Bruce Lipton is one of my favorite authors, and his work in the field of epigenitics (the science that shows we control our genes, our genes do not control us) is ground-breaking and mind-bending, showing just what powerful, masterful creators we really are when it comes to our wellness.
Enjoy this interview with him from Conscious.tv and if you would like to buy his book, you may order that by following this link to the Be Well With Michelle aStore
This is a reprint from BBC News. The original may be found at
I say this without any hint of sarcasm, honest, but I really love it when science catches up with three-thousand year old Chinese medicine. That can be a great motivator to people who want to try a holistic health modality but aren't sure if it works.
I have here a pamphlet sent out as an invitation to subscribe to "Prevention," a magazine dedicated to health and wellness.
One of the articles is titled "The 60-Second Bone Builder." The article does not mention Chinese medicine, but the advice given in how to build bone density is the very essence of one of the movement positions in Eight Pieces of Brocade Qigong, a practice proven to increase bone density!
The article Says, "…..high impact exercises put strain on your bones, stimulating new bone growth." A little further down it says, "You need to subject your bones to more impact than what they're used to," agrees an MD at Stanford University. So if you're inactive, start walking. And if you're already walking, add a simple 60-second jog."
The reason for jogging is that bones, because they are so dense, need the additional impact as resistance. Just as you build muscles with resistance training by lifting weights, you build bone density with resistance of high-impact exercises.
In the Eight Pieces of Brocade Qigong, there is a position that includes exactly this type of high-impact training. (See the end of the article for results of a study of qigong on bone density.)
The practice is this: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, letting your arms hang loosely and naturally at your sides. Rise up on your toes for a count of three and then drop so that your heels hit the ground with a thud. Do this for one minute. When done, stand still and breathe deeply for about a minute.
There you have it: a high-impact, bone-building practice that is so simple you can do it any time and any where.
We all know how feeling happy is one creative way to wellness, and that feelings of gratitude are very powerful creators of wellness as well as happiness. It seems that some scientists have confirmed it: Gratitude increases happiness
This is an article that was run in Bottom Line Secrets Newsletter of November 19, 2009
Science Discovers the Secret to Happiness
By Robert A. Emmons, PhD
University of California, Davis
Surprise: Research suggests that becoming more grateful could make each of us 25% happier -- and that being happy is the key to a longer, more successful life.
Our lives do not just seem better when we are happy -- they actually become better, according to a 2005 analysis of hundreds of psychological studies. Happy people tend to have longer, more loving marriages... are healthier... live an average of seven to nine years longer than chronically unhappy people... and have more successful careers. According to one study, happy college graduates had annual salaries $25,000 higher than unhappy graduates 16 years after graduation.
While an endless procession of self-help gurus have claimed to know the path to happiness, psychological studies generally have failed to confirm that proposed happiness strategies actually work.
One notable exception: Research conducted in the past decade appears to indicate that we can become happier by feeling more gratitude.
Bottom Line/Retirement asked psychology professor Robert A. Emmons, PhD, of the University of California, Davis, for more information...
What is "gratitude" to a psychologist?
In simple terms, gratitude is our affirmation of a benefit that we have received and our recognition that this benefit has come to us from outside of ourselves.
You say that becoming more grateful will make us happier. How do we know that it isn’t the other way around -- happiness creates gratitude?
Our research suggests that increases in happiness do not lead to increases in gratitude, but that increases in gratitude do in fact increase happiness. We designed a study to test this. Participants were divided into two groups, each of which were initially equally happy. Members of one of these groups were asked to write in a journal the things that they were grateful for, which made them more conscious of and grateful for the good fortune that came their way. At the end of the study, the journal-keeping group was 25% happier than members of the group that did not keep gratitude journals.
Why does feeling gratitude make us happier?
Primarily, I believe, it is because gratitude increases our sense of connection to other people. Having strong relationships is the single best predictor of happiness, and our relationships become stronger when we acknowledge the support we receive from those around us. Acknowledging the support we receive from others provides us with confirmation that we have value in other people’s eyes. Gratitude also buffers us from envy, resentment and regret, emotions that inhibit happiness.
Why do people often have trouble being grateful for what they have?
Lots of reasons. Most of us are fortunate to have pretty good lives, so our default reaction might be to take the benefits that come our way for granted. Consumerism and other cultural pressures can foster a sense that we deserve even more than we have. Our desire to see ourselves as self-sufficient makes it difficult to admit that someone else has helped us. And admitting gratitude can create uncomfortable feelings of indebtedness.
Can we consciously choose to become more grateful and thus happier?
Yes, I do believe it is a choice. Chronically unhappy people do not greatly differ from happy people in terms of their life circumstances -- they just approach life with a different set of attitudes. Unhappy people tend to see themselves as victims of their past, and feel entitled or exaggeratedly deserving when good fortune comes their way. Happy people are thankful that good things happen to them -- even though their lives might be no better than those of the unhappy people next door. We cannot always alter the events of our lives, but we can alter our attitudes.
What, specifically, can we do to become more grateful?
Make an effort to speak about your life using words of gratitude even if you do not feel very grateful. Though it seems counterintuitive, we can become more grateful by forcing ourselves to feign gratefulness that we do not initially feel. Speak in terms of gifts and givers, not regrets and setbacks. Refer to yourself as blessed or fortunate, not deserving or lacking. Say that you live in abundance, not in need. For example, say "I feel so grateful when I can sleep through the night," rather than "Most nights I wake up every few hours."
Keeping a gratitude journal also seems to encourage gratefulness. Every day or every week, write down five or more things for which you are grateful. Be specific -- "I’m grateful for my spouse" is little more than a cliché, but "I’m grateful that my spouse picked up my dry cleaning this afternoon" reminds us that we are grateful to our partner today for a particular reason. Try not to repeat entries -- gratitude journals are most effective when we think of new items each day.
Incidentally, if you are struggling to get to sleep at night, don’t count sheep, count your blessings. Grateful people sleep better and longer than ungrateful people, and wake feeling more refreshed.
What is the secret to being grateful in the face of struggle or tragedy?
The secret is not to wait until tragedy strikes. Become more grateful while your life is running smoothly, so that gratitude becomes an ingrained part of your "psychological immune system." That will make it easier to view difficulties as temporary and surmountable setbacks, or even as opportunities in disguise.
A grateful person mourns the passing of a close friend, but he/she also feels lucky to have known the friend as long as he did, and is glad that he has so many other friends remaining.
Many prayers are expressions of gratitude. So, do religious people have an advantage when it comes to actually feeling gratitude and being happy?
Yes, to some degree. One of the foundations of virtually every religion is that people should give thanks to God and to each other. Religious texts and religious teachings typically provide models of how to be grateful, such as prayers of gratitude and rituals of giving thanks. Spirituality appears to be particularly helpful for maintaining a grateful outlook in the face of suffering and adversity.
