Healthcare: Awareness Equals Power to do Better!

I recently had a patient in that said they were trying to reduce their soda consumption, and they also really despised their cpap mask. I had read about a technique that I thought would be worth trying on both counts. This is something that can be used to stop an old habit or start a new one.

• Upon reaching for the soda, you can increase your focus and awareness on your actions.
• Review the contents of the soda – does it have any nutritional value?
• How does it make you feel while you consume it?
• How do you feel after consuming it?
• Are there any health benefits to it?
• Have you experienced any negative health effects from consuming it?

Then with that increased awareness – continue to remind yourself of it while you are drinking it. Ex: “I am drinking a can of ingredients that I don’t recognize, with no nutritional benefits, that is contributing to my weight gain.” You may find that it quickly loses it’s appeal.

You can do the same for the positive like wearing a cpap mask. Before putting it on, review the benefits of wearing it.

It reduces the incidence of:

• congestive heart failure
• coronary heart disease
• irregular heartbeat
• stroke
• diabetes
• car accidents
• snoring

It improves:

• alertness
• concentration
• emotional stability
• financial health expenditures
• energy levels

Every time you reach for that mask you focus on how all of those benefits make you feel. “This mask is the gift of life by improving my overall health and improving the quality of my daily life.” Review all of the bullet points that mean the most to you before and during the first minute or two after putting it on. Try to explore/feel what all of those benefits will do for you.

The patient reported that his medical doctor had mentioned something similar regarding the soda. He didn’t tell him he ‘had’ to quit. He only suggested that he become more mindful of what he was doing. Love that!

Your brain is a very powerful tool that you can utilize much more in your daily life to accomplish your goals. By doing these exercises on a regular basis you will see yourself transform in many ways you previously considered quite difficult. It can be a fun challenge to play with this and each week or month give yourself a new ‘project’ that you focus on. Read the labels on the foods you eat = awareness. Keep a calendar of your physical activity = awareness. You can journal almost anything and learn new insights about yourself. Remember that your brain goes where you put it, so focus your attention where you want it to be. Get accustomed to creating goals based on awareness for extra motivation, for yourself and your patients. Plan for success!

Why is Personal Growth Important?

To me, personal growth is why we are put on this planet. It is the reason for living! There are some that tell me they are too busy, or they are happy with who they are today. Could that simply be excuses, fear or avoidance? It is good and fine to like who you are. But if you have no intention of growing or changing, that means you are stagnating and decaying. Those are the choices we are given; growth or decay.

Personal growth includes so many different aspects of life. It includes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. And every little morsel counts. Even as in the picture, teaching a child to fish. There is learning, growing, caring, sharing, listening, interacting; all part of growing. As we grow as individuals we raise the bar for our species. We set an example of what can be. Who doesn’t want to do better? Who doesn’t want more peace and happiness? There is no happiness in lying, cheating, hoarding, judging, apathy and so on. So choose to find ways to do better than that, to rise above.

Many feel like they are in overwhelm and don’t know how or where to begin. It starts with the smallest of choices. Choose to do something kind for someone else and/ or yourself. Notice their reaction, notice how it makes you feel. That is what makes it easier to go on and do more.

• Open a door.
• Say thank you.
• Offer someone else to go first before you.
• Make a healthier food choice and notice the subtlety of how it affects you.
• Do 5 minutes of slow belly breathing and quiet your mind.
• Take a 5 minute walk in nature.
• Listen to music that moves you, and maybe even try dancing to it.
• Choose more positive media to expose yourself to.
• Clean out a drawer, a file, your car…..
• Ask someone how they are and truly listen with your whole heart.
• Give someone else the benefit of the doubt. Until you have walked in their shoes, you can not know if you would do better.
• When in judgement, ask yourself, is it possible that …  And consider at least 3 potential reasons or scenarios to broaden your perspective.

The very exciting thing is when you can see a business or organization that realizes this importance and promotes it from within. The potential for creativity, happiness and abundance becomes limitless. Like attracts like, so you become a magnet of all that is good. When difficulty does arise, view it as a positive challenge, a puzzle or mystery to be solved. Do this for yourself, promote it in your workplace.

Growth or decay – what is your choice?

Healthcare – Is There a Fungus Among Us?

Fungal infections can be very subtle, and unless they are life threatening or debilitating they generally go untreated. Over time with no treatment, people will become resigned that they have to accept it, it’s part of aging…. I have 2 links listed here with perfect examples of how serious it can become, how easily it is left undiagnosed, and how treatable it really is. I will add my own story to the list also. A relative of mine suffered from sinus infections for many years. Took plenty of antibiotics to treat, til they became allergic to four different drug families! Then they had sinus surgery. Seemed better, for a while any way. Then it all started up again. Throughout this whole time they also took sinus meds day and night to be functional and comfortable. They did their own research and thought they might have a fungal infection. Mentioned it to their MD with no success. Finally after 20+ years, they met a naturopath, and that was the first thing she reported – “You have had a fungal infection for a very long time”.  After 3 months of treatment and support with supplements, no fake or processed sugar, and limited natural sugar, the infection was gone. Yay! The naturopath was also able to explain many other symptoms that were all related to the fungal infection.

To healthcare providers; please take note, do some research, and if your clinic doesn’t support or treat this, then find a local practitioner that does whom you can refer to. There is nothing wrong with a really good referral – in fact your patients will love you for it! No single practioner usually does it all. So referrals are not uncommon and patients usually come back happy as a clam.

