What is anosmia?

Smell can be defined as an olfactory experience . Humans have about 12 million olfactory receptor cells which can detect about 10 thousand odours. (Dogs have 100-200 million receptors which can detect 40 thousand odours).

Anosmia is the loss of sense of smell. It can be a result of a head injury, stroke, Parkinson's Disease, or aging.

Anosmia can contribute to depression and loneliness. Smells trigger the limbic system of the brain via the olfactory nerve. The limbic system regulates memory, mood, and emotion which is why smells can trigger old memories. So if a person can't smell, their limbic brains are not triggered, contributing to depression.

Studies show that humans subconsciously transmit emotions via smell. This may explain why dogs seem so sensitive to human feeling (we call it intuitive, but it may be smell).

Studies show that the fear of smell is contagious.

What is PASSWORD THERAPY?

Password therapy is when passwords are goals you're working towards, meaning you need to use the goal every time your computer locks or everytime it's necessary to change your password. 

Using your goals as passwords keeps them current and fresh in your consciousness. It's a constant reminder of what you want.

Passwords like Save20aweek, Walkeveryday, Nosugartoday, Drink8glassesofwater can do wonders towards reaching your goals.

Why are diets so hard to stick to?

A public health researcher at the University of Buffalo recently looked into the question of why follow through on diets is so difficult.

He found that maintaining a diet is a "thinking" event requiring planning, scheming, will power, etc. which are all cognitive skills.

But follow-through on a diet requires good "feelings" in  order to be successful. If one doesn't enjoy the foods in a diet, the diet will fail. A successful diet needs to have a very strong emotional component. If the "thinking" and the "feeling" of a diet are not congruent, the health change will fail.

So the key issue, in designing a new diet, is much more than what's healthiest to eat....but also what are the most enjoyable as well as the healthiest foods to eat. 

What are 10 effects of sleep deprivation?

This is based on a research subject who stayed awake for 11 days without the use of coffee or any medication.  Sleep deprivation is often used as a torture technique. Here's why.

1) Tired brains have to work harder to pump energy into the prefrontal cortex.

2) Simple tasks like dialing a phone number become impossible because of short term memory loss.

3) Long term memory becomes impaired because the brains integrates/stores  memory as experience while sleeping.

4) A tired brain can't focus or keep attention on any one thing; a tired brain is a scattered brain.

5) A tired brain can't plan or make decisions.

6) Automatic systems (habits) become repetitive which is fine if your habits are all good ones, not so good if you are trying to quit smoking or eating junk food.

7) A sleep deprived person takes more risks because a tired brain does not remember consequences or make easy decisions (see # 5)

8) When mice were studied with prolonged sleep deprivation, it showed that they had lost up to 25% of their brain cells.

9) Sleep deprivation can cuase aggression, paranoia, hallucination, mania.

10) Driving while sleep deprived is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated; this is why professional drivers (bus drivers, etc) are banned from working if they have untreated sleep apnea).

What are 10 easy tricks to stop cravings for food?

These have all been tested in research:

1) Tap your forehead (distraction)

2) Change how you think (MRI scans show that people who think about the ill effects of poor eating, increase the activity in the part of the brain responsible for self-regulation.

3) Play a computer game for 3 minutes (based on Elaborated Intrusion Theory)

4) Imagine colours, smells, sounds which will ground you in present time.

5) Surround yourself with pictures of food (The Instagram Diet).

6) Go for a walk (or any physical activity).

7) Eat protein rich breakfasts.

8) Chew gum.

9) Sleep well (frontol lobes which help provide self-control are less active in the sleep deprived)

10) Pay attention to your emotions.

What feelings or issues lie underneath procrastination?

This question was recently asked to a group of young mothers and here are their answers.

Procrastination is:

Avoiding change because change is scary.
Feeling unmotivated or depressed.
Fear of success or failure, so better not even to try.
Not knowing how to prioritize.
Struggling with commitment.
Fear of loss, so staying the same is safer.
Fear of the unknown.
Laziness.
Lack of organizational skills.
Perfectionism.
Poor or non-existent work habits.

Why should we play more?

There are reasons why playing is psychologically good for us.

1) Having fun eases tension and helps creativity. A study done at Northwestern University found that people could solve problems easier after watching comedy.

2) Happy emotions are generated after play, and help people become unstuck and therefore more productive in life.

3) People laugh more while playing and it is now commonly known that health improves with laughter.

4) Play brings us in the present moment, which is also called "flow" or mindfulness, Pleasure is greatest when not regretting the past or worried about the future.

5) Play brings us closer to other people which is a basic need for all humans.

How long does it take to form a new habit?

A habit is a new behaviour which becomes automatic or second nature (like brushing teeth before bedtime) over time.

Based on research done by Dr Phillipa Lally on 96 people, a new behaviour takes about 7 weeks to become habit.

The smaller the action chosen, the more likely it is to succeed. The new behaviour must be performed in the same way, same time, same place (ie same context) so that over time the body becomes cued to perform the habit.

Missing a day here and there does not reduce the chance of forming the new habit, and some habits may take longer than 7 weeks. In general, the larger the new habit, the longer it takes.

