Into the Forest
Rhyolite Bracelet   

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Rhyolite
Swarovski crystal
glass beads
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handmade charm

7″                       

Singing May Offer Alternative Therapy for Chronic Pain; Surgical Interventions in Osteoarthritis

Doctors report that singing reduced the blood pressure of a 76-year-old woman who had experienced severe preoperative hypertension prior to total knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis (OA). While the patient was unresponsive to aggressive pharmacologic interventions, the woman’s blood pressure dropped dramatically when she sang several religious songs. This case-report appears in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

Traditional therapy for preoperative hypertension, doctors say, involves drug-based therapies that include diuretics, beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These medications are used to lower blood pressure to acceptable levels for surgery, however, a number of patients do not respond to these treatments. In patients unresponsive to standard therapies, as in the current case study patient, alternative hypertension interventions are needed.

“Several studies suggest that listening to music can be effective in reducing blood pressure by calming or diverting patients prior to surgery, which lessens stress and anxiety,” explains lead author Nina Niu, a researcher from Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Our case study expands on medical evidence by showing that producing music or singing also has potential therapeutic effects in the preoperative setting.”

The current case subject was a 76-year-old woman from the Dominican Republic who had hypertension and a 15-year history of bilateral knee OA. The patient was treated with ACE inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers for high blood pressure and diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), for knee pain. She was accepted into Operation Walk Boston, a philanthropic program providing total join replacement to poor Dominican patients with advanced OA of the hip or knee. The case study authors served as members of her medical team.

Upon admission to the hospital for surgery the patient’s blood pressure was 160/90 mm Hg, controlled by her normal regimen of nifedipine and lisinopril. In the preoperative area, the woman’s blood pressure increased to 240/120 mm Hg and persisted, requiring doctors to postpone surgery. The Operation Walk medical team was onsite site at the Dominican hospital for a limited time; therefore it was imperative that the patient’s blood pressure be reduced so surgery could proceed.

The patient asked doctors if she could sing, which the patient reported doing frequently to calm herself down and to help with sleeping. The medical team encouraged her to so, and after two songs checked her blood pressure which had lowered to 180/90 mm Hg. With continued singing for 20 minutes, the patient’s blood pressure remained lower and persisted for several hours after. As instructed by doctors, the patient sang periodically through the night which kept her blood pressure at acceptable levels. The following morning, the woman was cleared for knee replacement surgery, which was successful and without complications.

Niu commented, “Singing is simple, safe, and free. Patients should be encouraged to sing if they wish.” This single case study showed the positive effective of singing in reducing blood pressure and controlling pain. “To be formally considered as an alternative therapy for the OA patient population, larger studies are needed to explore the effects of signing on hypertension and chronic pain relief,” said Niu.

I recently spoke to an elder woman and asked her about her work. She told me that she is a cancer survivor and is a retired physician’s assistant. She worked for 30 years in her field and loved it. The secret she beamed is to care about what you do. When her former patients see her they lament about how they miss her, because they knew she cared about them and did her best for them.

In talking to another elder he told me every day and every night he has one prayer…to die. I said, “a little depressed, huh.” He said, “yes.” Thoughts are powerful. My prayer for him is that he enjoy whatever time he has on his earth journey.

Earlier this year I had a problem and it took some months for it to be fixed. The supervisor and an employee were both patient and helpful. However some other employees were less than stellar and kept making errors. So I decided to go back in and speak to someone about it. As it turned out, the employee who helped before was there. I asked her name. I said thanks for all your help with this matter. She said she focuses on treating people the way she wants to be treated. Instead of being just a nice statement, she put it into action.

The life of each of use is connected with the life of those around us. What we do for another we do for ourselves.

Trends in research related to “Shinrin-yoku” (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing) in Japan.
Environ Health Prev Med. 2010 Jan;15(1):27-37.

Tsunetsugu Y, Park BJ, Miyazaki Y.

Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8687, Japan, yukot@ffpri.affrc.go.jp.
Abstract

“Shinrin-yoku”, which can be defined as “taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing”, has been receiving increasing attention in Japan in recent years for its capacity to provide relaxation and reduce stress. Since 2004, the authors of this paper have been involved in an investigation designed to ascertain the physiological effects of “Shinrin-yoku” within the framework of the “Therapeutic Effects of Forests” project. We have conducted physiological experiments, both in actual forests and in the laboratory, to elucidate the physiological effects on individuals of exposure to the total environment of forests or to only certain elements of this environment, such as the odor of wood, the sound of running stream water, and the scenery of the forest. We have obtained physiological measurements of central nervous activity, autonomic nervous activity, and biomarkers reflecting stress response that can be applied in this line of approach. Using these measurements, we have summarized the separate elements of forests in terms of the five senses. We have also reviewed a selection of field studies and introduced a number of results from ongoing projects as well as those from early studies. Future perspectives are also discussed.

J Int Med Res. 2006 Mar-Apr;34(2):152-9.
The effects of exercise in forest and urban environments on sympathetic nervous activity of normal young adults.

Yamaguchi M, Deguchi M, Miyazaki Y.

