1. Lose Weight
2. Get a Better Education
3. Get Fit
4. Eat Healthy Food
5. Manage Stress

Coming in to 2023, according to Statisa.com, America’s top New Year’s resolutions were¹:

What are your up coming New Year’s Resolutions going to be?

Lose Weight

Of course it’s easy to make resolutions, but hard to keep them. So what can you do to make it easier? While there is no substitute for willpower and commitment, this article will review some nutraceuticals which may actually help you be more effective at adhering to resolutions.

We all know that diet and exercise are necessary components for a successful weight loss program. In addition there are nutraceuticals which can also help. Two of these are L-carnitine and Garcinia cambogia.

L-carnitine
The amino acid L-carnitine plays an important role in energy production by chaperoning activated fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix to be metabolized.² Unfortunately, research suggests that being overweight is associated with carnitine insufficiency, Studies have also shown that supplementation with L-carnitine is capable of promoting greater weight loss than with diet and exercise alone (500 mg-3 g/day),^4,5,6 and improving various measures of exercise performance and recovery (2 g/day).^{7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14}

Garcina cambogia
Garcina cambogia is a tropical plant that contains a compound known as (-)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA)—which has some interesting biological properties.¹⁵ Specifically, research indicates that HCA may help reduce the conversion of carbohydrates into fatty acids,^17,18 which could mean less fat stored in your fat cells. Also, research^{19,20,21,22,23,24} suggests that HCA may help reduce appetite and food intake. In one study with overweight men and women,²⁵ 300 mg HCA (as G. cambogia extract standardized for HCA), three times daily, 60 minutes before lunch and dinner, and 2 hours after dinner (to prevent snacking in the evening) resulted in 15–30 percent reduced calorie intake. Furthermore, human clinical research26 demonstrated that 440 mg HCA three times daily, 30 minutes prior to breakfast, lunch and dinner (as G. cambogia extract standardized for HCA) resulted in 14 lbs weight loss, compared to 8 lbs weight loss with diet and exercise alone (1200 calories/ day low fat diet, exercise 3 times/week). Other research has shown similar results.^27,28,29

GET A BETTER EDUCATION

Arguably, getting a better education will take more of a time commitment than any other resolution discussed in this article. Of course it’s also the resolution that is most likely to get you a better job and outlook for the future. Nevertheless, it will involve a great deal of reading and studying, which means that you need to have a good memory and good cognitive function. Phosphatidylserine (PS) may be able to help. PS is an integral component in the structure of the brain and spinal cord, and a significant amount of published clinical research has demonstrated that PS supplementation supports various cognitive parameters in adults and in children.³⁰ This is an important consideration if you’re a middle-aged adult going back to school, because that’s the time that age-related memory impairment can start to rear its ugly head. Luckily, research^31,32,33,34 has shown that 100–300 mg of PS daily has helped reduce memory complaints and improve memory difficulties (including learning and remembering written information) in age-related memory impairment. PS can also help young adult students. This was shown in a study³⁵ on 17–18 year old students who received 100 mg of PS daily. Supplementation with PS resulted in significant improvement in memory and improved cognitive performance in students.

GET FIT

Getting fit is primarily a function of a regular exercise program, as well as good nutrition. Naturally, anything that can help you achieve results more quickly or effectively is desirable— assuming that we’re talking about something healthy and legal. In this case, L-arginine, beta-alanine and branched-chain amino acids fit the bill exactly.

L-arginine
The amino acid L-arginine is a precursor to nitric oxide, a vasodilator produced by the body to facilitate circulation.³⁶ Consequently, supplementation with L-arginine has been shown to increase oxygen transport during exercise and improve aerobic exercise (6 g/day)^37,38 and increase circulating growth hormone levels in response to exercise (5–9 g/day, 30 minutes before exercise);³⁹ and growth hormone can help support the development of new muscle.

Beta-alanine
Research suggests that during high-intensity exercise and strength training, 2.4 grams to 6.4 grams daily of the amino acid beta-alanine improves some measures of physical performance (e.g. increases ventilatory threshold, time to onset of muscle fatigue, time to exhaustion, and total work). A meta-analysis of 15 studies demonstrated that beta-alanine significantly improved exercise measures compared to placebo.⁴⁰

Branched-chain amino acids
Leucine, isoleucine and valine are collectively referred to as the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). BCAAs have also been shown to significantly reduce the breakdown of skeletal muscle in normal and exercising Volunteers,^{41,42,43,45,46} decrease muscle soreness and muscle fatigue occurring for a few days after exercise,^47,48 and decrease lactic acid levels during exercise.^49,50,51,52 Doses of 1.3–5.7 g/day have been used.