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Robert A. Emmons, PhD, professor of psychology, University of California, Davis. A leading scholar of positive psychology, he is author of Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Houghton Mifflin).
That's the end of the article.
So, if you want to be happy which leads to wellness, one of the things you can do is start a gratitude journal and before you go to sleep at night, record two or three things for which you are grateful. You will sleep better, feel better, and feed that happiness that creates wellness!
Have a Great (and Grateful!) Week.
Michelle
Providing a source of inspiration and wellness through the unity of Mind, Body & Breath.
This article about Tonglen was originally published on one of my blogs back in January 2007, but I have known of and have successfully used the practice since 2005.
Tonglen is an ancient healing practice that is getting some much-deserved publicity these days and deserves another “day in the sun” here. Though I wrote this over a three and a half years ago, and originally sent it to an email group I once belonged to, I do continue to use the practice when in need of self-healing. I hope you find it useful!
Tonglen (sometimes spelled "tonglin" for folks who would like to do some research of their own) is apparently a practice that comes to us from Tibet.
It is practiced entirely through breathing. As the fellow in the book (cited below) says, "If you can breathe in and out, you can practice tonglin."
As you inhale, you think of people you want to help who are suffering. You can visualize those people if you know them, or think of their names and locations if you do not. You may work on specific problems, or do general work.
As you think of them, you inhale and bring into yourself their pain and suffering. Do not worry that you will somehow be contaminated by their problems; you will transform and exhale the problems almost immediately.
You exhale, and send with the outgoing breath healing, relief, or compassion. (Compassion is one of the most powerful emotions in the universe.) When you exhale, imagine and see your breath as flowing expansively outward, reaching all the people whom you are trying to help.
It's not a forceful practice (you don't "suck in" as much air as you can and then force it across the room as you exhale), but it is deliberate; you should pay attention to each inhale and exhale, and breathe with the intention and purpose of accepting suffering of, and sending healing to, others.
And here is a very interesting point about this practice if you are doing it for yourself. If you can breathe in the suffering and pain of other people who are experiencing the same thing as you, you are sharing the burden of your suffering and thereby reducing it ("a burden shared is a burden lessened" as they say). As you breathe out healing, you heal not only others with the same affliction, but yourself.
I believe the key here is to set aside the "I" and merge with the "us." It is not recommended that you work on just yourself; you should include others who are experiencing the same thing you are. You need not do this on an individual or personal basis (you may not know the name or location of a person with the same problem), but there are 6 billion people in the world today: whatever you are experiencing, you are certainly not alone.
To work on yourself, when you inhale, say or think or intend something like "I breathe in the suffering of all of us who have a pain in their left arm" (or whatever your problem is.) Your problem need not be physical, this practice may be used to relieve anger, sadness, grief, or other emotions.). Exhale and say/think/intend "I offer (or send) healing to all of us."
If, at the end of your practice for the day or session, you should feel that you are still connected to someone else's suffering or problems, disconnect by saying "I am done now," or simply "Good-bye!" Repeat if necessary. (Sometimes, if we are working on an emotional problem that triggers us, it will bring up troubling things which we must dismiss for the time being. You could always work on it again during another healing session if needed.)
FYI, I learned about this in a book by Andrew Weiss titled Beginning Mindfulness, New World Library, Novato CA, 2004, ISBN 1577314417. The book presents a ten-week mindfulness course, and the practice for the tenth week is tonglen. There is a Buddhist slant to the material, but the author incorporates other practices as well.
A couple of anecdotal stories:
I used the tonglen method four days ago (Thur, Apr 14, 2005) on my arm; I have carpal tunnel, and have had pain of one kind or another in my hands every day for the past three years. (I am having massage therapy for the condition. That helps quite a bit, but sometimes I move the wrong way, or grasp something the wrong way, and it aggravates the condition.) The other day, my left arm, from the heel of the hand to the shoulder, was just about killing me. I did this tonglen practice for ten to fifteen minutes, and my left hand has been completely pain free ever since....and I do mean completely pain free which is nothing short of a miracle! It may start bothering me again, but the last four days have been heaven as far as my left hand is concerned! :-)
As an update (Sunday, May 22, 2005) I'd like to add here that I have been having some carpal tunnel problems lately (mostly because the keyboard is at the wrong height again...will have to fix that!), but a few minutes doing Tonglen relieves the pain admirably.
Further update (Monday, June 13, 2005): in the past couple of weeks I've also used this method to relieve an annoying tooth problem. I walk every evening for 10 to 15 minutes, and I practice this healing method while I walk, breathing in pain and breathing out healing. It's an incredibly wonderful practice.
Here is some of the feedback I received on this post:
Massage therapy helped my carpel tunnel without surgery too. Due to neck & back problems from a fall from a tree when I was a child, I had been going to the chiropractor 2-3 times a week, then got it down to once a week or less....then realized my Buddhist practice, which includes some tonglen, relieved me of having to go to the chiropractor. I had learned of tonglen practice from reading Pema Chodron. She also has a CD which explains tonglen.
I like your version/explanation of tonglen best..... :-)......much more simplified than Pema Chodron's. However, if someone wants to read/study Pema Chodron's, I recommend her CD which, for me, was easier to understand than her book. Her book is "Start Where You Are". The CD, book & daily inspiration cards are in a set titled "The Compassion Box.”
~SB~
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I just wanted to Thank You for this Tonglen Healing. This morning coming in from watering, I slipped on the tile and twisted a muscle in my shoulder blade. I thought, good excuse to go and do the Tonglen Technique. I did, I sat and did the breathing and letting it heal through. I like that you add others into the technique as well. It made me feel real good… The muscle now barley has any little twinge left in it at all. I am just taking it easy and continue to do the breathing. Thanks again and I will definitely add this easy technique to my list of uses!
~J~
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I tried Tonglen once, on my stomach ache, and it really did work!
Thanks for sharing with us that wonderful technique. :)
~ASP~
Have a great week!
I have a wonderful teaching for you today about Nature. The direction this came from is somewhat unusual, but that’s the thing about Wisdom; you just never know what direction it’s going to come from, so always keep your eyes and ears open!
I am doing some editing for a friend of mine who I’ll call Richard since that’s his name. Richard is a retired Doctor of Chiropractic who now devotes his time to his Golden Bridge Seminars where he shares the wisdom Abraham as channeled by Esther Hicks who writes books and travels with her husband Jerry.
One of the main teachings of Abraham is to “go with the flow,” or “go downstream.” To get what you want out of life, to be where you want to be and in the circumstances and relationships and prosperity and places that are right for you, you do not need to struggle. Struggling is considered to be going upstream. You paddle and paddle and struggle and struggle, and where does it really get you? Nowhere.
