tag:www.naturalawakenings.com,2005:/categories/healing-ways?page=81Healing Ways Healing Ways | Natural Awakenings Magazine Page 81Healthy Living Healthy Planet2019-08-28T16:14:08-04:00urn:uuid:2401516b-6545-47d5-aff5-a2c3ec790ba22019-08-28T16:14:08-04:002019-08-28T16:14:08-04:00Healthful Herbs: The People’s Medicine2009-04-01 03:00:00 -0400Susan DeSantis<p>Herbs, whether prepared as extracts, infusions, compresses, poultices or tinctures, are ancient remedies garnering new public favor. A recent National Health Interview Survey by University of Iowa researchers indicates that some 38 million U.S. adults had used natural herbs or supplements during the 12-month period researched.</p><p>Relied upon for thousands of years to restore and maintain health, herbs perform several functions that help the body heal itself. They cleanse, strengthen and normalize the glands and bodily functions; provide nutrition; raise energy levels; and stimulate the immune system. High in vitamins and minerals, as well as many plant-derived chemical compounds known as phytochemicals, herbs can be compared with food, because they nourish the body and help it thrive.According to Michael Tierra, a doctor of Oriental medicine, clinical herbalist/acupuncturist, founder of the American Herbalist Guild and author of The Way of Herbs, “Most modern pharmaceuticals are based on chemical constituents that were at one time isolated from the traditionally used herbs. Today, herbs serve as the basis for at least 25 percent of all pharmaceutical drugs.” As just one example, the anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving phytochemicals contained in the leaves of the white willow tree are synthetically produced in the common, over-the-counter remedy, aspirin.</p><p>“Herbs have long been considered the people’s first choice of medicine, and they generally work better in combinations,” says world-renowned herbalist and author, Rosemary Gladstar, co-founder of Sage Mountain Herbal Retreat Center and Botanical Sanctuary, in Vermont. She explains that, unlike allopathic medicine’s release of drugs into the human system as “single silver bullets,” which can create havoc in the body, herbal formulas contain a mixture of herbs, acknowledging that a single herb may have an effect that is too strong or a set of effects is desired that no one herb can provide.</p><p>“This makes sense,” says Gladstar, “since humanity has co-evolved with plants. Plants and people are interrelated, just like our body parts and the symptoms that we experience.” She notes that this means several herbs are usually needed to affect each aspect of a health challenge, although there are exceptions where a single herb is used for a particular condition.</p><p>“To restore health, herbal therapies generally require the consumption of herbs over an extended period of time,” advises Master Herbalist James Occhiogrosso, of Estero, Florida. “In fact, it is important to continue the treatment beyond the point where the symptoms have vanished, to return strength and vitality to the deepest levels.”</p><p>A general rule of thumb, cited by Occhiogrosso, is that herbs need to be taken for a minimum of three months, plus one month for every<img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/625330/Healthful-Herbs-Plant.jpg"> year that the problem has existed. “This is because herbs, which treat the source of the problem, rather than just the symptoms, are more gentle-acting than pharmaceuticals,” he explains.</p><p>Occhiogrosso makes a point to educate his clients about the herbs they choose. “Since herbs are becoming so popular and people are seeing them advertised on television, in magazines and on the Internet,” he notes, “education and understanding are essential.”</p><p>Some herbs conflict with prescriptive medicines, so it is vital that people are aware of the dangers. That’s why consulting a knowledgeable herbalist is a necessity.</p><p>Occhiogrosso highlights, as a common example, the allopathic drug, Coumadin, prescribed as a blood thinner. Some herbs also contain blood-thinning properties and should not be used by individuals taking Coumadin. “Even allopathic practitioners have to educate themselves about herbs,” he advises.</p><p>“Herbs are inexpensive and readily available,” observes Gladstar. “As the people’s medicine, the wisdom inherent in the plants continues to be passed down in the community, from one generation to the next.”</p> <p><br><em>Licensing laws for recommending herbs vary from state to state; for <br>additional information, visit </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.americanherbalistguild.com/"><em>www.AmericanHerbalistGuild.com</em></a></span><em>. For more information on herbs see </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.herbs.org/"><em>www.Herbs.org</em></a></span><em>.<br></em></p> <p><em>To connect with Rosemary Gladstar, visit </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.sagemountain.com/"><em>www.SageMountain.com</em></a></span><em>.</em></p> <p><em>Contact Michael Tierra at </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.planetherbs.com/"><em>www.PlanetHerbs.com</em></a></span><em>. </em></p> <p><em>Call James Occhiogrosso, natural health practitioner, at 239-498-1547.</em></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:f01b992b-f934-4c5f-b4c2-e5e7ab71dc0a2019-08-28T16:14:09-04:002019-08-28T16:14:09-04:00World Tai Chi & Qigong Day: Cultivate Your Vital Life Force Energy2009-04-01 03:00:00 -0400Anonymous<p>
