SHIFT Drumming Circle

A group for Women who desire a shift from the routine of everyday life and move towards experiencing the ancient heartbeat of the Earth using drums, rattles, dance, song and heart to heart conversation.

A sacred place to rediscover women’s spirituality and wisdom using rhythm.

No Experience Necessary!

Love Offering Accepted.

UPCOMING DATES: MAY 14TH & JUNE 25

7:00-9:00 pm

Contact me for location.

For 2 years I have hosted a free drumming circle in the summer. This circle is facilitated by Belinda Haverdill, http://www.belindahaverdill.com/ a counselor & a member of Soulo entrepreneur’s group. She wanted to have the drumming be outside and I volunteered my back porch. I’ve enjoyed it a lot & met some great women.

I really appreciate having Belinda organize it and I just get to be a participant; a welcome change of pace for me.

I’m really not a drummer but I like to make noise so I have lots of rattles and other toys to play with. I find it a great way to release stress and have some fun.

Easy Ways to Help Yourself During Sneezin’ Season

My  series on “Whole Health” continues with this guest post by Nelsa Ciapponi, MD, ABIHM.

Dr. Ciapponi is board certified in Family Practice, and has studied Integrative and Holistic medicine. She is a graduate of Duke and Medical College of Pennsylvania She was with CMC in Family Medicine for 8 years.

Natural Remedies for Cold and Flu Season

People often ask me, “What are some natural therapies for cold and flu?”  Home remedies and natural products have long been used to treat and prevent Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and Influenza-like illness (ILI). Symptoms usually wane after 3-5 days, but is there evidence for some of the more common remedies?  What about effectiveness and safety?  We’ll address some of these issues here.

Home Remedies

Home remedies range form diet, dressing warm, vaporizers, poultices and Neti pots. Adding garlic to the diet can be beneficial due to its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties (it has been called Russian Penicillin), and warm liquids/soups can help prevent dehydration and soothe irritated throats.

The Neti Pot (small vessels with long narrow spouts) has long been used in India to rinse the nasal passages with warm saline (salt) water. This can be a safe and helpful way to wash viruses, allergens and mucus out of the nose especially in cases of dry, irritated nasal passages or during an upper respiratory illness.

Sleep deprivation is associated with disruptions of the immune function and this should be a time of rest and repair for the body.  So, the old adage, “Get plenty of sleep” is valid. While there is not data to suggest that excessive amounts of sleep, it appears prudent to avoid sleep deficits and increase sleep time during illnesess.

Vitamins and Minerals

The most common of these supplements are Vitamins C and D, and Zinc.  Vitamin C is the most common vitamin associated with warding off viral respiratory infections. Studies show mixed results, but a number do show a decrease in duration of symptoms when used preventively (200mg or more a day).

Side effects of vitamin C (in large daily doses exceeding 3 to 6 grams) include diarrhea and upset stomach. Otherwise, the side-effect profile of vitamin C is similar to placebo. Many experts recommend 1000-2000 mg two to three times a day when symptoms begin as it does help support the immune system through increased white blood cell activity.

Vitamin D

In addition to its well-known effects on bone health, vitamin D is an important immune regulator, stimulating the body’s own immunity.  Studies have shown an increased risk for severe acute lower respiratory illness in people with low vitamin D levels, as well as, an increase risk for influenza.  I recommend getting tested to insure an optimum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D is at least 50 nanograms/ml (32 being low normal).

Zinc

The essential mineral, zinc, plays an important role in immune function.  Zinc is a component of many enzymes.  The activity of virtually all immune cells is affected by zinc. Its deficiency leads to an increased susceptibly to infection and is associated with an increased incidence and severity of pneumonia

Studies of the effectiveness of zinc supplements in preventing have had mixed results. It appears the benefits of zinc supplementation were most apparent among those who began taking zinc shortly after symptoms began.  In a recent placebo-controlled trial, the adults assigned to zinc lozenges (13.3 mg of zinc acetate every 2-3 hours) showed significant improvement in symptom severity and duration without significant side-effects It’s important to note that nasal swabs and nasal sprays that contain zinc can lead to loss of smell and should be avoided until further studies demonstrate safety.

These are some easy and inexpensive ways to aid you to better health.

Dr. Nelsa Ciapponi , MD, ABIHM,  is committed to advocate for preventive and integrative medicine Dr. Ciapponi has practiced family medicine for 19 years with a special interest in preventive and holistic medicine. Her practice, Optimal Health Care, (www.optimalhealthmed.com) combines traditional medicine with complementary and alternative medicine.

Susan’s Super Suggestions for Small Steps

“Small steps make grand adventures!”

~        Winnie the Pooh

Today we have the incredible advantage of having the amazing knowledge of traditional “western” medical science and the also amazing knowledge of other wellness traditions to learn from.
Each one has much to offer and  to enable us to be more healthy & more productive lives.
Sometimes the “holistic or alternative ” therapies are seem as strange and unproven…but really, many of them have been around for thousands of years & have keep people well long before ” modern medicine.”

So as we open up to a multi-cultural world, we can also open up to a “multi- medical ” world.
So glad you are on this journey with me!