Now, the reason I mention Richard today is that I am editing a manuscript for him. There is a miracle described in there, and you are going to have to read the book to learn what that is, but meanwhile….
While working on his manuscript, I came across a simple sentence that leapt off the page and just sort of hit me right between the eyes. I don’t know if this philosophy came to Richard before or after his interest in the Abraham-Hicks teachings manifested, but if it were before, I certainly can understand his attraction to the Abraham teachings and the Law of Attraction.
Richard’s philosophy is simple, and – as these things often are – simply profound: “Nature needs no help, just no interference.”
Just think about that for a moment and how it could relate to your health. Your wellness is in the hands of your immune system. Think about the ways you may be interfering with Nature and compromising your immune system by being exposed to household chemicals, eating an unhealthy diet, and living a stressed-out lifestyle. Certainly, none of those are in alignment or harmony with Nature or her “go with the flow, go downstream” advice.
As a Doctor of Chiropractic, Richard’s main interest was wellness, and his philosophy is a perfect reflection of his belief, and certainly aligns with the Abraham teachings as well!
If you are floating downstream, you are not “helping” Nature by paddling, and likewise, if you are floating you are not interfering with or hampering your harmony with Nature. Floating means letting Nature take its course
In the area of wellness, what this means is that when your body’s immune system, which is Nature’s way of keeping you healthy, is operating at peak efficiency, it can handle any disease to which you are exposed, either externally such as the flu or strep throat, or internally such as cancer or even arthritis. It is only when Nature – meaning your immune system – is compromised that you fall prey to disease.
If you want real wellness, there are two things you should do. First: Expect miracles, for that is how you create them. Second: Don’t get in Mother Nature’s way when she’s working to restore your health! Support your immune system by getting enough sleep, eating healthy, organic foods, and minimizing the stress that suppresses proper immune system function.
Seriously, I am going to post this statement where I can see it and be reminded of its wisdom every day, and I hope you do, too!
Remember: “Nature needs no help, just no interference.”
Thank you, Richard, for that!
Have a great week!
Today’s tip is an excerpt about the healing power of love.
This is a quote from pages 285 – 287 of the book Spontaneous Evolution by Bruce Lipton, PhD. In this segment, he’s talking about a man who is a medical doctor turned energy healer after receiving the message "Your work is to heal with love" during meditation.
That doctor’s name is Leonard Laskow, and his website where you may learn more about him and his book Healing With Love, as well as read articles, interviews and research papers is http://www.laskow.net/index.shtml
Lipton’s book describes some scientific experiments that Dr Laskow did with cancer cells in Petri dishes and the healing power of love, and that is what I’ll share with you here today.
"Laskow held three culture dishes that contained tumor cells in his hand while maintaining a state of focused healing consciousness. As an experimental control, a non-healer in another room held in his hands three other Petri dishes, inoculated with the same tumor cells. The non-healer was assigned a reading task while holding the cultures so that he would be distracted from influencing the cultured cells with his own intentions.
"Laskow experimented with several different emotional intentions while holding the cells, all of which sought to activate the natural force of coherence in the Universe. The most effective intention, the one that caused the cancer cells to diminish their growth by 39 percent, was "Return to the natural order and harmony of the normal cell line." When Laskow added visual imagery to the intention, the healing effects doubled.
"So, what's love got to do with it? As Laskow reports in his book Healing With Love, his intention was not to destroy the cancer cells but to allow them to exist as part of universal creation. Love, he explained, is the "impulse toward unity, non-separation, wholeness. While love can take many forms, its essence is relatedness." Laskow believes that the opposite of love is not hate but separation. While there are many different modes for accessing and using healing energy, Laskow's protocol involves connecting with the condition instead of separating from it."
"When we experience an illness or a life condition that we would prefer not to have, our first impulse is to cast it out. We tend to think of illness as a foreign invader that attacks us rather than something we co-create. However, when we truly own our participation in the condition, even if we don't understand the reason, we become responsible participants in directing our fate.
"With the awareness that our mind shapes our biology, we can recognize that we have the opportunity to change our minds and, thus, create a healthier biology. Given what we now know about the intelligence and functionality of our cells, maybe we can begin by humbly apologizing to our inner citizens and thank them for putting up with us! When we take the step of consciously loving our cells, we affirm that we are co-creating participants, not victims of life.
"An illness or disharmonious condition occurs when something is misformed or deformed. Healing, therefore, involves transformation to change the dysfunctional form. Here is Laskow's simple four-step transformational healing process:
"Step One: Inform yourself about what has already materialized in form. Telling the truth is the first step toward responsibility.
"Step Two: Conform to the condition by loving it rather than creating separation. Resonating with the form allows us more influence over its organization.
"Step Three: Unform the condition by releasing it. "It is this observer's intent," said Laskow, "that converts particulate matter to its wave form and its wave form back into matter."
"Step Four: Reform the released energy to conform to our purpose and desire. This is the letting go part where we send our intention into he Universe without attachment.
"Even when releasing the diseased condition, there is connection and not separation. Laskow wrote: "When you accept and love the parts of yourself you want to reject or change, you create an opportunity to discover the positive live force behind them." That old Biblical word atonement can be reinterpreted as at-one-ment through which we make ourselves at one with whatever condition we would have otherwise rejected.
"In the quantum Universe where everything is connected, love is the glue that holds things together. Said Laskow, "Love is a universal pattern of resonant energy." In this sense, two or more tuning forks vibrating together are in love with each other, just as two or more humans can resonate in a palpable field of connectedness, joy, and even ecstasy. Love, he said, "is the universal harmonic.”
End quote.
We all have the capacity to do this. I hope that along with whatever healing modalities you use, you will include the healing power of love to bring you back into harmony, happiness, and health!
Have a great week!
Today’s tip is about a practice called Emotional Freedom Technique or EFT.
Although I have not used this myself, I was told about it by two psychologists who think very highly of the practice.
EFT was created by Gary Craig. In his manual, he explains it like this: “EFT is based on the discovery that imbalances in the body’s energy system have profound effects on one’s personal psychology. Correcting these imbalances, which is done by tapping on certain body locations, often leads to rapid remedies.”
There are many success stories not only concerning emotional wellness by people who have used the process to overcome anxiety and fear, but many cases where physical pain and illness have been cured as well.
Given what the practice is, I’m not surprised! It appears to be a combination between acupressure, where tapping instead of direct continual pressure is applied to various acupuncture points, and EMDR.
In Chinese medicine, every energy acupuncture channel not only corresponds to bodily organs and physical wellness but emotional wellness, too, so even though I haven’t tried EFT myself, I can see how it would be of great benefit on the principles of Chinese medicine alone.
Another facet of the EFT practice includes eye movements that resemble and possibly are related to a practice called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR. EMDR helps people overcome past experiences that trigger negative emotions and beliefs, and can relieve emotional distress. I have seen EMDR used in several cases involving young girls suffering from emotional traumas, and it did them a world of good. It’s a very effective healing modality.
