Science Daily News – May 16, 2010

The study followed 1.3 million women in Taiwan over a period of 20 years and was undertaken to prove a theory by the sociologist Emile Durkheim in 1897 that parenthood is protection against suicide. The findings show a 39 percent decrease in suicide-related deaths in women who had two live births, and a 60 percent decrease among women with three or more births compared to women with one child. Participants in the study gave birth between Jan. 1978 and Dec. 1987, and were monitored until the end of 2007. Other studies of the same nature have not been as significant, due to small sample size. This study has significant findings because of the large sample size and the number of deaths from suicide, 2252, in the group.

Suicide in Taiwan is the eight leading cause of death among men and the ninth among women, with those numbers consistantly rising since 1999. Most Western countries have had a stable or decreasing rate of suicide since the late 1990’s, but the ratio of suicide among men and women is greater. “There is a clear tendency found toward decreasing rates of suicide with increasing numbers of children after controlling for age, marital status, years of schooling, and place of delivery,” says Dr. Chun Yuh Yang, from the Medical University in Taiwan.

Having children may protect against suicide because children often increase the mother’s sense of self worth. Also, children provide material and emotional support to a mother while defining for her a social role. Motherhood also often expands or enhances a woman’s social support and social networks.

Scientists are hoping to expand these findings amongst women in Western countries who struggle with motherhood and depression.

“A mother’s menu should consist of two choices: Take it or leave it.”

“I want my children to have all the things I couldn’t afford. Then I want to move in with them.”

“I asked my mom if I was a gifted child and she said “well, we certainly wouldn’t have paid for you.”

“Most children threaten to run away from home, which is sometimes the only thing that keeps parents going.”

“It’s not easy being a mother, if it were, fathers would do it.”

“We spend the first twelve months of our children’s lives teaching them to talk and walk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up.”

“Poverty is hereditary – you get it from your children.”

“I’d like to be the ideal mother, but I’m too busy raising my kids.”

“If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands?”

“I know how to do anything – I’m a Mom.”

“If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylum would be filled with mothers.”

“The mother of three dreadfully rowdy youngsters was asked whether or not she’d have children if she had it to do over again. ‘Yes’, she replied ‘but not the same ones.’”

“The hand that rocks the cradle usually is attached to someone who isn’t getting enough sleep.”

“Children are a great comfort in your old age. Plus, they get you there much quicker”

“Any mother could perform the jobs of several air traffic controllers with her eyes closed.”

“Mothers of teenagers know why animals eat their young”

“Any child can tell you that the sole purpose of a middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble.”

“Raising a kid is part joy and part guerilla warfare.”

“Children are gleeful barbarians.”

“Child rearing myth #1: Labor ends when the baby is born.”

“There never was a child so lovely that his mother wasn’t glad to get him asleep.”

“I’m a mother with small children, so I don’t take as much crap as I used to.”

“A mother is a person who, when seeing there are only four pieces of pie and five people, promptly announces that she never did care for pie.”

A good vacation will increase productivity and soothe the soul.  Most people don’t take enough vacations. In fact, according to a recent poll by Psych News, more than half of 1000 respondents don’t take an annual vacation. Amazingly, many never took vacations at all!

In today’s busy environment, even when we do take vacations, we bring our work with us. This keeps us essentially connected and engaged in a work mindset, while we are actually trying to escape. This is not psychologically healthy for many reasons. Studies have shown that:

• Vacations help with burnout: Employees who take consistent time to relax are much less likely to experience symptoms of burnout. This in turn makes them more valuable and creative than their overworked, overwhelmed and under rested counterparts.

• Vacations promote creativity: An excellent vacation helps us to reconnect with ourselves. It is a path to self discovery and works to help us to feel our best.

• Vacations keep us healthy: The term “recharge your batteries” is completely valid, psychologically speaking. Taking the time to regularly recharge lowers stress levels, which in turn keeps all of your organs, including your heart and your brain, healthier and functioning properly.

