Now for a new series on Self-healing techniques for your physical and mental health. To begin with I will tell you about Guided Imagery which is a simple technique that you can use in the comfort of your own home, or any other place that you might like. The practice of creative visualization has been around since the Egyptians and was also used by the ancients of India. They understood that visualization could affect health in a positive way, if done correctly. Western medicine gave little credence to imagery until the 1970s when a few doctors used it as an aid in the treatment of cancer patients. They found the results to be quite impressive. Those patients who used this practice were able to visualize their cancer cells getting smaller and they were more likely to go into remission. In addition to this, mental imagery may help alleviate the following symptoms: pain, anxiety, allergies, immune disorders, fatigue, as well as menstrual and menopausal issues,etc.

Studies of today have shown that our bodily functions such as heart rate, pulse,and so on, respond favorably to mental images. For example, when you picture your favorite meal, or sweet, your mouth may begin to water, and when you think of a stressful event, your pulse rate increases, this is how our mind effects our body. If we can use this technique in a constructive manner, we can will ourselves back to physical and emotional health. You may be wondering how this occurs, it happens because mental imagery has a deep effect on the hypothalamus, or the part of our brain that controls our endocrine and nervous systems. These systems regulate blood flow, heart rate, blood pressure, brain waves, and the release of chemicals and hormones in our body. If an over-abundance of chemicals/hormones are produced, it can lead to stress, flight/fight response, depression, and more.

Before you begin the process of creative visualization on your own, it might benefit you to consult with a therapist who can help you learn how to create images and teach you imagery techniques. There are also many good books, and videos on the market that you may purchase.

You may want to make a journal in which you collect images that illustrate your desired life changes. Write down any goals that you have, sketch your mental images such as ideas and fantasies, and write down your dreams. Include anything that inspires you, like poems, or quotes that you have read. Then cut out pictures from magazines that make you feel good. Whenever you are stressed or need a boost of confidence, look through your journal.

Here are some exercises that you can do.

• As a daily ritual, perhaps before you get out of bed, visualize your goals enveloped in pink bubbles that float into space. Pretend that they are absorbing the positive energy in the universe that you need to realize your dreams.
• For life changes such as a move, picture yourself in your new home, try to visualize where you will put your furniture, etc, and imagine yourself happy there.
• For relaxation find a comfortable and quiet location, either sit, or lie down. Begin by breathing deeply and go to a place in your mind that gives you total peace and contentment. Next, visualize a bright white light that envelopes and shields you from negative energy.
• For cancer and other illnesses, find a comfortable spot to sit or lie down and close your eyes. Relax and breathe deeply. Put yourself into the part of your body where there is cancer and imagine that the chemotherapy treatments are annihilating the diseased cells. Observe how the immune cells surround the cancer cells and sweep them away. Watch as the tumor shrinks and visualize your complete return to health. For other types of illnesses, modify the process to suit your needs.

1. Create specific goals and break them down into manageable steps. Initiate a method to progress from one step to the next.
2. Envision one of your goals in precise detail, as though it is already a reality. Imagine yourself delighted and successful in achieving this goal.
3. Repeat this activity twice a day for 15-20 minutes. Visualize your dream in fine detail creating a mental picture, like a movie, with you as the main character.
4. Utilize all of your senses to create more focused images. You can do this by thinking about the following things: the aromas that you smell, the flavors that you can taste, the skin and body sensations that you feel, the temperature and weather, as well as  the sounds that you hear.
5. You may want to purchase cassettes, CDs and videos that you can use during your sessions.

