Published in the Archives of Surgery, the study followed 605 men undergoing major surgery. Two hundred of the men received a twenty minute back massage each night for four nights following the procedure. The men who were massages reported experiencing a faster reduction in the intensity of their pain and less overall discomfort. 

Allison Mitchinson, one of the authors of the article, believes that massage may work through multiple pathways to provide pain relief. Among these are easing anxieties, dilating the blood vessels, raising body temperature and causing the release of endorphins. 

It’s becoming ever more evident that alternative therapies have a clear role to play in our conventional medical system. As Dr. Marie Hanna of Johns Hopkins University comments:

“Increased awareness for better pain control has led treating physicians to use nontraditional modalities such as massage therapy, music, and relaxation techniques.” 

 Please take the time to memorize this list: 

1. Shortness of breath
2. Pain or discomfort in the chest.
3. Aching or discomfort in the arms or shoulders.
4. Feeling weak or light-headed.
5. Pain, aching or discomfort in the jaw, neck or back. 

The American Heart Association has found that women will more often experience jaw and back pain or shortness of breath, while chest pain is the most common symptom in men.  

If you or someone near you is experiencing one or more of the above symptoms, it is vitally important that the first thing you do is call 911. Of the 157,000 fatal heart attacks each year, half occur within an hour of the onset of symptoms.    

Feel free to print out the list and pass it on to your friends and family. With over 900,000 heart attacks occurring each year, increasing awareness of this information could prove to be invaluable.

Rest. I’ve noticed that on the rare occasions that I have become ill, I have inevitably let myself get run down. Stress and mile long To Do lists take their toll. While you may feel compelled to try and keep up despite feeling unwell, your body won’t be able to recover without proper rest. Be good to yourself and allow yourself to take it easy. 

Hydration. This is especially important if you have a fever, as I did. Make sure your getting enough purified water and, if you like, include some herbal teas. Licorice tea is particularly soothing for a cough, while chamomile is an anti-inflammatory that will help to soothe body aches, settle an upset stomach and also promote much needed rest. 

Garlic. This is one of my long loved stand-bys. While I was sick, I was adding between 3 and 6 cloves to pretty much everything I ate. This powerful natural antibiotic will do wonders to help your body fend off the invading bacteria or virus. 

Elderberry. Another one of my favorite herbs, this remarkable plant actually prevents virus’ from replicating, making it much easier for your body to recover. 

Aromatherapy. Pure essential oils can do wonders to ease the discomfort of a cold or flu. Eucalyptus helps to clear the sinuses, lavender promotes rest and eases headaches and rosemary is a wonderful antimicrobial that helps to clear the foggy feeling one can get when feverish. There are many great diffusers you can use, or just put a few drops of oil onto a piece of cloth and place this inside your pillowcase. 

Of course the best option is to stay healthy, but if you get nabbed as I did, these tips, along with herbal formulas like FluEase by Wise Woman Herbals, can do a great deal to help ease your discomfort and speed your road to recovery.

Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat with 0% cholesterol, but this is not its only boon. A collaborative study was just completed at the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology in Granada which looked at the polyphenols in the oil and their effect upon degenerative diseases.

Polyphenols act to scavenge the free radicals responsible for premature aging, cancer and other degenerative conditions. They have also been recently found to increase the body’s levels of vitamin E and to improve cardiovascular health. Olive oil is particularly rich in these natural antioxidants.  

I use olive oil for all of my low to medium temperature cooking. I also make homemade salad dressings with the oil and create delicious herbal dipping oils for bread. If you haven’t yet stocked your kitchen with this fabulous food, I highly recommend you do so. Not only will your health benefit, but you will discover a world of wonderful flavors!

A new study from Denmark shows that there may be a simple and effective way to combat this, though. In a randomized controlled study of 94 women, researchers Sjogaard and Andersen found that targeted strength training effectively eased neck pain.

The women were divided into three groups: one that participated in neck and shoulder strength training exercises, one that took part in general fitness training on a bicycle and a control group who received only health counseling. While those who bicycled did report a small decrease in pain following exercising, only the strength training group experienced significant and prolonged improvement.

Based on the results of the study, the researchers recommend 20 minutes of targeted strength training three times a week. In the study simple hand weights were used to target the trapezius and surrounding muscle groups. Body Rolling is another excellent option as is both strengthens and lengthens the muscles while also helping to release tension from the muscles.  

Carrying around past resentments is now known to have a detrimental effect upon both the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Participants who were told to focus on a personal grudge experienced elevated blood pressure, increased heart rates, muscle tension and feelings of loss of control. When these same participants were led to visualize forgiving the person who had hurt them, these negative effects were alleviated. 

It’s important to realize that forgiveness doesn’t mean that you’re excusing the person who harmed you or condoning their behavior. It does mean acknowledging that you were hurt and then releasing the burden of anger and resentment that you have been carrying around. There is no right or wrong way to do this – meditation, talking with a friend or seeking the help of a counselor – use whichever methods are most comfortable for you. 

