Massage Mimics the Effect of Pain Killers at Molecular Level
Massages are good for you: a shoulder rub mimics the effect of pain-killers at the molecular level. Massage also promotes the growth of new mitochondria, the energy-generating “power plants” in cells, according to scientists at McMaster University in Canada.
A soothing massage does more than relax aching muscles, scientists have discovered.
It reduces inflammation at the molecular level, mimicking the action of pain killing drugs, research suggests.
Massage also promotes the growth of new mitochondria, the energy-generating ‘powerplants’ in cells. Read more
Fear and Safety
I’ve heard yoga teachers say that fear is excitement without the breath (heck, I’ve said it myself). I guess you could say that I’ve taken lots of deep breaths over the past few months. Most of what I’ve experienced is what I’d call “good fear,” or the kind that you face when you try something new or push your boundaries. It’s an exhilarating feeling, one that charges you up and makes you feel as if anything could happen. I’ll admit that I’m a bit of a good fear junkie, as I often like putting myself into new, scary places/circumstances.
Then of course, there’s the more negative type of fear — the kind that is rooted in a feeling of being unsafe. Unfortunately, I’ve experienced that just recently. Deep breaths helped, yes, but it wasn’t quite the same as breathing through good fear. But like much else in my life — the experience held some valuable lessons for me and it got me thinking about safety.
What makes you feel safe? Interestingly enough, I’d never asked this question of myself until I started to feel unsafe. I was so focused on what was outside of me — the perceived threat — that I completely missed the fact that safety comes from inside. It’s about honoring boundaries. For me, that means I’ve had to set aside being a nice girl in order to cultivate an inner sense of safety. And in the more extreme circumstance that I recently experienced, I’ve had to sink into trust, knowing that even if the worst happens, I’ll be okay.
I still remember the first time I did this on my mat. I was in a perfectly lovely yoga workshop. The teachers were well-known, with years of experience under their belts. Towards the end of the practice, they directed everyone to come into a rather advanced pose. About 95% of the class struggled (some did it effortlessly) to get into and maintain the pose. I remained in Child’s Pose on my mat. My inner yoga showoff exclaimed — “You can do this pose, so why the heck aren’t you? Don’t just sit there in wimpy ole Child’s Pose — do what everyone else is doing!” I’m happy to say that I didn’t listen.
A few others didn’t either. They knew their boundaries and they honored them by avoiding a yoga posture that would have possibly brought harm. The woman a few mats over actually packed up her stuff in a huff and walked out. It makes me think of my recent experience. When I got scared, the emotion that followed quickly on the heels of the fear was anger. I was mad over the fact that my boundary had been crossed, the result of which being that everything around me seemed to be tainted by fear and suspicion. Perhaps that woman who left the workshop felt the same way — that she’d been asked to cross a boundary and she wouldn’t do it for the sake of being a “good” little yoga student. As I rested on my mat, I knew that I wasn’t angry or full of good fear (Can I really do that pose? Perhaps I should try?) — I felt a clear sense of what I was willing and unwilling to do, regardless of what a respected yoga teacher was directing me to do.
So here’s a little something to ponder as you sit in stillness today (or chill out in Child’s Pose on your yoga mat):
- Where in your life are you feeling good fear and bad fear?
- Do you avoid fear of any type?
- What makes you feel safe?
- What are the signs of feeling unsafe?
- Do you believe that safety comes from outside of yourself or inside?
- How can you strengthen your inner sense of safety?
- Do you honor your boundaries on your yoga mat (and off)? If not, what changes can you make to do so?
Namaste!
Are Vancouver’s bylaw officers bullies?
We want freedom for our dogs
I cannot agree more with the idea that the degree of evolution of a society can be measured by the way we treat children, elderly and the animals.
For more than 20 years, I have been a proud Vancouverite who loves the outdoors, healthy life style and my daily dog walks. As a veterinarian who works with dogs and their people on a daily basis, I can see the undeniable positive contribution of dogs to our health, wellbeing, our society, and our economy.
- Dogs get us out for walks and help us to be active.
- They help us connect with people on walks and prevent isolation.
- They help us to be healthy and reduce our health care costs.
- They allow us to experience unconditional love.