So, if you are struggling with a physical or emotional issue, give EFT a try! You can download the basic manual for free from the website www.emofree.com
There are also additional materials including DVDs that may be purchased, but the free manual is all you need to get started with this wonderfully easy and holistic wellness technique!
Have a great week!
The video of today's Creative Health Tip is about 7 minutes long.
Today's Creative Health Tip is: Attitude of Gratitude
Researchers at the
Just consider: this information has been around for almost four years now, and most people haven't yet heard of it!
Begin quote:
An appreciative heart is good medicine
Psychologists once maintained that emotions were purely mental expressions generated by the brain alone. We now know that this is not true — emotions have as much to do with the heart and body as they do with the brain. Of the bodily organs, the heart plays a particularly important role in our emotional experience. The experience of an emotion results from the brain, heart and body acting in concert.
The
Emotions and the heart
Recent HeartMath studies define a critical link between the heart and brain. The heart is in a constant two-way dialogue with the brain — our emotions change the signals the brain sends to the heart and the heart responds in complex ways. However, we now know that the heart sends more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart. And the brain responds to the heart in many important ways. This research explains how the heart responds to emotional and mental reactions and why certain emotions stress the body and drain our energy. As we experience feelings like anger, frustration, anxiety and insecurity, our heart rhythm patterns become more erratic. These erratic patterns are sent to the emotional centers in the brain, which it recognizes as negative or stressful feelings. These signals create the actual feelings we experience in the heart area and the body. The erratic heart rhythms also block our ability to think clearly.
Many studies have found that the risk of developing heart disease is significantly increased for people who often experience stressful emotions such as irritation, anger or frustration. These emotions create a chain reaction in the body — stress hormone levels increase, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises, and the immune system is weakened. If we consistently experience these emotions, it can put a strain on the heart and other organs, and eventually lead to serious health problems.
Conversely, HeartMath’s research shows that when we experience heart-felt emotions like love, care, appreciation and compassion, the heart produces a very different rhythm. In this case it is a smooth pattern that looks like gently rolling hills. Harmonious heart rhythms, which reflect positive emotions, are considered to be indicators of cardiovascular efficiency and nervous system balance. This lets the brain know that the heart feels good and often creates a gentle warm feeling in the area of the heart. Learning to shift out of stressful emotional reactions to these heartfelt emotions can have profound positive effects on the cardiovascular system and on our overall health. It is easy to see how our heart and emotions are linked and how we can shift our heart into a more efficient state by monitoring its rhythms.
Benefits come from being appreciative
The feeling of appreciation is one of the most concrete and easiest positive emotions for individuals to self-generate and sustain for longer periods. Almost anyone can find something to genuinely appreciate. By simply recalling a time when you felt sincere appreciation and recreating that feeling, you can increase your heart rhythm coherence, reduce emotional stress and improve your health.
For people who may initially find it difficult to self-generate a feeling of appreciation in the present moment, experts suggest that they recall a past memory that elicits warm feelings. With practice, most people are able to self-generate feelings of appreciation in real time and no longer need the past time reference. Dr. Rollin McCraty, director of research for the
For more information on the
End quote
We now know that this does not apply only to a healthy heart, but that all your organs and cells respond to positive feelings! In Chinese medicine, the liver is associated with anger, the kidneys to fear, the lungs to sorrow and grief. Experiencing anger day in and day out for long periods of time can eventually create chronic health conditions of the liver; chronic fear can create chronic kidney disease, and so on.
Your awareness and conscious creation can over-ride these automatic physical responses to emotional conditions.
Adopt the Attitude of Gratitude to create your excellent health!
Visit my blogs for more creative Health, Happiness, and Harmony articles and information:
Here is your Heaven On Earth Stress Relief Tip for this week!
As you can see by my T-shirt, World Tai Chi & Qi Gong Day is tomorrow, Saturday April 25, starting in the first time zone and going all around the world for the whole day, people will be doing tai-chi and qigong wherever they happen to be. I hope that you will find a group in your area if you are not from Bend. If you are from Bend, we are meeting at Compass Park at 10:00 AM. I hope you'll be there.
I highly recommend qigong as a stress-relief technique. It will calm the mind, it will soothe the body; it is also the self-healing branch of Chinese medicine.
You can do qigong on your own, there are hundreds of books and DVDs available for you to purchase almost everywhere [i.e. most bookstores]. However, if you are working on a particular health issue, I do recommend at least visiting with an instructor, someone who can help you in your practice by guiding you through the principles of Chinese medicine. They can help you understand what the moves do, how the movements are going to help You with your particular condition.
That little bit of extra help is a great idea because it will help you to more effectively to use your mind to guide your healing practice.
I hope that you will look into qigong, and taiji, both, as a way to relieve stress. It's a great way to enhance your holistic wellness.
Have a heavenly weekend!
Michelle
I know it's not Friday, but I just couldn't help including this one in the Friday Food Pharmacy especially since it has some heavyweight healing and health properties.
The way this spice works is really amazing, and it makes a lot of sense to start using it in more meals!
This is reprinted from the website of Dr. Joseph Mercola.
'Holy Powder' Makes Your Cell Membranes Behave for Better Health
The marigold-colored spice known as turmeric, which is revered in
Sources:
Journal of the American Chemical Society March 3, 2009
| Dr. Mercola's Comments: |
Turmeric is a yellow spice most often associated with Indian food, curry and yellow mustard, but as research into this powerful spice increases, it’s becoming clear that it may be one of nature’s most powerful potential healers.
Both the ancient Chinese and Indian systems of medicine have recognized turmeric’s beneficial properties for thousands of years, but this new study is the first to show how exactly it does its work.
It appears that curcumin -- the pigment that gives turmeric its yellow-orange color, and which is thought to be responsible for many of its medicinal effects -- is able to “discipline” cells and get them back into working order. When curcumin enters a cell, the study’s lead researcher said:
"The membrane goes from being crazy and floppy to being more disciplined and ordered, so that information that flows through it can be controlled."
This not only improves your cells’ resistance to infections, but it also may help prevent cancer.
Turmeric May be a Potent Cancer Fighter
In
Numerous studies have looked into this potential cancer-fighting link, with promising results. For instance, curcumin has been found to:
• Inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells
• Inhibit the transformation of cells from normal to tumor
• Help your body destroy mutated cancer cells so they cannot spread throughout your body
• Decrease inflammation
• Enhance liver function
• Inhibit the synthesis of a protein thought to be instrumental in tumor formation
• Prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth
And according to researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, curcumin blocks a key biological pathway needed for development of melanoma and other cancers.
The spice actually stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating and pushes the cancer cells to commit suicide by shutting down nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), a powerful protein known to induce an abnormal inflammatory response that leads to an assortment of disorders such as arthritis and cancer.
