“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” -General George Patton
Book Club: Hack Your Anxiety
How to Make Anxiety Work for You in Life, Love, and All That You Do. What if anxiety is not a monster to be tamed, but a resource to be tapped? In this revolutionary book, Dr. Alicia Clark recognizes anxiety as the unsung hero in the path to success and happiness. It can become the motivating force that will lead to a better you, and The Anxiety Advantage aims to restore anxiety to its rightful place as a positive resource. Reclaim your anxiety as a powerful energy source, and bring yourself peace, growth and success.
Stress Management For Your Heart
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the risk factors for heart disease. It is a long-term medical condition where the blood pressure in the arteries is persistently elevated.
You can help control or reduce hypertension in the areas of diet, exercise, weight, salt reduction, limiting alcohol & caffeine, not smoking and managing stress.
Many doctors include deep breathing and meditation in a stress management plan. Both Qigong and Reiki are excellent ‘tools’ for stress reduction. Slow, deep breathing and meditation are foundational to the practice of Qigong and the deep meditative state experienced while receiving Reiki brings deep relaxation, calm and peace to the body/mind.
The combination of movements and slow, deep and gentle breathing in Qigong helps the body & mind relax and release tension. Then, by focusing inward and replacing worries and negative thoughts with positive thoughts and emotions, a state of calm and peace is achieved that also positively affect the qi (energy) and blood circulation.
There have been a number of studies done worldwide on the benefits of Qigong for the heart. Overall, results show that practicing Qigong as a complement to medical treatment can help to improve blood pressure, heart and respiratory rates.
Reiki has been described as ‘spiritually-guided life force energy’ that has the ability to help balance our ‘energy’ on all levels – body, mind and spirit. In ‘matters of the heart’ it can also help to elevate the feelings of acceptance, love and compassion bringing with it an acceptance of the moment and a state of calm and peace that affects the whole person.
Studies have also been done with Reiki that have varying positive results depending on the focus of the study. With regard to the heart, Reiki as a complementary therapy can help to improve HRV (heart rate variability), mental state and quality of life (ie sleep, reduction in pain) especially after a heart attack and surgery. An example of one such study is found at: http://content.onlinejacc.org/article.aspx?articleid=1143148
February is Heart Month in Canada. What better time to do something new for your heart?!
Ask The Expert
Q: My older sister says she got an eye infection over the holidays, and that it’s actually shingles in the eye. Is there really such a thing?
A: Yes, the virus that causes shingles can sometimes affect the eye, and she probably deserves your sympathy – it can be painful and the treatment often involves a lot of eyedrops. It might be worthwhile assessing your own risk of developing shingles (factors include age or a compromised immune system) and asking your health care provider about vaccines to lessen the risk.
Tracking Multiple Income Streams
It’s important that we track multiple income streams properly to ensure we don’t end up with a large bill at tax time. Use a spreadsheet that includes these categories: Employer, Gross Income, Income Tax, CPP, EI, and Net Income (for each income stream). Total all streams so that you can calculate the total earnings, tax, CPP, and EI deducted so far. Then determine what the actual deductions should be, based on the combined income. The Canada Revenue Agency has an online calculator that is useful for this (http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/bsnss/pdoc-eng.html). A qualified accountant can also help with any questions you might have.
To the Heart of the Matter
Research shows that there are nerve fibres that directly link the heart to the brain. More specifically directly to the part of the brain called the amygdala (the part of the brain that is linked to our fight or flight emotions). The power of love is real, as is the power of love to heal yourself! When we open our hearts, free the past and forgive ourselves, we can create a new create a new life for ourselves. In this month where you’re surrounded by commercial symbols of love, why not start with loving yourself?
Signs of a Heart Attack
Heart attacks can present with the following symptoms: chest discomfort, sweating, upper body discomfort including neck, shoulder, arms and back pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and light-headedness. Women may also have these symptoms, but many women can have a heart attack without chest pressure or other typical signs. Women may have extreme fatigue or non-specific upper body discomfort. Don’t dismiss symptoms. Have your symptoms or concerns checked to rule out a heart attack especially if you have a history of high blood pressure or other heart disease.
For more information, go to HeartAndStroke.ca.
What Causes Flat Feet?
Flat feet or “fallen arches” are caused chiefly by weak flexor muscles. The major flexor muscles of the foot are meant to propel you forward by pushing against the earth behind you as you walk or run barefoot. However, lifelong use of shoes allows these muscles to atrophy and become weak. As these muscles weaken, they stretch out, allowing the ball of the foot to creep forward, resulting in the eventual collapse of the underside of the foot. Custom orthotics or dynamic rehabilitative orthotics are designed to recruit and strengthen the flexor muscles while you stand, walk, or run.
Physio for Low Back Pain
There are numerous reasons people experience low back pain—a sedentary lifestyle, poor posture, poor technique with activities (ie. lifting) and weak core muscles are some of the most common contributors. With a physiotherapy assessment, a customized rehabilitation treatment plan can be created to help address the symptoms of low back pain and prevent recurrence. Treatment typically includes a combination of manual therapy and mobility and strength exercises. Current research supports exercise as the most effective treatment option for lower back pain. Physiotherapists are exercise prescription experts and can help low back pain patients feel better and avoid future injury.
Supercharged Oxygen Treats Chronic Pain
Ozone is a supercharged form of oxygen that contains an extra atom. During treatment, this extra atom breaks off after 20-30 minutes inside the body and can bind to and destroy any viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, molds, yeasts, or abnormal tissue cells it finds in the body. These abnormal cells hate ozone, so treatment can be effective in combating disease. Once these abnormal cells are oxidized and eliminated from the body, they are replaced with healthy cells. Ozone therapy, in conjunction with injection therapy, is used to treat and eliminate chronic pain resulting from nerve injuries, degenerative joints and ligaments.
Toe Tapping for Better Sleep
Toe tapping can relieve insomnia, tension, and fatigue. It restores a state of “Water Up, Fire Down” in your body by bringing fire energy from your upper body into your lower body and core, so your body relaxes. Lie down comfortably with your feet together. Keeping your heels together, swing your feet outwards and inwards so that you tap your big toes together and then the outsides of your feet toward the floor. Start with 5 or 10 minutes. If desired, work your way up to 15 or 20. When you finish, let your body breathe comfortably as you feel subtle vibrations and energy sensations running through your body.