Category Archives: Whole Person Health

Can Seniors Improve Their Memory With The Help Of Diet And Supplements?

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Can Seniors Improve Their Memory With The Help Of Diet And Supplements?

Approximately 40 percent of seniors experience memory impairment, according to past published studies. Of those diagnosed, around 1 percent of them will eventually progress to dementia — a medical condition linked to the progressive decline of the brain function. In fact, memory loss has now become a common senior worry along with DVT and heart disease. As people get older, many of them admit to worrying about themselves or their loved ones and a potential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s if signs of memory loss happen to show up. However, not all memory problems are linked to these conditions; in some cases, it can be attributed to aging or other lifestyle factors. In those instances, there are steps seniors can take to boost their memory power, starting with their diet.

Understanding What Impacts Your Memory As You Age

Age-related memory loss can be mainly attributed to three main causes: the decline of the hippocampus region, reduction of the hormones protecting your brain as you get older and a decreased blood flow to the brain. All of these causes are quite common with age and while it can affect your ability to recall memories or your cognitive skills, it should not affect your ability to function in your daily life. If you do find your memory loss is progressive or disabling, it may be time to have a conversation with your doctor about the differences between age-related memory loss or dementia.

As you age, regions like the hippocampus will decrease in size. This means your ability to retrieve information already stored or encode new memories can be hampered. Similarly, low blood flow to the brain- commonly associated with dementia and higher incidences of falling in seniors- may cause memory slips. Alternatively, many medications taken by senior citizens can carry a memory impairment side effects. If you or a senior you know is worried about whether they are experiencing age-related memory loss or a medical condition, viewing Harvard University Health’s loss of cognitive abilities checklist can provide some answers. 

Eat A Diet That Supports Brain Health

Multiple studies have established a link between eating healthy and brain health. For instance, a past study showed that a diet rich in added sugars can lead to declined short term memory ability while another published in the Journal Annals of Neurology highlighted the impact of a diet rich in saturated and trans fat on memory abilities. 

Start with including fatty fish like salmon or trout in your diet at least twice a week. These foods are rich in omega 3 fatty acids- which helps to build brain cells, promote learning and steady any memory loss already experienced. Seniors should also aim to include green leafy vegetables, berries, and broccoli in their diets. All of these are rich in antioxidants and vitamin K, which can lead to better memory. Caffeine has also been shown to help; adding some dark chocolate, cocoa, or a cup of coffee in your day can help seniors remain alert. 

Make Time For Sleep And Meditation

Lifestyle factors like your sleeping habits can significantly influence your ability to recall or register any new information. Make time for exercise and relaxation daily. Not only does regular exercise help to maintain the physical wellbeing of seniors but it is a great stress relief tool. Mediation has also been shown to reduce stress and improve short term memory.

Older adults should also aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Without it, the consolidation of memories is interrupted. While sleeping changes are common with age, implementing tips like setting a bedtime routine, avoiding screens and caffeine before bedtime and including exercise in your daily life can help. 

Boost Your Memory Progress With Omega 3 Supplements

In addition to diet and a healthy lifestyle, using nutritional additives that boost brain health can help seniors with age-related recollection abilities. Among the most recommended supplements are Omega 3 or fish oil supplements, which are the same polyunsaturated oils found in fatty fish like salmon and mackerel. There have also been studies showing the benefits of taking 5 grams of creatine daily (the supplement popular amongst the athletic and fitness crowd) in enhancing cognitive functions.

There is also evidence supporting the use of other over the counter supplements including vitamin E, caffeine, curcumin, and selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMS). However, it is important that these supplements should not take the place of a healthy diet. For instance, curcumin is the main ingredient in turmeric which can be easily added to your recipes or nightly glass of warm milk. Similarly, 100 grams of cocoa solids contain up to 230 mg of caffeine.

There is no quick fix to improving memory loss, but there is hope. The best bet is the ongoing adoption of healthy food and lifestyle choices.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

For an overview of more Whole Health topics, Watch Two Hours of FREE Course Excerpts from the National Institute of Whole Health.

