Prescription for Dying Should be for Living

I'm nearing the end of a training course in hospice palliative care.  With an increasing number of requests to provide hypnosis to people in palliative care, I thought it would be a good idea to get some training in the fundamentals first.  

During a discussion on the psychological aspects of dying, we reviewed a list of coping strategies to help the patient manage stress.  Ironically, and as I pointed out to the teacher, the list of coping strategies for dying is actually a fantastic recipe for living a good life.  And if more of  us followed such a recipe for living, we might well find ourselves living happier, more fulfilled lives.  My classmates agreed.  So I thought I would share this list in its entirety.  I just couldn't find one bullet point that wasn't worth including.  So here it is... your prescription for good living.  Definitely proactive.  Certainly easy to implement and, wonderfully, this prescription won't cost you a dime! 

SELF-ASSESSMENT:  Go through the list as a self-assessment and check off how many of these suggestions you already incorporate into your life.  Are you missing several points in one of the categories?  If so, this is an area that might need some attention to bring some balance into your life. 

What I like in particular about this list is the underlying themes of simplicity and acceptance but also of taking charge of one's life.   

Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are.  When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.  ~Lao Tzu

(From:  "The Fundamentals of Hospice Palliative Care" by the Palliative Pain and Symptom Management Consultation Program of Southwestern Ontario)

1.  Diversion

• Spend time alone. See a movie. Daydream. 
• Write.  Paint.  Create something.  Try scrapbooking.
• Take a class. Read.  Join a club.
• Play an instrument.  Sing.  Listen to music.
• Play a game.  Go out with friends.
• Tackle a new project.  Keep busy.  Volunteer.

2.  Family

• Balance time at work and home.  Accept the good with the bad. 
• Look for win/win solutions.
• Build good family feelings.  Focus on strengths.  Take on new family roles.  Stay open to change.
• Develop friendships with other families.  Make use of community resources.
• Take time to be together.  Build family traditions.  Express affection.

 3.   Interpersonal

• Believe in yourself.  Trust others.  Give compliments.
• State your needs and wants.  Say "no" respectfully. 
• Make new friends.  Really listen to others.  Touch if appropriate.
• Show feelings. Share feelings.
• Accept others' boundaries.  Drop some involvements.
• Share problems with others. Ask for support from others.

4.  Mental

• Look for the humour.  Anticipate the future.  
• Set clear goals.  Plan for the future.
• Take charge.  Make order.  Don't let things pile up.
• Solve it yourself.  Seek outside help.  Tackle problems head-on.
• Change perspective.  Look for the good in a bad situation.
• Focus on top priorities.  Work smarter, not harder.

5.  Physical

• Listen to your body.  Know your physical limitations.
• Pursue physical fitness.  Jog.  Swim.  Dance.  Walk.
• Take short stretch breaks throughout your day.
• Eat for health.  Limit use of alcohol.
• Tense and relax each muscle.  Take a warm bath.  Breathe deeply.
• Energize your work and play.  Strive for self-improvement. 

6.   Spiritual

• Take up a worthy cause.  Invest yourself meaningfully.
• Find purpose and meaning. Share beliefs with others.
• Confess.  Ask for forgiveness.  Pray for others.  Give thanks.
• Let go of problems.  Learn to live with the situation.
• Set priorities.  Be consistent.  Spend time and energy wisely.

Do you Feed your Dog Better than Yourself?

Picking up on the theme of my last blog, "Are you as Healthy as Your House Plants?", the same principle applies to our pets.  About a year ago we started experiencing some health issues with our beloved dog Kadie.  The main evidence was in the loss of sheen and thickness in her coat.  Based on a health check-up, the vet advised we be more selective about her food and avoid dog food that has wheat and corn as the leading ingredients.  Easier said than done.  Have you ever read the ingredients listings for pet food?  Most of them, dry, canned or snacks, lead with either corn or wheat or both! 

Well, we found a premium dog food that came highly recommended at our local mom and pop pet shop.  Within a few months, we noticed a significant improvement in Kadie's energy levels and appearance.  And, as you can see in the photo, she once again has a beautiful, shiny coat of thick soft hair.  Although we're paying more for dog food, we know we're saving money in vet bills in the long run.  And we have a happy healthy dog.  

