get a running start toward your goals, only to lose momentum and give up entirely. Take small steps, and build a day at a time. Overall success will come day by day, not overnight.
   
4. Cut out anything unrelated to your goals. Unless surfing the web until 3am is a daily goal of yours, it should not be unrealistic to cut back your internet time each day. Any distractions, activities, or responsibilities that are unnecessary and counterproductive should be restricted or eliminated entirely. Focus solely on what you want in life, and let the excess fall away. You will feel a lot less rushed and stressed as a result.
5. Take time out for you. With all the emphasis on goals, you can feel overwhelmed. Be sure to take a little down time, and do what you truly enjoy. If your goal is to be a professional writer, wouldn't you enjoy writing in your journal as a hobby? Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on your preferences, and what will help you unwind after a productive day.

More suggestions will be forthcoming in later posts, as well as more topic-specific articles. If you have any ideas for what you would like to see me talk about, leave a comment and let me know! I'd love to hear from you.

Third Step to Wellness

Okay, I promise not to make a lot of steps. Three is a good number for now.

WMWB Step 3: Set a measurable goal.

Pick one area you want to make improvements on in your life. It could be quitting smoking, losing weight, or anything else. Once you've chosen the area, pick a goal that you can measure in numbers. For example, I want to lose 30 pounds by April 2009. Setting a goal in that format (how much and by when) makes it very easy to see how far you've come, and how far you still have to go.

Setting a goal in this manner will also make you feel great, knowing you've actually made a commitment to yourself and the universe. Write it down, either on your calendar, in your journal, on a sticky note attached to your monitor. Keep it in a place where you can look at it on a daily basis. Keeping focus on your goals will greatly improve your odds of completing them.

Then, refer back to step two, and do something right NOW to place yourself one step closer to your goal.

Personally, I need to lose a little more weight. I have lost the "baby weight" that comes with having two kids, and now I'm looking to tone down and get my weight into the healthy column. I set my goal (30 pounds by April 2009) and then I did my first step. I joined Sparkpeople, a totally free site that gives you all the tools, motivation, and support you'd need to complete a diet and fitness program. The only hard part is stepping away from the computer long enough to do your exercise! The site is great, and I recommend it to anyone who'd like to lose a few pounds, or those who want to maintain their current weight.

Here's your link: Free Online Diet Plan at SparkPeople.com

Wellness News: Fat Princess and L.A. Fast Food Ban

This morning I read a few health articles on Yahoo News: Fat Princess Game and L.A. Fast Food Ban. I thought I'd share my insights on these with you, I found them to be quite interesting.

The Fat Princess game is a new offering from Sony. In it, you fatten up your princess with cake so your enemy will have a tougher time whisking her off to their home base. Feminists are already up in arms, but it has been revealed that the lead art director of this game is, in fact, female.

I like this idea. Although the look of the game is super cutsey, and is one I'd probably never play, I think it is a great idea. Our heroine doesn't need to be a stick figure, or fit in with society's view of how she should look. Come on, Princess Peach could stand to gain a few pounds, admit it. I'm glad there's a princess out there who is comfortable with her love of cake, and is not afraid to show it. Granted, for better wellness, you need to eat a diet with more variety, but self-acceptance is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. This gal's got it.

In L.A., the city council is looking to ban fast-food establishments in the most impovrished areas of the city, citing health and obesity concerns. While I am glad for their concern, I have to wonder what they're going to eat at all: "South LA residents lack healthy food options, including grocery stores, fresh produce markets — and full-service restaurants with wait staff and food prepared to order." Well, if they won't have fast food restaurants either, all that's left is snacks from the gas stations — hardly a viable alternative for those trying to eat better.

Assuming that the poorest among us have the extra cash to eat out at all, do you think they'll be able to afford to eat a Double Quarter Pounder meal every day? Hardly. I come from a rather poor background, and even trips to fast-food places were usually reserved for pay day, not a daily event. Dollar menu items are a more likely candidate, and due to their "value", they typically have less calories than their Meal Deal counterparts.

In fact, I believe that the typical middle-class person has more to fear from fast food restaurants. With the high-paced lifestyle that so many people are living, it is far easier for them to drive over during their lunch hour and get a Heart Attack Sack to-go. More importantly, they have the income to sustain such a lifestyle, at least in the short-term.

Only educating people on how to change their eating habits, and how to make the life changes to sustain healthy eating, will improve the rates of obesity in America. Banning fast-food restaurants will not help people change their lives. If they want their Whopper, they will find a way to get it.

After all, the princess has you leading her minions to retrieve her cake. She doesn't even need to leave her castle.

("Double Quarter Pounder" and "Whopper" are trademarks of McDonald's and Burger King, respectively.)

Second Step to Wellness

Usually, these kinds of articles will have an entire list of things you can do to improve your life. Well, not today. If you're going to make life choices that you can live with, you need to do it one step at a time.

WMWB Step 2: Get up and do something, right NOW!

Yes, get out of your desk chair and do one thing you have been putting off. It could be taking the dishes off your desk to the kitchen, or finding that book you've been meaning to read. Something simple, something that should take less than five minutes.

Don't worry, I'll wait....

Okay! You have taken a tiny step in improving your life. Why does something so small and insignificant matter? Because it is an action. You have done something, anything, and it means your life is that much better for the five minutes you spent. You have accomplished one step towards your goal: improving your wellness.

Now, I know you're thinking that such mundane actions don't seem like a lot. They may seem totally unrelated to your goal of losing 10 pounds, or clearing the incessant clutter from your mind. But in reality, such things do matter. Many people give up on their goals simply due to inaction. They say, "I'll get to that later." Later usually arrives on New Year's Day, with a whole new set of resolutions, and fades out again three days after. Now is the only moment you have control over.

Whenever you feel yourself dragging, out of focus and depressed, get up and do something. The small bit of power you wield over the smaller points of life, will translate into bigger and better things, once you have established what it is that you want and how you intend to get it. If you find yourself not remembering to do this, set a timer to go off in one hour. Then, when it goes off, do something. You would be amazed at the progress and empowerment you will have gained after just one day.

For a great website that takes these "Babysteps" and applies them to all aspects of your life, check out Flylady.net. This site was originally created for those whose houses have become over cluttered and out of control, but has grown substantially and expanded to health and mental wellness as well. Although geared toward the caretaker of the home (think the busy housewife and mom) the system works for anyone, guys included. It's worth the look.

Now I'm off to clean my desk. After all, taking care of the mundane items leaves room for the great ones.

WMWB's Purpose

Welcome everyone. This is the first edition of my health and wellness blog, Well Mind, Well Body. I'm glad you've stumbled upon WMWB, because it means that you have an overall interest in taking care of yourself. However, it is not as easy as just dropping a few pounds, or learning how to set some goals for your life. Total wellness is a major life change, a single step at a time. It's not going to happen overnight, and it's not going to continue after you stop in a few days. You have to make a simple commitment to yourself. Take a moment right now, and promise that you will do your best to make the right choices for you, each and every day.

There, now you're in! I will bring to you various topics that promote mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health. Some may be worthwhile and informative websites I've found, others may be articles of my own experiences or information I've put together. Go ahead and suggest topics! I'll be happy to incorporate them, as time allows.

Check back often; more is on the way!


WMWB Step 1: Affirm that you will make the best choices for you today.