More Reasons to Add More Spice to Your Life
The reason people in
• Strengthening and improving your digestion
• Supporting healthy liver function and detoxification
• Purifying your blood
• Fighting cancer, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease
• Anti-inflammatory properties
Further, evidence suggests turmeric may play a beneficial role in the following diseases:
• Cystic fibrosis
• Type 2 diabetes
• Crohn’s disease
• Psoriasis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Cataracts
• Gallstones
• Muscle regeneration
• Inflammatory bowel disease
A Few Turmeric Tips
You can absolutely use turmeric in your cooking, and in case you haven’t tried it, it has a warm, peppery flavor. However, when you do choose a pure turmeric powder, rather than a curry powder, as at least one study has found curry powders tend to contain very little curcumin, compared to turmeric powder.
Be sure to listen to your body as always, and if turmeric is a spice you do not enjoy it may be a sign that it’s not right for your body. If you are not one who enjoys the flavor of curry, you can also get the benefits of turmeric by taking it in a high-quality, organic supplement form.
Today is the Vernal Equinox, so Happy Spring!
Here is your Heaven On Earth Stress Relief Tip for this week!
Spring into a realistic day. It may seem a good idea to book appointments one right after the other, but it's healthier and more prudent to leave some wiggle room.
For example, yesterday I went to the office at 3:30 with the intention of doing a couple of web updates and meet with our former bookkeeper…..should easily have been done by 4:30.
Well, it turned out that it took a while to track down the accounting bit while the universe threw us a curve ball and had a good laugh about it (and so did we). Almost the moment we finished, the musician stopped in and we discussed the songs for our next program. Since I had the songs, I went ahead and printed the programs because I knew I wouldn't have a lot of time at the office this morning due to another meeting. Then a woman came in who had ordered a set of CDs from us, then……
You see where this is going, I'm sure! I finally headed home at 6:30, and still had to stop at the office supply store, and then pick up something for dinner! It could have been crazy, but I didn't have anything else going on that evening so I knew it would all be ok.
Always leave yourself some extra time, and you can join in the laughter when the universe decides to throw you a curve ball!
I am going out of town for a few days next week, so there won't be a stress relief tip on Friday the 27th. I'll be back with a new tip on April 3.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Michelle
Here is your Heaven On Earth Stress Relief Tip for this Fabulous Friday the 13th!
Do one thing at a time!
In our fast-paced and hectic world, it seems like a good idea to be able to multi-task, doesn't it? Multi-tasking has almost become a survival skill!
However, it takes a toll on your stress levels and your sanity. The number of "mental health days" taken from work these days is staggering! Unfortunately, many of those days are unpaid, too, and that raises those stress levels even more because your bank account may be stretched to its limits. You don't need a day off, but you Need a day off!
The other thing is, it's really very disruptive to your ability to get anything done when you are forced to flit hither and thither doing little bits of this and that. You aren't doing yourself any favors by juggling all those balls, and someday one is going to drop, and it's going to make a big nasty splat.
Do yourself a huge favor and be mindful. Work on only one thing at a time, and do it to perfection. You will be less harried and much happier, and your stress levels, not to mention stress hormones, will allow the clear-headedness you need to get things done in a way you can be proud to call your best.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Michelle
Here is your Heaven On Earth Stress Relief Tip for this week:
Use positive self-talk to uplift your spirits, and play up the positive events of your day. If twelve things went wrong, focus on the one thing that went right even if it was one tiny event in an otherwise hectic day.
Avoid what I call the train-wreck rumble: "First the coffee pot broke, then there was an accident that tied up traffic for 30 minutes so I was late for work, then Billy gave me this unbelievably complicated job and of course wanted it done yesterday, then……" and so on.
This will just compound your stress by reliving all the stress of the day over and over and over. Wasn't it enough that you were stressed out by it the first time?!
Take the one thing that went right, and nurture it: "Bobby and I had a late meeting, but we got so much done! He was really cooperative, and agrees that our focus should be value, not speed. It was such a pleasure to work with him today….." and so on. (Just the act of nurturing will make you feel better because who are you nurturing? Yourself! And, you deserve it!)
There is so much harmony in this second scenario it delivers instant peace and pleasure, and you know how powerful gratitude is in evoking relaxation. You simply cannot feel stressed when you are in that Attitude Of Gratitude mode.
Have a great weekend!
Michelle
This article is reprinted with the author's permission from the website of the American Holistic Health Association of which I am also a member.
I can't add much more to this article than to say it's another stellar example of the healing power of the mind.
I believe this is the direction health care will take, harnessing your inherent power to heal, but only when you insist on using these methods will your healthcare provider get on board and work with you. If he or she refuses, please find a new, more open-minded health care provider!
Meanwhile, enjoy! And be ready to write your affirmation and record it after you read this article! ~Michelle~
Use of affirmations while sleeping
By Barbara Derrick, Ph.D.
Barbara Derrick, Ph.D. is a Summerville, SC psychotherapist in private practice. As president of ABC Holistic Wellness Foundation, she is a writer, lecturer, and researcher of holistic methods. She has lectured at holistic conferences and her work has appeared online and in national periodicals. Her primary study in improving symptoms of Alzheimer’s patients has proven successful. She believes in the Edgar Cayce contention that brain cells can be restored. You can contact Barbara at (843) 821-6532 or telldrbarb@bellsouth.net
Editor's Note: This is a true story. Wally's story also appeared in the July/August 2004 issue of Venture Inward [1], and his case history was presented at the 8th Annual Edgar Cayce Health Symposium in September, 2003
Introduction
Wally Decker is a widower who had cared for his wife of 52 years prior to her death. Though he was in his late 70s at the time, he took part in aerobics regularly and danced whenever he could find a partner. Like the hurricane that had once devastated the area around his
Case Study
When Wally called to tell me a clinical psychologist had diagnosed him with Alzheimer's the tremor in his voice told me how defeated he felt. Aside from delaying the progress of the disease, medical science offered little hope. He had been told that nothing had been found to cure the disease.
About that time I just happened to be at the same place as David McMillin, M.A., program director at the Health and Rejuvenation Research Center (HRRC), a division of the Association for Research and Enlightenment (ARE) an organization that researches the body-mind-spirit connection and the readings of Edgar Cayce. [2]
David McMillin shared with me that the HRRC had just acquired a grant for an Alzheimer's research project to be titled, Suggestive Therapeutics Treatment and Protocol. The grant was funded by a private donor whose mother died from complications of Alzheimer's. After the protocol was formulated, slots would be open for those who qualified. One of the primary requirements for participation in the project was to have a medical doctor attest that a patient had Alzheimer's. The project's approach, focusing on assisting the body to heal itself, seemed to be a good match with Wally's early training in Christian Science. Our first step therefore was to get Wally's neurologist to attest that he had Alzheimer's.