I'm sure the parallels with our own human health are obvious.  Just like our pets, if we don't eat nutritious, high quality food, it will show in our skin, nails and hair.  After all, our outer appearance is a reflection of what's going on (or isn't going on) inside of us.   But isn't it amazing how many of us will spend money on our pets without thinking twice about it, but when it comes to feeding ourselves good quality food, such as organics and supplements, we balk at spending the money.

One perhaps less obvious parallel I want to point out is that of time.  So many of us spend years ignoring our health, and then when we decide or are pressed for health reasons to seek out a solution, we often expect instantaneous results and cures.  But just as it took Kadie months to get her shine back, so too it can take months for our bodies to fully process the healthful changes we're making.  Some things are noticeable almost immediately, such as an increase in energy and weight loss, while others take longer to materialize.

Be patient.  Investing in your health with good nutrition requires a consistent effort.  But the payoff is worth it:  in your overall feeling and appearance of good health and the reduced likelihood of illness down the road.  Just like we want to avoid costly vet bills, we should all be striving to avoid costly hospital stays and reduced quality of life due to ill health.  The solution is simple.  Eat and live well.

For more on this theme, see my blog, "Giving your Body Time to Shift".

Are you as Healthy as Your House Plants?

House Plants Reinforce Problem with Mineral Deficiency

As a health coach I spend a lot of time educating people on the impact on our health of mineral depletion in our soils. Recently, my house plants provided a wonderful illustration, on a micro level, of what is happening on a planet-wide scale with our now mineral-starved soils.

Caring for my house plants is a bit of a hobby for me. I love how they fill the spaces in our home, make the rooms look warm and inviting and, on a more practical level, how they clean the air. I like to think I take good care of them, but I must admit that I've been somewhat negligent about replenishing the soil in their pots of late. And while my plants were growing well, I knew they needed mineral replenishment of the soil: they were living but not thriving. It was time for some good quality plant food.

Within less than a week of giving food to my plants, I noticed four new leaf shoots on a plant that hadn't had new shoots in months. But more startlingly, a plant that I had been growing for 4 years flowered for the first time! Now that I see it in bloom I know it has been starved of essential soil compounds for a long time.

My plant story is a great illustration of what humans are experiencing on the planet. We are eating food that has been grown in mineral deficient soils. Thus our bodies are not getting the complete nutrition we need for optimal health. We are surviving but not thriving. We are not blossoming. We tell ourselves that the aches, pains and inflammation we experience are normal, catching colds is normal, gaining weight is normal, being tired is normal, and the list goes on. But in fact, much of what ails us can be traced to mineral deficiencies.

What if, like my plants, your body is struggling just to maintain basic health, and what is viewed as "normal" health is just slightly above malnutrition. What would happen if you actually gave your body all of the nutrition it needs to function at peak performance?

• Would the joint discomfort diminish or even disappear? 
• Would our immune system function so well that we would rarely get sick? 
• Would we have more energy?
• Would we lose excess weight naturally without dieting?

The short answer is…yes!

Scientist have identified 84 different minerals that our body's need to survive, however, a lack of specific minerals in our diet has been shown to increase susceptibility to diseases such as heart disease (magnesium), cancer (selenium), diabetes (chromium) and mental illnesses (zinc). Dr. Linus Pauling, the two-time Nobel Prize winner, said "you can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency." So the solution is obvious.

Your body wants to be healthy and when given the nutrition it craves, it will work to achieve optimum health and weight. With the lack of nutrients in our foods, it is essential that you take high quality nutritional supplements to ensure your body is getting what it needs.

And from now on my plants will get high quality food along with their water.

Is Soil Sabotaging your Weight Loss Efforts?

Soil nutrient depletion in North America is a serious problem that receives little or no attention in mainstream media. A 1992 Rio Earth Summit report concluded that North American agricultural soils were 85% mineral depleted. Heavy use of fertilizers let farmers produce what appear to be nutritious crops while in reality the plants are deficient in key nutrients.

