Anxiety....or Fear??

In today’s climate of uncertainty, it is normal to feel unstable about our jobs, kids, the education system, credit scores, global warming, the economic recession,... the list continues. I believe that as our lives get busier, our tendency to “worry” increases.  Excessive worry can lead to an inability to function in daily life. Similar to terms like depression and bipolar, anxiety has become a part of our daily language to communicate a feeling state. 

But how do we discriminate between anxiety, which can be debilitating, and fear, which is something we share with animals? DSM-IV-TR, today’s bible of psychiatry, lists the diagnostic features of General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) as the following:

“Excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for a period of at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities. The anxiety and worry are accompanied by at least three additional symptoms from a list that includes restlessness, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and disturbed sleep”.

Finding Balance on the Road to Recovery

There is a deep rooted connection between mind and body and when we find an unhealthy connection like an addiction to drugs or alcohol, recovery can be a painful process. Approximately 1 out of every 8 Americans is living with some form of addiction. The addiction can take over and rule the mind, which is why most people with strong addictions rarely believe they are indeed sick. It is this dysfunctional, addictive behavior that keeps life feeling unmanageable and off balance. To get to the root of these addictions we must look at traumatic experiences, various patterns, while looking for new forms of emotional healing within the body and mind.

People in early recovery can typically suffer from tremendous physical, psychological, and emotional issues based on their harmful repetitive behaviors. They must find a way of achieving self-confidence, getting rid of daily compulsive behaviors, and negative triggers while learning how to regain self-control, and physical / mental well-being. This can be a lot to ask of someone who feels unbalanced and unstable, but what better way to teach these skills then through a dedicated yoga practice. By taking on a daily yoga practice, negative repetitive actions can turn into an hour of reconnecting with their body without feeling shame or anxiety. Learning how to stay calm, how to quiet the mind, and focus can bring intense relief they can access at any time or place. Learning to use utilize these simple techniques can bring relief from terrorizing thoughts of drugs and alcohol use along with reminding them how to connect with themselves and others. 

Eating in the Know

Everyday we are surrounded by assaults from media messages that lead to confusion when it comes to choosing foods that are healthy for ourselves and for our family. Everywhere we look the media and agribusiness are pulling on our strings. From highway billboards, to product packages, misleading and often flat out false health claims are being made. Who do you trust? How can you tell who is honest? How do you tell the good stuff from the bad stuff?

Truthfully, if you want to simplify your life, the best way is to never eat packaged food. (Wow, that feels drastic, doesn’t it?!) It is possible to eliminate prepackaged, prepared foods from our shopping carts, but it feels uncomfortable, and can incorporate a whole lot of priority jumbling when you are trying to do this on your own. What do you cook? What goes best with what? Further, HOW do you cook it!?

Reflexology: Healing the Body from the Ground Up

“Reflexology is a holistic energy-based modality, working through the energies of the nervous, electrical, chemical and magnetic systems of the body" 

- The American Reflexology Certification Board, 2001

The approach known as Reflexology is an ancient form of healing that is still widely practiced across the globe. The first signs of humans practicing Reflexology dates back all the way from 2323 to 2150 BCE during the Egyptian Sixth Dynasty in which pictographs were found of people working diligently on the hands and feet. Soon foot therapy was practiced throughout the Roman Empire and within traditional Chinese Medicine, as the feet hold special symbolism within these cultures. Eventually the Chinese incorporated the concept of meridians and pathways through the body transforming the pressure point theory into another healing form, Acupuncture.