Vicious circle leads to loss of brain cells in old age

The CB1 receptor is responsible for the intoxicating effect of cannabis. However, it appears to act also as a kind of 'sensor' with which neurons measure and control the activity of certain immune cells in the brain. A recent study at least points in this direction. If the sensor fails, chronic inflammation may result -- probably the beginning of a dangerous vicious circle.

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Growth in first 3 years of life affects respiratory health in children

Children's growth in the first three years of life affects the development of their lungs and the risk of asthma at 10 years of age.

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How Vegan Bodybuilding Diet Keeps Hunger at Bay While Plant Based

I remember when I cracked the code to fat loss.It was in June 2015 and I was staring in the mirror. Traces of a sixpack had become visible. It was my first time I'd ever seen them. Ever.Since that moment on, my friends asked me jealously over and over again: "How did you do it?"I thanked them all. But they wouldn't understand. Weight loss is simple, but not easy.

How I started the vegan bodybuilding diet

It was in the beginning of 2015 that I'd made the scary decision to stop eating animal products and started the vegan bodybuilding diet. I was a meat-head before.Poultry and rice in a tupperware was the only thing that I'd known. Readily packaged in my lunch box every morning before I left the house. While I did gain muscles with that diet I've felt unfulfilled. I had a lethargic attitude, with little energy.– "Is this what my life is going to be like?" I'd started to ask myself.I didn't feel I could reach any destination with the little drive and constant fatigue that I had. People called me "Aschess" way back in high school. It's the swiss-german word for having no drive. No interest. No direction.I didn't have any direction. Nor did I feel I wanted to.Only later did I realize that it could all be linked to my eating habits. I was eating poison, not fuel. In hindsight, I was a monkey.

The pleasure-chasing money

Farmers and hunters in third world countries have been catching monkeys for centuries. The way they do it is by setting up a trap. A container, filled with fruits.The container contains two holes, one on the top, one on the bottom. The hole on the top is not big enough to get the food out, the fruits get sneaked in from the bottom by the trap-setters.Then they wait. Every once in a while a monkey approaches and tries desperately to retrieve the fruit through the top-hole. The farmers or hunters slowly move in but the monkey can't let go of the fruit. It got competing demands.The monkey wants to keep the fruit more than it wants to keep its freedom. At the moment of life or death, it couldn't let go of the enticing promise.If the monkey just surrendered what it was holding onto, it would be living a free life. At the sight of the dangerous humans, it could have dropped the food, pull out his limbs and flee the scene. Yet it didn't. It couldn't.Monkeys get caught with pleasure traps.Little did I know that I was also caught in a pleasure trap set up by the food industry.

Pleasure vs Motivation

I am not a big fan of Sigmund Freud and his theories. Yet what I agree with him on is that every human being deals with competing interests.At 2am in the morning, we decide that we want to better our life in an instant. The next day we catch ourselves scrolling mindlessly through Facebook.This phenomena can be explained by the motivational triad. Living beings are motivated by three things:

1. Pleasure seeking
2. Pain avoidance
3. Energy conservation

These 3 motivators are omnipresent. We want to get in better shape because we seek the envious stares of our friends at the beach - we seek pleasure. Or because we hate seeing an unhealthy number on the weighing scale - pain avoidance.But probably one of the strongest motivators is energy conservation. We want to spend as little energy as we possibly can.If we expended energy like no tomorrow, we would've not be able to survive in scarce times.

Are you eating fuel or poison?

Our food choices are based on the motivational triad. We seek energy-dense, easy to eat food that give us maximum mouth pleasure. That's why Nutella is so popular all around the world.Nutella is a snack, carefully formulated to appeal to our innate pleasure seeking and energy conservation factors. It's perfectly manufactured to make us addictive.If we want to live healthy, lose weight and keep hunger at bay while eating plant-based, we have to eat fuel, not poison.

Eat fuel: The 3 distinctive factors

Filter your foods through these 3 filters and they will help you keep hunger at bay and lose weight. This helps you avoid the pleasure trap.

Filter #1: It's vegan.

"First, nutrition is the master key to human health. Second, what most of us think of as proper nutrition—isn’t." -- Dr. Colin Campbell

If there's one thing we have to realize, it's that meat and dairy is not a super package.There is not a single gram of fiber to be found in animal products. Fiber helps us feel satiated and feeds our healthy gut microbiome. Also plant-based foods have up to 33 times more antioxidans than animal products.((Nutrition Journal: The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide))

Filter #2: It's unprocessed.

Mother Nature’s powers cannot be stuffed into a pill. -- Dr. Michael Greger, MD

The food is not fancy packaged. Most of the best food choices can be found in the produce isle.In processed foods we can often find added salt, sugar and other artifical sweeteners. Processed foods (even when vegan) also often contain less fiber. For example brown rice is to be preferred over white rice, because white rice is a processed product. It's fiber content is greatly diminished.I have seen great results just by switching white rice with brown rice in my clients' diets.

Filter #3: It's solid.

All our calories should always come in solid form. This increases our satiety and is way more healthy.We should minimize our soda intake. Eliminating soda and smoothies out of our diets, for weight loss, can dramatically increase our progress.

What to eat in a day

This is a sample meal plan of how your day could look like. This meal plan is not meant to be followed 1:1. Pick what works for you and disregard what doesn't.This day is taken out from my popular article:7-Day Vegan Diet Plan: Eat Healthy with Under 2,000 Calories per DayTotal stats of this plan is:1872 calories, 244g carbs (61%), 71g fat (18%), 85g protein (21%), 59g fiberFor the average women (5'4'', 126 pounds, moderately active, age: 26-45), this is a calorie deficit of about 100 calories.For the average men (5'10'', 154 pounds, moderately active, age: 26-45), this is a calorie deficit of about 700.((CNPP: Estimated Calorie Needs per Day by Age, Gender, and Physical Activity Level.))The goal deficit for sustainable weight loss is about 300 calories. For the most effective results, the average women should therefore eat a little bit less (minimize the nuts). And the average men should eat a little bit more (add handful of nuts and berries throughout the day).

Breakfast

Banana-Ginger-Pear-Bowl

(734 calories, 98g carbs, 27g fats, 32g protein, 20g fiber)Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 pear, stoned
• 1 date, stoned
• 3 tablespoons almonds
• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
• 1 tablespoon hemp flour
• 1/2 tablespoon carob powder
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger
• 250ml soy milk

Steps

1. Cut the banana, pear, dates and almonds into pieces (size to your personal liking).
2. Put all the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add the soy milk.

Lunch

Green Salad with Edamame and Beets((Eating Well: Green Salad with Edamame & Beets))

(271 calories, 30g carbs, 8g fat, 21g protein, 12g fiber)Ingredients

• 2 cups mixed greens
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1/2 medium beet, shredded
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Steps

1. Combine greens, edamame, beet and cilantro.
2. Top with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.

Snack

Handful of Pecan Nuts

(301 calories, 6g carbs, 31g fat, 4g protein, 4g fiber)Ingredients

• pecan nuts

Steps

1. Put a handful of antioxidant-rich nuts in your hands.
2. Then eat it. Simple.

Dinner

Rice, Kale and Beans Combination

(566 calories, 110 carbs, 5g fat, 28g protein, 23g fiber)Ingredients

• 1 cup brown rice
• 200g kale
• 2 cups Kidney Beans

Steps

1. Cook the brown rice and the kale in a medium-sized pot.
2. Add the kidney beans in a pan with a little bit of water.
3. When the ingredients are ready: Drain the water.
4. Add a tablespoon of flaxseeds (approx. 50 calories) for extra crunchiness and health.

Conclusion

We humans are caught up in pleasure traps in our dietary decisions. Too often we eat food that is silently poisoning us. It's time to stop being a monkey.We need to fuel our precious engine instead of clogging it. Spare parts are few and there's a waiting list. Repairing costs are expensive, especially in countries with no health coverage.Therefore we should pay special attention to where our food comes from, it's level of manufacturing and consistency of substance.This way, we're not only fueling our body, we're also paving our way to our best shape ever.

