Quick and easy guides to help keep you healthy and out of danger

• 
  This exercise can be done on the edges of stairs, wood blocks, books, etc.
  
• 
  Do both legs at the same time to start with then, as you get stronger, do them one leg at a time.
  
• 
  Hold a bag in your hand for resistance as you get stronger
  
• 
  Stand on the edge of the block with only the balls of your feet on the block.
  
• 
  Keeping knees stiff and bending only at the ankles, lower your heels down towards the floor.
  
• 
  Go down until you feel a strong stretch in your calves.
  
• 
  Reverse the direction without bouncing and push up as high as you can.
  
• 
  Do this movement slowly to feel the contraction all the way up.
  

• 
  An illness that usually occurs in teenage girls, but it can also occur in teenage boys, and adult women and men.
  
• 
  People with anorexia are obsessed with being thin.
  
• 
  They lose a lot of weight and are terrified of gaining weight.
  
• 
  They believe they are fat even though they are very thin.
  
• 
  Anorexia isn't just a problem with food or weight. It's an attempt to use food and weight to deal with emotional problems.
  

• 
  Bulimia is eating a lot of food at once (called bingeing), and then throwing up or using laxatives to remove the food from the body (called purging).
  
• 
  After a binge, some bulimics fast (don't eat) or overexercise to keep from gaining weight.
  
• 
  People who have bulimia may also use water pills, laxatives or diet pills to "control" their weight.
  
• 
  People who have bulimia often try to hide their bingeing and purging.
  
• 
  They may hide food for binges.
  
• 
  People who have bulimia are usually close to normal weight, but their weight may go up and down.
  

• 
  People with anorexia starve themselves, avoid high-calorie foods and exercise constantly.
  
• 
  People with bulimia eat large amounts of food, but they throw up soon after eating, or take laxatives or diuretics (water pills) to keep from gaining weight.
  
• 
  People with bulimia don't usually lose as much weight as people with anorexia.
  

• 
  Unnatural concern about body weight (even if the person is not overweight)
  
• 
  Obsession with calories, fat grams and food
  
• 
  Use of any medicines to keep from gaining weight (diet pills, laxatives, water pills)
  

More serious warning signs may be harder to notice because people who have an eating disorder try to keep it secret.

• 
  Throwing up after meals
  
• 
  Refusing to eat or lying about how much was eaten
  
• 
  Fainting
  
• 
  Overexercising
  
• 
  Not having periods
  
• 
  Increased anxiety about weight
  
• 
  Calluses or scars on the knuckle (from forced throwing up)
  
• 
  Denying that there is anything wrong
  

• 
  Yes.
  
• 
  For people who have anorexia, the first step is getting back to a normal weight.
  
• 
  If you're malnourished or very thin, you may be put in the hospital.
  
• 
  Your doctor will probably want you to see a dietitian to learn how to pick healthy foods and eat at regular times.
  
• 
  For both people who have anorexia and bulimia, family and individual counseling (talking about your feelings about your weight and problems in your life) is helpful.
  

• 
  The Eating Disorders Association of New Jersey (EDANJ) is a non-profit state organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of all eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder, as well as Body Image Distortion and Dysfunctional Eating.
  

• 
  CALL TODAY IF YOU ARE A LOVED ONE IS SUFFERING FROM AN EATING DISORDER: 1(800) 522-2230
  

• 
  Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger.
  
• 
  A BMI over 25 kg/m2 is defined as over weight
  
• 
  A BMI of over 30 kg/m2 is defined as obese
  

• 
  Type 2 diabetes
  
• 
  High cholesterol
  
• 
  Hypertension
  
• 
  Gallstones
  
• 
  Fatty liver disease
  
• 
  Sleep apnea
  
• 
  GERD
  
• 
  Stress incontinence
  
• 
  Heart failure
  
• 
  Degnerative Joint Disease
  
• 
  Birth defects
  
• 
  Miscarriages
  
• 
  Asthma
  

• 
  Cancers in men
  
  • 
    (esophageal, colorectal, liver, pancreatic, lung, prostate, kidney, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma and leukemia)
    

• 
  Cancers in women
  
  • 
    (breast, colorectal, gallbladder, pancreatic, lung, uterine, cervical, ovarian, kidney, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma
    

• 
  Cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, Stroke, and heart attack
  

• 
  When you take in more calories than you burn off, you gain weight.
  
• 
  How you eat, how active you are, and other things affect how your body uses calories and whether you gain weight.
  