When Wally and I went to his neurologist and explained the Suggestive Therapeutic Treatment Plan, however, his initial response was, "I don't believe in such stuff. And I don't want my name associated with anything like this." After some persistence on my part and hesitation on his part, the neurologist finally filled out the report and signed it.
We needed reports not only from physicians, but from family and friends who were asked to record their assessment of Wally's behavior. With my Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and my psychotherapy practice I was also qualified to make certain assessments. I completed the reports and submitted all the color-coded papers. If requirements were met Wally could be a candidate for the Suggestive Therapeutics Treatment Plan and Research Protocol program.
As we waited for word of acceptance to the project, Wally began having doubts. Part of the program protocol required that he have a massage daily. This posed a challenge as he did not have anyone at home to do this and he could not imagine finding a massage therapist who could massage him each day. I advised him to wait for the decision of selection for the protocol and then try to conform to the protocol.
Finally, we heard that he had been selected. We reviewed the materials describing what was required to be part of the project. One important item was that Wally would need to have someone repeat an affirmation to him daily while he was relaxed. I thought of a way this could be accomplished. Just before one goes to sleep, there is a natural time of relaxation. He could listen to an affirmation at this time. I had used this pre-sleep intervention with clients many times and it had always worked well. Wally readily agreed to practice using the tape nightly if I made one for him.
My years of studying the Edgar Cayce readings had taught me that we should obtain approval before we offer a prayer or a meditation for anyone I wanted to be sure Wally could agree with every word. Working together, Wally and I prepared an affirmation that stated exactly what we wanted Wally to achieve. The affirmation read as follows:
As you relax, you are experiencing quiet, peace, happiness, and joy. You can feel God's love surrounding you. This allows you to rest in the knowledge that God's love is guiding you, helping you in every way to make each day good and purposeful. You have good, appreciative feelings for those around you, knowing that you wish every person in your life well and they hold you in high regard.
Your mind will move toward functioning well, and this will give you great pleasure. Your short-term memory is improving, your mind more alert and your recall of names and words improving day by day.
This time of relaxing will help to coordinate your nervous system and improve circulation through your body. The eliminating systems are removing toxins from your body. The foods that you eat will provide nourishment to your body.
You will be calm and cooperative to those around you at all times. You are self-sufficient. This makes you happy and proud. You will look forward to each day and enjoy life. Your short-term memory and your recollection of words and names are serving you well.
You are being healed -- you are becoming whole at all levels. The divine energy within you is rejuvenating your body, mind and spirit.
The voice he heard on the tape was mine. He trusted what I told him. That was good. I also knew if Wally told me he would do a certain thing, he would do it. He also had to keep a daily log of his activity relating to the program, which he did faithfully.
Wally began playing the tape each night just as he went to sleep. The meditation was repeated several times (for 30 minutes until the tape ran out) and he often fell asleep before the conclusion. But that was okay. He was still registering the words in his subconscious mind.
Up until this time, Wally had been falling asleep in front of the television, using a timer to turn the set off. In doing this, he had been opening himself to whatever happened to be on the television each night. In substituting the tape for the television news, his mind heard only the positive affirmations on the tape. Wally made a commitment to listen to the tape every night, get a massage every week, and follow the requirements of the Suggestive Therapeutics Treatment Plan and Research Protocol program.
True to his word, he found a massage therapy school in the area that would provide him a massage for a nominal fee. He obtained the required therapy regularly. As a matter of fact, according to the log sheet, the only three days he missed playing the affirmation tape were days when he was hospitalized for pneumonia. He compensated for this lapse by playing the tape for three mornings in addition to the usual evening tape.
During the period of time we were incorporating the affirmation tape and the massage into Wally's routine, he was told he had macular degeneration in his left eye. His doctor predicted he would eventually lose the sight in his left eye, which was his good eye. (The right eye had glaucoma). There was little the medical world could do, except to forestall the inevitable. He reconciled himself to the fact that he could not see well enough to drive at night. If he went out at night, he depended upon someone else to do the driving.
Assuming he would need to go into an assisted-living residence in the very near future, Wally decided to sell his house and began having repairs done. This independent man could soon become dependent on others because of his infirmities.
However, within 30 days of regular use of the tape changes became apparent in his behavior. He was happier. He looked upon others with a greater degree of compassion. He accepted the positions of others, even when he did not agree with them. He showed an unconditional positive regard for other people. Then Wally's eyesight began to improve. He was able to drive at night again.
A return visit to the neurologist brought good news. "I really thought you had Alzheimer's," the neurologist told him, "but now I don't think you have Alzheimer's after all." That was surprising. A clinical psychologist who does the testing for professionals in the area also agreed on this diagnosis. Wally asked him for an explanation but the doctor had none.
When Wally returned for a regular check-up by a professor in the department of ophthalmology at a well-respected medical university, he received more good news. This professor was the one who had made the diagnosis of dry macular degeneration in his left eye with the concurrence of another ophthalmologist. Now, he told Wally there was no longer evidence of macular degeneration.
Conclusion
The two illnesses that had distressed Wally so much were now non-existent. The affirmation tape purposely included the wider spectrum of overall good health as well as the Alzheimer's. He had been cooperative and diligent in his daily practice of using the tape, open to healing possibilities and followed the protocol to the full extent. It worked.
As of 2007, Wally is in his mid-80s. A recent check with his doctors confirmed that his condition is the same and they see few signs of Alzheimer's. He is still playing the tape, although not as often, is still driving, dancing and is self sufficient, living alone in his own home.
The results achieved by Wally through the Suggestive Therapeutics Treatment and Protocol have been replicated with other patients at the
A full report of the
References
[1] VENTURE INWARD: Bi-monthly magazine of Edgar Cayce's Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.), at
[2] Known as the "sleeping prophet" Edgar Cayce for forty-three years demonstrated the uncanny ability to put himself into a self-induced state of relaxation and meditation that enabled him to place his mind in contact with all time and space. From this trance state he could respond to questions as diverse as "What are the secrets of the universe?" and "How can I remove a wart?" His responses to these questions came to be called "readings." His readings contain insights so valuable that even to this day individuals have found practical help for everything from maintaining a well-balanced diet and improving human relationships to overcoming life-threatening illnesses and experiencing a closer walk with God.
Below are some excerpts from "Researching the Benefits of Mind-Body Practice by Investigating Genetic Expression" by Roger Jahnke, OMD.
The full report on this exciting breakthrough in how practices like qigong can actually change gene expression is available on his website at www.instituteofintegralqigongandtaichi.org/pdfs/Qigong_GeneExpression.pdf
I have included a link to one of my earlier articles on telomeres, the protective caps on immune cells, and have made a few comments about holistic practices at the end of the quote.