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8 Most Effective Games and Apps to Learn to Type Fast

Computers and cell phones have become an integrated tool in our professional and personal lives that the original methods of using pen and paper may not be so common anymore.Although our old-school methods of note taking may not have entirely left us, technology is advancing with no intention of slowing down; iPads are moving into service industries, video calls are taking the place of in-person interviews, and store receipts are making its way into our email inbox – all of which requires the skill of typing.Learning a new skill doesn’t have to be boring and never had to be. Thankfully, there are effective games and apps that can help you learn to type fast with swift precision and accuracy.

Why typing fast matters?

Learning how to type fast is a game changer. In fact, you can save 21 days per year by typing fast!Although shaving several minutes from curating a long email or texting paragraphs in a text message may not seem to be of great significance, the minutes soon do eventually add up and the long list of tasks then evolve into frustration. By the end of the day, time is being wasted, and the work pile is stacked high over your head.Why not alleviate some of those frustrations through practice and dedicating your spare time to build muscle memory?Learning a simple skillset like speed typing can drastically improve other essential areas in life including time-management and prioritization. Not only does it help you efficiently complete tasks at work and in your personal life, but it also boosts your productivity.

8 Most effective typing games and apps

Everyone learns at different speeds and uses various methods. While some work better under pressure and tight deadlines, others thrive when given ample amounts of time to learn and soak in the knowledge that is being provided. Despite the number of resources that are available in the hollow corners of the internet, it’s all about finding one source that helps you learn at your fullest potential.Whether you’re a keyboard ninja or not, here are some effective typing games and apps that allow you to test your speed, accuracy, and maybe shoot some spaceships along the way.

For Beginners

1. Speed Typing Online

What's more fun than to type to the story of Alice in Wonderland or the lyrics to “Hey Jude”? Speed Typing Online is an online typing game that allows you to dive into the creative and familiar world of famous books, fables, songs, and even hone your skills in data entry.The bright blue frame holds the text, which then turns green after punching in the accurate keystrokes. After the end of the personal timer, a statistics page appears to show you your typed words per minute, accuracy, correct and incorrect entries, and error rate.

2. Typing Trainer

Typing Trainer is another online platform suited for beginner typists looking for step-by-step lessons. Learning the keys on a keyboard can confusing especially for those who aren’t as familiar or getting adjusted to typing on a computer keyboard.Typing Trainer has a collection of step-by-step tutorials that covers everything from sentence drills, introduction to new keys as the lessons progress, and skills test. The Typing Trainer specifically highlights unique features in each lesson including a warm-up section where the user begin to build muscle memory and learn to type without looking at the keyboard.The website is also programed to identify difficulties the user is facing when typing specific words or sentences.

3. TapTyping – Typing Trainer

There is the feeling of physically typing on a keyboard and then there's the feeling of typing on a touch screen mobile device.Since the use of cell phones has become closely integrated into our everyday lives, learning to type on a mobile is much of a skillset as it is to type on a computer. The mobile typing app, TapTyping – Typing Trainer, allows users to practice while on-the-go making it perfect for commuters who want to practice typing during their down time.The app allows you to challenge other typists around the world with TapTyping’s global leaderboard and test your skills by taking advanced lessons. There’s always room for improvement and with the app, you’ll be able to find your mistakes by watching a heat map of your finger strokes.

For professional writers and programmers

4. The Most Dangerous Writing App

Suitable for writers facing a creative block or on a tight-deadline, the Most Dangerous Writing App is a website that forces your fingers to type as quickly as your ideas.If you stop longer than 5 seconds, everything you had written will slowly disappear from the screen.Sessions are timed from 3 minutes to 20 minutes, or can go from 75 to 1667 words. This online app is perfect to brain dump ideas, write a chapter of a manuscript you’ve been stuck on, or help with procrastination.If you’re up to the challenge, try the hardcore mode – an alternative option where a single letter appears on the screen at a time. This level prevents you from seeing the entire word, sentences, or even correct any spelling or grammatical mistakes until the timer is complete.If you're wondering, copying and pasting is not an option until each the end of each session.

5. The Typing Cat

Looking to upgrade your typing skills? Also working as a personal tutor, the Typing Cat has a list of regular typing courses with the option to try other lessons with more complexity such as HTML. Learning to type code is a another valulable skillset worth adding.Even with disregarded interest in the coding world, using the code course enhances your typing skills and allows your fingers to familiarize itself with uncommon word combinations and placement of punctuations on a keyboard.The coding course can be difficult even for typing whizzes, but it’s all a part of muscle memory. According Psychology Today,((Psychology Today: The Mysterious Neuroscience of Learning Automatic Skills)) only a handful of people actually learn how to type by looking at an actual keyboard, while a majority of the population locate specific keys intuitively through muscle memory.Available courses include EcmaScript 6, HTML 5, and CSS 3.

Fun typing games

6. ZType -- Space Invaders Meet Webster

Remember playing the iconic 70’s game that allowed you to shoot tiny purple and green aliens from one end of the screen to the other with a two-bullet laser? It’s hard to believe that Space Invaders just turned 40 , but you can still get the same adrenaline rush with ZType, a typing game with the same shooting concept.Ztype works in waves – stages that must be cleared but instead of aliens, you must type out the words before the missiles destroy your ship at the bottom of the screen. Every so often, longer and mor complex words would appear and if the words are not typed in the allotted time, a series of letters will disperse like missles.The game is quick on the fingers and will still have your heart pumping until the very end.

7. Epistory – Typing Chronicles

Although this game does cost money to purchase, it is worth the investment if you’re looking for a refreshing and alternative mode to learning how to type fast.Epistory – Typing Chronicles is a role-playing action and adventure game of a young girl riding a fox in a magical and fictional realm; together they combat enemies in the shapes and forms of words.Once you're starterted, you almost forget you're playing a typing game. The paper craft art aesthetics of the game has you captivated by the vibrant colors and character’s storyline, while having you build your typing skills.

8. Daily Quote Typing

Need some inspiration? Say no more.Daily Quote Typing is one of many gammes available on Wordgames.com – a website that offers a variety of typing games ranging from different levels based on your experience.With Daily Quote Typing, users are able to type out inspirational quotes by famous leaders, inventors, and innovators such as Mark Twain and Albert Einstein.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, discipline and patience is what teaches to type faster. It comes down to making that commitment to improving not only your typing abilities, but in a lifelong skill that benefits other areas in life.By practicing daily and using effective games and apps, its only a matter of time before keystrokes will become second nature and your brain will adapt to learning other skills faster.

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Stroke doubles dementia risk, concludes large-scale study

The study analyzed data on stroke and dementia risk from 3.2 million people across the world. The link between stroke and dementia persisted even after taking into account other dementia risk factors such as blood pressure, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Their findings give the strongest evidence to date that having a stroke significantly increases the risk of dementia.

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8 Most Effective Games and Apps to Learn to Type Fast

Computers and cell phones have become an integrated tool in our professional and personal lives that the original methods of using pen and paper may not be so common anymore.Although our old-school methods of note taking may not have entirely left us, technology is advancing with no intention of slowing down; iPads are moving into service industries, video calls are taking the place of in-person interviews, and store receipts are making its way into our email inbox – all of which requires the skill of typing.Learning a new skill doesn’t have to be boring and never had to be. Thankfully, there are effective games and apps that can help you learn to type fast with swift precision and accuracy.

Why typing fast matters?

Learning how to type fast is a game changer. In fact, you can save 21 days per year by typing fast!Although shaving several minutes from curating a long email or texting paragraphs in a text message may not seem to be of great significance, the minutes soon do eventually add up and the long list of tasks then evolve into frustration. By the end of the day, time is being wasted, and the work pile is stacked high over your head.Why not alleviate some of those frustrations through practice and dedicating your spare time to build muscle memory?Learning a simple skillset like speed typing can drastically improve other essential areas in life including time-management and prioritization. Not only does it help you efficiently complete tasks at work and in your personal life, but it also boosts your productivity.