EAT HEALTHY FOOD

If you think you need to eat a healthier diet, you’re in good company. According the USDA, only 10 percent of the American population eats a good diet.⁵³ So by all means, take every measure possible to eat healthier food. At the same time it’s important to realize that even when your diet improves, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be getting all of the vitamins and minerals you need. In fact, according to the goals of nutrient intake established by the USDA,⁵⁴ comparing the nutritional goals for Americans to the nutrient content of foods consumed in a 2000 calorie per day diet, there will be insufficient amounts of vitamin D, vitamin E, choline, magnesium (for men only) and potassium. So even if you follow dietary guidelines there is a good chance that you still won’t be reaching 100 percent of your nutrient intake goals.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother eating a healthy diet; it just means that you need a nutrition insurance policy in the form of a good daily multivitamin. Not only will this help assure that you fill in the missing nutrient gaps,⁵⁵ but research suggests that a good daily multivitamin may offer other benefits as well, which include supporting better cardiovascular health,^{56,57,58,59,60,61} reducing the risk of certain types of cancer,⁶² improving stress and energy,^63,64,65 and maybe even help you live longer.⁶⁶

MANAGE STRESS

Given the many adverse effects that stress can have on our lives, it makes very good sense to try and manage it better. While this can and should include attempts to decrease external stressors, it can also include techniques like biofeedback to help you remain calmer in the face of stress. Another complementary approach is the use of L-theanine and lemon balm.
L-theanine
Asian cultures have often used teas for relaxation effects. The relaxing effect is, at least in part, caused by the presence of a neurologically active amino acid, L-theanine. In research, L-theanine was shown to significantly increase brain activity in the alpha frequency band (calming brain waves), and improve mental alertness while promoting relaxation,^67,68 L-theanine has also been shown to induce feelings of tranquility in subjects⁶⁹ and have a direct anti-stress effect via the inhibition of cortical neuron excitation (50–200 mg).⁷⁰

Lemon balm
The herb lemon balm is often used as a mild mood elevator and calming herb in people with anxiety. It has been shown to improve attention and calmness in healthy volunteers.⁷¹ In human clinical research,⁷² 600 mg lemon balm extract improved the negative mood effects of stress, with significantly increased self-ratings of calmness. Also, the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (an umbrella organization representing national herbal medicine or phytotherapy [aka, herbal medicine] associations across Europe), lists tenseness, restlessness and irritability among the uses for lemon balm.⁷³ The use of lemon balm as a brewed herb offers the additional benefit of delivering the herb as a warm beverage, adding to its soothing qualities.

Conclusion
The use of the nutraceuticals discussed in this article won’t guarantee that you will stick to your New Year’s resolution. You still need willpower and commitment. That being said, these nutraceuticals will provide you with extra support, and they may help you be more effective at adhering to your resolutions.

References
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The post Nutraceuticals to Help You Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions appeared first on Total Health Magazine.

Shoot for the Stars, but Believe in Your Dreams
As the saying goes, at least as it is with the law of the universe, ask and you shall receive. In other words if you don’t dream it, don’t expect to live it. I am a firm believer in shooting for the stars when it comes to dreams and aspirations, however you first have to believe within your deepest core that you are not only deserving of these lofty goals, but it is just a matter of time before they transpire. As the man who once floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee said; “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.”

One Step at a Time
In order to mentally prepare yourself for your soon-to-be abundance, you first need a goal that is obtainable in a reasonable amount of time. If you make a long list, more than likely you won’t achieve everything you wrote down—at least not in one year. It’s not being pessimistic; it’s being realistic.

Make your goals as specific as possible; instead of saying you are going to be healthy and skinny, say that you are going to drink at least eight glasses of clean filtered water a day and replace at least one meal with a high-quality protein smoothie (without any added sugar). The more specific about your goals you are, the easier it is to see for your mind to accept.

State of Mind
The main thing you need is to think positively. Thinking positively is a factor that can make or break you. It can make you happy, excited, and determined. To keep yourself in a positive state of mind you need to learn not to get emotionally attached to negative circumstances that arise around you. For example, just because you’re stuck in a traffic jam on the way to an important appointment, doesn’t mean you have to create extra stress for yourself. Sometimes, it just is what it is, so let go of the negativity.

Positive Surroundings
You are going to encounter people every day, especially those you are close with. When you tell people your New Year’s Resolution you most likely hear “good luck with that,” in a sarcastic tone or other responses that are not so enthusiastic. Tune those people out; cover your ears and go “la-la-la-la-la.” You don’t need that in your life, so surround yourself with positive uplifting people– in other words people who make you feel good!