• 
  If your family members are obese, you may have inherited a tendency to gain weight. And your family also helps form your eating and lifestyle habits, which can lead to obesity.
  

• 
  Also, our busy lives make it harder to plan and cook healthy meals. For many of us, it's easier to reach for prepared foods, go out to eat, or go to the drive-through. But these foods are often high in fat and calories. Portions are often too large. Work schedules, long commutes, and other commitments also cut into the time we have for physical activity.
  

• 
  There is no quick fix to being overweight. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in.
  

• 
  Effective weight management for individuals and groups at risk of developing obesity involves a range of long-term strategies.
  
• 
  These include prevention, weight maintenance, management of co-morbidities and weight loss.
  
• 
  Key elements include:
  
  • 
    Creating supportive population-based environments through public policies that promote the availability and accessibility of a variety of low-fat, high-fibre foods, and that provide opportunities for physical activity.
    

• 
  Promoting healthy behaviours to encourage, motivate and enable individuals to lose weight by:
  
  • 
    eating more fruit and vegetables, as well as nuts and whole grains
    
  • 
    engaging in daily moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes
    
  • 
    cutting the amount of fatty, sugary foods in the diet
    
  • 
    moving from saturated animal-based fats to unsaturated vegetable-oil based fats.
    

• 
  Depression is a medical illness called major depression disorder
  

• 
  Someone with major depression has symptoms (listed below) nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks or longer.
  

• 
  There is also a minor form of depression that causes less severe symptoms
  

• 
  Both kinds of depression have the same causes and treatment
  

• 
  Anxiety, worry, and stress are all a part of most people's life today.
  
• 
  But simply experiencing anxiety or stress in and of itself does not mean you need to get professional help or you have an anxiety disorder.
  
• 
  In fact, anxiety is a necessary warning signal of a dangerous or difficult situation. Without anxiety, we would have no way of anticipating difficulties ahead and preparing for them.
  

• 
  Anxiety becomes a disorder when the symptoms become chronic and interfere with our daily lives and our ability to function
  

• 
  Feeling sad or hopeless
  
• 
  Frequent crying spells
  
• 
  Losing interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy (including sex)
  
• 
  Feeling guilty, helpless or worthless
  
• 
  Thinking about death or suicide
  
• 
  Sleeping too much, or having problems sleeping
  
• 
  Unintended weight loss or gain
  
• 
  Feeling very tired all the time
  
• 
  Having trouble paying attention and making decisions
  
• 
  Having aches and pains that don't get better with treatment
  
• 
  Feeling restless, irritated and easily annoyed
  

• 
  Muscle tension
  
• 
  Physical weakness
  
• 
  Poor memory
  
• 
  Sweaty hands
  
• 
  Fear or confusion
  
• 
  Inability to relax
  
• 
  Constant worry
  
• 
  Shortness of breath
  
• 
  Palpitations
  
• 
  Upset stomach
  
• 
  Poor concentration
  

These symptoms are severe and upsetting enough to make individuals feel extremely uncomfortable, out of control and helpless.

• 
  Depression seems to be related to a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes it hard for the cells to communicate with one another.
  
• 
  Depression also seems to be hereditary (to run in families).
  
• 
  Depression can be triggered by stressful events in your life, such as the death of someone you love, a divorce, chronic illness or loss of a job.
  
• 
  Taking certain medicines, abusing drugs or alcohol or having other illnesses can also lead to depression.
  
• 
  Depression is not caused by personal weakness, laziness or lack of willpower.
  

• 
  Suppose the fire alarm goes off in your home. You race around frantically to find the fire. Instead, you find that there is no fire--the alarm just isn't working properly.
  

• 
  It's the same with anxiety disorders.
  

• 
  Your body mistakenly triggers your alarm system when there is no danger.
  

• 
  This may be due to a chemical imbalance in your body. It may also be related to an unconscious memory, to a side effect of a medicine or to an illness.
  

• 
  Depression can be treated with medicines, with counseling, or with both.
  
• 
  For mild to moderate depression, counseling may be a good treatment option.
  
• 
  For major depression and for some people with minor depression, counseling may not be enough.
  
• 
  A combination of medicine and talk therapy is usually the most effective way of treating more severe depression.
  
• 
  If you continue the combination treatment for at least two years you are less likely to have depression come back.
  

• 
  Anxiety disorders can be treated with a combination of usually psychotherapy and anti-anxiety medications.
  

