Coastal Integrated Medicine

New Address

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 30 May 2014 22:10:00 +0000

If you are looking for Coastal Integrated Medicine and the clinic of Jeffrey Chand please go to:

www.acupuncturevictoriabc.com

See you soon!

Healthy Holiday Guide- Dinners

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 21:24:00 +0000

#1 Have a healthy meal before going to a social event

#2 Eat foods that you actually want

#3 Appreciate the social aspect of Christmas, not just the food

#4 Avoid soft drinks and juice; stay hydrated with water

#5 Visit with people you actually want to

Here are a few guidelines to help navigate through the holiday season.

Look for a new website, with lots of new goodies in the next couple of days at www.acupuncturevictoriabc.com

~Think Vitality!~

Thanks for the Great Workshop!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 23:24:00 +0000

Last weekend we had the "Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Meridian Therapy" workshop for practitioners. I was surprised that I, myself, got a real charge after the 2 days! We covered a lot of information and I received some great feedback from the attendees that will make the next one even better.

A challenge that I encountered is trying to condense all the theories of TCM but not dilute them. There is so much history, and hidden meaning in concepts like the Yin and Yang, Five Elements, and Qi that it can take years to understand them.

Between now and the next workshop, set for February 19 & 20th, I am determined to form all this information into a "system" that any practitioner, or non-practitioner can use to help those around them immediately.

I feel very excited to help spread the concepts of Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, qi gong, and good clean living because we can't depend on others to make us healthy. We have to learn effective and efficient methods ourselves and help inspire others around us.

Thank you to everyone who attended and all the enthusiasm you shared!

~Think Vitality!~

Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Meridian Therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 19:34:00 +0000

Do you wonder what "Qi" is? Have you seen the yin and yang symbol but don't really know what it means? Are you curious about how Traditional Chinese doctors observed nature to create one of the oldest and most effective forms of medicine?

On November 27 & 28th we will be conducting a 2 day "Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Meridian Therapy" for Registered Massage Therapists and Health Care Practitioners.

Learn the concepts of:

Qi
Yin and Yang
5 Elements
8 Principle Diagnosis
the 12 Meridians- location and uses
the most effective acupoints points and how to use them without needles
case studies
intro to the ancient practice of Qi Gong

This is officially recognized by the CMTBC for 11.5 credit hours.

The goal of the course is to share information about TCM and learn practical concepts that can be applied immediately to patients and loved ones.

While this course is geared towards RMT's and health care practitioners, it is fully open to the public. If you or someone you know is interested, please call/email to register or for more information.

~Think Vitality!~

Happy Halloween, Qi Gong Course News

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 21:15:00 +0000

The air is crisp, the ghouls are in the neighborhood asking for candy, and pumpkins are being carved up and set ablaze- fall is certainly here!

Enjoy the crunchy leaves and remember to keep yourself warm in this coming season particularly your neck. In Traditional Chinese Medicine a pathogen (or a cold or flu) enters through an acupuncture point on the base of the neck. By keeping your neck protected you reduce the chance of an external attack. In the next couple of days I will put up some more Immune System boosting tips.

The next Qi Gong course that was set for Saturday November 6th is going to be postponed. It most likely will be rescheduled to January as most of us are pretty busy during the holiday season. I will be in contact with anyone who has registered to make arrangements, or feel free to email me.

Enjoy the Halloween weekend and if you are going to eat some ooey gooey candy make sure that you actually want to eat it!

~Think Vitality!~

"Ugly Soup"

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 19:05:00 +0000

Due to popular demand, here is a quick instructional video on how to make "Ugly Soup" which will give you a massive dose of nutrition and goodness!

Try adding this to your current diet for 7 days and see what happens to your energy, digestion, skin, and mental clarity!

(Click here to watch in full screen on youtube)

~Think Vitality!~

"It's Fruit! That's much better than Sugar."

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:09:00 +0000

When asked "What is a healthy diet?" most will respond, "a diet with lots of fruit and vegetables!" Well, that is half true!