8 Most effective typing games and apps

Everyone learns at different speeds and uses various methods. While some work better under pressure and tight deadlines, others thrive when given ample amounts of time to learn and soak in the knowledge that is being provided. Despite the number of resources that are available in the hollow corners of the internet, it’s all about finding one source that helps you learn at your fullest potential.Whether you’re a keyboard ninja or not, here are some effective typing games and apps that allow you to test your speed, accuracy, and maybe shoot some spaceships along the way.

For Beginners

1. Speed Typing Online

What's more fun than to type to the story of Alice in Wonderland or the lyrics to “Hey Jude”? Speed Typing Online is an online typing game that allows you to dive into the creative and familiar world of famous books, fables, songs, and even hone your skills in data entry.The bright blue frame holds the text, which then turns green after punching in the accurate keystrokes. After the end of the personal timer, a statistics page appears to show you your typed words per minute, accuracy, correct and incorrect entries, and error rate.

2. Typing Trainer

Typing Trainer is another online platform suited for beginner typists looking for step-by-step lessons. Learning the keys on a keyboard can confusing especially for those who aren’t as familiar or getting adjusted to typing on a computer keyboard.Typing Trainer has a collection of step-by-step tutorials that covers everything from sentence drills, introduction to new keys as the lessons progress, and skills test. The Typing Trainer specifically highlights unique features in each lesson including a warm-up section where the user begin to build muscle memory and learn to type without looking at the keyboard.The website is also programed to identify difficulties the user is facing when typing specific words or sentences.

3. TapTyping – Typing Trainer

There is the feeling of physically typing on a keyboard and then there's the feeling of typing on a touch screen mobile device.Since the use of cell phones has become closely integrated into our everyday lives, learning to type on a mobile is much of a skillset as it is to type on a computer. The mobile typing app, TapTyping – Typing Trainer, allows users to practice while on-the-go making it perfect for commuters who want to practice typing during their down time.The app allows you to challenge other typists around the world with TapTyping’s global leaderboard and test your skills by taking advanced lessons. There’s always room for improvement and with the app, you’ll be able to find your mistakes by watching a heat map of your finger strokes.

For professional writers and programmers

4. The Most Dangerous Writing App

Suitable for writers facing a creative block or on a tight-deadline, the Most Dangerous Writing App is a website that forces your fingers to type as quickly as your ideas.If you stop longer than 5 seconds, everything you had written will slowly disappear from the screen.Sessions are timed from 3 minutes to 20 minutes, or can go from 75 to 1667 words. This online app is perfect to brain dump ideas, write a chapter of a manuscript you’ve been stuck on, or help with procrastination.If you’re up to the challenge, try the hardcore mode – an alternative option where a single letter appears on the screen at a time. This level prevents you from seeing the entire word, sentences, or even correct any spelling or grammatical mistakes until the timer is complete.If you're wondering, copying and pasting is not an option until each the end of each session.

5. The Typing Cat

Looking to upgrade your typing skills? Also working as a personal tutor, the Typing Cat has a list of regular typing courses with the option to try other lessons with more complexity such as HTML. Learning to type code is a another valulable skillset worth adding.Even with disregarded interest in the coding world, using the code course enhances your typing skills and allows your fingers to familiarize itself with uncommon word combinations and placement of punctuations on a keyboard.The coding course can be difficult even for typing whizzes, but it’s all a part of muscle memory. According Psychology Today,((Psychology Today: The Mysterious Neuroscience of Learning Automatic Skills)) only a handful of people actually learn how to type by looking at an actual keyboard, while a majority of the population locate specific keys intuitively through muscle memory.Available courses include EcmaScript 6, HTML 5, and CSS 3.

Fun typing games

6. ZType -- Space Invaders Meet Webster

Remember playing the iconic 70’s game that allowed you to shoot tiny purple and green aliens from one end of the screen to the other with a two-bullet laser? It’s hard to believe that Space Invaders just turned 40 , but you can still get the same adrenaline rush with ZType, a typing game with the same shooting concept.Ztype works in waves – stages that must be cleared but instead of aliens, you must type out the words before the missiles destroy your ship at the bottom of the screen. Every so often, longer and mor complex words would appear and if the words are not typed in the allotted time, a series of letters will disperse like missles.The game is quick on the fingers and will still have your heart pumping until the very end.

7. Epistory – Typing Chronicles

Although this game does cost money to purchase, it is worth the investment if you’re looking for a refreshing and alternative mode to learning how to type fast.Epistory – Typing Chronicles is a role-playing action and adventure game of a young girl riding a fox in a magical and fictional realm; together they combat enemies in the shapes and forms of words.Once you're starterted, you almost forget you're playing a typing game. The paper craft art aesthetics of the game has you captivated by the vibrant colors and character’s storyline, while having you build your typing skills.

8. Daily Quote Typing

Need some inspiration? Say no more.Daily Quote Typing is one of many gammes available on Wordgames.com – a website that offers a variety of typing games ranging from different levels based on your experience.With Daily Quote Typing, users are able to type out inspirational quotes by famous leaders, inventors, and innovators such as Mark Twain and Albert Einstein.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, discipline and patience is what teaches to type faster. It comes down to making that commitment to improving not only your typing abilities, but in a lifelong skill that benefits other areas in life.By practicing daily and using effective games and apps, its only a matter of time before keystrokes will become second nature and your brain will adapt to learning other skills faster.

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Stigmatizing views and myths about psoriasis are pervasive in the United States

The stigma associated with the autoimmune disease psoriasis may lead people to avoid patients who show signs of the condition, including not wanting to date, shake hands, or have people in their homes if they suffer from the disease. New multidisciplinary research involving both psychologists and dermatologists is the first to examine how common this stigma may be among the general population of the United States as well as among medical students.

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More than just a DNA repair deficiency syndrome

By studying the skin phenotype of the hereditary disease Cockayne syndrome researchers have found a mechanism which can prevent the loss of subcutaneous fat, i.e. one of the cardinal symptoms of Cockayne syndrome.

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Diplomats' mystery illness linked to radiofrequency/microwave radiation, researcher says

In a new article, a researcher makes the case that publicly reported symptoms and experiences of a 'mystery illness' afflicting American and Canadian diplomats in Cuba and China strongly match known effects of pulsed radiofrequency/microwave electromagnetic (RF/MW) radiation.

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Male and female tennis players decline at same rate

The physical abilities of male and female tennis stars decline at the same rate as they age, new research shows.

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Better assessments for early AMD

The European MACUSTAR consortium is conducting a multi-country clinical study on age-related macular degeneration. The clinical study focuses on the intermediate stage of the disease, in which a person's vision under low-light and low-contrast conditions is impaired. Throughout Europe, a total of 20 study centers will recruit and follow-up with 750 patients.

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On the horizon: An acne vaccine

A new study reports important steps that have been taken towards the development of an acne vaccine. The investigators demonstrated for the first time that antibodies to a toxin secreted from bacteria in acne vulgaris can reduce inflammation in human acne lesions.

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New potential biotherapy for Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have discovered that a modified version of an important immune cell protein could be used to treat Alzheimer's disease. The study reveals that soluble versions of a protein called TLR5 can reduce the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's disease model mice and prevent the toxic peptide that forms these plaques from killing neurons.

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New way to break cancer's vicious cycle

This study reveals how some tumors fuel their own growth and how stopping this vicious cycle could lead to new treatments.