- They keep us company and cheer us up when needed.
- They remind us to be playful and enjoy life to its fullest.
- They teach us to live in the present.
I could go on and on and create a list that would definitely not fit on one page. There have been numerous studies written about the health and emotional benefits of living with dogs. The question I want to explore here is, why dogs, dog bylaws and animal control have become such a huge issue in recent years?
Some people say that this is a response to a few incidences where dogs of careless or irresponsible dog owners injure people. However, punishing all dogs and dog owners for the issues of a few would not be any different than treating all people like criminals when one person causes a crime. This attitude has generated a fiery public debate that polarizes communities and creates a lot of media attention.
Changing the topic for a moment.
One of my favorite songs is Sarah McLaughlan’s “Ordinary Miracle” and the lyrics say:
“The sky knows when its time to snow
Don’t need to teach a seed to grow
It’s just another ordinary miracle today…”
I love the lyrics because they are a reminder that there is no need to over-regulate the natural balance and harmony of nature or of a healthy society. The Earth will continue spinning and the seasons will changee without our control and generally the unspoken rules and general courtesy in our society are much more powerful than excessive control and policing. In fact such excessive attempt to control others naturally creates rebellion, distrust and disillusion of the general public.
For example, I witnessed an alcohol raid on the beach of English Bay in Downtown Vancouver where the police squads virtually raided the bags of unsuspecting people enjoying a beautiful summer day. While I am not a drinker, the arrogant and rude behavior of some of these officers was a frightening reminder of my past years of living behind the Iron Curtain. It was a reminder that even in democratic society, some people apply for a job with police or in bylaw enforcement because they love the taste of power.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not support heavy drinking neither anarchy, I just suggest that our lawmakers and enforcement could learn a lesson or two from the European countries where drinking in parks is not a big deal and dogs are allowed in parks, restaurants and on transit without disturbing anyone. In my opinion, extreme over-policing generates oppression and anger and makes “drinking in public” more prevalent and serious. The forbidden fruit always tastes the best. But getting back to dogs…
Just the other day, I found a new sign at the Capilano Dam in North Vancouver that said: “No dogs allowed on the lawn.” First I was angry. I have been dog walking in the park and Skai loves to play here! When my anger fizzled out, I realized that this situation could be used us a springboard to an open discussion.
Based on the news in the media, the battle over the freedom of our canine friends has been increasing in intensity. From what I know, the people who demand more animal control and ban of our dogs from parks and beaches are doing so because they are afraid of dogs or do not like dog poop stuck to their shoes. These people have a tendency to make a blanket statement against all dogs as a result of a few incidents where aggressive dogs injured people.
As a veterinarian, I know that most dogs are loving and not aggressive. To me, restricting all dogs from parks is unreasonable and could be compared to us being treated like criminals when one person causes a crime.
In my opinion, the solution is not in “bylaw” officers sneaking up from the bushes and ticketing people for having fun and enjoying good life with their dogs. It reminds me of the fairytale of my childhood about a kingdom where people were punished for singing.
I understand that not everyone has a good connection with dogs and some people are afraid of them. However, because of the undeniable benefit of dogs on our health and in our society, we, dog lovers can’t tolerate the current situation where dogs owners are discriminated and treated as a second class citizens and the the anti-dog bylaws are getting out of control.
Here are a few ideas to open a discussion about how to solve the current situation
- Every dog owner in Vancouver should register their dog without an exception which will be helpful to establish the most accurate dog count.
- This ratio of families with and without dogs should reflect the ratio of beaches and parks where dogs are allowed.
- Ideally each large beach or park should have a dog and no dog section to reduce the need to travel to distant locations.
- Led by the example of other developed nations, dogs should be allowed on public transit with a comfortable muzzle with the exception of service dogs who would not need to be muzzled.
- To reduce the risk of accidents and dog bites, it may be viable to create a system of dog registration where off leash privileges would be granted to dogs who graduted from already existing “canine good citizen” certification programs. The registration tag for certified dogs could be “green color” to recognize safe dogs easily.
- I believe that most people would agree with fining people who mistreat dogs, train them for aggression, act irresponsibly or do not pick up their dogs poop.
