Coping with Stress

Stress can create a vicious cycle of emotional and physical discomfort,especially when an individual is experiencing chronic pain,loss of functionality, separation from loved ones,and loss of control.The cycle can be prolonged and intense and can engender feelings of depression,hopelessness,and despair that further reinforce the stress,pain,exhaustion and sense of loss of control.
Knowing that the brain and the body work together in determining the degree of stress perceived and the degree of discomfort felt is essential to forming any sort of effective stress management plan.Research shows that relaxation is a key element to limiting the effect of stress in ones life.

Here are some approaches towards coping with stress:
Take breaks
Exercise regularly
Learn relaxation techniques: rhythmic breathing,imagery,meditation,massage
Share your worries with spouse, a friend or counselor
Live today and for today
Seek more information
Go easy on yourself
Try acupuncture: research shows that acupuncture works in the emotional or limbic system of the brain and interfaces over into the stress control circuits.

SKIN:Your protective barrier

Here's a great article on what you can do for overall health to protect your skin (Huffpost Healthy Living)
In summary:
Decrease inflammation helps protect skin fibers.
Increase Circulation brings in nutrients,aids detoxification,and decreases inflammation.
Improve Digestion to facilitate absorption of nutrients.
Antioxidants to reduce fine lines and wrinkles
Nourish with medicinal mushrooms and healthy fats.
Detox and hydrate  for better skin appearance
 

Acupuncture and chemo-induced neuropathy

Acupuncture: helpful for chemo-induced Neuropathy.

A pilot study using neurography shows Acupuncture being effective for chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy. The study also showed a reduction in analgesic use and improved sleep patterns.

To read the full disclosure, please click on the following link: (Journal of Chinese Medicine)

SUPERFOODS

Superfoods comprise a specific set of edible,incredibly nutritious plants that are not entirely classifiable as foods nor are they entirely classifiable medicines such as herbs.

Superfoods are both a food and a medicine;they have elements of both. They are a class of the most potent,super-concentrated, and nutrient-rich foods on the planet.

Extremely tasty and satisfying,superfoods have the ability to increase the vital force and energy of one's body known as Qi, and are the optimum choice for improving overall health,boosting the immune system,elevating serotonin production,enhancing sexuality,and cleansing and alkalizing the body.

Because superfoods are natural, they provide an abundance of synergistic elements in their natural stat that work together in the human body in ways scientists have not yet begun to fully comprehend.
Here's a list of the top ten superfoods:
Goji Berries also known a wolfberries,lycium fruit or Gou qi)
Cacao(raw chocolate)
Maca(Peruvian ginseng)
Bee products(honey,bee pollen,propolis,and royal jelly)
Spirulina
AFA blue-green algae
Marine phytoplankton
Aloe Vera
Hempseed
Coconuts and coconut products

Healing the Body:A Journey of Consciousness

What are the orgins of illness in life?Was it something we were born with or had a predisposition towards developing?Are illnesses an expression of how we think,what emotions we carry,dreams and memories we hold onto,what we eat,how we digest,eliminate and what sensory experiences we have.

I think an illness can express itself through a sum total of all these interpretations we choose and make in life. Healing occurs at many different levels and it all starts with  awareness.

Something to ponder upon.........

Namaste,
Jeannette

Research study in Chinese Herbal Formula and Colon Cancer

Here's a great article on Dr. Yung-Chi Cheng, an oncology researcher at Yale University, who has been studying a specific herbal formula and it's effectiveness in chemotherapy for patients with colon cancer.
Promising research has shown in early trials of reducing some side effects of chemotherapy such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. It has also been found to restore intestinal cells faster than when chemotherapy was used alone. If interested in reading more about this article, click here (WSJ article).

Cholesterol: the good,bad and.....

There are several different types of cholesterol. The ones we hear most about are often referred to as the "good" cholesterol and the "bad"cholesterol. However, all forms of natural cholesterol, the type normally found in the body, are good and necessary. Whether it is transported as LDL(low-density lipoprotein, aka bad cholesterol) or HDL(high-density lipoprotein , aka good cholesterol), cholesterol provides the body with building blocks needed to manufacture hormones,cell membranes, vitamin D etc.

Cholesterol is absolutely vital to good health. It is when cholesterol becomes oxidized that it's bad side comes out. The vast majority of the cholesterol circulating in our blood is manufactured in the liver. Only a small amount comes from the diet.It is fair to say that cholesterol manufactured by the liver is obviously not oxidized likewise nor are fresh, natural foods oxidized.

 The foods that are likely to contain oxidized cholesterol are animal products that have been dehydrated, dried or powdered such as dried cheese, powdered whole milk, powdered eggs and butter, hard meats. Theses types of ingredients are often used in packaged prepared foods such as boxed cakes,pepperoni,
and powdered Parmesan cheese, to name a few.A start to  avoiding oxidized cholesterol is to  read the ingredients on food labels,avoid processed,packaged foods and only eat fresh,whole foods as much as possible.