Turn Coal into Diamonds
According to the Mayo Clinic, turning negative self-talk into positive thinking is one of the best ways to keep you in a positive mood. Every time a negative thought pops into your head; turn it into a more optimistic point of view. Here is an example from the Mayo Clinic’s positive thinking chart1 to show you how it’s done:

Mayo Clinic’s positive thinking chart:

Read Blogs of People Who Achieved Their Dreams/Resolutions
Finding inspiration in other people’s successes is one of the best ways to get you mentally prepared. Blogging is one of the trendiest ways people share their experiences and inspire those around them. Read and gain some tips from these blogs. We live in a time when we can ask questions and receive answers on just about anything with the click of a mouse. You can also read positive quotes or listen to positive motivational speakers at home or while you are traveling.

Create Positive Patterns
Your brain is a virtual pattern recognition storage system that will default back to the path of least resistance. What this means is it is easy for us humans to make the same mistakes over and over again, if we don’t change our patterns. Don’t do the same things that keep getting you mediocre—at best—results. Don’t be afraid to try something different. What’s the worst that can happen? You might actually get it right for a change.

One simple example is with people who eat in front of their televisions at night. These people often can’t stop eating, as the television is a major distraction.

When these same people change the pattern up and eat at the kitchen table, making themselves fully present and taking time to chew and enjoy their food, they often eat a lot less. In today’s day and age it’s easy to become distracted from our goals, but by following some or all of my tips, you may surprise yourself and start a new trend of New Year’s resolutions that finally become realities.

Reference

1. Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress. Mayo Clinic. 2014, March 4.

The post Are You Mentally Ready for a New Year’s Resolution? appeared first on Total Health Magazine.

As a practitioner of energy psychology and follower of energy healing in general, I was intrigued. Then, after hearing him speak at the annual Energy Psychology conference in Toronto, (CAIET.org), I was hooked. Eric is funny, smart, and totally charming, more like a borscht belt stand-up comic than our usual notion of healer-speaker-expert.

Then I took the plunge and went to his annual Reconnection Healing seminar in Los Angeles. I was not disappointed; rather, I was educated entertained and uplifted. I saw with my own eyes how “spontaneous” healing can occur outside our usual belief systems of time and possibility. I was impressed at my ability and that of others to step into the process and have a real effect. They sure didn’t teach us this in medical school!

What Eric had accidentally stumbled across was what he describes as a “unique frequency or bandwidth” comprised of light, information and energy that actually corrects physical and emotional imbalances. As I learned in his seminar, he teaches people how to become a catalyst in healing others by learning how to interact with these new frequencies that “reconnect” us to our “original blueprint.” Stay with me here-there is some science to follow.

While seeing injured and chronically ill people get off a table instantly healed may seem like “magic” or “faith,” (and we know the power of the placebo effect) there is a growing body of hard science that is emerging on Reconnective Healing, explaining why it is a fast-growing new form of alternative healing world-over.

• Three major scientists are leading the inquiry—Dr. Kontstantin Korotkov, Deputy Director of Saint-Petersburg Federal Research Institute of Physical Culture;Dr. Gary Schwartz of the University of Arizona, and Professor Emeritus of Stanford University, and Dr. William Tiller (Stanford Prof. Emeritus) and founder of The William A. Tiller Foundation for New Science in Payson, Arizona. Dr. Tiller is the author of eight books, 250 scientific papers and star of the film What The Bleep…!? Four of his books are on psychoenergetic science.

Many of their studies are chronicled in the recent book, Science Confirms Reconnective Healing by Korotkov. Here are just a few of those findings:

• A former director of the University of Arizona’s Human Energy Systems Laboratory, Schwartz has performed multiple major controlled experiments there that have substantiated the electromagnetic transference in Reconnective Healing. Underway is a study measuring range of motion changes when the Reconnective frequencies are engaged.
• Tiller was able to gauge a huge energy upsurge in The Reconnection workshop rooms. Schwartz did a study that concluded aspiring Reconnective Healing Practitioners gain abilities to produce vibrational waves of energy via the Reconnective Healing that they learn at the seminars.
• Korotkov has demonstrated significant improvement in Olympic athletes’ peak performance once exposed to the Reconnective Healing frequencies. Energy parameters significantly increased almost immediately, while 10 days later their improvement became even more statistically significant. His studies have shown decreases in blood pressure, increases in metabolic, immune, antitoxin and antioxidant activity in the body, improved cardiovascular function and even improvements in their DNA.

