It feels like summer has come to an abrupt end, but we might be lucky and get a short last minute repreave, but right now other things are changing around us that change our priorities. The easy one, the children are going back to school, so journeys to work change, we may have to get up earlier to cope with those changes. Journeys home can be longer and with the shortening of hours of light in any one day it feels like a shift in our daily routines is inevitable.

Think back on how much time during these summer months you have been setting your routine to others needs, keeping the children entertained, planning family breaks way, being kept busy with friends BBQ’s, parties or just going out because it has been a lovely evening,

With the darker evenings approaching and possible school nights around the corner, you will be spending more time at home with less to do, so why don’t you make a decision to focus back on yourself and what you want to do or even need to be doing.

Emotional eating is an eating disorder which affects primarily women, causing an increase in eating behavior in response to strong emotions. Emotional eating can become not only a dehabilitating health condition but it can wreak havoc with your social relationships as well.

For obvious reasons, emotional eating as well as overeating will most certainly play a part in potential weight gain. Individuals that have emotional eating problems, such as eating when bored or stressed will not learn how to deal properly with their inner conflicts. If eating becomes a vice in order to deal with your emotions, the potential of becoming seriously overweight will more than triple.

Not being able to express your emotions through your words can drive a wedge in between you and your relationships. People who respond to emotional situations by eating will often choose this comfort over attempting to solve their problems. So, instead of being able to work through differences of opinion with your spouse or family, you find yourself headed towards the kitchen for something to eat totally neglecting the actual problem at hand. Then, as time goes on, these issues will escalate and become the elephant in the room while your communication skills become problematic. Eventually, your relationships will simply become worse and worse, all while you keep eating.

You may also overeat or emotionally eat due to the feelings of frustration of not being able to meet your goals - either physically or mentally. Feelings of being 'stuck' and not being appreciated are all too common and can seriously impinge on your ability to be happy. Instead, you may turn to food for your sense of contentment and fulfillment.

Emotional eating can make it difficult to have positive self-esteem or any self-esteem to speak of. Many people who suffer with emotional eating or overeating disorders often have a very negative image of themselves which will only continue the cycle.

When people think digestion they most often think of intestines and their stomach. The truth is that the digestion process actually begins in the mouth. The process of chewing is a vital component of the digestive process. The action of chewing mechanically breaks down very large amounts of food molecules into smaller particles. This results in food having increased in surface area, an important contributing factor to good digestion. Chewing your food well allows the food to be exposed to your saliva for a longer period of time. Food’s being in contact with saliva is not just important because it helps to swallow the food, allowing for less stress on your esophagus, but because saliva contains enzymes that contribute to the chemical process of digestion. Carbohydrate digestion begins with enzymes in your saliva breaking down some of the chemical bonds that connect the simple sugars that comprise starches. Also, the first stage of fat digestion begins in your mouth with the secretion of enzymes by glands located under the tongue.

• Aids in the proper transport of nutrients in your body.
• Helps start the important digestive process which is important to being healthy.
• You are more than likely to not eat as much by eating thoroughly. When you are eating slower, your brain can tell you that you are full, causing you to eat less.
• Helps to prevent the heavy feeling that sometimes follows a meal and it also will help you lose body fat since you are not eating as much.

• Poorly digested food means poor absorption of the vitamins and nutrients that the foods you are eating provide.
• Eating rapidly and swallowing large mouthfuls contributes to the reflux which can damage the lining of the throat and esophagus. About 44% of us experience reflux or heartburn at least once a month, 20% have it every week and 7% suffer from it daily.
• Other side effects include flatulence, indigestion, heartburn, gas, IBS, and other discomforts. Chewing each bit thoroughly allows less air to enter in which decreases gas and burping. With an increasing number of individuals with IBS, constipation, abdominal spasms and bloating, chewing food could possibly prevent a number if these daily discomforts.
• For people who have trouble chewing foods, it may be helpful to cut food into small pieces and to allow extra time to chew food at a comfortable, unhurried pace.
• Another helpful hint would be to put your fork down on your plate after each bite.

One of the benefits of positive thinking is increased awareness. When you practice being aware of your thoughts and feelings over a period of time, it comes to a point that you are naturally aware of you feeling positive or negative.

Whenever you are aware that you are in a negative state of mind you can choose to take up on one of the positive thinking activities from the list below and improve how you feel. These positive thinking activities will help you to keep your positive attitude as long as you choose to focus on what you are doing and obtain the maximum benefit from the activity.

Take some time to feel grateful for what you have. Truly feel thankful for your abundance. You could even compile a list and write it down to remind you every time of the things and people that you do have in your life.

Practice meditation. You don't need to do anything special: simply sit quietly for a few minutes where you won't be disturbed and focus on your breathing.
When you find yourself thinking about anything, bring yourself gently back to your breathing. Stay for as long as you like; the more you stay with it, the more you'll find it pleasant and soothing.

Watch a good funny movie. You could rent it out and make yourself comfortable at home and have a good laugh!

Do some exercise (half an hour of good, focused exercise, is ideal, though ten minutes will already make you feel good). This will clear your lungs and help you breath better, filling you with energy.

Create a personal board for the things that you want to achieve. Browse through magazines and cut out pictures that represent what you want to have: the house, the car, the relationships. Paste them on your board and have it visible to keep a positive attitude.