The food we eat is lacking the nutrients the body needs, so we eat more, gain weight and still don't get the nutrients we need. There was a time when eating a healthy balanced diet ensured that we got all the vitamins and minerals needed to stay healthy.

So why is this important to know if you're on the weight loss track? People typically lose weight by reducing their caloric intake. Unfortunately, reduced caloric intake usually means reduced nutrition. This approach thus compounds the problem of your already reduced nutrition intake due to depleted soils. This is setting up the body for major metabolic slowdown because the body thinks it's being starved and needs to hoard whatever energy stores it has. And suddenly you find your weight loss efforts giving you zero results. Well, less than zero actually because your body is now deprived of the essential nutrients it needs to function, let alone get you to a healthy weight. Make sense?

For those of you who like the scientific data as proof, here are some interesting facts. A study examining the mineral content of 27 vegetables and 17 fruits between 1940 and 1991 reported significant decreases 16% to 76% in minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper and zinc. Another study published in 2010 comparing mineral levels found in foods between 1940 and 2002, reported significant drops in trace minerals in dairy products. For example, the iron content of milk down 62%, calcium and magnesium in Parmesan cheese down 70% and copper in dairy products down 90%.

Studies have also shown that the food we eat today is not as nutritious as the food our parents ate. Insecticides and other chemicals have depleted our soils of natural beneficial microbes and fungi that help plants absorb soil minerals. The fruit and vegetables grown look great and contain normal calorie levels but lack the trace minerals that give them real nutritional value.

Scientist have identified 84 different minerals that our body's need to survive, however only 8 minerals are added by fertilizers. A lack of specific minerals in our diet have been shown to increase susceptibility to diseases such as heart disease (magnesium), cancer (selenium), diabetes (chromium) and mental illnesses (zinc). Dr. Linus Pauling, the two-time Nobel Prize winner, said "you can trace every sickness, every disease, and every ailment to a mineral deficiency."

With the lack of nutrients in our foods the need to take high quality nutritional supplements today is essential. Your body wants to be healthy and when given the nutrition it craves, it will work to achieve optimum health and weight.

Is there a link between joint inflammation & hair loss?

I was grocery shopping a while back and made an observation that lead me to some interesting research and findings.  An elderly woman was struggling to reach a canned good.  What caught my eye first though was her startling hair loss.  While this isn't uncommon in elderly women, hers was particularly thin.  I immediately felt for her, as a good head of hair is important to even the least vain woman.

When I noticed her struggling to get the can I walked over to offer her some help.  It was in that moment that I understood why she was having difficulty:  her fingers were ravaged by the deteriorating effects of arthritis.  She simply couldn't grip the can.  I handed her what she asked for and discreetly took another look at her hair.   Was there a connection between the arthritis and hair loss?  It wasn't the first time I had seen both in women... just the first time I connected the dots.  Is inflammation a contributing factor to hair loss?

Upon returning home, I spent some time researching to see not only if there is a connection, but if any natural remedies were being recommended. 

Rather than go into the technical details, I've provided several links to websites that provide a detailed explanation of the science behind the reasons for hair loss.  The one that may be of most interest to you is from MPB Research.  They provide an excellent discussion on hair loss research and have sections for men and women.  They note that  "systemic inflammation plays a central role in hair loss and can either function to exacerbate or ameliorate hair loss."  

The key is to stop the inflammatory-induced hair loss process, and these products help to do just that.  I suggest a "triple whammy":  Emu Oil + Virgin Coconut Oil + Hair Essentials (see the links below).

They provide many natural recommendations which have been shown to be effective, two of which are Emu Oil & Virgin Coconut Oil, both readily available at health stores.  For the complete article see:  http://www.hairloss-research.org/LinkUpdateLiposomes2-11.html

A combination of high quality herbs and nutrients are key to healthy hair growth.  Many of the recommendations made by MPB can be found in a product in Hair Essentials from Natural Well Being.

You don't have to suffer with thinning hair and you don't have to subject yourself to toxic, prescription-based treatments.

