Being healthy is expensive. Taking care of your health in the present instead of waiting until you get sick is very cost effective, but it still costs!
I tell folks that when you are dealing with your health you will pay now, or pay later.
Would you rather experience a relaxing massage that soothes aches and pains, relaxes your mind and sends you into a state of bliss… or be bedridden when you're old and stuck with a huge hospital bill?
Start investing in your health now for the same reasons you invest in your stocks and bonds portfolio. You are putting away for the future. The best part about caring for yourself now is that you don’t have to wait thirty years to reap the benefits!
Even with the daily grind and hustle of life, there are simple things that you can do to boost your immune system…
• Get As Much Sunlight as Possible.
That beautiful bright orb in the sky is the source of life for everything on the planet, including You. We all know how much more energetic we are in the summer than other seasons of the year. The sun activates your body like it does in plants with chlorophyll!
• Eat Organic Foods When Possible.
Unfortunately, most of the food available is grown using pesticides and synthetic fertilizer that minimize the nutrients that are available in these foods.
Organic foods have a higher agricultural standard and have a much higher vitamin and mineral content than non-organic foods.
Sure they are more expensive, but the nutrient content can be four times greater than their cheaper counterparts!
• Get Enough Sleep!
There are tons of things competing for our attention every single day. There are only so many things you can do a day before you go crazy. Get some rest at a reasonable time so that you can be prepared for tomorrow.
Did you know that your body produces Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Melatonin when you sleep!
HGH and Melatonin are essential for anti-aging, metabolism of fat, and proper regeneration and healing of the body.
• Exercise! Most of have paper pushing jobs. Hard on the brain but not strenuous on the body. Our body is made to move, so put it to work.
On the medical side, our lymphatic system supports our immune system. The flow of lymphatic fluids is maintained when our muscles contract and release during exercise and with deep breathing.
These are a few no brainer things that you can begin doing today!
All you need to do is make slight adjustments to your present lifestyle, and you will see huge changes when you look in the mirror!
Your quality of life will decrease several fold. Lose a few inches, have less sniffles, and be more energetic.
If you need some help getting started or still don’t know where to start, give me a call. I will happy to answer any questions. 888.375.5444
Come on by for an appointment for Acupuncture, Acupressure Massage, Chinese Herbs and Dietary Counseling so that you can rev up your engines and supercharge your immune system today!
Bishara Wilson, L.Ac., MSTOM
www.NewYorkSportsAcupuncture.com
Natural solutions to eliminate pain and promote physical health and longevity.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Part 4 - Top 10 Easy Ways to Relieve Stress
I love to relax. Even
when I am taking care of business, I like to be as calm and collected as
possible.
Many people find it difficult to relax, or think that you have to use all sorts of special techniques to relieve stress.
While there are many mystical teachings from around the globe that can be used to promote relaxation, there are just as many simple and easy things that you can do to eliminate stress.
Here are my TOP TEN WAYS to have instant stress relief...
10) Close Your Eyes and Relive Happy Times.
Can you remember a time in your life when you felt ecstatic? Close your eyes and relive the emotions of that experience in your head. The emotions of that great memory will be felt in the present, replacing any stress that would have otherwise been felt.
9) Force Yourself to Laugh and Smile.
When you are smiling and laughing, it is impossible to be upset, stressed or be anything other that happy. Force a smirk, grin or chuckle and your mood will change with it!
8) Take a Nap.
Sometimes we are feeling stress because we are physically and mentally tired.
A short “power nap” will recharge your batteries and allow your mind to refresh. Fifteen minutes is sometimes all it takes for your body to press the reset button.
7) Yoga.
The discipline of yoga can be on the human pretzel advanced level, or some simple stretches combined with focused breathing.
The deep relaxing stretches of yoga releases tight muscle spasms caused by stressful situations like worrying about bills and working with people that you don’t like.
Taking a yoga class or doing some long stretches can do a world of good to reduce stress and cope with any situation.
6) Brew Some Tea.
Sipping tea just brings up images of being relaxed and carefree. There are tons of non-caffeinated herbal teas that are soothing, calming and delicious.
Peppermint Tea sharpens and relaxes your mind. Chamomile calms the mind and body, and is even beneficial to your digestion. Packaged commercial teas with relaxing sounding names usually do have the beneficial effects that they claim and are good.
Tea also has natural antioxidants that fix the physical toll that stress takes on your body.
5) Run a Bath.
A nice hot bath is always the supreme way to be pampered and transported to a zone of stress relief and relaxation. Together with some tranquil music, small candles, bath salts and incense, a hot bath is heaven on earth.
