October 13th, 2009
There are basic underlying needs in our health. Without these, our health and well-being suffers. In fact, unless these underlying needs are adequately met, it will be an uphill battle to get well and stay well.
What I consider the top three basic needs are:
1.) Breathing
2.) Sleep
3.) Clean and adequate water
These seem so simple, and at first glance, most of us would say those are taken care of in our lives, but I ask everyone to look a bit closer.
Breathing. Do we take deep breaths? Do we have clean air? Think about how you are breathing now. How deeply does it go? Does your chest expand? Do you breath shallowly? Even in your sleep? When we are tense, our breathing becomes tense as well. When you say you can hear stress in someone’s voice, it often stems from their lack of deeper breathing. Breathing is an important aspect of staying grounded and calm when stress begins to creep up.
We can train ourselves to optimize the benefits of breathing. We do it with athletic training, yoga and meditation. It is often used in acupuncture.
Here is an exercise that is easy and quick and can have some deep long term benefits along with short-term ones. Find a quiet place. Sit with your back straight and both feet on the floor if you are in a chair. Close your eyes. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose. Feel your chest expand. Hold the breath for a count of 2 or 3 and then slowly exhale through your mouth. Do this three times in a row. You can feel the stress melt away. Try to do this 3 times daily. As you make this more of a routine, the benefits of the stress release last longer.
Put a little reminder on your desk at work. Put a reminder on the computer or TV at home. Put a reminder next to your bed. This is an easy, inexpensive and low time impact exercise. Give it a try.
Remember that Inspiration means to ‘breath in’. Let’s all be inspired.
October 6th, 2009
The journal Pediatrics just published new statistics on autism disorder prevalence in the US. The studies show that 1 out of every 91 children have autism or a disorder on the autism spectrum. This includes kids diagnosed with autism, Asperger’s syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder. And 1 in every 58 boys is struggling with this. This is a huge change of the CDC’s previous estimates in 2007 of 1 in 150. They are changing their numbers next month to 1 in 100 kids in the US, which translates to greater than 770,000 kids.
This news confirms what people in the autism world have long known – that more families are affected by this than the previous statistics show. I am not convinced that in 2 years, there is such a huge rise in the number of kids affected (although the instances have been rising over the past few decades), but the awareness, education and willingness to see these situations has improved.
Hopefully this news will encourage more research in the causes and treatments of these disorders and more support for the families who are working 24/7 to try to improve the lives of these kids and set them on as healthy a course in adulthood as they can. Considering these numbers, approximately 1.5 million adults are living with these disorders. Some are able to find a niche that works for them and are doing well.
It is estimated that lifelong care will cost 2/3 less if there is early intervention not to mention the improvement in quality of life and independence and success in life. The awareness and education that allowed for these apparently darker statistics has the stronger benefit of making positive changes.
Some successful early intervention strategies include, but are not limited to:
- Naturopathic Therapies such as therapeutic nutrition, supplements to replenish chronically depleted nutrients found in autistic children, herbs, homeopathy, diet changes, (DAN), allergy testing, toxin testing, digestive support.
- Neurological and psychiatric medications and assistance
- Specific educational programs- some including sign language
- Physical Therapy including cranio-sacral therapy among others
What is the take away from this news? Increased awareness can help bring more funding and energy to research, support services and early intervention.
October 4th, 2009
Stress. We hear the word every day. We see it on the faces of friends, family and strangers. We often feel it in the air. Stress can be a powerful friend; but is a powerful foe if out of balance. When we are “out of control”, the stress is controlling us … calling the shots. We are just trying to keep up and put out the fires. This can manifest either emotionally or physically, and it makes it difficult to even think spiritually. So, it is time to see how it can work for you and against you.
Stress is a physiological/endocrine response that allows you to save yourself in times of perceived danger (stressor). The ‘fight or flight’ response. It is supposed to last only a few moments and then the body gets back into regular balance once the stressor is gone. If you feel or have constant stressors (things that stress you out like finances, health, family, domestic violence, substance abuse, reminders of uncontrollable threats) then this system response does not shut off, and begins to create problems or dis-ease on a mind, body and spiritual level.
In the meantime, one thing I have observed is when a person feels more “in control”, their stress responses can change for the better even in the same situations. Those who have the tools to change their lives, even in small ways, can decrease the negative responses to stress. In addition, people who feel useful and affect positive change in others also decrease the negative impact stress has on their own lives. Fix something in the house you have been meaning to fix. Write a nice card to someone. Volunteer. Read a book you have wanted to read. Change your furniture around. You may be surprised how simple acts like these can have a positive effect on you.
Stress is such a big topic, that I will cover different aspects over the next few weeks in this blog which will cover symptoms, age responses, and some ideas to modify that stress.
October 2nd, 2009
Yep, most people know about colonoscopies, and the importance of getting them. And yep, I know that it is not on anyone’s ‘fun things to do’ list as well. When you put those two thoughts together, the result is that only 25% of people who should be getting colonoscopies are actually getting the procedure. Colon cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer deaths for men and women in the US. Once colon cancer is detected, 2/3 of the time it has already spread. Treatment is tough and very limited, but early detection is straight forward and 94% accurate. Over 95% of colon cancers start with a polyp. It takes usually up to 10 years for an abnormal cell/polyp to turn into cancer.
A colonoscopy can detect and remove that polyp before it becomes cancer. You only need one every 10 years if your colon has no problems seen. If a polyp was removed, you usually still only need one every 5 years. Start at age 50. Start earlier if there is a family history, or symptom picture, or sometimes a ‘gut feeling’. If you have concerns or problems with a regular colonscopy, consider a ‘virtual colonoscopy’ which is getting 90% accuracy rates. Some insurance companies are covering this procedure as well. Here’s to a long life with a healthy colon.
September 29th, 2009
Research has shown over the past number of years that people with high blood pressure who are deficient in Vitamin D were able to lower their blood pressure with Vitamin D supplementation. Vitamin D is actually a hormone that affects over targets over 2000 genes (10% of the human genome). One of those effects is on the the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system that is a regulator of your blood pressure. Considering that according to the CDC, more than 32% of Americans over the age of 20 have elevated blood pressure. And also considering that research in the Archives of Internal Medicine show that more than half of Americans have below the minimum blood Vitamin D levels , it would make sense that anyone with high blood pressure get a Vitamin D test. If it is low, treat appropriately. And among people of color, the percentage of those deficient in Vitamin D is much higher because the darker the pigment in the skin, the less efficient the body is at making Vitamin D.
Bottom line: Regardless of who you are, if you are hypertensive, get your Vitamin D levels checked. Treatment is easy and inexpensive and can help with numerous other aspects of your health!