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16 Killer Techniques to Help You Transform Your Attitude for Success

Do you constantly think about living your dream? Everyone faces doubt or negativity at some point. It's important to remember that your attitude is the difference maker in determining whether your dreams become a success or failure.Zig Ziglar once said,

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

Your mindset impacts everything you do and may even hold limitations on what you can do. When you have a negative attitude, you will subconsciously manifest or spread negativity into your way of thinking, your work and even the people closest to you.On the other hand, having the right attitude for success will make you more receptive to new ideas, think of better ways to overcome challenges and you will start noticing more new opportunities.From personal development tips to productivity, how are you supposed to know which techniques you should apply and which will lead you down the path of success?There are countless tips available but these 16 methods will keep you positive no matter what challenge you face and help you create the right attitude for success.

16 Promising ways to change your attitude

Fighting negativity doesn't have to be as boring or as complicated as many people think.

1. Take a vacation!

There are hidden advantages to taking a vacation and a huge correlation between holiday and success.

• Increased productivity: You will be more productive if you take vacations, it's been proven time and time again. Restoration is rooted in our physiology, humans are not meant to spend energy continuously.
• Newer perspectives: Stay away from work for a while and do something enjoyable. When you go back to work, you will have a whole new outlook on life.
• Increased mental strength: Working non-stop and getting things done may make you think you are on top of the world. But your mind feels something else entirely. A study by the University of California's Gregory Hickock University found that our brains do not have reservoirs to collect energy and power. Vacations can help reset your mind.
• Improving mental health: The US News and World Report have spoken with experts who have indicated that one of the main benefits of a vacation is that it can improve your mental health.((US News and World Report: The Benefits of Taking Time Off)) Confidence of calm and ease relieve stress, which allows the body and mind to heal in ways that it cannot if it was still under pressure.

Burning yourself out is not an effective use of your time and is quite detrimental to your success. Take some time to clear your mind. If it is not vacation at least plan a break.

2. Study the habits of successful people.

Daily habits are a key to success. People have zero control over the world politics, weather, and similar circumstances.But we control ourselves and our habits, rituals, and routine. And, while we all can learn successful habits, it is meaningless if we do not apply this knowledge.Find everyday habits of very successful people that fall within your wheelhouse and those habits you can adopt more easily to create the life you really want to live.You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Just do what the wheel-maker does. Observe and imitate the time management experts around you.

3. Make a daily list.

All successful individuals must train themselves to work out a daily to-do list. Think of how important it is for a pilot to use a checklist before each takeoff. That is how effective and successful people should be as well.Take a few minutes to create a "to do" list to use to get through the day.The best time to make the list is the night before. By doing this, your subconscious begins to work on your list as you sleep. This way, when you wake up each morning, you can have amazing insights and ideas which will assist you in achieving some of the most important goals on your list.At the end of each day, the last thing you do should be to plan out the next day. Making a list helps you organize priorities and keeps you on track throughout the day.

4. Eliminate needless interruptions.

You have to understand that each of us has the same 24 hours a day as Mark Cuban, Bill Gates, Will Smith, Oprah, Richard Branson and Henry Ford. It's how we manage ourselves within a time frame that makes all the difference.Start eliminating unnecessary distractions during the day. Research has shown that it can take our brains up to 20 minutes to recover from one single interruption.So, let’s say you are faced with only three unnecessary distractions every day, you lose an hour of productivity. This can add up to six 40-hour weeks, that’s 240 hours per year. Or better yet, if you bill by the hour, at even $50 per hour, that is $12,000 lost revenue.Close the office door. Post a sign that says, "conference" if you need to. Let your secretary, voicemail, or answering machine record your messages, then return calls at once.Designate times to check email.Start taking control of your time, your calendar, and your life right now with this one tip. Learn how to remove distractions from life:10 Critical Tips to Prevent Distraction and Sharpen Your Focus

5. Organize and prioritize.

Organize living and workspaces. Don’t let clutter accumulate. Clean as you go. Unorganized space is not only ineffective and counterproductive, it is psychologically exhausting. Select one area to organize each day for 30 days. Start in the space where you spend most of your work time. If you have an area that bothers you the most, start there instead.Prioritize. Complete one task before starting to do something else or stopping at least a natural stopping point. Try to bring closure to tasks, or "trim" large tasks into smaller components so that you work on it a little bit at a time while ensuring they always progress. Find out more about how to prioritize here:How to Prioritize Right in 10 Minutes and Work 10X FasterDeveloping keen organizational skills eliminates unnecessary ineffectiveness and enables individuals to efficiently achieve their goals. So, attack the beast one of two ways.Either bag up everything out of place in each area. Then empty each bag/box/bin one at a time and put things away. Or, if the idea of an organization overwhelms you, hire a professional to do it for you.

6. Surround yourself with positivity.

It is important to continue feeding your brain with happy, loving memories.Recreate those moments that once smiled at you. Remember the times of happiness such as something that encourages you, a birthday party, an outing with friends, a special holiday or your favorite songs.While you are learning to change your mindset, music can help speed up the process. The effects and benefits of music on the brain are many and are not confined to a single genre, as long as they match your musical preferences. In this way, it is the connection of the brain to familiar and valued music, which is the key.Experts recommend different genres for different purposes. Optimistic music, for example, includes songs with positive words, can provide energy boosts and get your mind primed for learning. While instrumental music and relaxing genres can help you stay calm and focused.Ambient music, according to a study from the University of Chicago increases abstract brain processes, which are responsible for creative thinking.Studies from the Department of Psychology at the University of London have found that listening to happy music can make us see the faces of people in a positive light - even if they wear an empty expression. So, throw on some headphones, get in front of the mirror and have at it.Music has an active influence on your mind. Understanding how music and your brain interact, and how to tune your music consumption to maximum impact, can affect how you feel, think, learn, and you achieve success.

7. Get rid of negative people.

Keep naysayers and negative people out of your life as much as possible. You need all the happiness and love you can surround yourself with if you want to constantly focus and work towards your dreams. Remember you're creating the opportunity to achieve a dream, not a nightmare.First, remember that "like attracts like" - this is universal law. To have positive experiences, you need to have a positive opinion of yourself, evaluate then appreciate the lessons learned from life experiences and your current situations. When you are in a positive mood, you will attract positivity.Embrace relationships that empower, excite and motivate you to be your best, and do the same for others in return. Stay surrounded with positive people who believe in your dreams and cheer you up. The longer you stay focused and positive, the more positive people you will have in your life.Part of having a positive opinion of yourself is believing in yourself. People can feel whether you believe in yourself or not. When you do not believe in yourself, then you will find that you attract others who are struggling with believing in themselves too.Recognize your strengths, gifts and talents, physical beauty and features. Be nice to yourself daily by positive self-talk. When you believe in yourself, you will respect your truth which will attract optimistic people to you.It is very rewarding to be surrounded by positive people; understand it takes time to practice how to be consciously aware of your thoughts and change them from negative to positive.When negative thoughts come to mind just let them go and exchange them with self-affirmative, positive thoughts that support your goals.

8. Listen to teaching tapes in the car.

Instead of being stressed out by traffic, and frustrated by the radio, you can engage your brain, learn another language, improve your sales, business, and management skills, and master the latest strategies for success by listening to tapes during drive time.Spotify and Amazon have thousands of audios that you can listen to whether you need to buy the actual disk or listen through Bluetooth.

9. Utilize waiting time.

Waiting time can drive us crazy. Instead, think of this time as an opportunity to be used to your advantage. When you look at your daily to-do list, identify places that you are likely to wait and start productively using the time.One of the worst traps in falling victim to waiting is the trap of not thinking. We want time to go as fast as we can, so we allow ourselves to sink into an uncomfortable brain fog, convincing ourselves it's a much-needed break. Do not let that happen it does not make waiting time any better. Keep yourself busy and stimulated, even if it means looking out a window or finally replying to those emails.Always keep a book that you want to read in your car or desk so you can make use of the time you spend waiting for those meetings. Recognize the waiting time is no different from another available time. We all have to use time productively, so that the time waiting is not wasted.