Other sites that may be of interest:
http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/alopecia_areata/http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/alopecia_areata/

http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3866134

Give Your Body Time to Shift

Coaching people on the path to improved health is an interesting and rewarding experience. Each client presents with their own unique combination of history, physiological circumstances, lifestyle habits and preferences. No two clients are alike, so I feel a little like Mr. Dressup going into my tickle trunk of natural health modalities to pick and choose what will work best in each situation. People who work with me are familiar with my excited expression of “I'm getting goose bumps!” - my common reaction when a client shares positive feedback about their health improvements. I am as invested in their health goals as they are.

A lot of my clients come to me seeking assistance with weight loss. I so enjoy sharing the journey of weight loss with a client and being along for the ride of physical and emotional transformation that occurs. A challenge with coaching someone in weight loss is gaining their time commitment to the process so that they achieve the results I know they are capable of. All too often, people give up prematurely, frustrated with the sometimes lengthy process. What they deny themselves, and their bodies, is the experience of the many “shifts” that occur during the weight loss process. These “shifts” are the body's response to the release of fat and the toxins stored therein: it is a gradual process of the body finding a new, healthy equilibrium where organs and processes are able to function as intended. The body is working 24 hours a day to keep the body in a state of equilibrium and optimal health. This becomes difficult if the body is regularly taxed with too much fat and toxicity. The body's reaction to the adoption of a healthier lifestyle takes time: some changes occur immediately while others may happen months down the road. It differs with each person. Therefore patience on the part of the client is required. But the rewards of being patient are tremendous.

I have one client in particular who is a wonderful illustration of the results of being patient with one's body during the weight loss process. Over the course of 10 weeks, she has released a total of 30.5 inches. (I focus on release of inches instead of pounds because the inches represent the release of unhealthy toxins and fat stores.) Her results are impressive and are the result of her steadfast commitment to follow the weight loss program and get through the highs of weight loss and the occasional lows of some discomfort as her body shifts into its new form. Her commitment to both herself and the program make it such a rewarding experience to coach her. She is available for the coaching call appointments and measures herself on the agreed upon dates. She is open to advice and shares important information that I need to know to suggest changes as we go along. But above all, she understands that her body needs time to adjust and work through the release of the excess fat. She sent me an email recently sharing an unexpected “shift” she had experienced: “One thing I noticed is that my memory is so much better. I find I am remembering things very well and that I do not need to write reminder notes. I use to be like this in high school and during my undergrad.”

The body is a miraculous thing – thousands of processes are occurring in each moment that we are not aware of. So this can make it difficult to be patient with a weight loss program when we are perhaps less than impressed with ourselves naked or desperately want to fit into our old jeans. Be patient! Losing weight is not just about the end result. It is about the journey along the way. It is about reconnecting with your healthier body. It is about rediscovering yourself. And it is about giving yourself the time and space to become the person you want to be... whatever that looks and feels like for you.

Why All the Talk about Cleansing?

I recently attended a screening of the documentary "Living Downstream".  Based on the book of the same name, the film follows author Sandra Steingraber, PhD, as she travels across North America speaking about cancer and its environmental links.

As a health coach and someone who not only does regular cleansing myself but coaches others in cleansing, I kept thinking about the importance of regular nutritional cleansing as I watched the film.  We are exposed daily to a barrage of environmental pollutants in our air, water, and homes.  Did you know that chemicals and toxins are the primary cause of illness, disease and obesity?  And disease and obesity, in turn, are two of the main causes of premature aging.

What's important to understand about man-made chemicals such as those found in our cleaning supplies, is that the body simply does not know what to do with them.  The human body isn't designed to process toxins.  So, what does it do with them?  Well, if the body is not supported by a nutritionally rich diet and regular cleansing, the toxins get stored in the fat tissues. The more toxins, the more fat the body manufactures in which to store them.  As toxins and chemicals accumulate over time, the body's organs, including its main filtering organs, become overworked and weak. 

Regular nutritional cleansing supports the body against the daily onslaught of environmental pollutants.  We can't avoid them, but we can help our bodies better cope with them.  65% of the world's population cleanses on a regular basis.  Do you?

Watch my video on cleansing at Start Cleansing Now

For more information on the Living Downstream documentary, visit the website at:  Living Downstream    Check out the trailer at the YouTube link below:

Living Downstream Trailer