• 
  Both approaches can be effective for most disorders.
  

• 
  The choice of one or the other, or both, depends on the particular anxiety disorder, and the severity of the symptoms. For example, only psychotherapy has been found effective for specific phobias.  
  

• 
  When choosing a therapist, you should find out whether medications will be available if needed.
  

• 
  Pace yourself. Don't expect to do everything you normally can. Set a realistic schedule.
  

• 
  Don't believe negative thoughts you may have, such as blaming yourself or expecting to fail. This thinking is part of depression. These thoughts will go away as your depression lifts.
  

• 
  Get involved in activities that make you feel good or feel like you've achieved something.
  

• 
  Avoid making big life decisions while you are depressed. If you must make a big decision, ask someone you trust to help you.
  

• 
  Avoid drugs and alcohol. Both make depression worse. Both can cause dangerous side effects with antidepressant medicines.
  

• 
  Physical activity seems to cause a chemical reaction in the body that can improve your mood. Exercising 4 to 6 times a week for at least 30 minutes each time is a good goal. But even less activity can be helpful.
  

• 
  Try not to get discouraged. It will take time for your depression to lift fully.
  

• 
  Choose a place and time to do your worrying. Make it the same place and time every day.
  
• 
  Spend 30 minutes thinking about your concerns and what you can do about them.
  
• 
  Try not to dwell on what "might" happen. Focus more on what's really happening. Then let go of the worry and go on with your day.
  

• 
  Lie down on a flat surface.
  
• 
  Place one hand on your stomach, just above your navel. Place the other hand on your chest.
  
• 
  Breathe in slowly and try to make your stomach rise a little.
  
• 
  Hold your breath for a second.
  
• 
  Breathe out slowly and let your stomach go back down.
  

• 
  These may include muscle relaxation, yoga, or deep breathing
  

• 
  Start by choosing a muscle and holding it tight for a few seconds.
  
• 
  Then relax the muscle.
  
• 
  Do this with all of your muscles, one part of your body at a time. Try starting with your feet muscles and working your way up your body.
  

• 
  Begin by just picturing yourself confronting these things. By doing this, you can get used to the idea of confronting the things that make you anxious before you actually do it. After you feel more comfortable picturing yourself confronting these things, you can begin to actually face them.
  

• 
  Ideation (thinking, talking or wishing about suicide)
  
• 
  Substance use or abuse (increased use or change in substance)
  
• 
  Puposelessness (no sense of purpose or belonging)
  
• 
  Anger
  
• 
  Trapped (feeling like there is no way out)
  
• 
  Hopelessness (there is nothing to live for, no hope or optimism)
  
• 
  Withdrawal (from family, friends, work, school, activities, hobbies)
  
• 
  Anxiety (restlessness, irritability, agitation)
  
• 
  Recklessness (high risk-taking behavior)
  
• 
  Mood disturbance (dramatic changes in mood)
  

• 
  Talking about suicide.
  
• 
  Looking for ways to die (internet searches for how to commit suicide, looking for guns, pills, etc.)
  
• 
  Statements about hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness.
  
• 
  Preoccupation with death.
  
• 
  Suddenly happier, calmer.
  
• 
  Loss of interest in things one cares about.
  
• 
  Visiting or calling people one cares about.
  
• 
  Making arrangements; setting one's affairs in order.
  
• 
  Giving things away, such as prized possessions.
  

• 
  Stigma associated with mental illnesses can prevent people from getting help.
  
• 
  Your willingness to talk about depression and suicide with a friend, family member, or co-worker can be the first step in getting help and preventing suicide.
  

• 
  "Do you ever feel so badly that you think about suicide?"
  
• 
  "Do you have a plan to commit suicide or take your life?"
  
• 
  "Have you thought about when you would do it (today, tomorrow, next week)?"
  
• 
  "Have you thought about what method you would use?"
  

• 
  Asking these questions will help you to determine if your friend or family members is in immediate danger, and get help if needed.
  

• 
  A suicidal person should see a doctor or mental health professional immediately.
  
• 
  Calling 911 or going to a hospital emergency room are also good options to prevent a tragic suicide attempt or death.
  

• 
  Calling the National Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK is also a resource for you or the person you care about for help.
  

• 
  Remember, always take thoughts of or plans for suicide seriously.


  

Don’t worry about risking a friendship if you truly feel a life is in danger. You have bigger things to worry about-someone’s life might be in danger! It is better to lose a relationship from violating a confidence than it is to go to a funeral. And most of the time they will come back and thank you for saving their life.