On April 30, 2011, World Tai Chi & Qigong Day exhibitions and teach-ins in hundreds of cities in 65 nations on six continents will unfold, as people gracefully move into and glide through sequences of poses, practicing the age-old Chinese exercises of qigong and Tai chi. Qigong means cultivating one’s vital life force energy (qi) over time. As a practice, it combines movement, self-massage, meditation and breathing. Tai chi is the most well-known and popular moving form of qigong; it is essentially meditation in motion.</p>
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Reported benefits of Tai chi include improved posture, balance and flexibility, muscle strength and definition, energy, stamina and agility, all while reducing stress and promoting a general sense of well-being. Since the American Heart Association reported on Tai chi’s effect of lowering blood pressure in older adults a decade ago, supporting science has been emanating from the Mayo Clinic, National Institutes of Health and American Cancer Society. Extensive medical studies conducted in China underscore qigong’s ability to ease chronic problems such as hypertension, allergies and asthma, and to improve cardiovascular health.</p>
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Roger Jahnke, doctor of Oriental medicine, author of The Healer Within and director and chief instructor of the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai chi, says, “When you cultivate balance and harmony within yourself, or in the world—that is Tai chi. When you work and play with the essence and energy of life, nature and the Universe for healing, clarity and inner peace—that is qigong.”</p>
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<em>For more information visit </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.worldtaichiday.com/"><em>www.WorldTaiChiDay.com</em></a></span><em>.</em></p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:18847e98-05c9-4aa1-a846-e6c6bd5d4e602019-08-28T16:30:27-04:002019-08-28T16:30:27-04:00Emotional Freedom: A Conversation with Dr. Judith Orloff2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Barbara Stahura <div class="ArchetypesField-TextField">
<p><em>Psychiatrist, Intuitive and best-selling author Judith Orloff shares transformative insights.</em> S<em>ynthesizing the pearls of traditional medicine with cutting-edge knowledge of intuition, energy and spirituality to create a new blend of healing wisdom, she believes that the future of medicine depends upon integrating all these elements to achieve emotional freedom and total wellness. Her new book, <strong>Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life</strong>, is due out this month.</em></p>
<p><strong><br>What is emotional freedom?</strong></p>
<p>Emotional freedom is your ability to love by cultivating positive emotions and being able to compassionately witness and transform negative ones, whether they’re yours or another’s. This skill liberates you from fear and lets you navigate adversity without attacking someone, losing your cool or being derailed by negativity. With emotional freedom, you can choose to react constructively, rather than relinquishing command of the situation when your buttons get pushed. If you get mired in the muck of negativity, you can’t lead a liberated, happy life.</p> <p><strong>Why is compassion crucial to emotional freedom?</strong></p>
<p>Unless you have self-compassion, it’s hard to heal difficult emotional states. When a loved one is going through a trying time, being compassionate without judging them is essential. My spiritual teacher says we make progress on the spiritual path by beating ourselves up a little bit less each day. I believe that. It’s about baby steps.</p> <p><strong>Why do individuals respond to situations in such radically different ways?</strong></p>
<p>I’ve defined four emotional types: the intellectual, the empath, the gusher and the rock. These are the filters through which you see the world—the default setting of your personality to which you revert, especially under stress. Each type is determined by inborn temperament, upbringing and perhaps, karma. Because emotional freedom means being able to remain sensitive, but centered, in an overwhelming world, it’s essential to know your emotional type. Without this knowledge, many people dysfunctionally hunker down in their type for decades without examining which aspects do and don’t serve them.</p> <p><strong>How can we stay free from absorbing others’ negative emotions?</strong></p>
<p>Many sensitive people come to me as patients and in workshops, who have been labeled “overly sensitive.” Like me, these people are what I call emotional empaths. Because we are so sensitive, we absorb the energy of others. We sense their fear, anxiety and stress and sometimes take them into our bodies. Then, we get exhausted or feel ill. People on a spiritual path tend to gain more sensitivity as they develop. They need to learn how to stay centered and be compassionate without becoming an emotional sponge.</p>