Department of Material Systems Engineering and Life Science, Faculty of Engineering, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan. yamag@eng.toyama-u.ac.jp
Abstract

In Japan, forest-air bathing and walking (shinrin-yoku) has been proposed as a health-facilitating activity in which people spend a short period of time in a forest environment. Initially, we examined the usefulness of salivary amylase activity as an indicator of an individual’s stress levels in a forest environment. The circadian rhythm of salivary amylase activity was measured in healthy young male subjects under stress-free conditions. The salivary amylase activity remained relatively constant throughout the day. Salivary amylase activity was then measured before and after walking in both urban and forest environments using a hand-held monitor. Our results indicated that (i) the circadian rhythm fluctuations in salivary amylase activity were much smaller than the stressor-induced variations; (ii) salivary amylase activity was an excellent indicator of the changes in sympathetic nervous activity; and (iii) the forest was a good environment in which people could experience much less environment-derived stress.

“Everybody likes you.” “I wanted that.” These thoughts led a teen to write what could be called hateful and spiteful notes in her diary of fellow classmates. She thought it was private. No one would ever know. And no one did until the fateful day that someone found the secret book and made it very public. Her secrets were now out in the open.

So what is jealousy?
Jealousy
foolish and irresistible
Meaning: (Webster)
Suspicious fear or apprehension; painful apprehension of rivalship in cases nearly affecting one’s happiness. Uneasy through fear that good will, interest, affection or the like, regarded as belonging to one’s self is transferred to another; pained by suspicions of preference given to another.
Synonyms: suspicious; anxious; envious

In the Complete Repertory, the rubric: Ailments from jealousy, lists 65 remedies. Among some of the remedies listed are Apis (honeybee), Lachesis (Bushmaster Snake) and Platina (Platinum metallicum). As you can see just from the three listed remedies, homeopathic remedies come from the natural world around us. What is important to understand is that the young lady’s jealousy was a reflection of some lack of inner peace. The cause we do not know and we are offering any type of diagnosis.

Homeopathy focuses on healing the person,their unique way of being in the world. By identifying similar substances in nature that can produce a similar pattern one is able to heal internally. Homeopathy is quite helpful in balancing emotions.

Emotions are powerful forces. Ignored the energy often remains blocked and can lead to physical ailments or further emotional problems.

Flower Essences such as the Bach Flower remedies are also very helpful for emotional balancing. The Bach Flower essences recognize 38 conditions which are aligned to the following seven headings:
For Fear
For Uncertainty
For Insufficient Interest in Present Circumstances
For Loneliness
For Those Over-Sensitive to Influences and Ideas
For Despondency and Despair
For Overcare for the Welfare of Others.
Dr. Edward Bach discovered the remedies through an intuitive process, while in the English countryside. The Bach flower essences focus on Type Remedies which relate to a personality pattern and the Helping Remedies which help to resolve transient mood of the psyche. For more information on the Bach Flower Essences click, here. And here is a questionnaire, you can explore.

One does not have to be undone by the thought pattern labeled as ‘jealousy.’ See it as a sign that you simply need some healing. Ultimately you are not your thoughts.

There are many ways that one can heal emotional states that will lead one to ultimately balance and fulfillment.

“Resentment of someone’s good will serve as a barrier to one’s own growth.”

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www.continuumwellness.org

Question:

Lately, my husband has started sweating profusely when he is asleep.  His sweat has a strong cheesy smell. He is showers regularly so that is not the problem.  Is this serious?

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A Homeopathic Look

I’m not speaking to the, is this serious question, as I am not an medical doctor.  Let’s take a peek at this situation from a homeopathic perspective.

I decided to repertorize these few symptoms and see what comes up.  Look below.  Of course, other factors have to be taken into consideration to make a remedy decision.
Cheesy perspiration, could also be close to “fetid” and “offensive”, but I like this rubric since it quite distinct and in the person’s own language.

Perspiration
ODOR, cheesy, (8)

Perspiration
PROFUSE (224)
night (97)

Based on this limited information what homeopathic remedy might you suggest for this individual?

For a doctor’s perspective on the question read here.

Mark your calendar for the last Saturday for February 2010, when we do it again. If you have an interest in participating send an email.

Federal standards for treating waste water do not govern pharmaceutical by products. Read the article here.

The medications and chemicals found from among the 36 tested for were, aside from diphenhydramine:

* the cholesterol drug gemfibrozil (Lopid), which researchers say had never before been found in wild fish;
* diltiazem (Cardizem), a medication that helps control high blood pressure;
* carbamazepine (Tegretol), a drug used for epilepsy and bipolar disorder;
* norfluoxetine, an active ingredient in the antidepressant fluoxetine (Prozac);
* the antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft);
* galaxolide and tonalide, common odor-enhancing ingredients in soap and other hygiene products.
Years ago, actually decades, the problem was mercury in the water…and I don’t think that ever went away, now add this.

Another reason to heal thyself.

Help for High Blood Pressure

Enter the Polypill.  Researchers want to create a pill a 3 in one that can reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure in one.  article here
Truth is it has been created or should I say they have been. When we eat whole foods, contained therein is a synergistic blend of vitamins, proteins, amino acids, flavonoids, solar and lunar energy and maybe even (hopefully) love from the gardener. We cannot get this from a pill.

Run This Way

Instead of running from nature, run to nature. Nurture yourself with learning how to live in balance. It’s free. It’s the healthiest choice for yourself and the planet. Give it a try. Polypill? Try basking in the sun, or hugging a dear friend, cook yourself a meal with a big dose of love in it…you’ll be glad you did, for benefits no Polypill could ever provide.

At Continuum Wellness we offer homeopathic care and wellness coaching to promote wholeness, health and well-being.