First: Just what is "Gene Expression?" This, from wikipedia Gene expression is the process by which inheritable information from a gene, such as the DNA sequence, is made into a functional gene product, such as protein or RNA.
Regulation of gene expression is the cellular control of the amount and timing of appearance of the functional product of a gene. Any step of gene expression may be modulated, from the DNA-RNA transcription step to post-translational modification of a protein. Gene regulation gives the cell control over structure and function, and is the basis for cellular differentiation, morphogenesis and the versatility and adaptability of any organism.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_expression
So, with that in mind, here is the feature article:
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Page 4 – 5
In a number of press releases the authors of Genomic counter-stress changes induced by the relaxation response made a number of comments that are easily applicable to all three studies. They state that:
"This study provides the first compelling evidence that the RR [relaxation response] elicits specific gene expression changes in short-term and long- term practitioners."
Actually the other studies were earlier and they all suggest this.
The Genomic Counter-stress authors wrote that their findings suggest:
"Consistent and constitutive changes in gene expression resulting from RR may relate to long term physiological effects," and that "Our study may stimulate new investigations into applying transcriptional profiling for accurately measuring RR and stress related responses in multiple disease settings."
It is likely that these studies portend a “sea change” in research and will trigger an outpouring of similar research. Dr. Herbert Benson, professor emeritus of
"Now we've found how changing the activity of the mind can alter the way basic genetic instructions are implemented," said Benson.
Dr. Towia Libermann, director of the
author of the study added:
"This is the first comprehensive study of how the mind can affect gene expression, linking what has been looked on as a 'soft' science with the 'hard' science of genomics.” "It is also important because of its focus on gene expression in healthy individuals, rather than in disease states," explained Libermann.
The authors said their study showed that the relaxation response changed the expression of genes involved with inflammation, programmed cell death and the handling of free radicals. Free radicals are normal byproducts of metabolism that the body neutralizes in order to stop damage to cells and tissues.
Page 5 – 6
Probably the most compelling statement from the article on the findings of the study was “It is becoming increasingly clear that psychosocial stress can manifest as system-wide perturbations of cellular processes, generally increasing oxidative stress and promoting a pro-inflammatory milieu. Stress associated changes in peripheral blood leukocyte expression of single genes have been identified. More recently, chronic psychosocial stress has been associated with accelerated aging at the cellular level. Specifically, shortened telomeres, low telomerase activity, decreased anti-oxidant capacity and increased oxidative stress are correlated with increased psychosocial stress and with increased vulnerability to a variety of disease states.”
These 3 studies strongly suggest that Mind-Body practices, especially those that trigger a sustained and accumulative RR effect – a counter stress effect – can prevent and ameliorate disease. This effect of Mind-Body practice on gene expression transforms the landscape of scientific exploration and launches an entirely new direction for the investigation for the emerging field of health maximization based integrative medicine.
Page 21 – 22
It is becoming increasingly clear that psychosocial stress can manifest as system-wide perturbations of cellular processes, generally increasing oxidative stress and promoting a pro-inflammatory milieu [23]–[25]. Stress associated changes in peripheral blood leukocyte expression of single genes have been identified [26]–[28]. More recently, chronic psychosocial stress has been associated with accelerated aging at the cellular level. Specifically, shortened telomeres, low telomerase activity, decreased anti-oxidant capacity and increased oxidative stress are correlated with increased psychosocial stress [29] and with increased vulnerability to a variety of disease states [30]. Stress-related changes in GEP have been demonstrated by microarray analysis in healthy subjects, including up-regulation of several cytokines/chemokines and their receptors [31], and in individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, including inflammation, apoptosis and stress response [32] as well as metabolism and RNA processing pathways [33]. The pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-kappa B (NF-κB) which is activated by psychosocial stress has been identified as a potential link between stress and oxidative cellular activation [34].
[For a brief explanation of the connection between telomeres (the protective caps on the ends of immune cells) and stress, see my post "Scientists identify mechanism behind mind-body connection" http://successstressrelief.blogspot.com/2008/07/scientists-identify-mechanism-behind.html on my Stress Relief for Savvy Women blog.]
The RR is clinically effective for ameliorating symptoms in a variety of stress-related disorders including cardiovascular, autoimmune and other inflammatory conditions and pain [15]. We hypothesize that RR elicitation is associated with systemic gene expression changes in molecular and biochemical pathways involved in cellular metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation/generation of reactive oxygen species and response to oxidative stress and that these changes to some degree serve to ameliorate the negative impact of stress. Genome-wide evaluation of PBL GEP is a reasonable approach to survey the transcriptional changes that are involved in elicitation of the RR. The GEP of RR practitioners presented here reveals altered gene expression in specific functional groups which suggest a greater capacity to respond to oxidative stress and the associated cellular damage. Genes including COX7B, UQCRB and CASP2 change in opposite direction from that in the stress response [31], [32].
Our findings are relatively consistent with those found in a study of Qi Gong [17], a practice that elicits the RR. In their study of 6 Qi Gong practitioners and 6 aged matched controls, practitioners had down-regulation of ubiquitin, proteasome, ribosomal protein and stress response genes and mixed up- and down-regulation of genes involved in apoptosis and immune function. We find a similar pattern of GO categories that are significantly over-represented in GO or enriched in GSEA in our cross sectional comparison, M vs. N1. However, in our data-set ribosomal proteins were up-regulated.
Overall, similar genomic pattern changes occurred in practitioners of a specific mind body technique (Qi Gong) as well as in our long-term practitioners who utilized different RR practices including Vipassana, mantra, mindfulness or transcendental meditation, breath focus, Kripalu or Kundalini Yoga, and repetitive prayer. This indicates there is a common RR state regardless of the techniques used to elicit it.
Footnotes included in the above quoted materials:
15. Astin JA, Shapiro SL, Eisenberg DM, Forys KL (2003) Mind-body medicine: state of the science, implications for practice. J Am Board Fam Pract 16: 131–147.
17. Li QZ, Li P, Garcia GE, Johnson RJ, Feng L (2005) Genomic profiling of neutrophil transcripts in Asian Qigong practitioners: a pilot study in gene regulation by mind-body interaction. J Altern Complement Med 11: 29–39.
23. Irie M, Asami S, Nagata S, Miyata M, Kasai H (2002) Psychological mediation of a type of oxidative DNA damage, 8-hyDr.oxydeoxyguanosine, in peripheral blood leukocytes of non-smoking and non-Dr.inking workers. Psychother Psychosom 71: 90–96.
24. Yamaguchi T, Shioji I, Sugimoto A, Yamaoka M (2002) Psychological stress increases bilirubin metabolites in human urine. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 293: 517–520.
25. Zheng KC, Ariizumi M (2007) Modulations of immune functions and oxidative status induced by noise stress. J Occup Health 49: 32–38.