<p><strong>How can we calmly refrain from retaliating when attacked by a difficult personality?</strong></p>
<p>“Emotional vampires” is my term for many difficult people such as criticizers, victims, narcissists or controllers. I say, let them be our teachers, rather than tormentors. We must ask ourselves: “How do they teach us to communicate with more heart and better <img src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/626863/Emotional-Freedom-Book.jpg" alt="">boundaries? How can we deal differently with feeling irritated, controlled or insulted?”</p>
<p>The old way is to get nasty or withdraw. The new way is to not simply react when your buttons get pushed—a behavior that perpetuates war. Practice what I call the namaste effect, which is; “I respect the spirit within you, even if I don’t like what you’re doing.”</p>
<p>Your victories over emotional vampires are not small—they’re huge. With every success, you are creating more hope for the world. From an intuitive standpoint, we are all interconnected; my emotional freedom affects your emotional freedom and everyone in the world.</p> <p><strong>Can emotions serve as a path to spiritual awakenings?</strong></p>
<p>It’s necessary to understand these four basic components of emotion; their biology, spirituality, energy and psychology. My book teaches the tools you need to proactively shift your biochemistry, as well as your energy, and to see the spiritual and psychological meaning of what you’re going through.<br> I see difficult emotions as a laboratory for spiritual growth, whereas traditional psychiatry often views them more as tormentors; something to get rid of. I believe that emotions come to us—even wrenching ones—to spiritually awaken us.</p>
<p>Each emotion is a prompt for you to get more in touch with your heart and expand your light. This perspective changes how you deal with all emotional challenges.</p> <p><strong>What does it take to overcome fear in times of terrorism, economic turmoil and natural disasters?</strong></p>
<p>Part of emotional freedom is making a vow not to lead a fear-driven life. That must be a deep desire in your heart. Then, do everything possible to overcome fear and worry with faith in goodness, trying to stay in the moment, rather than catastrophizing the future. Courage or fear is a choice. It’s not something that just happens to you.</p> <p><strong>You say emotional freedom offers us opportunities to be heroes in our own lives. Would you elaborate?</strong></p>
<p>You become a hero in your own life as you learn to use emotions as a chance to become stronger, brighter and more. This is critical on a personal level, because it frees you from suffering. But, it’s just as important on a collective level, because if we don’t face the fear and anger in ourselves, then we risk projecting it onto a global sphere. This creates war and massive suffering to our human family. We must find inner peace before we can have outer peace. That’s why I consider emotional freedom an inner peace movement.</p> <p><em><br>Judith Orloff, MD, is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at University of California, Los Angeles. To purchase her book and for information on a free video class on emotional freedom and intuition, visit </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.drjudithorloff.com/"><em>www.DrJudithOrloff.com</em></a></span></p> <p><em>Barbara Stahura is a freelance writer in Tucson, AZ, and has interviewed many major transformative individuals of our time. She may be reached at <br></em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.barbarastahura.com/"><em>www.BarbaraStahura.com</em></a></span><em>.</em></p>
</div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:2d7bd4ed-063c-4c2a-bff2-ffa709896edc2019-08-28T16:30:30-04:002019-08-28T16:30:30-04:00Grins Help Us Reach Goals: Good Moods are Key to Attainment2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Anonymous<p>The face of a happy, smiling kid on the refrigerator door might do more than make us feel good; it might help us make better food choices, say researchers, who discovered that positive moods increase our ability to understand the big picture. Being in a good mood both helps us think at a more abstract level and allows us to step back emotionally. When we can do that, we can see the larger picture.</p><p>A positive mood, the researchers explain, encourages broader, more flexible thinking and increases our openness to information, which in turn allows us to adopt a higher order of future goals and work harder toward attaining them. It all enhances future well-being, providing more reasons to surround ourselves with positive things.</p><p><br>Source: University of Chicago Press Journals, 2008.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:b0f84e72-1dea-4fd3-8fa1-fb2de32f23b72019-08-28T16:30:33-04:002019-08-28T16:30:33-04:00Grapes Protect the Heart: Eat this Fruit to Reduce Your Risk2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Anonymous<p>Could eating grapes fight high blood pressure and possibly reduce other factors linked to heart disease? A new University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study suggests just that, revealing tantalizing clues to the heart-healthy power of grapes.