1. Accupuncture.  Accupuncture might prove to be useful in combatting nausea and vomitting associated with chemotherapy and my be helpful in managing pain as well.
2. Aromatherapy.  Aromatherapy is helpful for reducing stress and may prove useful for reducing nausea and vomitting associated with chemo and may be helpful in reducing pain.
3. Biofeedback.  Biofeedback may be helpful in managing pain.
4. Exercise.  Exercise is helpful in reducing stress and anxiety and may help you sleep better.
5. Hypnosis.  Hypnosis may help the patient manage pain, reduce stress and reduce anxiety.
6. Massage Therapy.  Massage therapy is another great stress reducer and it may also aid in reducing pain and anxiety.
7. Meditation.  Meditation is another tool to aid in the reduction of stress and anxiety and potentially reducing the amount of pain.
8. Music Therapy.  (This is on my list of future topics to cover more in depth).  Music therapy may be useful in controlling pain, as well as reducing nausea and vomitting.
9. Relaxation Techniques.  These will obviously help promote relaxation and subsequently aid in reducing stress and anxiety.  Relaxation techniques may aid in a better nights sleep as well.
10. Tai Chi. (another topic on my list for future in-depth coverage).  A gentle form of exercise/moving meditation that may aid in stress reduction.
11. Yoga.  Yoga is another great stress reducer.

Until next time, stay healthy everyone. 

Controlled Breathing Exercise:

1. Sit upright in a comfortable position.
2. Focus on your present state and existence (this is often termed being “mindful”). Block out intrusive thoughts. You may close your eyes if you wish.
3. Pay attention to your breathing. Inhale slowly through the nose, taking several seconds.
4. Exhale through the mouth, trying to make the exhalation phase last twice as long as the inhalation.
5. Continue this mindful breathing for 3-5 minutes

This exercise is also a form of meditation (and there are many other techniques).  Until next time, breathe easy!

First up is Anorexia, a mental health condition whose most distinguishing characteristic is the desire to be slim.  Granted, most of us women watch our calories so that we can keep our weight down, but anorexics have an irrational fear of putting on even one pound. Consequently, they are always monitoring their caloric intake and feel guilty whenever they eat. Women with this mental illness therefore are painfully thin and have no body fat at all, most of them truly look like skin on bones. Their "starvation diet" may cause a complete breakdown of the the fatty tissue lying just below their skin. We need a certain amount of subcutaneous fat to be healthy.

Anorexics are very much out of touch with reality when it comes to their body image, they perceive themselves as fat, when in actuality they are dangerously thin.  A scale is an important part of their daily routine, they don't merely weigh themselves once a day, but, rather throughout the day.  They are very obsessive about it. If they do eat, they are compulsive about burning up the calories, so they may exercise vigorously. In addition to this, an anorexic may ingest laxatives and pills to stop their hunger, or they may purge themselves. This is the mental health illness call Bulimia, which I will feature in my next blog.  Some of them even refuse to eat at all, at which point their illness  becomes a hazard to their health. If they go indefinitely without food, they will end up being hospitalized and fed intravenously. If left untreated the mortality rate is about 5-18%.

Those suffering from this disorder may actually be  hungry but still refuse to eat.  They have an extremely poor self image and try to control their surroundings and their emotions by starving themselves. Quite often, eating disorders come from internal and external conflicting forces as well as stress, anger, anxiety, and sadness. Unfortunately, refusing to eat is the only way that an anorexic  deals  with these issues, but it is a very negative way of coping. They may think to themselves, "you can't make me eat", therefore gaining the upper hand, or so they think.   Some people truly believe that they don't deserve to enjoy life's simple pleasures, namely eating, hence, they starve themselves .

• 1 oz. dandelion
• 1 oz. centaury
• 1 oz. licorice bark
• 1 oz. peppermint leaves
• Put 1 cup of water that has been boiled, over 1 tsp. of the tea. 
• Let it sit for 10 minutes covered, then strain it.
• Drink 1 cup before meals.

I would like to briefly mention that there are many relaxation techniques they include yoga, deep breathing and meditation to help control stress, discouragement and fear that are part of this illness.

Last but not least is the alternative medical practice of acupressure which can stimulate appetite by working on pressure points.

• Approximately 20 minutes before eating, apply pressure to the area halfway between the sternum and navel, do this for 3 minutes.
• You can also press firmly on the bottom of the nail located on the pinky finger for 5 minutes to accomplish the same thing

 Remember, In order to have a healthy mind and body we need to eat healthy foods!

Thirty years ago this February, my grandmother (Ninny) died.  I can’t believe it’s been that long.  In some ways it seems like just yesterday my mother was telling me Ninny needed an operation on her stomach.  In can still picture her the day she came home from the hospital, weak and gaunt.  I can remember how she steadily lost even more weight over the next 18 months. And I get an instant stomachache when I remember the overwhelming fear and uncertainty that swirled around me when she died.   (While my parents weren’t neglectful, they were young when I was born.  Ninny offered me the stability and security they weren’t able to give.)