What these scientists surmise from their findings is that Pearl is working with a cutting-edge new form of “information medicine”—in the words of Tiller—who explains further: “When information carried through these frequencies is introduced, it creates coherence and order within the field and the body itself.” The result can be seen in the dramatic reports of regeneration instead of degeneration, and account after account of apparently unexplainable, often instantaneous and life-long healings.

These bandwidths, which seem to be newly present in our planetary energy field, appear to innately “know” what needs to be healed. Pearl says that you are returned to an optimal and appropriate state of balance merely by experiencing or interacting with this healing continuum. The trained Reconnective Healing practitioner simply facilitates the process. By feeling the frequencies and playing with them—an act that appears as if the healer is stretching taffy in the air—physical and emotional health shifts suddenly come about.

We can see the impact on the person receiving Reconnective Healing as their closed eyes flutter and begin to rapidly dart back and forth, fingers or feet move as if of their own volition, and even involuntary muscles of the face move in a way that are unlikely to happen intentionally. All this occurs even though the practitioner isn’t even touching the client! These involuntary body movements—referred to as registers—are a demonstration that the client has entered into a different state, one where healing often occurs.

The information-laden frequencies reconnect us to our original fullness as human beings, according to Pearl, and seemingly restore us to a more complete connection with the universe.

More than a decade ago, when Pearl perceived the results of what was transpiring with his patients and saw its transformative power, he closed his practice as a chiropractor, so he could go out and share this skill with the world. Pearl’s book is now published in 36 languages and he has taught Reconnective Healing to 70,000 people around the globe in more than 70 countries.

Today when the cost of healthcare has skyrocketed and insurance is either unaffordable or barely covers what the average person requires to stay healthy, there is true benefit in literally taking healing into our own hands for ourselves, our loved ones and for those we can serve. Reconnective Healing, with its growing body of scientific proof and its legions of those who point to its efficacy, is a promising breakthrough.

While I am quite impressed here, both with my personal experience at the seminar, as well as the research data, I also know there are many other forms and schools of healing, some with their own well-documented research. Is this method substantially different from others? I invite your comments about how they compare, especially if you’ve had personal experience in any of these.

If you want to know more about about Reconnective Healing, go to: www.TheReconnection.com.

Citations from Science Confirms Reconnective Healing” by Konstantin Korotkov:

1. Korotkov K. Aura and Consciousness: New Stage of Scientific Understanding. St. Petersburg, Russia: State Editing and Publishing Unit—Kultura?. 1998
2. Korotkov K., Williams B., Wisneski L. Biophysical Energy Transfer Mechanisms in Living Systems: The Basis of Life Processes. J of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2004 10, 1, 49-57.
3. Polushin J, Levshankov A, Shirokov D, Korotkov K. Monitoring Energy Levels during treatment with GDV Technique. J of Science of Healing Outcome. 2:5. 5- 15, 2009?
4. Bundzen P. V., Korotkov K. G., Korotkova A. K., Mukhin V. A., and Priyatkin N. S. Psychophysiological Correlates of Athletic Success in Athletes Training for the Olympics; Human Physiology, Vol. 31, No. 3, 2005, pp. 316-323.
5. Measuring Energy Fields: State of the Art. GDV Bioelectrography series. Vol. I. Korotkov K. (Ed.). Backbone Publishing Co. Fair Lawn, USA, 2004. 270 p.
6. Korotkov K.G., Matravers P, Orlov D.V., Williams B.O. Application of Electrophoton Capture (EPC) Analysis Based on Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) Technique in Medicine: A Systematic Review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. January 2010, 16(1): 13-25.
7. Korotkov K, Orlov D, Madappa K. New Approach for Remote Detection of Human Emotions. Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine o V 19, N 3, pp 1- 15, 2009

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Do you crave something sweet after dinner or between meals? Do you have to have your morning coffee, at all costs, or keep craving and drinking it throughout the day? Do you find that you can’t wait to get home for that end-of-the-day drink, and can’t relax without it?

You are not alone and you are not simply weak-willed or dependent. Rather, whether from genetics, stress, or diet (or all three), you are dealing with a brain chemistry imbalance, and looking for the most convenient solution you can grab. This chemical imbalance can be depleting your energy and peace of mind, and you don’t even know it!

You may protest, “I just like my morning coffee” … (or “my after-work beer with friends” or “my glass of wine with dinner” or “my bag of chips in the evening”)… I could give it up any time.” Often these habits appear to be just tension relievers, pick-me-ups, or one of the normal pleasures of life. But are they? Generally, the answer is no.