Is Whole Person Health A Happier Form Of Health Care?

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There is no doubt that in recent years the turnover rate among health care providers has increased significantly. According to the Voluntary Hospitals for America’s Workforce Stability Study, the average turnover rate is 20 percent, which will ultimately cost a health care facility $5.5 million a year in replacement costs, with nurses representing the single largest labor expense for hospitals. What is causing such a high turnover rate and how does it affect patient care? This article will look into these factors as well as consider how applying more Whole Health Education could mean happier nurses, who stay long term.

Dr. Abraham Maslow identified five levels inherent to human need, motivation and drive. Maslow taught us that aside from basic survival and safety needs, we have a deep innate drive to belong, to have self-esteem and experience self-actualization. Like all human beings, health care provider needs, as identified by Maslow, must be met. However, faced with the daily grind of working in an environment that does not allow for the essential relationship-centered interactions and compassionate caring that is necessary for work satisfaction and self-esteem, the workplace can become detrimental emotionally and even spiritually. This can happen in work environments where the emphasis is on a medical model of care rather than a nursing model of care giving. Often, this is remedied through employer-sponsored educational, training or staff-development opportunities. But as budget cutting becomes prevalent, those are increasingly not available and providers are faced with caring for more patients with fewer resources in a high-speed, immensely stressful health care environment.

Numerous studies have shown the direct correlation between care provider satisfaction and patient satisfaction.

According to Press Ganey & Associates, which analyzed summary data from 33 U.S. hospitals in October 2003, “there is an almost perfect correlation between hospital employee satisfaction and patient satisfaction.” According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, more nurses at the bedside could save thousands of patient lives each year. Patients who have common surgeries in hospitals with low nurse-to-patient ratios have an up to 31 percent increased chance of dying. Patients and providers alike have the same need for relationships and for being valued.

Providers are suffering as equally as their patients are from the lack of time to connect and build respectful, meaningful relationships with one another. The result of this breakdown of relationship building is expressed through the staggering turnover rates and attrition seen across the country, most especially in the field of nursing. Whether the care provider spends 60 seconds, three minutes or an hour with a patient, the presence, focus and mindful intention he or she brings to that interaction becomes the foundation from which all future interactions evolve.

It is only with new models of Whole Health Education and that teach health care professionals to treat whole people, rather than just diseases, and to form relationships with their patients can we begin to improve patient care and reduce costs for all. Health care organizations today are increasingly tasked with reducing costs. Educational programs and staff-retention initiatives are among the first items to be cut. But given the overall picture and the high cost of recruiting new employees, holistic medicine education and retention should be a high priority.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

 

Thinking Outside The Box When It Comes To Healing

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Thinking Outside The Box When It Comes To Healing

Many of us don’t realize how much of a role environment, emotional state and spirituality play in our current health status. Understanding these connections can be especially helpful during the peak of cold and flu season. To fully grasp this “cause-and-effect,” it’s a good idea to have a larger perspective on the following contributing factors to illness.

Emotions

The late psychologist Abraham Maslow, Ph. D., said that aside from basic survival and safety needs, we possess an innate drive to belong, develop self-esteem and actualize our authentic selves. While it might seem that exposure to more people is an invitation for illness, a study found the exact opposite: According to the researchers, people with one to three social “roles,” such as a parent, child and friend, are more than four times as likely to get sick than those with six or more social roles.

This may stem from the relationship between your immune system and the self-esteem you get from your interactions with others. The more positive social interactions you experience, the greater your self-esteem and the more you enhance your immune system’s functions.

Spirituality

Spirituality can be broadly defined as the things you hold important and sacred, and the relationships you form with others and with the world around you. Boundary setting is one of the most important aspects of spirituality; it is especially important if you want to create a meaningful and fulfilling life.

The boundaries you set are codes of conduct relating to how you behave toward yourselves and others. For instance, how you eat, work, exercise, and live all reflect your individual boundaries. All of these actions have a profound effect on your health and sense of well-being.