26. Glaser R, Kennedy S, Lafuse WP, Bonneau RH, Speicher C, et al. (1990) Psychological stress-induced modulation of interleukin 2 receptor gene expression and interleukin 2 production in peripheral blood leukocytes. Arch Gen Psychiatry 47: 707–712.
27. Glaser R, Lafuse WP, Bonneau RH, Atkinson C, Kiecolt-Glaser JK (1993) Stress-associated modulation of proto-oncogene expression in human peripheral blood leukocytes. Behav Neurosci 107: 525–529.
28. Platt JE, He X, Tang D, Slater J, Goldstein M (1995) C-fos expression in vivo in human lymphocytes in response to stress. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 19: 65–74.
29. Epel ES, Blackburn EH, Lin J, Dhabhar FS,
30. Epel ES, Lin J, Wilhelm FH, Wolkowitz OM, Cawthon R, et al. (2006) Cell aging in relation to stress arousal and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Psychoneuroendocrinology 31: 277–287.
31. Morita K, Saito T, Ohta M, Ohmori T, Kawai K, et al. (2005) Expression analysis of psychological stress-associated genes in peripheral blood leukocytes. Neurosci Lett 381: 57–62.
32. Zieker J, Zieker D, Jatzko A, Dietzsch J, Nieselt K, et al. (2007) Differential gene expression in peripheral blood of patients suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Mol Psychiatry 12: 116–118.
33. Segman RH, Shefi N, Goltser-Dubner T, Friedman N, Kaminski N, et al. (2005) Peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene expression profiles identify emergent post-traumatic stress disorder among trauma survivors. Mol Psychiatry 10: 500–513, 425.
34. Bierhaus A, Wolf J, AnDr.assy M, Rohleder N, Humpert PM, et al. (2003) A mechanism converting psychosocial stress into mononuclear cell activation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100: 1920–1925.
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Bottom Line: Qigong, mindfulness meditation, the use of mantras and other chants, and other mind-body practices can change how your genes respond to stress! If this occurs at the cellular level, it is an indication that qigong and other mind-body practices can actually change your cells or cellular activity.
As a stress-relief consultant and qigong instructor, I can help you to use these methods, enabling you to be healthier, avoid "a variety of stress-related disorders including cardiovascular, autoimmune and other inflammatory conditions and pain" (see above), age slower, look younger, live longer, and life a fuller and happier life!
Contact me through the form in the sidebar or through my email address in my profile. I am committed to helping you relieve stress in the natural and holistic ways that work best for your mind, body, and spirit.
This is a joy to read for those of us who believe in holisitc health and wellness.
Four powerhouse alternative health gurus have come together in this article reprinted from The Wall Street Journal to show you that drugs and surgery don't really work, and that nutrition and exercise can reverse many chronic health conditions, including cancer and heart disease.
I have made bold some of the points in the article that I believe are the most important. Otherwise, it is reprinted exactly as found on The Wall Street Journal website - see link below.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123146318996466585.html
In mid-February, the
President-elect Barack Obama and former Sen. Tom Daschle (the nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services) understand that if we want to make affordable health care available to the 45 million Americans who do not have health insurance, then we need to address the fundamental causes of health and illness, and provide incentives for healthy ways of living rather than reimbursing only drugs and surgery.
Heart disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, breast cancer and obesity account for 75% of health-care costs, and yet these are largely preventable and even reversible by changing diet and lifestyle. As Mr. Obama states in his health plan, unveiled during his campaign: "This nation is facing a true epidemic of chronic disease. An increasing number of Americans are suffering and dying needlessly from diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and HIV/AIDS, all of which can be delayed in onset if not prevented entirely."
The latest scientific studies show that our bodies have a remarkable capacity to begin healing, and much more quickly than we had once realized, if we address the lifestyle factors that often cause these chronic diseases. These studies show that integrative medicine can make a powerful difference in our health and well-being, how quickly these changes may occur, and how dynamic these mechanisms can be.
Many people tend to think of breakthroughs in medicine as a new drug, laser or high-tech surgical procedure. They often have a hard time believing that the simple choices that we make in our lifestyle -- what we eat, how we respond to stress, whether or not we smoke cigarettes, how much exercise we get, and the quality of our relationships and social support -- can be as powerful as drugs and surgery. But they often are. And in many instances, they're even more powerful.
These studies often used high-tech, state-of-the-art measures to prove the power of simple, low-tech, and low-cost interventions. Integrative medicine approaches such as plant-based diets, yoga, meditation and psychosocial support may stop or even reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, prostate cancer, obesity, hypercholesterolemia and other chronic conditions.
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the
Our "health-care system" is primarily a disease-care system. Last year, $2.1 trillion was spent in the
The choices are especially clear in cardiology. In 2006, for example, according to data provided by the American Heart Association, 1.3 million coronary angioplasty procedures were performed at an average cost of $48,399 each, or more than $60 billion; and 448,000 coronary bypass operations were performed at a cost of $99,743 each, or more than $44 billion. In other words, Americans spent more than $100 billion in 2006 for these two procedures alone.
Despite these costs, a randomized controlled trial published in April 2007 in The
That bears repeating: The disease that accounts for more premature deaths and costs Americans more than any other illness is almost completely preventable simply by changing diet and lifestyle. And the same lifestyle changes that can prevent or even reverse heart disease also help prevent or reverse many other chronic diseases as well. Chronic pain is one of the major sources of worker's compensation claims costs, yet studies show that it is often susceptible to acupuncture and Qi Gong. Herbs usually have far fewer side effects than pharmaceuticals.
Joy, pleasure and freedom are sustainable, deprivation and austerity are not. When you eat a healthier diet, quit smoking, exercise, meditate and have more love in your life, then your brain receives more blood and oxygen, so you think more clearly, have more energy, need less sleep. Your brain may grow so many new neurons that it could get measurably bigger in only a few months. Your face gets more blood flow, so your skin glows more and wrinkles less. Your heart gets more blood flow, so you have more stamina and can even begin to reverse heart disease. Your sexual organs receive more blood flow, so you may become more potent -- similar to the way that circulation-increasing drugs like Viagra work. For many people, these are choices worth making -- not just to live longer, but also to live better.
It's time to move past the debate of alternative medicine versus traditional medicine, and to focus on what works, what doesn't, for whom, and under which circumstances. It will take serious government funding to find out, but these findings may help reduce costs and increase health.
Integrative medicine approaches bring together those in red states and blue states, liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, because these are human issues. They are both medically effective and, important in our current economic climate, cost effective. These approaches emphasize both personal responsibility and the opportunity to make affordable, quality health care available to those who most need it. Mr. Obama should make them an integral part of his health plan as soon as possible.
Dr. Chopra, the author of more than 50 books on the mind, body and spirit, is guest faculty at Beth Israel Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ornish is clinical professor of medicine at the University of California,