Your opinion of a person's situation is irrelevant. Trying to convince a person suffering with a mental illness that it's not that bad, or that they have everything to live for may only increase their feelings of guilt and hopelessness. Reassure them that help is available, that depression is treatable, and that suicidal feelings are temporary. Life can get better!



Make sure you follow through. This is one instance where you must be tenacious in your follow-up. Help find a doctor or a mental health professional, participate in making the first phone call, or go along to the first appointment. If you're in a position to help, don't assume that your persistence is unwanted or intrusive. Risking your feelings to help save a life is a risk worth taking.

• 
  Dial: 911
  

• 
  Dial: 1-800-273-TALK
  

• 
  Check yourself into the emergency room.
  

• 
  Tell someone who can help you find help immediately.
  

• 
  Stay away from things that might hurt you.
  

• 
  Most people can be treated with a combination of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy.
  

• 
  Go to the nearest hospital emergency room.
  

• 
  Look in your local Yellow Pages under Mental Health and/or Suicide Prevention;
  
• 
  Then call the mental health organizations/crisis phone lines that are listed.
  
• 
  There may be clinics or counseling centers in your area operating on a sliding or no-fee scale.
  

• 
  Some pharmaceutical companies have "Free Medication Programs" for those who qualify.
  
• 
  Visit the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill website at www.nami.org for more information.
  

• 
  Occurs when one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person.
  

• 
  Domestic abuse that includes physical violence
  

• 
  To gain and maintain total control over you.
  
• 
  An abuser doesn’t “play fair.”
  
• 
  Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under his or her thumb.
  
• 
  Your abuser may also threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you.
  

• 
  It happens among heterosexual couples and in same-sex partnerships.
  
• 
  It occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels.
  
• 
  And while women are more commonly victimized, men are also abused—especially verbally and emotionally.
  

• 
  The bottom line is that abusive behavior is never acceptable, whether it’s coming from a man, a woman, a teenager, or an older adult.
  

• 
  You deserve to feel valued, respected, and safe.
  

• 
  When people talk about domestic violence, they are often referring to the physical abuse of a spouse or intimate partner.
  

• 
  Physical abuse is the use of physical force against someone in a way that injures or endangers that person.
  

• 
  Physical assault or battering is a crime, whether it occurs inside or outside of the family.
  

• 
  The police have the power and authority to protect you from physical attack.
  

• 
  Any situation in which you are forced to participate in unwanted, unsafe, or degrading sexual activity is sexual abuse.
  

• 
  Forced sex, even by a spouse or intimate partner with whom you also have consensual sex, is an act of aggression and violence.
  

• 
  Furthermore, people whose partners abuse them physically and sexually are at a higher risk of being seriously injured or killed.
  

• 
  When people think of domestic abuse, they often picture battered women who have been physically assaulted.
  

• 
  But not all abusive relationships involve violence.
  

• 
  Just because you’re not battered and bruised doesn’t mean you’re not being abused.
  

• 
  Many men and women suffer from emotional abuse, which is no less destructive.
  

• 
  Unfortunately, emotional abuse is often minimized or overlooked—even by the person being abused.
  

It's impossible to know with certainty what goes on behind closed doors, but there are some telltale signs and symptoms of emotional abuse and domestic violence. If you witness any warning signs of abuse in a friend, family member, or co-worker, take them very seriously.

People who are being abused may:

• 
  Seem afraid or anxious to please their partner.
  
• 
  Go along with everything their partner says and does.
  
• 
  Check in often with their partner to report where they are and what they’re doing.
  
• 
  Receive frequent, harassing phone calls from their partner.
  
• 
  Talk about their partner’s temper, jealousy, or possessiveness.
  

People who are being physically abused may:

• 
  Have frequent injuries, with the excuse of “accidents.”
  
• 
  Frequently miss work, school, or social occasions, without explanation.
  
• 
  Dress in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars (e.g. wearing long sleeves in the summer or sunglasses indoors).
  

People who are being isolated by their abuser may:

• 
  Be restricted from seeing family and friends.
  
• 
  Rarely go out in public without their partner.
  
• 
  Have limited access to money, credit cards, or the car.
  

People who are being abused may:

• 
  Have very low self-esteem, even if they used to be confident.
  
• 
  Show major personality changes (e.g. an outgoing person becomes withdrawn).
  
• 
  Be depressed, anxious, or suicidal.