Thirty years is an awfully long time.  On one hand, it seems impossible that I lived that long without her.  On the other, seems like she was never physically here at all.  Some days I honestly have a tough time remembering what life was like, what I was like, when she was still alive.  Like the Wizard of Oz movie, there are two parts of me, one part in techno color (before death) and the other in black and white (after death.)  The techno color Danielle is a little fuzzy in my memory.    Back then, was I optimistic?  Yes.  Was I naïve?  Of course.  Was I hopeful for the future?  Absolutely.   Then life threw me a curve and all that changed.

A lot has happened in the 30 years between then and now.  For 2-1/2 decades I was defined by my denial, anger and grief.  I made mistakes (millions), lived selfishly (I lost someone I loved, wasn’t I entitled?) and spent far too much time feeling sorry for myself.  And in the end, it brought me nothing but more grief, anger, sadness and eventually, depression.

Today I’ve settled into a nice life as a wife and mother of a teenager but it’s only recently I’ve come to understand how Ninny’s death affected my life and made me who I am.  Losing someone you love sucks, I’ll be the first to admit it, but like everything else in life, you can learn from it and become a better person.  Realizing that came in a series of baby steps, hits and misses, triumphs and failures.  Honestly, there isn’t a therapy I haven’t tried. Alternative medicine, relaxation techniques, meditation, visualization, drugs (as in anti-depressants) and support groups…been there, done that!     

What’s important is that I didn’t give up.  I’m not always a “glass-is-half-full” kind of person but I am competitive and I used that to my advantage.  When dealing with my depression and grief, no matter how hard things were, I was determined not to let it beat me.  It’s been a long battle but guess what?  My perseverance paid off.  Sure there are days when I feel sad or hopeless, but they occur with less severity and frequency than they once had.

So, what’s the moral of my story?  To have hope, to not give up, to understand that what you are feeling can temporary, to believe you can get better and to know that you aren’t alone. 

"We are, perhaps, uniquely among the earth's creatures, the worrying animal.  We worry away our lives."  ~Lewis Thomas

 We all have things that scare us, so a certain amount of fear and or anxiety is actually healthy.  It is a premonition of danger and allows our body to prepare itself for an imminent threat.  This might turn into a phobic reaction if your fear is irrational and inhibits you from acting.  A phobia is a stress related disorder, that is an over-exaggeration of fear and terror towards a particular object or situation that is not in itself harmful. The harm is in the way you react when you perceive it.  Some of the symptoms that you may experience are similar to a panic attack, they consist of sweating, rapid heart rate and breathing, trembling, and confusion, as well as abdominal pain and stomach cramps.

There are three types of phobias that are recognized in the field of mental health.

• Simple phobia is a fear of insects, flying, elevators, escalators, some animals, etc.
• Social phobia is an intense fear of attending social events, speaking in public, etc.
• Agoraphobia is the most serious of all phobias because in extreme cases, you are afraid to leave your home and have an intense dread of public places.

Systematic desensitization is a type of behavior modification that consists of small amounts of exposure to the object or situation perceived as a threat so that the phobia can be alleviated. A certified counselor or therapist will show you some relaxation techniques to utilize while confronting your fears. For example, an individual who has a fear of reptiles might begin a therapy session by reading about snakes and looking at pictures of them. In subsequent sessions, they might be asked to look at a caged snake, and eventually to hold one. If the phobia has to do with riding in a elevator, the therapist will go in an elevator with them until their fear subsides.

• Valerian and Lemon Balm together alleviate anxiety, fear and help you to sleep. They also have a soothing effect on the psyche. For extreme reactions, pour 1 cup of boiling water over 2 tsp of each herb. Let the tea sit for 15 minutes and strain. Drink 1 cup 2-3 times a day.
• Skullcap is a gentle sedative that helps you sleep as it soothes anxiety and muscle tension. Take 1 cup of boiling water and 1 tsp of the dried herb. Let sit for 10 minutes, strain and drink a few cups a day.
• St. Johns Wort may help to alleviate fear and anxiety that are accompanied my mild depression. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 tsp of the herb, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drink 3-4 cups everyday. It takes about 3-4 weeks for optimum benefit.