While that is much better than the typical North American diet, loaded with processed foods, sodium, and "pseudo-foods," too much fruit can cause the same imbalances as having too much processed sugar.

Many will say, "But fruit is healthy because it is naturally high in anti-oxidants." That is also true, but often the damage of too much sugar outweighs the benefit of anti-oxidants with massive fruit consumption. We will do much better to eat dark leafy greens and get a large amount of anti-oxidants, fiber, and minerals in a low sugar way.

There is as always an exception to the rule; if your blood sugar is stable and you have already eliminated processed fats, processed sugars and grains, the body can then handle the sugar in fruit quite well. In fact, it is how nature intended us to eat!

I have been mentioning this concept in the clinic when people complain that they are feeling sluggish, foggy-minded, and tired. After examining their diet a lot of people realize they are consuming more sugar than they realized through increased fruit consumption. Eat healthy and remember to eat more "greens" than fruit.

Here is a link where you can get to know how much sugar is in the fruit that you are consuming.

Carb Counter

~Think Vitality!~

Couch Time Improves Marathon Training

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +0000

Looking towards the fall, the Royal Victoria marathon is slowly approaching. In endurance training the 'old' idea was more is better. That has been shown to be a good way to injure yourself and over train!

One author pointed out, "If exercise makes you stronger, then how come you are tired at the end of a run?" The reason is exercise doesn't make you stronger - proper rest does.

So build some rest time into your training schedule and plan on tapering 2-3 weeks before race day to run your fastest time ever!

Here is an article discussing the importance of tapering.

The Globe and Mail- Couch Time Improves Marathon Training

~Think Vitality!~

How much Vitamin XYZ Should I Take?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:34:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered how much calcium, zinc, or fiber you should be having a day?

Here is a great resource that you may find helpful. This interactive form can help you find out how many macro-nutrients, minerals, calories, and vitamins you should be consuming based on your body, body mass index, activity level and age.

Click here!

Did you know that most of the recommended dietary allowances of vitamins and minerals followed by Americans and Canadians were actually established at the time of World War 2 to prevent malnourishment of soldiers and have not been revisited since.(ref. Fuhrman)?

So, when reading nutritional labels and you see that your food item contains 10% of your daily requirement of a certain vitamin it may not be completely sufficient.

As a general rule you will get the most nourishment from real veggies, fruits, and proteins, just as nature intended it!

http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/interactiveDRI/

~Think Vitality!~

Light to Moderate Exercise IS Good for you!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:40:00 +0000

It's official, we can all rest assured that light to moderate exercise is actually good for our health because there has been a study proving this!

The Journal of Epidemiology has determined that just half an hour of walking, cycling, swimming, or any constant activity 5 days a week can reduce the risk of death by 19%. Increasing it to 7 hours a week reduces the incidence of sedentary lifestyle related deaths by 24%. It doesn't have to be intense, just constant.

If you are not sure how to enjoy walking in our beautiful city, try listening to an audio book. You can purchase books on pretty much any topic online, or even download audio books from the Victoria public library for free.
If you are technically inclined you can also entertain yourself with podcasts from itunes which are also free.
So find an activity, drag a friend along and get moving!

~Think Vitality!~

photo source cookinglight.com

Qi Gong Workshop follow up

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:11:00 +0000

This weekend was the first full day qi gong workshop here in Victoria and judging by the feedback, it went well! Thank you to everyone who attended and for giving me such valuable feedback. I read the suggestions everyone had with great interest because I would like to offer as much value as I can and work out all the kinks.

What a few people mentioned was they wanted a little bit more feedback on their form and how they were doing. I think this is a valuable part of learning from a real person rather than books or videos.

On November 6th, 2010 we are planning the next seminar where I will devote time specifically to helping intermediate people improve their techniques as well as teaching the absolute beginners.

So mark your calendars and start spreading the word if you know anyone that might benefit from qi gong!