Research shows that we can successfully treat addiction with the use of specific nutrients, especially amino acids. These include precursors to the neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine, and glutamine as well as GABA (a neurotransmitter and amino acid). When neurotransmitter precursors were given to alcoholic subjects the individuals experienced:

• Fewer cravings for alcohol
• Reduced incidence of stress
• Increased likelihood of recovery
• Reduction in relapse rates

To prove the point, research has been done with rats, where they were made “alcoholic,” then treated with amino acids. When tested further, they had lost their cravings and addiction!

Similar findings have been seen when researching addiction to carbs. In addition to eliminating refined carbohydrates (such as sugar and white flour), cutting out coffee and alcohol, and eating small, frequent meals containing protein and complex carbohydrates, a daily nutritional supplement regimen can help greatly. Additionally, serotonin, pantothenic acid and vitamin C are helpful to boost serotonin levels. Finally, 500–1000 mg of glutamine is generally a good rule-of-thumb to curb the cravings. Implementing these changes, as well as a good exercise program, can help a carb addict to stabilize blood sugar levels, increase energy and the ability to handle stress without turning to the preferred substance.

To quote Jonathan, a 32-year-old sales agent with a history of cocaine and alcohol addiction (as well as several other compulsive and destructive behaviors) who has been sober for three years, “I’ve been helped enormously by vitamins, the 12-step programs, eating right, and exercising regularly. I don’t even drink coffee or use sugar. I found that they were as addictive as drugs, and would give me the same pattern of highs and lows. My ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is under control, too. I can concentrate, remember things, and keep my desk and my life organized for the first time. It’s been a hard road, but I can honestly say that I have never felt better!”

Jonathan had a biological tendency toward low levels of certain key neurotransmitters and once he started using drugs he couldn’t stop. With adequate neurotransmitter precursors, such as L-glutamine, and tyrosine, 500 mg of each three times daily, his mood became normal, without the depression and anxiety that had always plagued him. In closing, I feel it is important to say that we are not simply victims of our genetic makeup. Genetics give only the predisposition to a condition. Its actual manifestation, or expression, can be influenced and changed. That being said, even in “normal” people, repeated use of certain substances can lead to addiction, as can stress itself. By understanding our propensities, we can take the appropriate precautionary steps or do good remedial work, if we have already been affected. This applies to the use of caffeine, sugar, chocolate, and tobacco as well. Each has its own way of stimulating the reward cascade, but the end result is the same. They all raise blood sugar and dopamine, stimulating the brain’s pleasure center—leading to the brain’s becoming addicted to them.

TIPS FOR HANDLING CRAVINGS
A quick and effective fix for cravings: Open and empty a 500 mg capsule of L-glutamine powder under your tongue. It is absorbed quickly and should give you a pick-me-up similar to that of the longed-for stimulant (including alcohol). To prevent cravings a 500–mg capsule of L-glutamine several times a day is invaluable. Adding 500 mg of DL-phenylalanine, two to three times daily, will also give a necessary energy boost.

Chocolate Cravings
Among other ingredients, chocolate contains phenethylamine, magnesium, fat and sugar. One of these ingredients is probably causing the craving. To cover all four, take the following supplements: 500–1,000 mg of DL-phenylalanine two to three times daily, 400–600 mg of magnesium daily; 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil twice daily.

Coffee and Caffeine Cravings
It takes an average of four days to break the coffee habit. During the time, you may experience headaches and drowsiness, a natural part of the withdrawal process. These are strong reminders of how bad coffee really is for you. Concentrate on this reality and it will become a real incentive to stop “using” caffeine. Green tea is a reasonable caffeine-containing substitute and has many health benefits, besides.

Alcohol Cravings
It is all easy to overindulge in alcohol because of its role in social interaction. Start by limiting the times you have alcohol. Ideally, cut it out completely for at least two weeks. If you find this hard to do, take a close look at your drinking habits and, if necessary, seek professional help, or join AA. I have found it a great support network for many of my patients and readers. There is a great deal of self-deception that goes on in the name of “just social drinking.” Above all, remember this is a brain imbalance, not a crime, but it can turn into one if you don’t do something about quitting.