• Cherry Plum for fear and panic.
• Rockrose for sudden extreme panic and terror..
• Rescue Remedy for acute fear, anxiety, a panic attack, and rapid heart beat.

• Aconite when symptoms get worse at night, your heart is racing, and you are feeling acute fear.
• Argentum Nitricum for test anxiety, fear of going on stage, bloating and diarrhea.
• Stramonium when you have a fear of darkness and being by yourself.

"Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere."  ~Glenn Turner

Have you ever been in a crowd of people when suddenly your heart starts to race and your breathing quickens? Then without warning, you find yourself unable to catch your breath, you break out into a sweat, and become lightheaded and dizzy. This is known as a panic attack and is usually manifested by shortness of breath that causes us to hyperventilate. When we hyperventilate, we exhale more carbon dioxide than we generate, thus decreasing the levels of carbon dioxide in our body. When this occurs we feel lightheaded and dizzy. Over 90 million people around the world suffer from this malady. So you are not alone.

A panic attack is a stress related disorder coming from extreme anxiety and fear. People who have this mental health illness may fear that they are having a heart attack because the symptoms are similar. In addition to these signs, you may tremble, have chills, hot flashes, feel nauseous, have cramps, have tingling or numbness in your hands, feel as if you are  choking, and/or feel like you have left your body.  As you can well imagine,  this sickness can hold you hostage and destroy your life.

You may ask yourself why is this happening? Sometimes a panic attack arises for no apparent reason, but most of the time there are underlying psychological issues that need to be dealt with. Studies have shown that most people who have this illness are very uncomfortable in social situations, have suffered a childhood trauma such as abuse, are perfectionists, or merely worry about everything.

There is help out there for those of you who suffer from this debilitating syndrome. If it is severe, you should consult with your physician to make sure you are not having heart problems. Once physical illness is ruled out you may want to consult with a counselor or psychotherapist who will help you get to the root of your problems. Your mental health counselor may suggest prescription medication to help alleviate the symptoms as well as therapy. Alternative, natural remedies may also be effective.

Cognitive and Behavior Therapy

Cognitive therapy deals with the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning. It is quite helpful because it works on changing the underlying thought patterns that are causing your panic attacks. It is important for you to learn how to alter your negative ways of thinking so that your anxiety and fear subsides. Once you are able to do this, the next step is to actually change your behavior, this is known as behavior therapy. In the comfort of a psychotherapists office, he/she will help you to identify the habits that are causing the attacks and teach you to use positive thoughts to alleviate the symptoms. Perhaps your therapist will suggest that you join a support group where you will relate to others having similar symptoms, as well as those who have been successful in controlling their anxieties.

Here are some relaxation techniques that are effective

Take a bath to help you relax and soothe away your fears. Mix 2 tsp of jasmine oil with 5 tbsp of heavy cream. Put this blend into your bath water and submerge yourself for about 20-25 minutes. Jasmine warms you up while helping you to feel more in balance. Lavender and Rose oils are also good for stress and anxiety.  

You may be able to prevent hyperventilating by consciously breathing slowly and deeply as soon as you feel the symptoms coming on. Inhale into your diaphragm and hold your breath for three seconds and exhale.  Your exhale should be slower than your inhale. While doing this, try to visualize yourself breathing the fear out of your body.

Biofeedback has been used extensively in treating panic attacks.  Sit comfortably in a chair and move your buttocks to the edge. Make sure that your feet are flat on the ground. Place your arms on your thighs allowing your hands to dangle between your legs without meeting. Next, let your body collapse inward while your head hangs forward and close your eyes. Remember to relax your neck muscles.  Repeat this technique whenever you feel stressed out and anxious.

Yoga is a wonderful way to ease tension, anxiety and fear. The "fire-breathing" pose, a type of hatha yoga is quite helpful. Sit on the floor or a pillow with your legs crossed. Keep your spine straight and raise your arms above your head. Keep your palms together. Close your eyes and become aware of your abdomen. Inhale and exhale rapidly for a few times. Next, let the air out completely. Finally, take a deep breath as you exhale, drop your arms slowly. You may repeat this exercise whenever you need to.