On the note of 'spreading the word,' I received a serious 'beat down' for not having a facebook fan page. So, here it is!You can "like" the page and find health tips, information, inspiration, upcoming events and happenings. For those of you who are new to fan pages, rest assured I cannot see your personal information or wild weekend pictures!

In the meantime, start boosting your immune system because in 2 weeks time a lot of people are going to be getting sick because of kids going back to school!

~Think Vitality!~

photo divavillage.com

The Simple Things- It's Full On!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:51:00 +0000

I have been contemplating whether or not I should put a link to this youtube video I saw for a couple of weeks. Well, I have decided to share with you "The Double Rainbow"

When I first saw it I both laughed like crazy, and felt inspired by "Hungry Bear" and his appreciation of the simple things in life.

While diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction are all crucial to our health and well being, we need to truly enjoy life and what we are doing. Doing something you like and having a positive emotional response to it releases endorphins, reduces cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and heart rate, and makes you smile which relaxes the muscles in your face and promotes a smooth flow of qi.

Make a point today to do something just purely for the enjoyment of it!

~Think Vitality!~

Mr Golden Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:08:00 +0000

I hope you have been enjoying the magnificent Victoria weather over the last few days but also protecting yourself from the sun. Why is it that we have to protect our skin from the sun, isn't it a 'natural' source of vitamin D? It is, but because of changes in the ozone layer, we are exposed to more UVA and UVB radiation than ever before and we have not evolved to be able to handle it... yet!

Did you know that there is a difference between sunscreen and sunblock? Most of us use the terms interchangeably but they are different.

Firstly, sun has Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and lead to oxidative damage, skin cancer, and the visible signs of aging. UVB rays don't penetrate as deeply but are primarily what causes sunburn and mutation of DNA leading to skin cancer.

Depending on the ingredients, sunscreen deflects and absorbs UVB radiation with a chemical reaction. Some of the chemicals may include oxybenzone, octisalate, and avobenzone. The downside of sunscreen is that it does not protect against UVA radiation and the chemicals used may be potentially harmful if used on a regular basis.

Sunblock creates a physical barrier between your skin and the sun and is much more effective in protecting you from both UVA and UVB. The ingredients found in sunblock are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

When advertising SPF protection, manufacturers are only referring to protection from UVB sunburns as it does not include protection from skin cancer and oxidative damage.

The best option is mineral sunblock because it offers the most protection with the least chemicals and it is easier to find nowadays. Another great option is high tech sun protection clothing that offers SPF protection.

~Think Vitality!~

references:
Environmental Working Group
photo,2

Summer has arrived!

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Well, I think it's fair to say that summer has finally arrived in Victoria!

With the sunshine and longer days, a lot of people are wanting to get out and get active. We should remember that whether it is having a game of basketball, tennis, or even throwing the frisbee around we can injure ourselves without proper stretching and warming up.

In my practice I have seen all sorts of injuries from summertime activity, most of which could be easily avoided by stretching beforehand. The main areas of injury are the shoulders, neck, and back. Spend a couple minutes limbering up and stretching before that game of bacchi ball and enjoy the free Vitamin D while we have it!

~Think Vitality!~

Photo source

World Cup Soccer

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:31:00 +0000

In the spirit of World Cup Soccer, here is a little tid bit of information;
Did you know that in an average soccer game players will cover between 10 to 15 km, and burn approximately 1400 calories per game?

Soccer is a good game to play to help build your overall health and wellness because it is 'interval training.' You can get more results with less time and less damage to the body with interval training versus the 'long and slow' type of exercise.

Pick up a ball, put on your sunglasses and challenge the neighborhood kids to a game of soccer- your body will thank you!

~Think Vitality!~

Source: The Globe and Mail
Image Japan Times

Slow Down to 10 mph

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:44:00 +0000

I watched an off beat documentary this weekend called "10 Miles Per Hour" which chronicled a journey from Seattle to Boston on a Segway- you know those odd 2 wheeled scooters that were supposed to take over the world?