</p><p>The study fed laboratory rats a powder of regular table grapes (a blend of green, red and black grapes, containing the skin, flesh and seeds), mixed into a diet that was either low or high in salt. The control group received no grapes. After 18 weeks, the rats receiving the grape-enriched meals had lower blood pressure, better heart function, reduced inflammation throughout their bodies and fewer signs of heart muscle damage. The grapes’ heart-protective effects are thought to be due to their high level of phytochemicals, naturally occurring antioxidants contained in whole grapes.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:fdf626fa-5a60-4eac-9b09-24ffdedcc98a2019-08-28T16:30:33-04:002019-08-28T16:30:33-04:00Grab ZZZs to Fight Cancer: Exercise and Rest are a Winning Combo2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Anonymous<p>A study presented at the latest American Association for Cancer Research’s International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention suggests that regular physical activity can lower a woman’s overall risk of cancer—but only if she gets a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep, the research reported, undermines the cancer prevention benefit of exercise.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:d9fcd39d-1111-40a2-89fb-83ef1cf26af92019-08-28T16:30:35-04:002019-08-28T16:30:35-04:00Hypnotherapy: Subconscious Beliefs Rule2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Brigit Ingram<p>The 1984 Olympic Games made Mary Lou Retton’s name a household word, as the first American woman to ever win a gold medal in gymnastics. Afterwards, the diminutive champion surprised many <em>Time</em> readers by sharing one of her secrets in a magazine interview. During the nights leading up to her win, she lay in bed, mentally rehearsing her routine hundreds of times, visualizing a perfect performance down to every minute detail. In effect, she was practicing self-hypnosis.</p><p>The gold medalist believed in the process of mental conditioning and affirmation. “Since the mind doesn’t know the difference between fantasy and reality, Retton’s self-hypnosis helped her to do more effectively what she was already good at,” says Master Hypnotist George Bien, a nationally recognized professional hypnotherapist, with a doctorate in educational psychology and communications. “Often the best candidates for hypnosis are highly motivated and intelligent people like Retton, because of their ability to focus and concentrate.”</p><p>Since the introduction of hypnosis in the 18th century, outdated images of a hypnotic trance-like state, induced by swinging watches and spiraling devices, have been replaced with the concept of concentrated focus and visualization techniques. The belief that the unconscious mind was creative and solution-generating led Milton H. Erickson (1901-1980), an American psychiatrist and author, to elevate the use of hypnosis in his practice; he became known as the father of modern hypnotherapy.</p><p>By 1958, the American Medical Association approved and endorsed the use of hypnosis in tandem with medicine, with the American Psychological Association following suit in 1960. Since 1995, the National Institutes of Health have recommended hypnotherapy as a treatment for chronic pain. Many dentists also use it to reduce the fear and anxiety that accompany uncomfortable procedures.Today, this natural state of heightened awareness, in which an individual easily relaxes, accepts suggestions and listens to the profound guidance of their own inner wisdom, is used as a powerful tool by practitioners of healing arts.</p><p>Vivian Smith, owner of the Agape Healing Center in Bonita Springs, is one of them. After 19 years as a board-certified master hypnotherapist, Smith has noticed an attitude shift in her clients.</p><p>“In recent years, they are less skeptical,” she says. “Many of my clients have already tried traditional methods for dealing with health challenges, such as managing stress and anxiety or eliminating habits like smoking and overeating. Most have read about the benefits of hypnotherapy and consider it as a serious alternative.”</p><p>Bill McLaughlin, a certified clinical hypnotherapist, agrees, noting that he has successfully used hypnotherapy with clients committed to smoking cessation. Recently, local public television affiliate WGCU-TV taped a live session in his Naples office for their program, Connect: a Study of Alternative Health.</p><p>“The client, previously addicted to smoking, had not smoked for three weeks after his first session,” comments McLaughlin. “I also work successfully with clients who suffer from obesity, poor self-esteem and low self-confidence in the areas of dating and other social settings.” </p><p>“The longest journey we take is inward,” advises Lynn Thomas, a registered nurse, nationally certified hypnotherapist and energy healing practitioner in Naples. “In adulthood, the mind’s ability to create detours and obstacles along life’s journey is so powerful that many of my clients use hypnosis to rid themselves of old childhood beliefs that impede their happiness and success.” She concludes, “Regardless of what we think, rationalize and will ourselves to do with the conscious mind, it is what we believe subconsciously that determines the course of our lives.”