Mind-Body Practices Help Manage Pre-Surgery and Medical Procedure Fear and Anxiety

It is very common to feel anxious before undergoing a medical procedure or surgery. The reasons for this speak to fears we all have, such as feeling out of control, fear of pain and discomfort, fear of “bad news,” and anxiety over how long it will take to recover from an operation. But there are positive ways we can calm these feelings and tap into our own ability to support ourselves and heal.

Feeling empowered in this way and trusting our inner resources can bring us comfort and a sense of security from deep within ourselves. Learning and practicing mind-body approaches can give us that anchor. These may include such practices as breathing with awareness, meditation and imagery, biofeedback, essential oil therapy and restorative postures.

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Managing the Stress of Information Overload

The expression “life in the fast lane” has been used in the past to describe anything from people working too much, too hard, and too long to abusing substances. With the advent of the information age and its attendant smart phones, Skype, iPads and other devices and technologies, life has now moved from the fast lane onto the super highway. People remain in constant connection and find themselves multitasking everything from work (long after business hours) to the news, and from social media to the stock exchange. It is easy to feel overwhelmed in these circumstances; the challenge becomes how to manage this “information overload.” (more…)

How to Learn About Herbal and Dietary Supplements

Most people learn about herbal and dietary supplements from health food stores or read about them on the Internet. However, informed consumers need to know that key safety information is still lacking from many online sources of herbal and dietary supplements, as illustrated in a recent American Journal of Medicine review of 1,179 websites on 13 common herbal medicines. The study revealed that less than 8% of retail websites provided information regarding potential adverse effects, drug interactions and other safety issues. Less than 3% cited scientific literature to accompany their claims*. (more…)

Can Exercise Replace Drugs?

Can exercise replace drugs? A study recently published in BMJ (formerly the British Medical Journal) asked this question for four chronic conditions: coronary artery disease, pre-diabetes, stroke and heart failure. The study, which included more than 330,000 patients, was a “meta-analyses.” In other words, it compiled data from previously published controlled trials that looked at the effects of exercise or drug therapy on survival for the illnesses in question. (more…)

Guide to ‘Green Living’ Resources on the Internet

What Is ‘Green Living’?

Green living involves an awareness of and responsibility for the natural balance of humanity’s needs and the well-being of the earth’s resources and ecosystems. Living green means taking action to protect both human health and the health of the environment. It involves managing our renewable and nonrenewable resources through creating healthy buildings, recycling, developing alternative energy, conserving energy, farming responsibly, creating healthy products, and much more. (more…)

What’s the Buzz?—The Latest in Allergy Treatment

Many of you may have seen articles in the press recently about a “new” treatment for allergies: sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), which has been available in Europe for more than 50 years and used in the United States for 45 years. Like allergy shots, it gives the patient the same small amount of allergen to reprogram the body to become less allergic. (more…)

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