Environment

Your body actually has two distinct environments that interact with one another: the internal, and the external. This is something you should always be mindful of. In the external environment there are sources of noise, stress, toxicity, temperature and mood affecting weather, and volumes of work or exertion to complete. All of these things affect your health directly by influencing the nervous system and your immune systems.

Internally, your body’s chemical environment has a large bearing on weather germs are allowed or prevented from inhabiting your bloodstream. This makes it important to consider the ways your internal environment is manipulated by the foods you select, your sleep cycles, and the kinds of thoughts you allows to take up residence in your mind. Both positive and negative ideas can have a big influence on your choices and behaviors each day.

When all is said and done, illness can be caused by a wealth of seemingly insignificant factors that affect the whole person. Various strains of colds and viruses have different dimensions. This is because humans are also multidimensional. Recognizing this fosters the understanding and application of emotional, spiritual, and environmental cause and effects of sickness. This comprehension and practice allows you to prevent colds and flus from affecting you.

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Avoiding The Dreaded Flu

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avoiding the dreaded fluEvery year we are inundated with reports of possible flu pandemics and cautioned to get our flu shots early. For those who are staunch devotees of the annual flu shot, the sooner the better. However, some have grown concerned about putting provocative proteins, such as flu shots, into our bodies. Fortunately, there are alternatives that can be utilized to prevent us from getting the flu.

The number one determining factor in whether or not you get a cold or flu is the strength of your immune system. The healthier and more resilient your immune system, the less likely you are to get sick. What is the best way to keep your immune system healthy and resilient throughout the flu season?

Good Hygiene
It sounds too simple to be important, but hand washing is the number one prevention tool in avoiding colds and flus. Keep germs at bay with regular washing.

Sufficient Rest
Getting enough sleep is essential for your nervous and immune systems to function at optimal levels. Being sure not to “run yourself down,” as grandma might have recommended, is really good advice.

Proper Nutrition
Vitamins C, B, A, D, and E, protein, essential fatty acids, and calcium rich foods are all important in keeping your body functioning well and having the resilience to fight off the flu. Practice and encourage holistic, integrative nutrition.

Minimizing Stress
Stress suppresses your immune function. By keeping stress at bay, you will allow your body its best advantage to stay healthy.

Relaxing And Enjoying Life
Laughter and pleasure have been shown in clinical trials to enhance immunoglobulins, which increase immune function activity and keep us healthy. By creating more time and opportunity for regular fun and pleasure, you will help your body stay well.

Dressing Appropriately
Many people don’t realize that the weather and temperature have a significant impact on their stress adaptation and immune system. Being properly dressed against all forms of weather helps to prevent colds and flu.

The National Institute of Whole Health‘s simple yet essential tips for staying well can help, whether you choose to have a flu shot or not, to give your body the best advantage against flu season.

For more whole health discussions like this, listen to my weekly radio show Living Above The Drama available on iHeartRadio.

Winter’s Effect on Health

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For those suffering from chronic health conditions, the winter can usher in an unwelcome increase in their symptoms. Asthma, arthritis, SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), COPD (Congestive Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), and extreme dry skin problems can all become part of the winter landscape. Lets explore solutions.

The cold weather lowers humidity and encourages an increase in dry, itchy and scaling skin that can be unsightly as well as uncomfortable. As we do not generally sweat in the winter as we do in warmer weather, our body does not produce the natural oils and secretions necessary to keep the skin moist, smooth and healthy.

As health educators, advocates, and coaches, we know that conditions that affect the lungs, such as asthma, can be greatly affected by cold air. The cold causes an increase in mucous secretions and the release of histamines, which can lead to wheezing and the onset of an asthmatic episode. Because of the affect cold has on mucous membranes, bloody noses can also be more frequent during the cold winter months.

When the winter weather causes cold air to be processed through our nasal passages, the mucous membranes thicken. This thickening can cause blood to rush to the nose resulting in breakthrough nasal bleeding or bloody nose. Increased blood flow to the nose is also the reason we get red noses in the winter time.

For individuals who suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, the winter cold can become a major challenge, The cold air stimulates histamine, which can decrease an individual’s ability to breathe properly. This can make it difficult for them to get around in the cold weather. For arthritics, as the barometric pressure drops, inflamed joints can become increasingly stiffer and more painful.