Try Medicinal Teas

• Motherwort tea is very good for an accelerated heart beat that comes from anxiety. Take 1 cup of boiling and pour it over 1 tsp of the herb that has been dried. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes and strain. Drink one cup 3 times a day for 2-4 weeks. Don't add any sweeteners.
• Hops tea is used to reduce stress and nervousness. Add 1 cup of boiling water to 1 tsp of hop flowers. Let sit for 15 minutes and strain. Ingest 1 cup 2-3 times a day.

Mandalas and Sound Therapy

As mentioned before, mandalas in conjuction with sound tones can help you achieve a desired state of relaxation. It is also of great help when coping with anxiety, stress and anger. Following is a video that helps demonstrate this techinique. This visualization and meditation method is used also as a tool to deal with the efffects of grief and help with self awareness issues.

Alternative Healing Techniques

Mandalas and Sound Therapy

Mandalas are circular designs containing concentric geometric forms, containing images of deities, abstract designs and color schemes symbolizing the universe, totality, or wholeness. In fact mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel. In Tibetan culture the making of the mandala is more important that the finished product. They are created in dimensional patterns as a visual aid to evoke meditation, reflect emotions to balance the body, mind and spirit. They are presented paintings, sand art or even computerized forms that give them a kaleidoscopic moving forms producing dynamically changing patterns .

Sound Healing

Sound healing works through various techniques and technologies. It uses the energy of sound in order to promote wellness. Vibration has a strong impact on matter, by producing tones or timbres the matter or substance gets affected producing a negative or positive outcome. This effect is called Cymatics.

Both techniques used in conjunction or alone are known to aid in:

pain alleviation
birthing process
anxiety
surgery (used by surgeons and patients)
self consciousness and awareness
meditation and relaxation
dying process
coping with grief process

Please keep posted, on my next article I will include a visual sample of how mandalas and sounds work together.

Relaxation Techniques for Public Speaking

We all have gone through it at one time or another in school, at social functions as professionals. Some people don't seem to have a problem with it, and go through the experience with an enviable ease. Some of us , in the other hand, have to try very hard to stifle the deafening horror scream that gets lodged in our throats when presented with the task. I am talking about Public Speaking.

Public Speaking can be intimidating even when we are well prepared for the event. We may be authorities in the subject, but when speaking to a group we get dry mouth, our hands sweat and the throat tightens up, our knees shake and we suffer the dreaded (and most embarrassing) temporary loss of memory. These are all symptoms of Stage Fright (or as I call it "I want my mommy syndrome"). Yes! if we have a diagnosis we have a treatment, so don't fear my friends!

Here are some easy public speaking techniques I am borrowing from The Advance Public Speaking Institute:

Visualization strategies

Pretend you are just chatting with a group of friends.
Close your eyes and imagine the audience listening, laughing, and applauding.
Remember happy moments from your past.

Strategies in advance of program

Get individual or group public speaking coaching.
Listen to music.
Read a poem.
Anticipate hard and easy questions.
Organize your speaking notes.

Just before start

Get into conversation with people near you. Be very intent on what they are saying.
Yawn to relax your throat.
Doodle.
Draw sketches of a new car you would like to have.
Look at your notes.
Put pictures of your kids/grand kids, dog, etc., in your notes.

Strategies when the program begins

If legs are trembling, lean on lectern /table or shift legs or move
Try not to hold the microphone by hand in the first minute.
Don't hold notes. The audience can see them shake. Use three-by-five cards instead.
Take quick drinks of tepid water.

Like with all in life, perfection comes with practice, so be willing to keep trying. Also don't forget to smile you will look friendly and in control to the audience and it may even relax you. Very important as well is to remember to breath deeply and calmly it will set a nice pace to your speaking tandem. Turn your nervousness into a positive thing, instead of showing fear show enthusiasm and energy.

In conclusion, learning how to deal with public speaking anxieties is the right step to easing discomfort of stage fright. The fact is you are a very interesting person, people deserve to know what you have to say.