It was about a group of people from "corporate America" who decided that life was moving too quickly and time was passing them by, so they decided to go coast to coast across America at the rate a horse would walk at; 10 miles per hour. It took them over 100 days and they generated some media buzz but I had never heard about them until just recently.

While the movie wasn't amazing it did bring up a good idea- slow down. For all the hustle and hurry we have in our modern day living, has it really made us healthier, happier, or more connected with ourselves or others?

As part of your regular health regime you should include something that makes time go by slowly- walk in nature, look out a window, enjoy tea in silence, go to the beach and simply observe the water, listen to music. You only need a few minutes of 'slow time' to reap the benefits, so try something simple today!

~Think Vitality!~

Sleepy Time

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:07:00 +0000

I read an article in the New York Times recently about sleep and the risk to our health if we just don't get enough. There is significant research that links the lack of sleep with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, premature aging, and weight gain.

A few years ago I had the fortune of spending some time in the Sahara desert and I remember feeling ready to go to bed really early, around 7:30pm or so. The reason was because there was no, I mean absolutely no, light!

When our eyes register that there is no light, a cascade of chemical processes begin and we start to ease into sleep. When we have bright lights, computer monitors, and TV's bombarding us with artificial light that chemical process does not happen as easily.

So, to help yourself sleep better try turning down the brightness on your tv and computer as the sun goes down. Most monitors and tvs have a night time setting and they are well worth it to use. Also, make sure your bathroom lights aren't too bright and shining directly into your eyes when you are brushing your teeth just before bed.

~Think Vitality

photo from dailycal.org

Kindness, Compassion, and Healing

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:10:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of attending a qi gong seminar this weekend presented by Dr. Steven Aung. I first met Dr. Aung several years ago when I lived in Edmonton and didn't know that there were others places in Canada that didn't have snow 10 months of the year! He was/is a family physician, a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor, an acupuncturist, and a high level qi gong master. He is a source of unique experience and wisdom.

One of the most important lessons I learned was one that I have been noticing myself over the last couple of years; if you want to be healthy you must keep it simple.

During the question and answer period, Dr. Aung seemed to endlessly welcome questions and he kept his responses centralized around a main theme- kindness and compassion.

Bear in mind that Dr. Aung is a respected scientist and geriatric specialist and has spent a large portion of his professional career prescribing pharmaceuticals for disease. After years of careful observation he has seen the need for calming the mind, letting go of anger and fear, and approaching the world with kindness and compassion.

Drugs and serious medical intervention have their role to play in our health and healing but so does our mind and the way we see the world and interact with it. Practicing compassion is central to Eastern philosophy and studies show that it can lower blood pressure, decrease respiration rate, reduce cortisol, and decrease inflammation.

So, perform a little act of kindness and compassion today and know that it will benefit the world and your health!

~Think Vitality!~

Brendan Brazier - Thrive Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0000

Last night I heard Brendan Brazier speak about his new book "Thrive Fitness." Brendan is a professional Ironman athlete that happens to be vegan. He has developed a line of whole food supplements called "Vega" that he credits for helping him reach his fitness goals.

I have read both "Thrive Diet" and "Thrive Fitness" so I was interested to hear him speak about his area of expertise. It seems like there is always a new study, or research article that comes out telling us what we can and cannot do to keep ourselves healthy. I think it leaves the majority of people confused, overwhelmed and unable to take any action. Brendan's approach was largely based on his own experience, real results, and listening to feedback from other athletes. He keeps his message very simple- eat real, whole foods.

He spoke about how it takes a lot more energy to digest processed food compared to whole veggies, nuts, seeds, pseudo-grains and fruits. By using less energy to digest our food we have more energy to heal out bodies.

I have seen many times how important it is to keep things simple. While I may not subscribe to the idea of veganism (because it is very difficult to stay healthy without becoming obsessive about food) I think we can all benefit from infusing our diets with good, vibrant, whole foods; like this!