- Install poop bag vending machines or stands where part of the proceeds from the sales would go towards animal welfare and dog training. There are great “corn based” compostable bags on the market that are environmentally safe. As an alternative, poop bags posts could be serving “sponsored” by a local advertising business.
The point I want to make here is that while I respect a difference in opinions and do not expect everyone to like dogs, I strongly believe that dogs and their people do not deserve to be treated like second grade citizens. No one likes to be spied on, raided upon in parks or forced out in the gettos of small and second grade public parks and places.
Based on the statistics, 36% of Vancouver families live with dogs and this number should be equally represented in the number of beaches and parks that dogs are allowed in.We pay taxes, we love our dogs,most of us are responsible citizens and yes, Mr. or Ms. Politician, we have the power to vote out those, who do not respect our equality.
With Respect,
Dr. Peter Dobias, DVM
A Vancouver veterinarian, dog lover and advocate.
To support Freedom for Vancouver Dogs Petition join us on Twitter here.
Intensive Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Center
When most people think about alcohol treatments, many people think of residential alcohol facilities but people seem to know little about intensive outpatient alcohol treatment program. Intensive outpatient alcohol treatments are designed to help people who have an alcohol addict get on a better path. They help individuals become sober and stay sober which leads them to a healthier life. It is essential to know about both kinds of treatments because one treatment might be better for one person and another treatment might be better for someone else.
Effectiveness
Both types of programs are highly effective but one is made for people who need more attention and structure and one is made for people who can handle the freedom. In the residential programs, the patients have to remain at the facility twenty-four seven while the outpatient program allows people to leave at the end of the day. That is probably the most noticeable difference between the two types of treatments because they are the same when it comes to the type of help that is received such as counseling and detox programs.
Misconception
One misconception is that outpatient programs are not as effective as residential ones but this is not true. They may have different approaches but they both help people with their sobriety and help them stay sober. So they are both effective.
Communication
Outpatient programs help members recover by allowing individuals to talk about their problems with each other. This gives them a chance to talk about things they do not usually share with those who don’t understand addiction. They get to talk to people who completely understand where they are coming from because they all suffer from addiction.
Building Bonds
Surprisingly, this is usually the first time they get to talk about their problems with other people who understand and this most certainly aids in recovery. These are bonds they are able to hold on to and this helps them become stronger as they learn to depend on each other.
It Takes Time
This kind of treatment usually takes some time before it becomes effective. The members will have to commit to going to every meeting and staying committed on their own. They can have great results if they are willing to focus and work hard for it because it is not an easy process.
Normal Daily Routine
They have the freedom to go to work or do other daily activities but then they are required to go to the alcohol addiction detoxification meetings at night or early in the morning. If the patient is determined to get better, they must commit to going to every meeting. There many benefits associated with these meetings so attendance is very important.
Yerba Mate Tea Kills Colon Cancer Cells
The results of a new study suggest that if you have a family history of colon cancer, you may want to start drinking yerba mate tea.
A recent scientific study found that yerba mate tea induces death in human colon cancer cells. Scientists discovered that in vitro cancer cells died when exposed to the bioactive compounds present in one cup of the beverage long valued for its medicinal properties by South American traditional healers. Read more
Have Irritable Bowel, Will Travel
Not a small number of people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. These patients are often advised to avoiding travel, particularly the developing world. But in the spirit of unmasking theories that may not be true, here is a health breakthrough that shows these individuals have less to worry about than believed. So buy that plane ticket with a little more confidence.
This is the overall finding of the new study: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) travelers have an increased risk of illness during trips to industrialized countries, but not to developing or tropical regions. Since the tropics are a huge destination for U.S. travelers, this is very significant for a lot of people.
Researchers found that the “absolute risk” of illness was small and most episodes were mild. If a patient with IBD has been in remission for at least three months, the researchers fully support taking a vacation.
(Recommended: Use this Oil for Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
In this study, doctors studied 222 IBD patients and 224 healthy individuals (controls) who had taken about 1,100 trips. When traveling to industrialized countries, IBD patients experienced illness on 14% of the trips, compared to 3.3% of trips made by controls. But, for developing or tropical regions, the rate of illness was similar and, in fact, lower for IBD patients — 17% compared to 21% for the controls.