4) Use Positive Affirmations.
Speaking positive affirmations or even repeating them in your head can set the tone for your day. I find that it is best to do them in the morning before getting into the swing of your day. They are also great to use to replace negative and uninspiring thoughts that you may be having.
Positive affirmations like “I am loved… I am prosperous… I attract positive energy and repel negative energy… I am wealthy and wise”, all set the mood in your mind for those things affirmed to actually manifest in your life.
It is a mental magic trick taht you use to get the edge on stress and brush it off of your shoulder.
3) Aromatherapy.
Who does not like things that smell good? Roses, Jasmine flowers, sandalwood, and even the mist that sometimes sprays when you peel an orange all sweeten the air and have a relaxing effect on the body.
Stress and wonderful aromas cannot dwell in the same place at the same time.
Fragrant incense and inhaling or diffusing essential oils into the air will instantly change your vibe and send stress running in the other direction.
2) Listen to Relaxing Music.
We all know how listening to calming music can instantly create an atmosphere of peace anywhere and anytime.
Calming music soothes the mind and soul. Playing your favorite music that puts you in a calm mood is one of the best ways to deflect stress and maintain inner peace.
And the Number One way to instantly relieve stress…
1) Do Deep Breathing.
Deep deliberate breathing gets more oxygen to the brain and slows the heart rate. It also gives you a chance to step back and analyze a situation to see what is really going on.
Take a moment to inhale to a count of five and exhale to a count of five. If you take ten deep breaths like this, it is impossible to stay stressed out!
This is the power that you already have right now to deal with stress and stay relaxed.
Many people find it difficult to relax, or think that you have to use all sorts of special techniques to relieve stress.
While there are many mystical teachings from around the globe that can be used to promote relaxation, there are just as many simple and easy things that you can do to eliminate stress.
Here are my TOP TEN WAYS to have instant stress relief...
10) Close Your Eyes and Relive Happy Times.
Can you remember a time in your life when you felt ecstatic? Close your eyes and relive the emotions of that experience in your head. The emotions of that great memory will be felt in the present, replacing any stress that would have otherwise been felt.
9) Force Yourself to Laugh and Smile.
When you are smiling and laughing, it is impossible to be upset, stressed or be anything other that happy. Force a smirk, grin or chuckle and your mood will change with it!
8) Take a Nap.
Sometimes we are feeling stress because we are physically and mentally tired.
A short “power nap” will recharge your batteries and allow your mind to refresh. Fifteen minutes is sometimes all it takes for your body to press the reset button.
7) Yoga.
The discipline of yoga can be on the human pretzel advanced level, or some simple stretches combined with focused breathing.
The deep relaxing stretches of yoga releases tight muscle spasms caused by stressful situations like worrying about bills and working with people that you don’t like.
Taking a yoga class or doing some long stretches can do a world of good to reduce stress and cope with any situation.
6) Brew Some Tea.
Sipping tea just brings up images of being relaxed and carefree. There are tons of non-caffeinated herbal teas that are soothing, calming and delicious.
Peppermint Tea sharpens and relaxes your mind. Chamomile calms the mind and body, and is even beneficial to your digestion. Packaged commercial teas with relaxing sounding names usually do have the beneficial effects that they claim and are good.
Tea also has natural antioxidants that fix the physical toll that stress takes on your body.
5) Run a Bath.
A nice hot bath is always the supreme way to be pampered and transported to a zone of stress relief and relaxation. Together with some tranquil music, small candles, bath salts and incense, a hot bath is heaven on earth.
4) Use Positive Affirmations.
Speaking positive affirmations or even repeating them in your head can set the tone for your day. I find that it is best to do them in the morning before getting into the swing of your day. They are also great to use to replace negative and uninspiring thoughts that you may be having.
Positive affirmations like “I am loved… I am prosperous… I attract positive energy and repel negative energy… I am wealthy and wise”, all set the mood in your mind for those things affirmed to actually manifest in your life.
It is a mental magic trick taht you use to get the edge on stress and brush it off of your shoulder.
3) Aromatherapy.
Who does not like things that smell good? Roses, Jasmine flowers, sandalwood, and even the mist that sometimes sprays when you peel an orange all sweeten the air and have a relaxing effect on the body.
Stress and wonderful aromas cannot dwell in the same place at the same time.
Fragrant incense and inhaling or diffusing essential oils into the air will instantly change your vibe and send stress running in the other direction.
2) Listen to Relaxing Music.