To patients; please be your own advocate. It is important to follow your instincts, listen to your body and do some of your own research. If your doctor isn’t listening or does not know what to do next, there is nothing wrong with asking around for a good referral. Sometimes you may have to go to an alternative practitioner such as a chiropractor, nutritionist, naturopath or acupunturist. And be prepared that the recommendations may be different from what you are accustomed to. Have patience, follow through and don’t give up!

If you have had a fungal infection for a long time, it can take a while to get it under control. It also may have caused significant damage that will need time to repair. From the attached stories, you will see the serious consequences of non-treatment. Make a commitment to yourself, and to your better health!

2 Case Studies:

Is Hidden Fungus Making You Ill?

If We Ignore It, Will It Just Go Away?

Management of Inflammatory Disorders

Just finished a webinar with Dr. Alex Vasquez sponsored by Biotics Supplements. I would say that the biggest point that I got from this webinar on May 18, 2011 was this. That our foods should not be judged solely based on their nutritional content alone. They may be powerhouses based on the fact that they may greatly support healthy bacteria. Brown rice was the example he used. Brown rice doesn’t contain any spectacular nutritional components, but it is a fabulous supporter of healthy bacteria. The number of healthy bacteria needed to support wellness is so large that it is considered an ‘organ’ or entity in it’s own right by many.

5 factors effecting immune function:

• proinflammatory diet
• mutifocal polydysbiosis
• hormonal imbalances
• psychoemotional stressors
• xenobiotic immunotoxicity

5  recommendations to prevent inflammation:

• paleo-mediterranian diet
• probiotics
• essential fatty acids
• multi-vitamin/mineral supplement
• vitamin D3 supplement

Also of important note is this, supplements and nutrition are useless without the correct bacteria to convert them to the forms that we need to utilize them properly.  How often is this addressed in our daily nutrition and healthcare? I hope that we can each begin dissecting and learning this vitally important information to share with our own patient base. It is certainly food for thought…

Biotics research blogs:

http://blog.bioticsresearch.com/category/fromspeakers/

Concepts to Facilitate Healthcare Relationships

I work in a dental office and on a daily basis review my patients medical histories. We review their new conditions and medications. I then ask if they were given any type of alternative options such as exercise or nutrition counselling, any type of stress reduction therapies, or a referral to an acupuncturist, chiropractor or massage therapist.  Probably 95% reply no, no alternatives or options, or if there were it may have been generalized. Such as eat better and exercise more – what does that exactly mean? One patient told me that if they already knew the specifics of what that meant they wouldn’t be sick right now. Patients are expressing frustration and confusion. There is clearly a segment of the population that is fine with taking a pill. Then there’s another group that is curious about their options. When this group shows any signs of interest, there are plenty of avenues that we can direct them to whether it be a referral or lifestyle suggestions. In fact, I think that there is a tremendous amount of opportunity for new businesses to support the health conscious community that is developing.We are at the tipping point where more people are  taking responsibility for their own health. Let’s make that our new focus and create ways to help encourage them.

As a dental hygienist I don’t have a strict routine that every person must follow. I listen to the patients goals and lifestyle, and from there try to find solutions that might fit their needs the best. Each time they return we review what worked and what didn’t, and then either revise or move on to something better that could be helpful. Within dentistry we have multiple tools, techniques, and products that can be offered.  Patients generally are responsive when they don’t feel they are being lectured or judged. That’s the last thing I want to do, so how do I go about that?

My approach involves curiosity, how did they get to this condition? There are reasons which they will gladly share.

Then there’s compassion for everyone’s journey, it’s a crazy busy chaotic world that most of us live in. It’s important to verbally acknowledge their reasons and choices. I am humbled by the incredible responsibility and pace that everyone is attempting to keep up with. And I have to say, that my heart always goes out especially to anyone that has been a parent. It’s one of the hardest jobs on the planet and probably one of the most important. How do they do it all?!

Next we want to consider logistics, do they feel it’s a good time for change or are they in overwhelm? I will support whichever answer they give me. Sometimes dentistry can’t always be the top priority! Many people have bigger problems and they love it when you understand that. If that is the case, I may also offer ideas that would be supportive of what else is going on in their life. I want to be helpful in any way that I can and let them know I’ll be here when they need me. During these moments, I’m often told that they appreciate the ‘therapy’ session because they are so unaccustomed to being listened too. To me, it’s really about creating a relationship. They know that I sincerely care about them. That is probably the primary reason that I enjoy my career so much. Being of service to others and forming supportive caring relationships means that I get the chance to make a difference every day.

We investigate the probability of success given their schedules, budget and lifestyle. Formulating a program that is reasonable greatly increases their odds of success. By making the goals achievable there’s usually forward movement which simply encourages everyone to want to do more. It’s like being a coach, you look at the big picture and break it down into segments that when put together moves you closer to your destination.

These goals are not always strictly dental either. I view each person holistically, every system within – intricately balanced and interrelated. So there may also be discussions about nutrition, exercise, stress, emotional or spiritual needs, or even something that they are passionate about. Sometimes I might cry with them over a loss, and other times we may be celebrating a health hurdle they overcame. It is a process that we go through together instead of my dictating orders at them. My focus is on how can I best serve that person today, and letting them know that they matter. That I care what happens. Patients value this as well. In healthcare, we have an amazing opportunity to facilitate health, growth and awareness. For myself, this is what I am passionate about. How about you? Can you see a place for this? What are your tips?