Postpartum Depression and Alternative Medicine Treatments

Giving birth is one of the biggest events in life. It is a happy event full of excitement and promises of joyful moments to come. But sometimes the period following the birth of a child mothers go through feelings of sadness and even clinical depression that affect their normal functioning. The bond between mother and child is not developed and this leads to feelings of guilt and anxiety.

What causes Postpartum Depression?

The common causes of postpartum depression are a combination of:

Hormonal changes
History of depression
Marital problems
Financial concerns
Complication during pregnancy or birth
Lack of sleep
Feeling overwhelmed by all the new responsibilities and changes
Feeling a loss of identity

How can Alternative Medicine Help?

Relaxation Techniques

Meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercises are some of the relaxation techniques that been shown to reduce anxiety and clear the mind. You can join a class or make use of a CD.

Biochemical Tissue Salts

These are salts that are naturally found in the human body. They can be used as postnatal depression alternative treatments they prevent severe mood swings and regulate sleep patterns.

Homeopatic Remedies

Homeopathic remedies that have been proven not to harm their babies while lactating such as Flower Essences they are gentle but very effective. Herbal Remedies to ease postpartum depression symptoms are:

Ignatia amara
Sepia
Damiana (Turnera diffusa)
Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium calceolus)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Oats (Avena sativa)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Vervain (Verbena officinalis).

WARNING: Women who are breastfeeding or are suffering from a chronic medical condition should consult a health care professional before taking any herbal remedies.

Also it is always a good practice to not alienate yourself, talk to others and seek help. There is a great group called Postpartum Support International. They offer contacts, classes and resources for moms and the whole family.

What are Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation techniques are an excellent way to manage stress and help cope with life’s challenges.  Considered a type of therapy, this natural remedy works by teaching you to refocus your attention on something calming and increasing self awareness of your body and emotions.

The Benefits of Relaxation Techniques
Our emotions are powerful and can affect the health of our physical body.  When we are stressed or “uptight,” our muscles tighten and help hold onto emotional tension. 

Practicing relaxation techniques can improve how you physically respond to stress by slowing your heart rate, lowering blood pressure, increasing blood flow to major muscles and reducing muscle tension.  Recent research has shown the simple act of becoming relaxed can have amazing health benefits.   These benefits include a stronger immune system, more energy, improved concentration, fewer emotional responses such as anger and frustration, a decrease in physical symptoms such as headaches and back pain and reduced use of pain relieving drugs. 

How To Begin
Although traditional doctors, alternative medicine practitioners, psychotherapists and other mental health counselors teach relaxation techniques, you can also learn them on your own.  There are several different methods and you may have to experiment before you find the one that best suits your lifestyle.

Yoga, tai chi, regular exercise, meditation, hypnosis and massages are all popular forms of relaxation.  Some of the lesser known, but extremely effective methods include autogenic relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation and visualization. (Before beginning any technique you should find a quiet area of your home, loosen tight clothing and close your eyes.) 

Autogenic relaxation – This technique uses visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress, making it easy to relax.  When you are settled in a comfortable position, imagine a peaceful place and focus on taking slow, deep breaths while relaxing each arm or leg.  Some people also find it helpful to repeat words or suggestions in their mind to help them relax and reduce muscle tension.   

Progressive Muscle Relaxation – This technique works by helping you focus on the differences between muscle tension and muscle relaxation, allowing you to become more aware of the physical sensations associated with stress.  You may begin by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your feet and then working your way through each muscle group up to your head and neck.  Tense your muscles for at least five seconds then relax them for 30 seconds.  Repeat three to five times on each muscle group.

Visualization – With this form of self relaxation, you form mental images and take an imaginary journey to a soothing place or situation.  To become completely relaxed, it is helpful to use as many of the senses as possible, such as smell, sound, sight and texture.  A great starting point is to picture yourself at the ocean where you are listening to the waves, feeling the warm sun and smelling the salt water.

Whether your life is stressful or relatively stress-free, you can benefit from incorporating a few easy relaxation techniques into your day.  Anyone, regardless of age, can learn the basic procedures and use them to improve their life.