Tips

For all types of chronic conditions, it is best in the cold weather to:

  • Protect yourself from the winter elements by dressing warmly. The real risk of hypothermia or frostbite for those with chronic disease states should be considered when dressing for outdoors.
  • Schedule necessary outings to minimize cold weather exposure
  • Get enough sleep and drink enough fluids to stay hydrated and help your immune system protect you from virus based illness.
  • Eat plenty of vegetables in soups, stews and other nourishing forms.
  • Take a daily multi-vitamin to ensure you are getting the RDA of required nutrients.

Breathing For Your Health

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Breathing Underwater- Breath and Whole Health

Most of us take our breathing for granted. We generally do not think about how our amazing brain automatically regulates the most urgent and important bodily function we have. If we do not breathe, we do not live beyond a few short minutes. The ability to breathe and the quality of our breathing clearly has an important impact on our ability to live, but also expresses a great deal of information about the state of our nervous system and emotional health.

Breathing is such a critical function that in addition to being under the automatic control of our brain stem it is also a physical function we can control at will. We know that our breathing is affected by and directly affects our emotional states, exertion levels, nervous system fluctuations and overall whole health.

The affects of emotion on the respiratory system can readily been seen during an asthma attack, which can be very frightening and further reduces the individual’s ability to “catch their breath”. Many of us do not breathe freely. We are breathing freely when we breathe in and out through the muscles of our bellies. We tend to breathe through the chest muscles because we are tense and “holding our breath,” which starves our cells of energizing oxygen.

Deep breathing or relaxed breathing exercises can make an enormous difference in our health and vitality. By changing our breathing from shallow to deep,  we can experience many whole health benefits:

Breathing Underwater- Breath and Whole Health

> Breathing deeply rather than shallowly creates detoxification within our cells, bringing oxygen rich blood into our cells and cleansing out carbon dioxide.

> Breathing deeply into our bellies rather than our chest muscles produces a greater sense of calm and relaxation brought about through the increase of oxygen to the nervous system.

> This form of cleansing, nourishing breathing is conducive to whole body health and brings about a sense of inner peace.

> Deep breathing can help you sleep better and also feel more energetic because of the increase of oxygen to the brain

This is a great subject to review in your patient education process as a health coach or nurse coach. If you would like to re-train your breathing so that you derive the most benefit each day from this life-sustaining, automatic body function – start slowing. Take just five minutes twice a day to sit quietly in your chair with eyes closed, body relaxed. Allow yourself to focus on your breath. Rather than tensing your shoulders and back muscles, let your breathing rise and fall from your belly muscles. Slow, relaxed breathing for five minutes each day, twice a day, can re-train your automatic breathing patterns and help you to feel better, sleep better and be healthier and more energetic.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with useful accredited health program information for holistic nurses and health coaches.

Secrets About Our Wonderous Immune System

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Integrative Nutrition Immune BoostTruly one of the most amazing examples of inter-cooperative, biochemical engineering imaginable! The immune system – our own personal National Guard and Marine Corps, rolled into one. It is always vigilant – 24/7 to keep us from harm and invasion by foreign enemies – microbes that want to grow and flourish in our internal environment.

One of the fun things about teaching this course for the past 30 years is watching the reactions of learners as they “get” what their immune system really is – that great
“ah-ha!” moment when the dots get connected and it all makes sense. This is when we start to have a different relationship with our body and a new respect for how awesome, amazing, and comprehensive the immune system is!

When most of us think “immune system” we think of tonsils, spleen, lymph nodes (glands in our armpits, throat, and groin), and of course our white blood cells. These body parts certainly are members of the immune elite. If you check with the encyclopedia or on Google, you are likely to find these wonderful entities under the definition of the immune system.