Generally doctors do not help their patients make change; they just tell their patient to loose weight, or get more sleep, or quit smoking. When faced with any major lifestyle change,  many people give up because a lifestyle change requires the assimilation of many new smaller habits into their new, healthier lifestyle.

If you are needing to develop healthier habits contact Birgit Schinke, health coach & educator, clinical counselor for help with developing your new lifestyle. 

What is a mirror neuron ?

A mirror neuron is a type of brain cell which allows us to sense what some else is feeling. These cells fire in our brains in response to what we see others doing or experiencing. For example, if some else stubs their toe we will "ouch" along with them, as our mirror neurons fires as if we have also been hurt. This mechanism is the root of "empathy" or our capacity to understand others' feelings and intentions.

Although research is fledgling, some researchers suggest that people with autism have poorly developed mirror neurons, in that autistic people lack in their capacity for social interactions. They don't read social cues very well, if at all.

Mirror neurons fire involuntarily or automatically. We can't choose to turn our neurons on or off; we are at the effect of anything exposed to. Our brains are hard wired to see others as similar to us, rather than differently.

Implications for this research are many. Firstly, it makes sense to spend time with pleasant people as other's moods are likely to rub off on us via these mirror neurons. Secondly, it also makes sense for us to communicate as respectfully as possible, as others reflect back to us what they feel coming from us. Mirror neurons respond to body language as well as language.

Mirror neurons makes the popular saying: "It takes two to tango", so very true.

If you'd like to explore these ideas on a personal level, or you feel stuck with someone who "brings you down", contact Birgit Schinke on her website. 

What is the Behavior Change Method for breaking old habits?

This is an active system for staying motivated while making permanent behavior change. There are 5 basic steps.

1) Increase your motivation before starting:

• write down specific reasons for change.
• talk with friends or others (a wellness buddy) who have made the change.
• use milestones in your life as targets for change (a birthday, a new job, an upcoming event)
• make a contract with yourself, or a concerned friend, spouse.

2) Keep records:

• keep a record of your old habit for one week (or weeks) before trying to change and write down triggers, or events around the habit. (ie smoke after every meal, eat ice cream every night before bed, light up a cigarette when lonely, drink alcohol after argument with spouse, and so on).

3) Set specific objectives:

• break down general goals into small specific objectives (ie for a goal to loose weight break it into something like "I will walk one hour a day everyday for a week", or I will not eat ice cream at night for this upcoming week, and so on)
• find a health coach or wellness buddy to discuss your goals and get help in breaking them down into small achievable tasks so the behavior change is not so overwhelming.
• set a time every week to review your successes of the week and to set new objectives for the next week.

4) Take action:

• get away from or remove triggers from your environment until new habit is solid.
• substitute a competing behavior for the habit you are trying to change (ie. brush your teeth after a meal instead of smoking, or drink a glass of water when craving ice cream, and so on. Refer to step 2 for your list of triggers and use this to plan.
• break behavior chains; a habit is a series of various behaviors strung together. If you interrupt any one of the smaller behaviors in the behavior chain the chance of changing the overall habit is much better. 
• reward yourself; (ie develop a reward system such as for every cigarette pack not bought but that money towards a vacation, and so on)
• plan small steps; break down an overwhelming goal into small steps (ie start by walking around the block everyday and work towards joining a running group)
• use imagery; (ie rehearse how you might refuse a cigarette when a friend offers you one, or imagine how you will look after you loose the first 10 pounds)
• get help from others; (ie join a group, tell your friends and ask for encouragement, find a coach or change counselor, and so on)

5) Maintain new behavior:

• keep track of your change (ie weigh yourself once a week, keep an exercise log in your journal, find an accountability buddy, ask friends for feedback, and so on) 
• if you "fall off the wagon" catch it sooner than later and go back to Step 1 above; this is why frequent feedback is so useful.
• focus on your new outcome rather than your failure. focus on what worked or went well for you and build on that.
• remember a slip is much better than a total relapse.
• investigate your slip for new learning's which you can use towards your new objective.

Many people struggle with breaking old habits and sometimes troublesome habits can make the difference between life and death. Contact Birgit Schinke for help for your particular situation. She is available in person, by email, or via Skype.

What is energy management?

Energy management, simply put, refers to how one manages their energy, not only their time. This can look like

1) Pursue what you love. Passion is energy; it's much easier to stay motivated over something you are passionate about.

2) Do the most difficult work in the mornings when you are well rested and have the most energy. This flips our instinct which is to move towards pleasure away from pain. Studies have found that people are most effective when they delay gratification. 

3) Practice or work intensely. Work hard for 90 minutes, then take a break. The greatest performers only practice for 4.5 hours a day. In other words, short and hard shows better results than long and dragging.

4) Take frequent breaks so to give your brain the capacity to integrate the new learnings or practices.

5) Turn your practices into rituals (same time, same sequence, etc) so that they become automatic and you don't have to waste energy thinking about doing them.  


 See Birgit Schinke's practice in which she uses Motivational Interviewing to help those who wish to change behaviours or improve performancs.