Smoking
Nicotine is more addictive than heroin, which makes quitting smoking difficult. This effect is due to nicotine’s action on adrenal hormones, blood sugar, and brain chemicals. To start with, reduce your nicotine load gradually by switching to a lower nicotine brand. About a month or so before starting to quit, stop consuming stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, and sugar. Also recommended is to follow a blood sugar stabilizing diet-eating small, frequent meals, with an emphasis on foods containing slow-releasing carbohydrates combined with foods rich in protein. In addition to a high quality antioxidant supplement combination, the following can be very helpful; 1,000 mg of vitamin C; 100 mg of chromium; 50 mg of niacin; 600 mg of calcium and 400 mg of magnesium (both are alkaline minerals that help to neutralize the excess acidity that adds to the craving); 200 mg of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), either 100 mg twice daily or 200 mg one hour before bed.

An overall brain nutrient and stabilizer for all addictions and imbalances is fish oil, an omega-3 oil containing EPA and DHA. Fish oil helps to build the brain cell wall, to enhance brain cell communication, and acts as an excellent anti-inflammatory, noted for its role in preventing Alzheimer’s disease. The individual nutrients can be obtained from your health food store.

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All sorts of corporate players are now getting into the health care game, too, many of which have no prior history of involvement with health care or health policy. Perhaps the best solutions, though, are coming from community-based physicians. You can decide for yourself.

In terms of corporate players, the wonder-workers who make Disney’s theme parks the happiest places on Earth are trying to put some Magic Kingdom mojo into the medical world, by teaching hospital administrators how to apply Disney leadership principles to the health care domain. While Disney tries to make better hosts out of hospital administrators, FICO, the nation’s leading credit rating auditor, hopes to solve the health care crisis by making sure everybody takes their meds.

Over the summer, FICO announced its new “Medication Adherence Score,”a system for monitoring and rating consumers’ medication compliance. FICO uses “predictive analytics” to determine a person’s likelihood of filling a prescription and using the drug(s) as directed.

Some health care pundits claim that non-adherence to drug regimens causes thousands of unnecessary, preventable deaths and disabilities each year and wastes billions of dollars.

A big problem is that FICO’s system does not recognize that someone’s “noncompliance” with a drug prescription may reflect a conscious decision to go with a non-drug alternative (herb, nutraceutical, homeopathic, etc.). So, the MAS could unjustly penalize people who seek legitimate options outside conventional drug-based medicine.

These are just a couple of examples of how corporate America is trying to “solve” health care problems. The deeper problem is all these tech “solutions” and top-down management changes have more to do with corporate well-being than with people’s actual health. Fortunately, we’re also seeing some very creative, health-focused innovations emerging from the ground up, as clinicians and patients take it upon themselves to reform health care.

For example, there’s Dr. Pamela Wible, a family physician in Eugene, Oregon, who is spearheading a movement toward community-based clinic design. Dr. Wible had worked in a wide variety of settings, and by 2005 she found herself, like many doctors, burnt out and utterly dismayed by the constraints, conflicting incentives and heartlessness of insurance- based practice. Rather than resign herself to more misery, she asked herself: what would “ideal” health care look and feel like?

Then she asked her neighbors the same things in a series of town-hall community meetings. She gathered 100 pages of input from community members about what they actually wanted and needed from a primary care clinic.

The result? A thriving, patient-friendly health center offering a range of holistic options at affordable prices. Dr. Wible keeps her accessibility high, her overhead low, and her attention on the main thing: her patients’ well-being. She’s taken the frustration out of medicine, and put the joy and compassion back in.

Dr. Wible’s clinic is no fluke. Over the last six years, she has traveled all over the country helping individual physicians as well as large medical centers remake themselves based on input and innovation from the communities they serve.

“This happened so effortlessly, so simply and so easily,” she said. “People hear my story, and say things like, ‘That’s great! Keep up the good fight!’ But in reality, it hasn’t been a fight. I’m not fighting against any system, or any other doctors, or any other mode of practice. It’s about bypassing what we know doesn’t work, and dreaming into being what does work.”

Dr. Wible was a featured speaker at the Heal Thy Practice 2011 conference, November 4–6, in Long Beach, California. The meeting, produced by Holistic Primary Care, was focused on new practice models that enable practitioners to focus on prevention and holistic therapies.

There are literally thousands of practitioners all over the country who are saying “no, thanks” to the protocol-bound, actuarial approach to medicine promoted by the health plans, and who are working directly with their communities, small businesses and other practitioners to develop practice models that actually meet peoples’ health care needs. I’ll be there!

There’s the late Dr. Vern Cherewatenko, a Seattle-area doctor who founded a system called SimpleCare that frees both doctors and patients from the burdens and costs of insurance-based medicine. Eliminating insurance overhead reduces the costs of basic primary care by a huge margin and enables physicians to actually focus on the needs of the person in the room—the patient—and not the imperatives of his or her insurance plan.