</p><p class="pullquote">Practitioners explain that hypnotherapy can help an individual access their belief system anchored in the subconscious, a storehouse of memories, habitual self-talk and negative messages. Then, guided by professional counsel, the person is able to create new behavior patterns that help them reach their fullest potential.</p><p>Hypnosis cannot negate a person’s principles or moral convictions, the experts assure us, nor does it put an individual to sleep. Rather, it creates a deep state of relaxation, allowing the subconscious mind to accomplish permanent change.</p><p>“Willpower is only good for the short term,” Thomas observes. “Old habit programming always wins out, unless it is replaced with a new suggestion to the subconscious.”</p><p>Accessing the power of this subconscious core can certainly create positive outcomes. Just ask a certain 1984 gold medalist.</p><p><br><em>For more information or to find a local hypnotherapist, visit the National Guild of Hypnotists, Inc. at </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.ngh.net/"><em>www.ngh.net</em></a></span><em>.</em></p> <p><em>Connect with George Bien at </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.georgebien.com/"><em>www.GeorgeBien.com</em></a></span><em>.</em></p> <p><em>Contact Vivian Smith of the Agape Healing Center, at 239-947-4802.</em></p> <p><em>Contact Bill McLaughlin at 239-287-3458 or visit Naples Hypnosis at </em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.napleshypnosis.com/"><em>www.NaplesHypnosis.com</em></a></span><em>.</em></p> <p><em>Contact Lynn D. Thomas, a registered nurse, at 239-597-1328 or email <br></em><span class="link-mailto"><a href="mailto:lthomascha@earthlink.net"><em>lthomascha@earthlink.net</em></a></span><em>. Visit Concerned Health Alternatives at <br></em><span class="link-external"><a href="http://www.hypnosisbasics.com/"><em>www.HypnosisBasics.com</em></a></span><em>.</em></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:d187b3d8-ed36-4ca7-89b4-ea805c9813f62019-08-28T16:30:35-04:002019-08-28T16:30:36-04:00Innate Fountain of Youth: A Healthy and Active Lifestyle Holds the Key2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Anonymous<div class="ArchetypesField-TextField">
<p>A clean, active life that includes regular exercise and a diet of the right foods may, indeed, hold the key to a virtual fountain of youth, reports Professor Dean Ornish and his team from the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in California. The key to “young living,” they say, appears to be an enzyme called telomerase, which is produced in a healthy body and believed to help repair and protect DNA.</p>
<p>The small study recruited 30 men, asking them to take participate in a three-month trial of comprehensive lifestyle changes. Program requirements included a diet high in fruit and vegetables, vitamin supplements, an exercise regimen and classes in stress management, relaxation techniques and breathing exercises.</p>
<p>Men who had sufficient data for analysis showed an increase of 29 percent of telomerase in their blood and a decrease of LDL (bad) cholesterol; they also reported fewer intrusive thoughts causing stress. More studies are needed.</p> <p><br>Source: BBC News, 2008.</p>
</div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:b3713ddd-49bc-4759-8102-59b96afc9c742019-08-28T16:30:38-04:002019-08-28T16:30:38-04:00Lingering Stress Worsens Allergies: New Research Explains "Delayed" Symptoms2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Anonymous<p>Ohio State University Medical Center researchers have discovered that stress and anxiety can linger and have a major impact on a person’s allergies, making allergic reactions worse the next day. It’s an important finding, because medications containing allergy-blocking antihistamines don’t deal with such “delayed” symptoms caused by weakened immunity. More, the study revealed that stressed patients often are unresponsive to treatments such as antihistamines.</p><p>Allergic reactions are the fifth most common chronic disease in America; medical costs to treat them can reach $3.4 billion a year. Researchers hope that the results of the new study will alert practitioners and patients to the adverse effects of stress, which may seemingly resolve within minutes or hours after an attack, only to unexpectedly reappear the next day. Learning to manage psychological stress should have a positive effect on the immune system and help keep allergies under control.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:798a50c9-60aa-4087-a231-fc7126ae705c2019-08-28T16:30:40-04:002019-08-28T16:30:40-04:00Brain Insurance: Vitamin B12 May Protect the Mind2009-03-01 03:00:00 -0500Anonymous<p>Vitamin B12, a nutrient found in meat, fish and milk, may protect against loss of brain volume in older people, according to a recent study published in the journal, Neurology.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>