10. Eat for positivity.

Eating is not just the thing we do when we are hungry. Eating is an experience tied strongly to the emotional circuits in the brain.There is an emotional association of food that is further compounded by memories summoned by the smell, texture and look of a visually pleasing meal. This holds a strong correlation over your attitude and the food you eat:

• Create good memories with good food. Your busy schedule may not allow you to sit and enjoy each meal every day. But no matter the amount of time you have, maintain your focus on your meal using all senses, it is key to your well-being and the emotional association of food.
• Focus on 'how' and 'what' you eat. Eat a variety of wholesome, nutritious foods and resist the temptation to overeat. One type of food you should begin incorporating more of are superfoods. Compared to regular vegetables they are much richer in vitamins and nutrients but don’t hold many calories. Superfoods replenish and enrich the body and mind on a very deep level.

Also, try to add these 5 superfoods to your next grocery list:

1. Maca - known to greatly reduce stress, balance hormone levels, and provide you with a substantial amount of energy and endurance.
2. Acai - increases cognitive and brain function, improves cholesterol and fights off harmful toxins.
3. Organic coconut water - keeps you hydrated and youthful. Also has natural antiviral properties.
4. Chia seeds - are a great way to detoxify and cleanse by removing all the toxins and impurities from your body.
5. Goji berries - work to enhance your vision and immune system keeping you alert and focused.

There are many more superfoods to try, many people are using them for their health and mental benefits. They work wonders to enhance your mood and energy levels.Your attitude also plays an important role in the adoption and maintenance of a variety of health habits including your diet.You can’t just go through the motions of eating healthier, you have to embrace it.

11. Make time for exercise.

Improve your health and you improve your life, extend your life, and can accomplish more with less fatigue. Research continues to show that making time for exercise delivers serious health and mental benefits.Whether it’s a quick pick-up game of basketball, a group training class at the gym, or even just a run with a friend, exercise won’t happen in a bubble.At the same time, you don’t need to train like a bodybuilder or athlete. Dedicating just 30 minutes a day, three days out of the week is enough to start gaining the mental benefits of exercise:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Increase happiness
• Improve self-confidence
• Boost brainpower, sharpen memory and prevent cognitive decline
• Tap into creativity

Exercise also doesn’t have to be spent running in place on a treadmill or going to the gym, it can be spent walking by the lake, gardening, riding a bike along the beach, carrying groceries, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and dancing among many other ways.Decide which activities are fun and will suit you best and plan them throughout your week.

12. Use positive words and affirmations.

Our subconscious plays a central role in the realization of our lives and the expression of our desires. What we believe about ourselves at the subconscious level, can have a significant impact on the outcome of events.People use these positive affirming statements for a variety of purposes. In general, the intent behind affirmation statements is to rewrite and reprogram the subconscious, to encourage us to believe in certain things about ourselves or the world around us.They are also used to help us create the reality we want - often in terms of attracting success, love, wealth, health and happiness.Affirmations can be used as inspiration as well as simple reminders. They can also focus attention on goals throughout the day, which, by itself has the potential to promote positive and lasting positive change.Once you have come up with a set of affirmations, to be effective, make sure you use them daily - at the very least.

13. Avoid people who drain you.

It is good to spend time with people, but there are certain people who actually suck your life straight from you. They exhaust you. Identify these people in your life and limit your exposure to them.Our energy comes in limited quantities and it grows or is reduced based on what you do and who you are surrounded by. Understanding how people influence you means you can do a better job matching your needs at any given moment to what your energy requires.How do you say “no” to energy zappers? Just say NO!Energy Zappers are people who may be stuck in a problem you've heard for years and years. Their situation and complaints are the same, over and over, and they bring nothing new to the table.They aren't bad people but you are tired just at the thought of dealing with them. Whether it's a co-worker or friend, avoid this person.If avoidance is not possible, make sure you are not in a state of resistance when around them. Remember, what we oppose sticks.If you feel uncomfortable around a particular person or group, do not go into resistance mode as a way to protect yourself. This only keeps the bad energy stuck in your space.Find your happy space and remove yourself from the uncomfortable environment as soon as possible. This way, if someone throws some negative juju to you, it will pass right through.

14. Improve your social skills.

On the other hand, building relationships with others greatly reduces stress and anxiety in your life.Research conducted by the University of California, Santa Barbara economist Catherine Weinberger, shows many successful people excel in both social skills and cognitive abilities.((UCSB: Smart and Socially Adept)) This is something that has not always been true.She collapsed data linking adolescence skills in 1972 and 1992 with older results and found that in 1980, both skills did not mean better success, and yet today the combination does so. "People who are both smart and socially skilled are earning more in today's workforce than similar workers in 1980," she says.

15. Schedule more time for yourself and family.

Those who work harder on the job than they do on themselves tend to burn out. Remember what you are working for!Schedule time with your spouse and children. Pencil in some time for yourself while you’re at it.

16. Learn to say NO.

Contrary to popular opinion, positivity is not and cannot be destroyed by the word "no." You're not a superhuman. Your energy has limits and so does your ability to produce more of it.Taking on an endless list of tasks is not a step in the right direction. Say no to low priority items. Don’t be afraid to tell someone, "I've already committed myself to another project that will take up all my spare time, thank you for thinking about me."

The 90-day attitude transformation challenge

Negativity will somehow creep its way back into your life, it's impossible to banish it entirely but what truly matters is how you handle it.Do you let it get you down and keep you down, controlling you? Or do you find a way to overcome it?Life requires a positive attitude mainly due to the constant roller coaster of highs and lows. Few people, if any, can remain at the top of the cycle throughout their lives. At some point, you will undergo a phase of trials and tribulations. This is nothing more than a test.Your thought process must be capable of maintaining a level of positivity and realism. No one can completely control what happens throughout their lives but your attitude and the approach you choose to deal with each challenge of life is entirely controlled by you.No one else said it better than Maya Angelou,

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Take the proper steps

Your attitude is rooted in your beliefs and doesn’t shape overnight. It forms over a lifetime and is shaped by your approach and reaction to every situation.The right approach for transforming your attitude starts with an actionable plan and setting S.M.A.R.T. goals.

4 Quick steps:

1. Put it to paper. It does not matter how high your goals seem, write them down. Be sure to set goals that balance your life. Set goals for every area of your life - spiritual, marriage, family, financial, career, health, education, and leisure goals. Only set goals that inspire you. You will need the fuel of enthusiasm to drive you to your destination.
2. Prioritize. What do you want to tackle first? Put your goals in numerical order, from your priority to the last.
3. Chop it down. Break down each goal into bite-size pieces. What do you need to do to achieve your outcome? Be specific.
4. Take action. This is the most important component of goal achievement. You have to do something every day that brings you closer to your goal. Remember, desire is no substitute for action. Only actions produce results.

Imagine your attitude is like paying down a 30-year mortgage. The first few years you pay very little toward the principal and it seems like it will take 1,000 years to pay it off. But it gets faster with time and the changes will become more noticeable.Your attitude will be the same way. At first, it will seem like you are barely making any progress. Just persevere, and you will succeed.

Final thoughts

Someone whose heart is not in what they do will never be half as productive as someone who has the right attitude.According to the Stanford Research Institute study, the road to success consists of 88% attitude and only 12% education. This does not mean that education is of little importance, but it shows us how critical it is to create the right attitude for success.Once we have the right approach, it becomes much more convenient for things to fall into place.Much like walking, writing, playing sports and picking up any other skill, the attitude can be learned as well. It is essential to identify a negative attitude immediately as it inhibits growth and success. Just as we are able to learn them, we are also able to unlearn them and develop new and more positive habits.It takes 21 days to develop a habit and 90 days to create a lifestyle. Start today! Each week focus on mastering just one of these methods then incorporate another the following week.90 days is only 12 weeks which means before you have completed this list you will have completely transformed your attitude.