How do successful dieters make weight release permanent?

Recently a new study was presented at the Obesity Society  ( a subset of the National Weight Control Registry ). 3000 people who successfully  managed their weight were asked to answer yearly questionnaires over a 5 year period. These 9 techniques seemed to stand out:

1) Tracked their food intake.
2) Counted calorie or fat grams or used commercial weight-loss programs to track food intake.
3) Ate about 1800 calories a day, and less than 3000 calories a day.
4) Ate breakfast regularly.
5) Ate similar foods regularly and didn't splurge much on holidays or special occasions.
6) Walked about an hour a day or burned the equivalent calories on another activity.
7) Watched fewer than 10 hours of TV a week.
8) Weighed themselves at least once a week.
9) Limited the amount they ate out ( average of only 3 times a week).     

click here for description of Your Wellness Buddy  coaching package designed to help with sustaining change

How can I plan to sustain my motivation to change ?

Many people think motivation magically arrives and is sustained by itself. The truth is that the more thought and planning we put into a new goal, the greater the possibilities of it's achievement are.

It makes good sense to commit to the techniques of sustaining motivation. Click here for a worksheet on Planning for Sustaining Motivation.  Download the sheet and take notes as you read this.

One Goal: Many of us take on too much at once. The best way to make a lasting change is to focus on one goal at a time. Put all of your change energy on this one goal, until it becomes more of a habit. Focus on one goal at a time.

Inspiration: To be inspired means to feel mentally or emotionally stimulated to do something. The more stimulated you feel, the stronger your chances of success. Many of us go to motivational speakers or read stories of successful people to nurture our inspiration.  Stock up on sources of inspirational material to keep you going as you pursue your goal. Use this as your bedtime reading as you continue to work on your goal.

Passion & Excitement: This is a tad different than inspiration. Once stimulated to make a change, we also have to create enough energy to continue with it. One very good way is to visualize success, visualize as often as possible, make a vision board, talk to others who are excited for you. Find a way to keep this energy going. See it, smell it, feel it, hear it.

Anticipation: Looking forward to the day you start working on the goal will help build energy and motivation.  How do you feel when looking forward to a party, or a trip, or a nice dinner out?  You can generate this same feeling of anticipation when planning to start a new wellness goal. Mark a date a week, or two, in advance and spend that time preparing for the big day.  Make sure you plan all aspects of implementing your new goal.

Advertise: Post your goal. Make a simple sign of only a few words, and put it all over your house or office where you will be reminded of your focus. Get creative. Use pictures, words, email reminders, anything will do as long as it helps build your excitement.

Public Commitment: Hold yourself accountable by making public statements to friends, family, community. It's much harder to back down knowing others are cheering you on. Find or even create your own support group.

Daily Thought:  Find a way to remind yourself daily of your goal. Do one small thing everyday towards your goal. Send yourself email messages.  Get friends to take turns phoning or texting you.

Support: It's much more diffucult achieving a goal alone. Make sure you have people you can call on if you're feeling discouraged or unmotivated. Make these arrangements ahead of time. It's best to find a support group or system to help you sustain your motivation.

Ebb and flow: It's normal for motivation to come and go. Don't give up if feeling discouraged. All of the planning you are doing will help sustain you during the times of ebb.

Benefits: The painful or uncomfortable aspects of  change are much easier to think about than the benefits. Train yourself to focus on benefits. Post lists of the benefits throughout your home or office. Create some way to help you remember the reason why you are wanting this change.

Positive Thinking:  Watch your thoughts and notice if you are going towards negative thinking.  Take the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Affirmations can help. Post-its can help. Snapping rubber bands on your wrists can help. Be creative. Have fun.

Start Small: When setting your goal make sure it is small enough to be manageable. Your coach will make sure your goal is well articulated using the SMART system. It's too easy to get overwhelmed by lofty goals, and then just give up completely.

I know some of the above points can be overlapping, but it makes sense to tease out every aspect of your new goal, so that should the going get tough....you have backup already prepared.

There is nothing wrong with finetuning your plans as you go. You may have new ideas,  find better ways of support, or need to rethink the goal. Remember there's always a Plan A, and a Plan B, and a Plan C.

Are there different types of exercise motivation?

Why is it useful to understanding your motives for wanting to exercise? Because knowing what drives you to want to exercise helps you choose the best exercise plan for you and may help solidify your committment to developing an exercise habit.

The most obvious reason why people start exercising is to loose weight or build muscle or shape the body.

But there are 2 other motives: psychological and social motives. Psychological motives would be to improve mood, reduce tension, or manage stress.

Social motives have to do with liking competition and social contact.

Dr James Gavin further subdivides each of these 3 exercise motives into the 6 following subcategories.

Body Motives:

1. Vanity
2. Sexuality
3. Addiction
4. Weight
5. Health
6. Youth

Psychological Motives:

1. Self-esteem
2. Achievement 
3. Moods/tension
4. Stress
5. Meaning
6. Playfulness

Social Motives

1. Sociability
2. Anger
3. Assertiveness
4. Competitiveness
5. Relationship
6. Power

A worksheet will be posted shortly.