This is a surprising finding, because traveler’s diarrhea and other intestinal infectious diseases predominately afflict people visiting developing countries. This shows that IBD travelers do not stand a higher risk of contracting intestinal infections there compared to other travelers. Most interesting: IBD patients who had went on vacation after more than three months without symptoms had an overall similar risk of illness during the trip to that of their healthy counterparts. That was regardless of the destination.
RECOMMENDED: Curing an Irritable Bowel… with These Friendly Bacteria
IBD is a chronic and often debilitating intestinal disorder that adversely affects quality of life, including concern over safety issues in relation to traveling abroad. Doctors’ advice is often to simply avoid traveling, to be safe. But such restrictions impede the overall quality of life of IBD patients.
This study shows that we need not worry so much, particularly if symptoms have not been experienced in three months. But the researchers do stress that travelers to developing and tropic regions of the world are still at risk of infections that are easily preventable through vaccine. As we work into the season of sun-seeking travelers, all this is useful to know.
Different Approaches To Drug Addiction Rehab
In a country where money is to be made from pills, treatment facilities and medical aid schemes, hypnosis, one of the most effective ways for dealing with physical and mental ills today, is hardly mentioned. Yet a recent survey shows that a year after undergoing hypnosis interventions, 77 percent of clients that were addicted to hard drugs and alcohol were still clean. Today hypnotherapy, a specialized application of hypnosis by trained professionals, effectively and permanently helps to cure emotional or physical complaints, including chemical addictions. Here is why drug addiction rehab using hypnotherapy is becoming increasingly popular.
Lasting Effects
Those committed to undergoing hypnotherapy find it works well in eliminating and dealing with emotional and physical problems. It’s safe, fast and simply effective. Especially when managing withdrawal symptoms and the agonizing effects, this mode of intervention is way ahead of the competition.
Programs The Brain
Hypnotic suggestions open the mind to its inherent powers of clarity, healing, inspiration and calmness. While inducing states of profound relaxation and enhanced concentration in the client, the therapist offers empowering, new suggestions that the subconscious absorbs. The resulting increase in awareness empowers the individual to begin to exert more positive control over old habits while forming new ones.
Safe and Reliable
Using this intervention approach is risk-free, fast and effective. The power of hypnotic suggestion comes from tapping into the natural power of the subconscious to bring about healing. Through absorbing and acting on empowering suggestions, the subconscious learns to turn painful addiction into emotional freedom. Because it works relatively quickly in bringing about recovery, it helps clients to save money and energy that usually go into attending numerous conventional recovery programs.
Effective
Consumers learn to shake the chemical dependence through fundamental changes in established thinking and feeling patterns lodged in the subconscious. This reprogramming of deeper personality patterns unearths negative habitual responses, replacing these with alternative, empowering ones. Hypnosis thus helps with self-renewal, opening up new possibilities for a drug-free existence.
Eliminates Withdrawal Symptoms
Another reason why hypnotherapy is ideal for dealing with chemical dependence is because of the way in which it manages the effects of withdrawal symptoms. The latter are powerful in keeping the habit alive and hypnotic induction effectively eliminates cravings through instilling alternative, healthier motives. Addicts find the significant reduction of cravings especially empowering since this releases new energy to pursue wholesome interests.
Commitment to Change
It is important that clients commit wholeheartedly to residential drug rehab clinic. It’s the quickest and surest way to aid recovery. In addition, trust in the therapist should be total, and if there is homework, like listening to hypnosis recordings outside sessions, these ought to be adhered to. Performing self-hypnosis at home helps to maintain the momentum of what happens during therapy. This exercises the developing, newfound power emanating from the subconscious, while helping to speed up recovery.
4 Home Remedies for Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is the most common male sexual problem, which means it affects the most women, too. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to cure. Michael Paladin describes four home remedies for premature ejaculation.
For men who experience premature ejaculation, sex can be bad news. Premature ejaculation means that a man reaches orgasm too soon to satisfy his partner. The good news, though, is that premature ejaculation – the most common sexual problem among men – is also the easiest to cure. More good news: The right treatment is usually painless, inexpensive and relatively easy. Here are four simple home remedies to delay ejaculation for more satisfying lovemaking. Read more