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E. coli strain from retail poultry may cause urinary tract infections in people

A strain of Escherichia coli (E. coli) found in retail chicken and turkey products may cause a wide range of infections in people, according to a new study.

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Person Leaves Refreshingly Positive Thank You Note on Windshield of Ambulance Blocking Their Driveway

People don't often find good things tucked under their windshield wipers; which is why these paramedics were delighted by what they found earlier this week.

The post Person Leaves Refreshingly Positive Thank You Note on Windshield of Ambulance Blocking Their Driveway appeared first on Good News Network.

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10 Anxiety Relief Apps to Take the Edge Off When Stress Hits Hard

Doesn't it always seem to be the way that anxiety and panic attacks have a terrible habit of striking at the worst possible moment?Sure, there's never a *good* time to deal with them, but more often than not the stress hits hardest when we're far beyond our comfort zone, with our usual anxiety relief tools well out of reach.Perhaps we're at a friend's house, on the train or at the store. Wherever it is, when an attack strikes of the stress of the situation simply becomes too overwhelming, we could all use something quick, simple and effective to help us through it.That's where the leading anxiety relief apps we're featuring today come in handy.Over the past couple of years, a whole host of tools have come onto the market to help those dealing with stress, anxiety and depression gain some respite from their symptoms wherever they are, whenever they need them.On the face of it, this is certainly good news. It means that however stress and anxiety manifests itself for you, and however you prefer to regain your calm, there's a tool available that you can download and use at a moment's notice.But here's the thing:With so many of these apps now available, finding one that's truly effective can take a long time and a lot of work.Of course, there is an easier way.Here, we've rounded up the very best anxiety relief apps currently available, each one tried, tested and reviewed to help you pick the ones that are going to work best for you.

1. Calm

Deciding how to rank our top two anxiety relief apps was no easy task. Both calm and second-placed Breathe2Relax offer incredible value for a free app and have ultimately helped thousands of people to get their anxiety under control.In the end, however, it was Calm's reputation as the world's number one mindfulness and relaxation app which cemented its position at the top of the chart.Voted Apple's App of the Year in 2017 and currently the third most popular iPhone app in the category of health and fitness, Calm offers a plethora of relaxing meditations.Each meditation comes with its own enchanting visuals and tranquil soundtrack, so you can always find one that's just to your liking.Also available for Android devices, the app allows you to choose meditations ranging anywhere from a quick two to twenty minutes.Whilst the former can prove incredibly effective in an emergency, using the longer meditations on a regular basis can work wonders for keeping anxiety at bay and enjoying a greater sense of calm throughout day-to-day life.Like most of the apps on this list, Calm is free to download and has lots of free content that you can use right away. However, there are some options to purchase subscription-only content if you wish to.Best for: All-round stress-management and relaxationRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.8/5
• Android rating: 4.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

2. Breathe2Relax

Few apps have been more widely acclaimed nor as expertly put together as Breathe2Relax.As the name implies, the app helps you get through an anxiety attack by practising breathing techniques, with a particular focus on diaphragmatic or "belly" breathing.That said, this isn't just as a great tool to use in an emergency.Break it out regularly and practice some of the exercises whenever you simply want to enjoy a moment of quiet mindfulness or to help you feel fully relaxed before sleep.As you might expect from a tool developed by the National Center for Telehealth & Technology, this one has plenty of science behind it. A series of videos and graphics can show you how stress is affecting you in different parts of your body, as well as offering the best techniques to tackle that stress.Simple, effective, and very easy to use, this is well worth a download for anyone dealing with stress, anxiety, or panic attacks.Best for: Breathing exercisesRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.4/5
• Android rating: 4/5

Available for iOS | Android

3. Self-Help for Anxiety Management

Developed by a team of psychologists, computer scientists and students at the University of West England in Bristol, Self-Help for Anxiety Management (or SAM, if you prefer) is one of the most fully-comprehensive anxiety relief apps currently out there.Whilst other tools tend to focus specifically on one aspect (such as breathing exercises or meditation), SAM sets itself apart as a one-stop-shop for all manner of tools, tips and techniques for busting stress, reducing anxiety, and dealing with panic attacks.The ability to connect and communicate with other SAM users is particularly helpful.Dealing with anxiety can often be a very lonely experience, especially if you don't have anyone around you who really understands what you're going through.To address this, SAM comes with a secure, private social network that puts you in contact with others who are going through a similar experience to you.That being said, the best part of this app is the ability to put together your own personalized toolkit of things that really help you.So, instead of relying solely on a pre-defined set of tools, any time you come across a resource that works for you, you can add it to your toolkit.That way, whenever you need it, you've got instant access to all the things you know you can rely on to help you out when stress or anxiety is at its peak.Best for: Putting together your own anti-anxiety toolkitRating:

• iPhone rating: 3.9/5

Available for iOS

4. HeadSpace

With HeadSpace, you start off with a free trial version and then have the option to pay for premium content. Whilst that may not make it the ideal app for everyone, it does have plenty of benefits that make it a worthy inclusion on our list.The free version provides a complete course that teaches basic meditation techniques that you can use in a variety of situations to feel calmer and enjoy mindful living.Often, one of the biggest problems facing those with anxiety is that of racing thoughts; taking relatively benign situations (or those which would otherwise be only mildly stressful) and blowing them up into huge, terrifying ordeals.Most of the time, these terrifying ordeals never actually occur in the real world, but because we've created such large, vivid representations of them in our minds, we feel as though they're entirely real.The result, of course, is heightened anxiety or a full-blown panic attack.HeadSpace addresses this by focussing on mindfulness -- bringing us back into the present moment through a series of guided meditations and enjoyable animations.The latter help teach valuable mindfulness skills that can help not just with stress and anxiety, but in tackling everyday life situations such as eating healthy, exercising and getting a restful night's sleep.Best for: Mindfulness and meditationsRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.9/5
• Android rating: 4.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

5. Worry Watch

Worry Watch is one of the few anxiety relief apps out there available exclusively for Apple devices. It's also one of the few apps that you'll need to pay up front to use.However, if you have $2.99 to spare, then you'll find it well worth taking a few moments out of your day to download this very useful tool.Unlike other apps which help you to cope once the stress or anxiety is already at its peak, Worry Watch does something much different.It helps you to track and identify the trigger situations that cause much of your anxiety in the first place.Using the password-protected journal, you can log all the situations, circumstances, and people that cause you the most anxiety. You can even categorize different types of worry and note down how high the level of anxiety is that they cause.In turn, this can help you develop new coping strategies or come up with alternative ways of doing things which avoid those trigger situations.Revisiting these events, you're also likely to see that the things you worried about the most never turned out even half as bad as you expected. In the long-run, this can help boost your confidence and reduce anxiety when going into similar situations.Best for: Identifying anxiety triggersRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.5/5

Available for iOS

6. MindShift

Dealing with stress and anxiety can be terrifying and exhausting no matter what you're age.Yet for teenagers and young adults, it can be practically debilitating, preventing them from enjoying the best possible opportunities in life as they work their way out of high school into the wider world.Developed by the Canadian charity, AnxietyBC, MindShift remains one of the best tools out there for helping young people overcome this crippling anxiety and develop effective coping strategies for almost all aspects of life.Through a combination of learning exercises, meditations, and tools, MindShift helps users to change the way they think about anxiety and stop it from controlling their lives.A highlight is the "chill out tools," designed to aid relaxation and mindfulness. These can prove particularly effective in stressful situations or in helping youngsters whose sleep is affected by anxiety.Elsewhere, breathing exercises and various strategies can be taught to tackle a series of issues including social anxiety, panic, conflict, and riding out the intense emotions that play such a big part in the lives of growing young people.Best for: Teenagers, and young adults with anxietyRating:

• iPhone rating : 3.7/5
• Android rating : 4.1/5

Available for iOS | Android

7. Pacifica

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has long proven to be incredibly effective in coping with stress, anxiety and depression.Pacifica takes the most prominent principles and most useful tools of CBT and packs them into one helpful app, along with meditations, mindfulness exercises, and more.By far one of the most beautifully designed apps featured today, the app is like having your own CBT therapist in your pocket at all times.Once downloaded, you can keep a private journal to record your thoughts and log trigger situations (much like you can with Worry Watch). The CBT-based analytics tools can then help you to break the negative thought cycles that cause much of the stress, anxiety or depression about a certain event or circumstance.You can also set daily goals and challenges and work through audio lessons and activities designed to teach you new ways of coping with your anxiety.As with other apps, there's also a social component where you can connect and share stories, tips and advice with other users.Pacifica is free to download and use, but some content is only available via a paid subscription.At time of writing, said subscription will cost you $8.99 per month, $53.99 per year, or $199.99 for a lifetime membership.Best for: CBT-based exercisesRating:

• iPhone rating: 4.7/5
• Android rating : 4.5/5

Available for iOS | Android

8. Inner Balance

It's unique, it's innovative, and it's very helpful, so why does Inner Balance rank so far down on our list?One word:Price.Sure, the app itself is free to download, but if you're going to actually make any use out of it, you'll need to shell out around $130 for a wearable sensor.If you have that kind of money available, then this is certainly worth the investment.What it does is looking at the physical effects of stress and anxiety, and helping to get those effects under control in a way that promotes calm, relaxing feelings.When stress is high, or when we're in the midst of a panic attack, our breathing and heart rate shoots through the roof.Inner Balance teaches users how to monitor this. It also teaches how to get breathing, heart rate, and emotions all in alignment, turning anxiety into calm and reducing the overwhelming sense of fatigue that can often follow an attack.Best for: Tracking and improving the physical effects of stress or anxietyRating:

• iPhone rating: 4.7/5
• Android rating: 3.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

9. Panic Relief Free

Though all of the tools we've listed here do a great job in reducing overall anxiety levels and promoting positive mental health in the long-term, Panic Relief goes one better:It provides emergency support when you really need it the most - in the middle of an actual panic attack.As we've already discussed, a panic attack can send heart rates haywire and make breathing incredibly erratic.Naturally, this makes it harder to concentrate, which is why it's very helpful to find that Panic Relief is so quick and simple to use, even when you're at the height of an attack.Once you're in, you can access four animated tutorials that talk you through proven techniques to minimise the physical effects of an attack, slow your breathing back to a normal pace, and ultimately help you feel more relaxed.Best for: Dealing with panic attacksRating:

• iPhone rating: 4/5
• Android rating: 4.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

10. Rain Rain Sleep Sounds

Finally, we get to an aspect of our lives that can cause us the most problems when it is impacted by high-level anxiety.All those racing thoughts, worries and stresses can often leave us tossing and turning through the night. This lack of sleep then affects our ability to function the next day and causes us no end of health problems. As a result, we often find our anxiety increasing, and thus the vicious cycle continues.Rain Rain Sleep Sounds looks to break that cycle by providing a menu of endless soundscapes designed to help users drift away into a peaceful night's rest.Most of the tracks are different forms of rain (such as rain falling in the city or at the seaside), but a few, such as crackling fires and thunderstorms, may be more to your liking.Choose one high-quality track, set it to play, and it will keep on doing so all through the night, lulling you into a restful state so that you can wake up fresh and ready to tackle your day.Best for: Getting a peaceful night's sleepRating:

• iPhone rating: 4.8/5
• Android rating: 4.4/5

Available for iOS | Android

The verdict: Picking an anxiety relief app that's right for you

From physical health to mental and emotional anguish, anxiety can manifest itself in many forms.The good news is that no matter which of those forms you're struggling with the most, there's an app that's tailor-made to help you with it.Finding it impossible to get out of a debilitating panic attack? Panic Relief is just the thing.Need help maintaining a sense of calm throughout your day-to-day life? HeadSpace or Pacifica may be more to your liking.That being said, there's nothing to say you have to download just one app and stick to it.Since almost all of the tools featured here are free to at least try out, why not choose a handful that look to be the most helpful and test them for yourself?You never know, you may just find the one thing that makes all the difference when it comes to taking control of your anxiety and leading a happier, calmer life.

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10 Anxiety Relief Apps to Take the Edge Off When Stress Hits Hard

Doesn't it always seem to be the way that anxiety and panic attacks have a terrible habit of striking at the worst possible moment?Sure, there's never a *good* time to deal with them, but more often than not the stress hits hardest when we're far beyond our comfort zone, with our usual anxiety relief tools well out of reach.Perhaps we're at a friend's house, on the train or at the store. Wherever it is, when an attack strikes of the stress of the situation simply becomes too overwhelming, we could all use something quick, simple and effective to help us through it.That's where the leading anxiety relief apps we're featuring today come in handy.Over the past couple of years, a whole host of tools have come onto the market to help those dealing with stress, anxiety and depression gain some respite from their symptoms wherever they are, whenever they need them.On the face of it, this is certainly good news. It means that however stress and anxiety manifests itself for you, and however you prefer to regain your calm, there's a tool available that you can download and use at a moment's notice.But here's the thing:With so many of these apps now available, finding one that's truly effective can take a long time and a lot of work.Of course, there is an easier way.Here, we've rounded up the very best anxiety relief apps currently available, each one tried, tested and reviewed to help you pick the ones that are going to work best for you.

1. Calm

Deciding how to rank our top two anxiety relief apps was no easy task. Both calm and second-placed Breathe2Relax offer incredible value for a free app and have ultimately helped thousands of people to get their anxiety under control.In the end, however, it was Calm's reputation as the world's number one mindfulness and relaxation app which cemented its position at the top of the chart.Voted Apple's App of the Year in 2017 and currently the third most popular iPhone app in the category of health and fitness, Calm offers a plethora of relaxing meditations.Each meditation comes with its own enchanting visuals and tranquil soundtrack, so you can always find one that's just to your liking.Also available for Android devices, the app allows you to choose meditations ranging anywhere from a quick two to twenty minutes.Whilst the former can prove incredibly effective in an emergency, using the longer meditations on a regular basis can work wonders for keeping anxiety at bay and enjoying a greater sense of calm throughout day-to-day life.Like most of the apps on this list, Calm is free to download and has lots of free content that you can use right away. However, there are some options to purchase subscription-only content if you wish to.Best for: All-round stress-management and relaxationRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.8/5
• Android rating: 4.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

2. Breathe2Relax

Few apps have been more widely acclaimed nor as expertly put together as Breathe2Relax.As the name implies, the app helps you get through an anxiety attack by practising breathing techniques, with a particular focus on diaphragmatic or "belly" breathing.That said, this isn't just as a great tool to use in an emergency.Break it out regularly and practice some of the exercises whenever you simply want to enjoy a moment of quiet mindfulness or to help you feel fully relaxed before sleep.As you might expect from a tool developed by the National Center for Telehealth & Technology, this one has plenty of science behind it. A series of videos and graphics can show you how stress is affecting you in different parts of your body, as well as offering the best techniques to tackle that stress.Simple, effective, and very easy to use, this is well worth a download for anyone dealing with stress, anxiety, or panic attacks.Best for: Breathing exercisesRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.4/5
• Android rating: 4/5

Available for iOS | Android

3. Self-Help for Anxiety Management

Developed by a team of psychologists, computer scientists and students at the University of West England in Bristol, Self-Help for Anxiety Management (or SAM, if you prefer) is one of the most fully-comprehensive anxiety relief apps currently out there.Whilst other tools tend to focus specifically on one aspect (such as breathing exercises or meditation), SAM sets itself apart as a one-stop-shop for all manner of tools, tips and techniques for busting stress, reducing anxiety, and dealing with panic attacks.The ability to connect and communicate with other SAM users is particularly helpful.Dealing with anxiety can often be a very lonely experience, especially if you don't have anyone around you who really understands what you're going through.To address this, SAM comes with a secure, private social network that puts you in contact with others who are going through a similar experience to you.That being said, the best part of this app is the ability to put together your own personalized toolkit of things that really help you.So, instead of relying solely on a pre-defined set of tools, any time you come across a resource that works for you, you can add it to your toolkit.That way, whenever you need it, you've got instant access to all the things you know you can rely on to help you out when stress or anxiety is at its peak.Best for: Putting together your own anti-anxiety toolkitRating:

• iPhone rating: 3.9/5

Available for iOS

4. HeadSpace

With HeadSpace, you start off with a free trial version and then have the option to pay for premium content. Whilst that may not make it the ideal app for everyone, it does have plenty of benefits that make it a worthy inclusion on our list.The free version provides a complete course that teaches basic meditation techniques that you can use in a variety of situations to feel calmer and enjoy mindful living.Often, one of the biggest problems facing those with anxiety is that of racing thoughts; taking relatively benign situations (or those which would otherwise be only mildly stressful) and blowing them up into huge, terrifying ordeals.Most of the time, these terrifying ordeals never actually occur in the real world, but because we've created such large, vivid representations of them in our minds, we feel as though they're entirely real.The result, of course, is heightened anxiety or a full-blown panic attack.HeadSpace addresses this by focussing on mindfulness -- bringing us back into the present moment through a series of guided meditations and enjoyable animations.The latter help teach valuable mindfulness skills that can help not just with stress and anxiety, but in tackling everyday life situations such as eating healthy, exercising and getting a restful night's sleep.Best for: Mindfulness and meditationsRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.9/5
• Android rating: 4.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

5. Worry Watch

Worry Watch is one of the few anxiety relief apps out there available exclusively for Apple devices. It's also one of the few apps that you'll need to pay up front to use.However, if you have $2.99 to spare, then you'll find it well worth taking a few moments out of your day to download this very useful tool.Unlike other apps which help you to cope once the stress or anxiety is already at its peak, Worry Watch does something much different.It helps you to track and identify the trigger situations that cause much of your anxiety in the first place.Using the password-protected journal, you can log all the situations, circumstances, and people that cause you the most anxiety. You can even categorize different types of worry and note down how high the level of anxiety is that they cause.In turn, this can help you develop new coping strategies or come up with alternative ways of doing things which avoid those trigger situations.Revisiting these events, you're also likely to see that the things you worried about the most never turned out even half as bad as you expected. In the long-run, this can help boost your confidence and reduce anxiety when going into similar situations.Best for: Identifying anxiety triggersRating:

• iPhone rating : 4.5/5

Available for iOS

6. MindShift

Dealing with stress and anxiety can be terrifying and exhausting no matter what you're age.Yet for teenagers and young adults, it can be practically debilitating, preventing them from enjoying the best possible opportunities in life as they work their way out of high school into the wider world.Developed by the Canadian charity, AnxietyBC, MindShift remains one of the best tools out there for helping young people overcome this crippling anxiety and develop effective coping strategies for almost all aspects of life.Through a combination of learning exercises, meditations, and tools, MindShift helps users to change the way they think about anxiety and stop it from controlling their lives.A highlight is the "chill out tools," designed to aid relaxation and mindfulness. These can prove particularly effective in stressful situations or in helping youngsters whose sleep is affected by anxiety.Elsewhere, breathing exercises and various strategies can be taught to tackle a series of issues including social anxiety, panic, conflict, and riding out the intense emotions that play such a big part in the lives of growing young people.Best for: Teenagers, and young adults with anxietyRating:

• iPhone rating : 3.7/5
• Android rating : 4.1/5

Available for iOS | Android

7. Pacifica

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has long proven to be incredibly effective in coping with stress, anxiety and depression.Pacifica takes the most prominent principles and most useful tools of CBT and packs them into one helpful app, along with meditations, mindfulness exercises, and more.By far one of the most beautifully designed apps featured today, the app is like having your own CBT therapist in your pocket at all times.Once downloaded, you can keep a private journal to record your thoughts and log trigger situations (much like you can with Worry Watch). The CBT-based analytics tools can then help you to break the negative thought cycles that cause much of the stress, anxiety or depression about a certain event or circumstance.You can also set daily goals and challenges and work through audio lessons and activities designed to teach you new ways of coping with your anxiety.As with other apps, there's also a social component where you can connect and share stories, tips and advice with other users.Pacifica is free to download and use, but some content is only available via a paid subscription.At time of writing, said subscription will cost you $8.99 per month, $53.99 per year, or $199.99 for a lifetime membership.Best for: CBT-based exercisesRating:

• iPhone rating: 4.7/5
• Android rating : 4.5/5

Available for iOS | Android

8. Inner Balance

It's unique, it's innovative, and it's very helpful, so why does Inner Balance rank so far down on our list?One word:Price.Sure, the app itself is free to download, but if you're going to actually make any use out of it, you'll need to shell out around $130 for a wearable sensor.If you have that kind of money available, then this is certainly worth the investment.What it does is looking at the physical effects of stress and anxiety, and helping to get those effects under control in a way that promotes calm, relaxing feelings.When stress is high, or when we're in the midst of a panic attack, our breathing and heart rate shoots through the roof.Inner Balance teaches users how to monitor this. It also teaches how to get breathing, heart rate, and emotions all in alignment, turning anxiety into calm and reducing the overwhelming sense of fatigue that can often follow an attack.Best for: Tracking and improving the physical effects of stress or anxietyRating:

• iPhone rating: 4.7/5
• Android rating: 3.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

9. Panic Relief Free

Though all of the tools we've listed here do a great job in reducing overall anxiety levels and promoting positive mental health in the long-term, Panic Relief goes one better:It provides emergency support when you really need it the most - in the middle of an actual panic attack.As we've already discussed, a panic attack can send heart rates haywire and make breathing incredibly erratic.Naturally, this makes it harder to concentrate, which is why it's very helpful to find that Panic Relief is so quick and simple to use, even when you're at the height of an attack.Once you're in, you can access four animated tutorials that talk you through proven techniques to minimise the physical effects of an attack, slow your breathing back to a normal pace, and ultimately help you feel more relaxed.Best for: Dealing with panic attacksRating:

• iPhone rating: 4/5
• Android rating: 4.6/5

Available for iOS | Android

10. Rain Rain Sleep Sounds

Finally, we get to an aspect of our lives that can cause us the most problems when it is impacted by high-level anxiety.All those racing thoughts, worries and stresses can often leave us tossing and turning through the night. This lack of sleep then affects our ability to function the next day and causes us no end of health problems. As a result, we often find our anxiety increasing, and thus the vicious cycle continues.Rain Rain Sleep Sounds looks to break that cycle by providing a menu of endless soundscapes designed to help users drift away into a peaceful night's rest.Most of the tracks are different forms of rain (such as rain falling in the city or at the seaside), but a few, such as crackling fires and thunderstorms, may be more to your liking.Choose one high-quality track, set it to play, and it will keep on doing so all through the night, lulling you into a restful state so that you can wake up fresh and ready to tackle your day.Best for: Getting a peaceful night's sleepRating:

• iPhone rating: 4.8/5
• Android rating: 4.4/5

Available for iOS | Android

The verdict: Picking an anxiety relief app that's right for you

From physical health to mental and emotional anguish, anxiety can manifest itself in many forms.The good news is that no matter which of those forms you're struggling with the most, there's an app that's tailor-made to help you with it.Finding it impossible to get out of a debilitating panic attack? Panic Relief is just the thing.Need help maintaining a sense of calm throughout your day-to-day life? HeadSpace or Pacifica may be more to your liking.That being said, there's nothing to say you have to download just one app and stick to it.Since almost all of the tools featured here are free to at least try out, why not choose a handful that look to be the most helpful and test them for yourself?You never know, you may just find the one thing that makes all the difference when it comes to taking control of your anxiety and leading a happier, calmer life.

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