Below are four steps listed in the Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource which can help you along the way:

 – Acknowledge the pain and anger felt as a result of someone else’s actions. For forgiveness to occur, the situation needs to be looked at honestly.
– Recognize that healing requires change.
– Find a new way to think about the person who caused the pain. What was happening in that person’s life when the hurt occurred? Sometimes, the motivation or causes for the incident have little to do with those most affected. For some people, this step includes saying, “I forgive you.”
– Begin to experience the emotional relief that comes with forgiveness. It may include increased compassion for others who have experienced similar hurt.  

Having just begun a new year, now may just be the perfect time to let go of your past hurts and move forward through 2008 with clearer emotions and a healthier body. 

Happy New Year!

This year, I plan on taking John’s advice. Rather than making nebulous resolutions like “This year I resolve to work out more often”, I plan to take part of New Year’s Day to write out specific goals and the steps that can be taken to achieve them. As you read the article below you may be inspired to do the same! 

HAVE YOU SET YOUR GOALS YET?

This is the time of year when we review what happened last year, and set our goals for 2006. Setting goals is a trait that sets apart those people who are successful. Just writing out your goals makes them much more likely to be realized.

I used to teach goal setting when I was a psychotherapist at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, California. I worked with people who were obese. The principals of how to set goals are pretty much the same no matter what you are aiming for.

 “The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly.”   Cecil B. De Mille

Here is a link to a wonderful program that will take you through the process as well as I could if I were there with you. And it’s free!

SETTING GOALS

At the Western Ontario University, researchers have found that singing provides a healthy, free and non-invasion cure for chronic snorers. By strengthening the muscles at the back of the throat, Alise Ojay says that singing restores tone, reducing snoring and allowing for a restful night’s sleep.

Canadian scientists have found that song benefits patients suffering from severe Alzheimer’s. These patients, despite their illness, were able to recognize songs from their youth and sing along with the music. Meanwhile, doctors in Sydney, Australia, are using music to soothe babies in the intensive care unit. 

It seems that singing can even help smokers to quit their habit. Encouraged by the results of research from Frankfurt University showing that singing lowers stress levels, American choirs have been created to help beat nicotine addiction. One two-year project succeeded in cutting smoking rates by 7%. Statistics from similar, but non-singing, groups showed only a 1% decrease during the same timeframe. 

So whether you’re shy like me and sing in the shower, or boldly choose a night of karaoke – go out and sing! As Cervantes says in Don Quixote:

“He who sings frightens away his ills.

Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine recently completed a study proving that this sweet home remedy is more effective than over-the-counter cough syrup. The study followed 105 children who where having difficulty sleeping due to night-time coughing associated with upper respiratory infection. One group of children was given detromethorphan (DM), a common cough suppressant. Another group was given buckwheat honey and a third was left untreated.  

While the researchers found that DM was no more effective than no treatment at all, honey was able to significantly reduce both the severity and frequency of the coughing. Some of the children who received honey were noted to have increased energy levels after administration, but actually ended up sleeping better. 

Lead researcher, Dr. Ian Paul, noted that efficacy of honey was likely due to its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Honey also coats and soothes the back of the throat, providing symptomatic relief upon contact. Due to the rare risk of infantile botulism, Dr. Paul cautioned that honey not be given to babies under the age of one year. 

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles on this powerful gift from the hive, in order to get the full healing benefits make sure to buy unheated, raw honey and enjoy some sweet relief.  

No matter which tradition you observe, the holidays provide a time to reconnect and celebrate, and keeping this focus is vital to staying (mostly) stress-free through the holidays. I try to keep this mind whenever I’m bombarded by aisles of tinsel and trapped in lines a mile long while trying to buy my keifer.   

With Thanksgiving just past us, now is the perfect time to think about what you are grateful for. You may even wish to start a journal to take note of those people and events that have made a positive difference in your life. After all, it’s often the little things – a smile from a stranger or a beautiful sunset – that cause us to stop and notice how blessed we truly are. 

Switching your focus outside of yourself can also to wonders to alleviate stress. Random acts of kindness not only bless those you touch, but enhance your own life, as well. Whether you choose to volunteer at a food bank or help an elderly person to decorate their tree, the sense of connection felt at these times reaches far beyond the act itself. 

There are also many simple techniques you can use to take the edge off. Below are just a few to get you started: 

*While giving to others, be sure to pamper yourself a bit, too. Take the time to curl up with a good book or soak in a warm tub.  

*Stay healthy. Between the celebrations eat healthy foods, drink plenty of pure water and exercise. If you start feeling run down, consider adding some supplements to your diet and getting some extra rest. 

*Use relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and breathing exercises to refocus and regain your balance physically and mentally. Even just taking five minutes to close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly can do wonders. 

*Don’t get upset over minor issues. If you burn the rolls or run out of wrapping paper, just take a few slow, deep breaths and return your focus to what’s important – connection, sharing and appreciation. Remember, your friends and family are there to spend time with you, not write a review on your homemade cranberry sauce. 
 

Above all relax, laugh and enjoy!