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Archive for May, 2010
Monday, May 10th, 2010
The small subdivision had eyes and folks had begun to talk. Each day at dawn the 6’3” lanky man could be spotted running around the neighborhood in shorts and a t-shirt. The year was 1966 and the man–my father–was ahead of his time.
Years later the hoopla over exercise would filter into diverse industries such as textiles–resulting in temperature regulating work out gear, the computer assisted design of sport specific sneakers, and glitzy gyms spotlighting specialized equipment to whip us into shape. And despite our reputation as a sedentary nation, our intense interest in exercise would give rise to more than one cable network entirely devoted to the topic.
But while sleekly styled biceps can be fun to flash [garnering publicity all their own--think Michelle Obama], more importantly the mining of exercise made its way into neurochemistry labs... (read more...)
Tags: healthy living, holistic health, mind-body connection, stress management
Posted in Science You Can Use | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
Bottom Line/Health interviewed Brenda Stockdale, director of mind-body medicine at the RC Cancer Centers in Cumming, Georgia. This article was originally published here.
Scientists have long known that our genes play a role in determining whether we develop various medical conditions, ranging from cancer and heart disease to diabetes and dementia.
What’s new: Researchers are now discovering that certain genes must be “expressed” (activated) in order to trigger their disease-causing effects. One of the most significant findings in the emerging field of epigenetics (the study of gene expression) is the degree to which the environment — including what we eat and how we respond to stress... (read more...)
Tags: alternative medicine, Beating Chronic Illness, breast cancer, challenge and control, colon cancer, disease, epigenetics, genes, healthy living, holistic health, inflammation, Integrative Oncology, longevity, meditation, mind-body connection, post-traumatic stress disorder, Prevention, spirituality, stress management, survivors, toxic relationships, Writing
Posted in Beating Cancer, Beating Chronic Illness, Prevention, Science You Can Use, stress management, Wellness | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 4th, 2010
The third installment in our series of Stress-Busting Audio is “Your Healing Image.” This audio is designed specifically to follow “Your Healing Place.”
Some things to remember when listening to this audio:
The first key is your breath. Recent findings reveal that healthy breathing [called “diaphragmatic breathing” in which case your tummy is rising up and down rather than your chest] can lower harmful levels of stress hormones. On the other hand, chest... (read more...)
Tags: audio
Posted in Podcasts | No Comments »
Monday, May 3rd, 2010
Imagining yourself in a favorite ocean scene. As you do, your auditory cortex lights up as you hear the waves crashing on the shore. Your visual cortex is activated imagining the sight of gulls in the sky and your sensory cortex as you remember walking on warm sand. Each of these pathways stimulates a chemical reality that has wide reaching effects–including nerves, cells and various tissues of your body. Try this brief, 8 minute piece and notice how you feel.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version (read more...)
Tags: alternative medicine, audio, auditory cortex, Beating Chronic Illness, cells, healthy living, holistic health, Integrative Oncology, meditation, mind-body connection, Prevention, sensory cortex, stress management, visual cortex
Posted in Podcasts | No Comments »
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
Thriving in an Age of Uncertainty:
A few years ago someone told me, you can have it all, just not all at once. But who knew then that a shrinking global economy and an age of color-coded anxiety could overshadow and supersede our dreams for the future?
It’s happened before. And those who survived and triumphed despite the odds—the cruelty of concentration camps, the Great Depression, metastatic cancer—can teach us how to thrive in the face of excruciating uncertainty. In fact, their advice is more than a mindset, but a chemical reality–a proven by-product–that alters the way our immune system responds to threats or invaders.
Transforming stress into strength isn’t about magical thinking but is a skill set that can be learned. And like any other skill, it begins by capitalizing on where we’re... (read more...)
Tags: alternative medicine, Ann Sexton, awareness, Beating Chronic Illness, healthy living, holistic health, Journaling, mind-body connection, personality testing, pleasure, Prevention, stress management, The Artist's Way, thriving, Turning Stress Into Strength, Viktor Frankl, Writing
Posted in Science You Can Use, Turning Stress Into Strength | No Comments »
Saturday, May 1st, 2010
- Control
- Commitment
- Challenge
- Congruency
- Connections
- Childhood
- Creativity, Novelty & Enrichment
- Charity or Cause: Purpose
- Consider your breathing*
- Chorus of sound
Look simple? These ten items are backed by a trove of stunning evidence linking each to potent health benefits.
The first three are the defining traits of stress hardy individuals–folks who, despite great stress or tragedy in their lives, maintain a high level of health and well-being. Taking Control of distressing situations, even when it seems we have no way out, has powerful effects. To get an idea... (read more...)
Tags: alternative medicine, autoimmunity, Beating Chronic Illness, breast cancer, challenge and control, colon cancer, holistic health, Integrative Oncology, mind-body connection, optimum immunity, Prevention, stress management, stress-hardy, Wellness
Posted in Science You Can Use | No Comments »
Saturday, May 1st, 2010
In every moment of our lives, an ever-changing array of hormones and molecules interact, nudging us either toward health or toward disease. Consider these…
10 Surprising Factors Behind Chronic Disease:
- Inflammation & Infection: More than all other risk factors such as smoking, cholesterol or even blood pressure, it was stress and feelings of lack of control that predisposed subjects to high levels of fibrinogen—a substance linked to an increase in blood clotting, heart disease, and stroke [892 male workers, Journal of Occupational and Environment Medicine]
- Ischemia [insufficient blood supply to the heart]: An abundance of “negative” emotions literally doubles the risk for ischemia, a condition characterized by an insufficient blood supply to the heart, compared to those who have more “positive”... (read more...)
Tags: alternative medicine, Beating Chronic Illness, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, healthy living, holistic health, ischemia, lung disease, mind-body connection, optimum immunity
Posted in Beating Chronic Illness, Science You Can Use, Turning Stress Into Strength | No Comments »
Saturday, May 1st, 2010
This article was originally published in The Citizen News.
“A door slams in your face. Suddenly you’re in a parallel universe doing the same things as everyone else but you’re not the same and you never will be.”
This is how one woman describes life after a cancer diagnosis. The emotional impact of being diagnosed with cancer, or any life-threatening condition, is a tremendous stress factor for the patient.
While many patients we see at Georgia Cancer Treatment Center have support from their families, friends or their church, the most successful cancer treatment results tend to incorporate mind/body wellness and proper nutrition with a traditional approach to treatment. This field of study, psyconeuroimmunology,... (read more...)
Tags: alternative medicine, Beating Chronic Illness, holistic health, mind-body connection
Posted in Beating Chronic Illness, Science You Can Use, Turning Stress Into Strength | 2 Comments »
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