Blueberry, Spinach, Maca, Coconut Cocoa Breakfast Shake

~Think Vitality~

Dangers of Overeating

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:47:00 +0000

Over the last 40 years the average caloric intake has increase substantially. After the invention of "processed" foods following World War II, North Americans have experienced an increase in heart attack, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and other obesity related illnesses.

Having access to nutrition-less and high calorie foods is just one aspect to the increase in obesity. The other factor is simply overeating. Contrary to what you might think, you can still gain weight from eating too much of a well balanced, healthy diet too. It is harder to over consume calories when you are eating greens, veggies, lean meat and fish but it is still possible.

You may remember hearing about The Okinawa Program that was popular a few years ago. This was a study of the people of Okinawa, an island in Japan, where people commonly lived beyond 100 years of age. Several factors contributed to their longevity and vibrant health. One of them was called "Hara hachi bu." This means "Eat to 80% fullness." Stopping before you are 100% full can really help your digestive and metabolic health. It is important to eat until you are nutritionally and emotionally satisfied but then stop. You can always have more later when your stomach is empty. Make it a rule to only eat until you are 80% full. I have seen several people eat exactly what they normally eat and lose weight following this concept. Until next time...

~Think Vitality!~

The Food Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Wed, 26 May 2010 21:21:00 +0000

I have been carefully watching the work of Jamie Olive r and the Food Revolution over the last few months.

If you haven't heard, Jamie is a chef from Essex who has been around food all his life. He has a cooking show called "The Naked Chef" and has turned his attention toward helping people - through cooking! His most recent project has been "The Food Revolution" where he addresses obesity in North American and poor nutrition.

The reason I have found his mission interesting is because he is not saying anything 'revolutionary' at all, just simple common sense. We need to eat real foods. If it is something that comes out of a package, has ingredients you don't recognize, or has been processed, you just don't eat it.

I have looked at some of Jamie's recipes and they are... okay. They are not always as nutrient-dense as I would like as he uses a little too much pasta, but what I do like is that he is educating and inspiring people. We should be excited about life, our health, our relationships, our careers, our interests, and our foods! If you are feeling blah about your dinner tonight, try something new and easy. Try a new spice, a different flavour, a new vegetable, or a meat or fish that you haven't had before. You just might be inspired!

Just to let you know, I am still following the 30 Day Vitality Challenge and keeping my side of the bargain! My main objective is to hopefully encourage others (maybe even you!) to do the same.

Day 10 Went for a 25 minute run
Day 11 Ate a delicious fresh home made sunomono salad
Day 12 Did high intensity interval training
Day 13 Did 35 minutes of mindfulness meditation

~Think Vitality!~

Qi Gong Workshop - Victoria, BC

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 21 May 2010 21:58:00 +0000

It's finally here!

Thank you everyone for for being so patient while we've been organizing this workshop. It's going to be a great event with loads of information, inspiration and practice. I'm really excited about it!

Here are the details:

Workshop: Qi Gong for Health, Vitality and Longevity
Location: Camosun College Landsdowne Campus, Victoria BC
Date: Saturday, August 21, 2010 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Cost: $95 + tax

Qi gong, or Chi kung is an ancient practice developed to build energy and health using simple movements, breathing exercises and visualization. It is easy to do, gentle on the body, and highly effective. Practiced throughout China, Japan and Asia, qi gong can strengthen the body, reduce pain, increase energy, reduce stress, slow the aging process, improve the immune system and bring clarity to the mind. Qi gong improves health and vitality using the concept of qi.

In this workshop you will learn:

The most effective qi gong movements for health
Dynamic/flow qi gong exercises
Static or stance exercises
Basic and intermediate meditation practices
What is qi and how it relates to healing
How to improve your own qi circulation
How to become healthy from the 'root'
Common issues with other healing systems
Discussion on qi gong healing

Qi Gong for Health, Vitality and Longevity is based on several different qi gong, tai chi, yoga, and meditation systems. With over 10 years of clinical experience as an acupuncturist and over 15 years of qi gong study, Jeffrey combines the best of each system in a simple and highly effective method that anyone can do. If the health benefits of qi gong sound too good to be true - try it for yourself and see!