However, when we look at this amazing system from a Whole Person Health perspective, this shortlist of parts becomes a much longer one, indeed. There are dozens of white blood cells and related specialized immune cells that do a phenomenal job of playing “Pac-Man” with the unwanted microbes in our bloodstream, tissues, and organs. Every organ in our body has an immunological role to play from the liver, which detoxifies, to the stomach which contains hydrochloric acid to kill bacteria and microbes coming in through the mouth, up to and including our nostril hairs that trap unwanted foreign particles before they can irritate our airways.

In fact, there is no part of our body that isn’t part of our immune system. The largest “part” of our immune system is our skin which is responsible for protecting our insides from outside entities and vice versa. As the skin is the number one rated beauty or sexual attraction in both men and women around the world, (anthropological research by Margaret Mead and others) we can easily see that to have beautiful skin is a reflection of a healthy immune system and a strong indicator of a healthy and productive system. Beautiful skin and a healthy immune system, always start from the inside out.

Join the conversation. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow NIWH on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates filled with accredited health program information for holistic nurses and whole health coaches or advocates.

How To Stop Allergies

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The cleanliness of your home is intricately linked to your whole person health and happiness, with recent research by German and Swiss scientists showing that there is a positive association between anxiety and seasonal allergies, and between depression and perennial allergies. The exact reasons are unknown, but it makes sense that a condition that can cause a wide array of symptoms – everything from headaches to respiratory difficulty – and can wrest from the state of wholeness and balance, preventing you from being your most motivated self. If there are allergens in your home, how can you eliminate them while keeping the air quality in an optimal state?

Common Allergens In The Home

Some of the most common allergens in American homes include dust, pet dander, and (if you live in a humid area) mold. Signs that you may be allergic to these substances include sneezing, having itchy/watery eyes/nose/roof of mouth, coughing, facial pain and congestion. If you have asthma and you are allergic to dust mites, mold or other microscopic allergens, you could have difficulty sleeping and experience wheezing and breathing problems when you develop a common cold or flu.

There Is Hope For People With Allergies

Another study by M Nanda et al also indicated that children with allergies are more likely to have anxiety and depression. Those with hayfever, in particular, have three times the risk of having these mental conditions as those without allergies. Boston University academic Sandro Galea, meanwhile, states, “There is good circumstantial evidence that’s growing that a number of mental illnesses are associated with immune dysfunction.” The good news is that treatment (which sometimes involves antihistamines) can reduce anxiety and depression, by reducing the symptoms that can lead to frustration and stress. Sometimes, even small design changes can make a big difference. Testing and diagnosis are the two first steps to take before defining your personal anti-allergy strategy.

Allergy Testing Is Key

Those with persistent symptoms of allergies should be tested for allergies so they can take specific steps to lower their exposure. The usual test for common allergies like dust and pollen allergies involve prick/scratch testing, in which the doctor places a small drop of the potentially offending item on your skin. If the area becomes red and itchy within a few minutes, then it is indicative of an allergy. Often, symptoms can reduced by making a few key changes in the home – including steam vacuuming regularly and the utilization of a HEPA filter – capable of trapping dirt as small as 0.3 microns.

Testing For Mold Allergies

If mold is the suspected culprit, the doctor may recommend either a skin test or IgE blood test. If you live in a humid area, it is vital to test for the presence of spores, since they can be present in areas such as basements and other humid areas, without being visible. Mold can hide in pipes, sinks and broken HVAC systems. If you are allergic to mold, professional testing and cleaning to eliminate spores is important. The use of anti-microbial sprays, a HEPA vacuum and air scrubbers are just a few solutions you can look into.

Studies in both children and adults have shown that allergies are linked to anxiety and depression. If you or your child have symptoms such as watering eyes or an itchy throat, testing and receiving a diagnosis are vital. Sometimes, symptoms can be reduced through simple changes in the home. For others, antihistamines and/or other treatments can stop allergies from interfering with your whole health and quality of life.

Author Credit: Allie Oliver

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What Is The Role Of A Health Coach?

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By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhDwhat is the role of a health coach?

Everywhere you look these days you see references to “health coach certification.” What exactly IS a health coach and what can they do for your health? The word coach means “to bring out the best effort or aspect.”  A health coach is someone who facilitates your identifying lifestyle behaviors that bring out your very best health outcomes.