While patients do have to pay out of pocket for SimpleCare, Dr. Cherewatenko said many found it gives far greater value, especially if they’ve been bouncing from doctor to doctor within their insurance plans, and are fed up with long waits, five-minute visits and ineffective treatment.

Dr. Cheretwatenko described the SimpleCare model in detail at the Heal Thy Practice conference. The conference faculty included pioneers in the holistic/ integrative field like David Perlmutter, Steven Masley, James Gordon, Kent Holtorf, JJ Virgin, Philippa Cheetham and many others.

TotalHealth Editor’s Update: Vernon Scott Cherewatenko, M.D., or Dr Vern, as he was affectionately known, peacefully passed away at Overlake Hospital in Bellevue, WA on February 26th, 2016. Michelle Cherewatenko is the CEO of the not-for-profit member based American Association of Patients and Providers (AAPP), and its flagship program SimpleCare, carrying on her late husband Vern Cherewatenko, MD’s legacy in building a nationwide network of patients and providers.​

Dr. Mark Logan, a Rutland, Vermont physician, whose embrace of nutrition-based approaches to managing serious disorders led him to found not only an integrative clinic but also of an artisanal locovore restaurant! By teaming up with a friend who is a chef, Dr. Logan was able to create Roots, where his patients—and the general Rutland—community, can enjoy delicious meals made from locally sourced produce, while also sticking to their eating plans. It gives new meaning to the term “doctor’s orders,” no?

The place has become so popular that Dr. Logan has difficulty getting a table on a Saturday night. In his clinic, he’s been able to make nutrition-based strategies a first-line approach for the care of people with significant chronic disorders like obesity, diabetes and heart disease, and he’s been getting great clinical outcomes.

These are just a few examples of the sort of health care transformations that are quietly happening all over the country when ordinary people of goodwill put their heads together and figure out healthier ways to solve common problems.

They don’t make the nightly news the way all the political ranting does, and they don’t have the hypnotic blue glow of the latest health app. But in the long run, it’s approaches like this that are likely to have a greater impact on our public health and well-being.

For a more personal and long-term P.S. to this laudable movement: I would like to see sweeping changes in our health care system. Canadian born and bred (and educated), I have been appalled at the fact health care is not government supported as it is in most of the civilized world. Yes, this costs the taxpayer, but without covered care, we end up with poor health, overcrowded emergency rooms, bankrupt individuals who were unfortunate enough to become ill, and lowered standard of living for many. How about single payer government-supported coverage, without the insurance companies as middle-men, and with emphasis on self-care, prevention, and overall health education? A more holistic approach would save money in the long run.

For more information on alternatives, especially or healthcare practitioners,

Heal Thy Practice: Transforming Primary Care.
http://www.holisticprimarycare.net/news/1307-practitioners-sound-off-on-health-care-reform-hearings

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On one hand, stress isn’t always bad. It can be a motivator, helping to get you out of bed in the morning and sending you to the office, or giving you a surge of energy when you need it to escape danger.

On the other hand, there is the kind of sustained stress, called chronic or toxic stress which overrides your body’s natural abilities to bounce back, causing an unhealthy rise in stress hormones, and negatively affecting our overall health. It can lead to a wide range of problems from anxiety and depression to overt physical conditions such as high blood pressure, ulcers, migraine headaches, back pain, weight gain and diabetes. One of the most insidious results of chronic stress is its effect on our immune system, increasing susceptibility to everything from colds and flu to cancer. It’s estimated that at least 75 percent of visits to doctors’ offices are due to stress-related illness.Our responses to stress are ancient and instinctive. Any hint of danger causes our adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, to release adrenaline, causing rapid breathing and heart rate, and sending extra blood sugar to the muscles in preparation to fight or run. This “fight-or-flight” response worked just fine when we were fleeing from saber-toothed tigers. However, this protection mechanism doesn’t serve us very well today when the threats are far more often mental and emotional. After all, you can’t run away from your desk, your ringing telephone, your driver’s seat in unmoving traffic, or the boss’ insistence that you work overtime. You may grumble, growl, or grit your teeth, but the stress response remains and the next phase sets in. Your adrenals now release cortisol, the hormone of chronic stress, in an attempt to shore you up.

Over time, this toxic stress diminishes your body’s ability to produce cortisol and another adrenal hormone, DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), when you need them. You become even less able to respond in an appropriate way to stressors.