Please register early as there is a limited amount of space.

You can print out this form and fax, mail, email, or phone us.
Qi Gong Registration Form

Or you can register online by clicking the "Buy Now" button below. It is safe and secure and you will receive a confirmation email.

~Think Vitality!~

Qi Gong and the Practice of Focus

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:07:00 +0000

30 Day Vitality Challenge Day 9

There are many types of meditation, qi gong and breathing practices that have been passed down through the ages for thousands of years. It's very easy to get overwhelmed with all the different methods from different 'masters' or 'gurus.' In my experience, simple is best.

There is no 'right' way and no 'wrong' way. Well...there might be a wrong way depending on how you look at it!

Regardless of the technique, the first and possibly most important skill to develop is the power of focus. Focus is being able to hold a single thought or intention for a desired amount of time. Studies show that we have approximately 60,000 thoughts per day. Unfortunately, a lot of those thoughts are the same and repeat over and over in our mind. When we develop our ability to focus and hold a thought we reduce those 60,000 to maybe 40,000. As our mental muscles get stronger we can reduce it even more.

A simple practice is to breathe naturally and count your breaths. That's it. Decide on a number, maybe 30, and everytime you breathe in, you count "one." Most people will lose track of the number at around 7 or 8 at first, but stick with it. Soon, you'll be able to hold your focus and be ready to move on to more advanced techniques.

As part of the 30 Day Vitality Challenge I will do 20 minutes of breath counting today.

P.S. - I have finally set a date for the Qi Gong workshop here in Victoria!
August 21, so mark your calenders!

~Think Vitality!~

Health vs. Fitness Exercise

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 20 May 2010 05:31:00 +0000

Exercise is an important part of the 30 Day Vitality Challenge. If we eat well, sleep well, manage our stress, but DON'T exercise, we won't truly have Vitality. With all the different systems and ideas about how to exercise it's easy to get overwhelmed.

I would suggest thinking about "why" you are exercising before beginning any routine. Are you exercising to get healthy or to become fit?

If you want to run a sub 3 hour marathon you will have to train in a particular way. If you want to boost your immune system and reduce stress you will have to exercise in a completely different manner.

Athlete or not, we should exercise for health first, then fitness. A person can be extremely fit but not healthy. It is the intensity and duration of exercise that determines if it will make you healthy or fit. To build your health you do not need to exceed 85% of your maximum effort for any cardiovascular activity. You would benefit your health most if you kept you effort level between 65-85%.

How long?

The ideal time to exercise for health is anywhere between 20-40 minutes. Remember if you are working harder, it should be shorter.

Keep this in mind during your next workout and...

~Think Vitality!~

Meditation as Medication

noreply@blogger.com (Jeffrey Chand) — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:03:00 +0000

30 Day Vitality Challenge Day 8

This evening I had the opportunity to watch the documentary Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould up at the University of Victoria. I found it quite fascinating.

Glen Gould was a pianist with considerable talent who reached the height of his performing career at age 31. He was as eccentric as he was talented and resorted to prescription drugs to manage his anxiety. The film minimized the fact that he over used prescription medication which altered both his personality and his health.

While pharmaceuticals do have their place in health and healing we should be very careful not to overuse them especially in situations where equally effective holistic solutions are available. This is particularly true in the area of stress and anxiety. Often changes in diet and lifestyle can help just as much as medication. It's always a good idea to discuss options with your doctor and come up with a plan together.

Meditation and exercise are two activities that can greatly reduce anxiety and calm the mind.

With that being said, on day 8 before starting my day in clinic I did 25 minutes of natural breathing meditation. You would be surprised at how both calming and energizing simple breathing can be. This will be one of the topics discussed in the upcoming Qi gong workshop. Until then, do at least one thing from the list and ...

~Think Vitality!~