• Vacations solidify and strengthen bonds: When you spend time away from the daily grind with loved ones, it keeps your relationships strong. This helps you to make it through the inevitable stress of tough times, and makes you appreciate the good times more. In fact, in a study by the Arizona Department of Health and Human services, women who took regular vacations were more satisfied with their marriages overall.

• Vacations will help you with your job performance: The psychological benefits that come with regular and frequent vacations lead to an increased quality of life, thereby leading to an increased quality of work. If you’re interested in finding out more about the psychological benefits of vacations and other activities, look into a Masters in Applied Psychology degree.

  Essentially, taking time for ourselves and away from the stresses of daily life gives us the much need break we need to function. Approaching life with a refreshed attitude gives us the tools to handle whatever comes our way.

  Obviously not everyone can take a vacation whenever they want, but for those of you that need to plan one, or even dream of one; here are some ideas to get you started. I’ve included any discounted or unique offers that I’ve come across as well, so start dreaming and find your best self!

  Caribbean Getaways:

  The Caribbean islands offer so many romantic. relaxing, or spa getaways that you just can’t go wrong. You can find anything from a full service, all inclusive resort, to a secluded hotel to relax, unwind and take some real mental health time. The Caribbean offers beaches, sun, mountains, volcanoes, exotic animals – really something for everyone. One really good place to start looking for that much needed vacation is LuxuryLink.com, a luxury vacation auction site where you can bid on all sorts of packages. One special they are running for out users right now is their Warm Weather Sale!Get out of the cold and into the sun! Auctions start at 65% OFF – Buy Now packages up to 40% OFF. You can choose from beautiful Barbados, swanky Antigua, unspoiled beaches and diving in the Dominican Republic and so many more.

  Travelocity is also offering discounted Caribbean travel for those of you with spring fever. Their offer is called City Breaks Hotels & Vacation Deals from Travelocity

  More travel destinations and reviews to come…

You can easily select what your body, baby and mind need by eating a variety of foods from all five food groups daily:

Grains, Cereals and Breads:
Pregnant women need 6 to 11 servings daily from this group. Although it is important to distinguish between helpings and servings: A sandwich with two slices of bread, a typical helping, is actually two standard servings according to the USDA Food Pyramid. A typical plate of spaghetti contains at least one cup of pasta, which is two standard servings. You should eat at least the minimum number of servings and then add other servings to meet your caloric needs. It’s important to note that being pregnant is not a good time to go on a diet – but is also not a time for gorging on everything you want.

Foods in the bread/cereal group are especially high in carbohydrates, our primary source of energy and very important for brain function. Grain products are also a good source of protein, which is the building material of body tissue for you and your baby. Many grains are enriched with B-vitamins and iron. It’s important to check the iron content on nutrition information labels – look at cereal boxes, for example, because iron needs almost double during pregnancy. A very healthy “brain grain” is quinoa. Quinoa is very high in protein and can be used as a substitute for meat fillers like bread crumbs and in place of rice, or oatmeal, all without raising your glycemic index.
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Indian Head Massage is the ultimate therapeutic and most popular massage of the head, neck, shoulders & face. This traditional and very effective massage is exceptional for relaxation and stress relief.

Psychologists all over the world recommend head massage for general well being, and the technique is even gaining popularity in places like hair and beauty salons.

Head massages have been practiced in ancient India and other Asian countries for over 5000 years. A three times a week ritual in many households, a head massage is given to infants all the way to adulthood.

Today’s work environment often requires us to sit at desks and work on computers for much of the day. Often, when one suffers tight muscles in the neck and shoulders from this type of work environment, a head massage will alleviate those problems.

Another benefit of having an Indian style head massage is that it has similar benefits of reflexology. All of your organs are not only linked to nerves in your feet, but also to the head. When you receive a head massage in this way, your body releases many harmful and degenerative toxins, helping you to avoid illness.

Don’t wait to have a massage as a “treat” for yourself. Think about it like you would any other maintenance routine – incorporate time for head massage just as you would a haircut or putting oil in your car. The best part about a head massage in particular, is it only requires 15-30 minutes of your time, but will reward you indefinitely.