Interestingly, the emotional stress of happy life events such as having a baby, getting married, buying a new house, or getting a promotion can have the same physiological effects as dealing with the major illness of a close member of your family, losing a job, or having a family member in jail. The stress itself is not the issue. Stress is in our lives whether we like it or not. The real question is this: how do you deal with it?

Dealing with Stress
Popular solutions have been using alcohol or tranquilizers, which promote the release of the feel-good brain chemicals, dopamine and endorphins, as well as GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), the relaxing neurotransmitter. However, they also upset your neurotransmitter and blood sugar balance, causing all kinds of problems ranging from emotional and mental imbalance to addiction and withdrawal.

Fortunately, there are numerous natural ways to break the cycle safely and without side effects. First of all, you must be able to recognize when you’re experiencing stress, taking action to break the stress cycle, and using long-term methods to keep it from spiraling out of control. Start by getting enough sleep—at least 7 hours nightly. Lack of quality sleep can make you cranky and irritable and more susceptible to stress-related illness, including immune system suppression. Then, eat a healthy diet with high-quality protein from seafood, lean meats, soy, beans, and whole grains to keep your blood sugar stable, thereby controlling the release of stress hormones. Adequate hydration is also important—8 glasses of water daily. Then eliminate or greatly reduce your intake of caffeine, a major dietary stressor.

A daily regimen of yoga is one of the best long-term ways of addressing the stresses of modern life. And another sure-fire 30-second stress buster is deep breathing. Whenever you feel any of the signs of stress, stop and take three full, deep, slow breaths. It will give you time to think, to rebalance, and to slow down and respond rather than unthinkingly react to the stressor.

Exercise is also a great safety valve. It actually helps your body break the acute stress cycle and allows your hormonal system to return to balance.

While you cannot control the world around you, regular meditation can help you control your reactions to it. Not just some esoteric Eastern practice, meditation is actually an integral part of virtually every world religion. It helps you find a way above the turbulence of daily life, and it just might help awaken you to the “big picture” in which everything in life falls into place.

You may protest that you don’t have time to do these exercises or techniques. However, you don’t have time not to do them! You will be far more productive (not to mention happy!) when you include them in your daily schedule.

The Role of Supplements
A variety of supplements can both prevent the stress response and restore balance in chronic stress. Be sure to take a multivitamin, which provides co-factors to support your biochemistry. In addition, take extra B vitamins: since they are used in making the stress hormones and neurotransmitters. Also take omega-3 fatty acids, since fats make up 60 percent of the brain’s weight, and these essential fatty acids are needed for healthy brain cell communication.

My own stress-control formula is Natural Mind CALM, a combination of L-theanine, GABA, L-glutamine, taurine, hops, passionflower, and lemon balm, with B vitamins and magnesium. L-theanine, a major ingredient in green teat promotes a sense of calm alertness. L-Glutamine can cut a craving almost on the spot. It’s absorbed quickly and will give you an almost instant pick-me-up similar to your longed-for stimulant, whether it’s sugar or alcohol. Taurine functions as a mild sedative by enhancing the activity of GABA in the brain. It reduces irritability, insomnia, migraines, alcohol cravings, and depression.

Unlike western medicine, more traditional medical systems address the need to support the adrenal glands, using a variety of adaptogens such as rhodiola, ginseng, eleutherococcus (Siberina ginseng), or reishi mushroom. My Natural Mind Energy formula contains all of these, as well as tyrosine, a precursor to the feel-good neurotransmitter, dopamine, which is further converted to adrenalin.

Immune Booster
All of these diet, lifestyle and nutritional solutions will support your immune system indirectly by reducing your stress response. There are also more specific immune-boosting supplements, from vitamin C, echinacea, astragalus, and elderberry extract, to some highly effective combination formulas. Most recently, I discovered an herbal cold and flu formula that has demonstrated impressive anti-viral effects. It was used during the SARS epidemic in China to protect health-case workers exposed to infected patients, since up to 25 percent of all cases were the very doctors and nurses caring for the ill. Not only did none of the 40,000 workers who took the formula catch the disease, but they also showed a boost in their overall immune function.

Developed by renowned Chinese researcher, Dr. Dexin Yan, this single formula is now available in the U.S. as ImmunoPhase. By enhancing the immune system during the first signs of infection, ImmunoPhase aids in repelling the virus before it has a chance to spread. In addition to its being highly effective at preventing illness when taken at the first signs of an impending cold or flu, ImmunoPhase has also been shown to relieve symptoms and enhance the immune system for a more rapid recovery when taken after you have already caught a cold or flu.

Remember, stress is inevitable. It’s how you choose to handle it that will make all the difference in your life and your health.

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