Welcome Guest Writers  for Whole Health Series

Over the next few weeks I have the pleasure of bringing you guest columnists who have the best of both wellness worlds. They are great examples of learning and using a “both sides of the brain” approach.

Today’s columnist is Susan Thomasson,who has an extensive background in both traditional medicine as well as complementary therapies.

SUSAN’S SUPER SUGGESTIONS FOR SMALL STEPS

When Jeannie asked me to write for this blog, I didn’t have any idea where to start. My personal and professional interests are all over the map.  I do, however, have a passion for sharing the possibilities of integrative medicine (complementary therapies) as an approach to health and wellness. So let’s start there.

Some Girls Buy Shoes…

Do you enjoy learning new techniques, exploring ideas, searching for answers? I have always loved to learn new things…have been back to school a few times over the years, enjoy continuing education classes, and love reading, reading and more reading to figure things out for myself. (Some girls buy shoes—I buy books!) My recent reading has included Dean Ornish’s Love and Survival, Lynn McTaggart’s The Intention Experiment, and Crowley and Lodge’s Younger Next Year. All three are amazing…and lead me more and more in the direction of “we have a lot more control over our health and well-being that we may even begin to imagine!”

What you can control…

What do you want for the New Year? What do you want to have control over or change in this new decade? Have your considered a holistic approach? I use an integrative approach and find that many of these ideas can address many issues. For instance, a monthly massage therapy or Reiki session will help decrease the effects of stress, improve your circulation, decrease tense muscles, relieve pain, and improve sleep. Or a weekly yoga class can help you focus while helping improve flexibility and strength…..Or regular prayer or meditation practices can help you feel calm and less stressed ….Or volunteering at your favorite charitable organization can help you feel connected and whole….Even sitting down to dinner with your family can provide many healthy benefits…and a sense of belonging.

Take some time for you & your health.

The main idea here is just to take time for you.  Honor and nurture the wonderful person that you are. Work to take care of your WHOLE being, mind-body-spirit!  I’m trying…so you can, too! Happy New Year!

…………………..And enjoy the journey.

Susan is a Board Certified Medical Laboratory Scientist & Instructor at Carolinas College of Health Sciences.  In addition, Susan is Director of Continuing Education there and has created an innovative seminar on “Integrative Medicine” to introduce CMC students & the public to that information.(for more info on this seminar, email Susan at the address below). I have been honored to be a part of that for several years.  She is also a licensed massage therapist & Reiki master.

• Susan B. Thomasson, M.Ed., MT(ASCP)SH, LMBT

Director, Continuing Education Department

Carolinas College of Health Sciences

Email: susan.thomasson@carolinashealthcare.org

ITS A DOG’S LIFE

I’ve been so fortunate that for most of my life I have had dogs. I have learned a lot from them.

But recently an experience with a dog taught me a lot about health….which

reminds me once again that there are gifts in everything.

Often I take my two rescue mutts to a large field where they can run off leash and meet other dogs. A few weeks before I had chatted with a young woman named Cindy & met her year-old Boxer “Max.” Cindy was a first time dog owner & was excited about having a dog. We talked about dog behavior and I told her of some of my “dog learning” experiences.

A few weeks later I was at the field and saw Cindy and a guy I assumed was her boyfriend as they were very involved with each other. However they were not very involved with Max.

Max was running around and getting further away from them. Cindy would occasionally pull her attention away from her boyfriend and call Max to “come.” When Max did not come, her calls became increasingly shrill.

She eventually came in my direction so I took the opportunity to offer her a dog treat to entice Max with, explaining that was a way I had taught my dogs to come. Cindy told me emphatically that Max didn’t deserve a treat, as he was being “bad.”

Finally Max did come to her and she began to hit him and tell him he was a bad dog. I was very upset to see this and felt I needed to intervene. I said that I knew she was frustrated but he would not want to come if he was punished when he did come. Of course she didn’t pay any attention to me and hauled Max away.

With a very heavy heart, I saw that the relationship between Cindy and Max was headed for trouble and possible abuse. And probably the pound for Max.

Later that day I was reminded of the relationship between Cindy and Max when I saw an article about exercise were the emphasis was on the ”No Pain, No gain” school of health.

It occurred to me that many of us have the same type of relationship to our bodies that I saw between Cindy to Max.

That is, we ignore our bodies until they don’t perform like we think they should and then we punish them and tell them they are “bad.” We treat our bodies like they need to be punished with brutal exercise and deprivation diets. We don’t take the time to learn much about what they need and we don’t pay attention to the “messages” we get about what makes our bodies feel good. So it is no surprise that our relationship to our bodies is one of frustration and confusion.

So I am going to suggest that we adopt a new view of health

starting with the motto:

“Your Body is Your Best Friend”

And the remembering these simple D.O.G ideas:

D= don’t rely on fad diets or quick fixes,

good relationships take time & care.

Do “check in” regularly to see where

your body is and where it is going.

O= Own that your body is unique and will

willingly tell you what makes it thrive.

Do you need more sleep than is?

“average”? Do you like walks more

than treadmills?

Find out what works for YOU, not

what “experts tell you

G= Give your body the care and respect

it deserves.Walks, lots of play,

good food and loving attention

make dogs and bodies thrive.

Treat your body as well as you would

your Best Friend…because it

really is.

Be the person your dog thinks you are!