Coaching enhances your health and wellness by facilitating your focus and awareness on what you want to do and how you want to do it. The health coach certification process focuses on where are you now and where you want to go. Your intentions are viewed as the main motivating factor in the choices you make and the behaviors you exhibit.

Because this is a young specialty, it is important to be sure to work with a well-trained and experienced professional. There are many programs that now offer health coach certification, but unless you are working with a health professional who is licensed or certified in their medical or health specialty and also trained by an accredited health coaching program, you could find yourself very dissatisfied with the services you receive.

If you want to utilize a health coach to assist you with your weight loss for instance, you may want to find a nutritionist or a weight loss specialist or counselor who is also trained as a health or wellness coach. The health coach’s role is to assist you in identifying your goals – goals that are realistic and sustainable for you to achieve your desired health outcomes and maintain them.

Health coaching is an exciting addition to the many health and wellness services out there today. As with all health related care, be sure and explore the credentials and reputation of the individuals you work with. It is your time, money and health that’s depending on you working with the right person.

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What Patients and Healthcare Providers Should Know About Placebo Effect

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By Georgianna Donadio, MSc, DC, PhD

What Patients and Healthcare Providers Should Know About The Placebo Effect Given the way the health sciences have been taught in nursing and medical schools, it is perfectly understandable for physicians and nurses trained more than 25 years ago to think the placebo effect didn’t make sense and was perhaps a popular explanation for sudden healing – or a “spontaneous remission.” It is a leap for many to understand how a person think or believe something and that simple act of belief could heal them. That’s why the National Institute of Whole Health is using this article to explore what health coaches and nurses should know about our reality and the placebo effect of belief.

Researching Placebo Effect

Up until the last twenty or so years, research scientists did not have a grasp on how the brain and our emotions worked to create our reality. The subject of emotion has been and still is very much “uncharted waters” in behavioral science. However, what is well documented today is how the various brain waves function and portions of the brain control and stimulate thoughts, beliefs and feelings.

The “beta waves” are the brain waves that allow us to focus on the words in this blog and comprehend, in the moment, what is intellectually being communicated. These waves are produced in the frontal lobe, which is the seat of intellectual functioning. Thinking, analyzing, reasoning and so forth occur in this part of the brain.

The “alpha waves” which are the slower brain waves originate in the mid-brain and are the brain waves that allow us access to our unconscious thinking or what some refer to as the soul. All thought processes, be it from the beta wave or alpha wave region of the brain, are actually chemical reactions that produce specific proteins which communicate with our immune cell membranes and other cell membranes of our body.

Thoughts Are Powerful

The specific thoughts we think and the region of the brain they originate in have an identifiable chemistry that has been shown to create dramatic changes in our physical bodies. In Dr. Paul Pearsall’s groundbreaking book “The Hearts Code,” he tells many amazing mind/body stories.

One in particular is a striking example of how powerful thoughts and images are. This story is about a schizophrenic patient who demonstrated completely different disease states depending on the personality she was exhibiting. Ultra sounds, cat-scans, lab tests all confirmed that one of her personalities had a massive cancerous tumor and yet when she went into a different personality state all of her previous pathology disappeared as well.

Our brains are the ultimate manifestors of matter. The chair you are sitting on was a thought before if became that chair. Thoughts are “things” – and thoughts in action are what manifest reality. A previous blog discussed a woman who was cured of her stiffness after the sham surgery. Her mind manifested a different set of thoughts through her hope and expectations for the outcome of the surgery. Her brain waves and proteins created positive chemistry, which communicated with her immune system through its cell membranes. The results – she became healthier and could “stride across the room.”

The idea of mind over matter is a powerful one. This science, and our understanding of its amazing chemistry, is in its infancy stage. In the future we will take the possibility of healing ourselves with thought and imagery for granted just as we now do about people having an organ transplant – which was unheard of not that long ago.

In the meantime, we can all improve our health coaching and nursing success by encouraging our clients and patients to improve their “self-speak,” reinforcing their bodies and minds with positive words, thoughts and images.

 

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