We all know how listening to calming music can instantly create an atmosphere of peace anywhere and anytime.
Calming music soothes the mind and soul. Playing your favorite music that puts you in a calm mood is one of the best ways to deflect stress and maintain inner peace.
And the Number One way to instantly relieve stress…
1) Do Deep Breathing.
Deep deliberate breathing gets more oxygen to the brain and slows the heart rate. It also gives you a chance to step back and analyze a situation to see what is really going on.
Take a moment to inhale to a count of five and exhale to a count of five. If you take ten deep breaths like this, it is impossible to stay stressed out!
This is the power that you already have right now to deal with stress and stay relaxed.
Bishara Wilson, L.Ac., MSTOM
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Part 3 - Do You Know Your Body Constitution?
There is an old wise
saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), “Many Diseases, One Treatment.
Many Treatments, One Disease.”
This saying summarizes the essence of TCM in that we recognize each person as an individual with their own specific health needs.
For example, let’s take the common factor of stress that we all experience too often.
When -person #1- is under stress they get a headache, while -person #2- may lose their appetite when stressed, and -person #3- experiences shortness of breath when under pressure. All three people have the stress in common, but it manifests in their health in three totally different ways.
The root cause to all keep all three people healthy is to treat the stress.
Hence, “Many Diseases, One Treatment.”
Now, let’s talk about Diabetes, one of the biggest diseases in the U.S.
The three main signs and symptoms in three patients that may be diabetic are:
1) frequent thirst (Person 1)
2) frequent hunger (Person 2) and
3) frequent urination (Person 3)
These are three totally different signs and symptoms that may point to Diabetes and all three people would be treated in different ways.
Hence, “Many Treatments, One Disease.”
One of the things that I love about alternative medicine that distinguishes it from modern Western medicine is the attention that is paid to each individual.
A lot of people don’t like going to the doctor because it is often a cold and impersonal experience.
After waiting forever to see the doctor, they ask you two or three questions, scribble something on a piece of paper, then send you home with some pills and a stupendous bill that may just give you a heart attack.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have an extensive system of questions and diagnostic tools that we ask you to not only figure out what your present condition of health is, but to also predict what will happen in the future if you do not make certain adjustments in your lifestyle.
Our treatments are also very relaxing to your Mind, Body and Spirit.
Would you rather have a soothing massage to get rid of your back pain, or a steroid shot that may have negative side effects on your central nervous system?
When you arrive for an initial consultation, 1 ½ hours are set aside to give full attention to you. In this time you will experience an in depth medical intake to get a full picture of you and your health.
You will be asked questions about your health goals, any present illnesses that you have, and inquiry will also be made on your energy levels, sleeping habits, diet, body temperature and many other aspects of your health.
You will then be shown how all the answers you gave combine and paint your present health picture. From this picture we can proceed on an exact line to create a treatment plan that best fits your own health goals.
You will definitely know yourself even better, be even sharper and be able to make wiser health choices that guide you towards your health goals.
Call today to get started on the road to feeling as awesome as you look!
This saying summarizes the essence of TCM in that we recognize each person as an individual with their own specific health needs.
For example, let’s take the common factor of stress that we all experience too often.
When -person #1- is under stress they get a headache, while -person #2- may lose their appetite when stressed, and -person #3- experiences shortness of breath when under pressure. All three people have the stress in common, but it manifests in their health in three totally different ways.
The root cause to all keep all three people healthy is to treat the stress.
Hence, “Many Diseases, One Treatment.”
Now, let’s talk about Diabetes, one of the biggest diseases in the U.S.
The three main signs and symptoms in three patients that may be diabetic are:
1) frequent thirst (Person 1)
2) frequent hunger (Person 2) and
3) frequent urination (Person 3)
These are three totally different signs and symptoms that may point to Diabetes and all three people would be treated in different ways.
Hence, “Many Treatments, One Disease.”
One of the things that I love about alternative medicine that distinguishes it from modern Western medicine is the attention that is paid to each individual.
A lot of people don’t like going to the doctor because it is often a cold and impersonal experience.
After waiting forever to see the doctor, they ask you two or three questions, scribble something on a piece of paper, then send you home with some pills and a stupendous bill that may just give you a heart attack.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, we have an extensive system of questions and diagnostic tools that we ask you to not only figure out what your present condition of health is, but to also predict what will happen in the future if you do not make certain adjustments in your lifestyle.
Our treatments are also very relaxing to your Mind, Body and Spirit.
Would you rather have a soothing massage to get rid of your back pain, or a steroid shot that may have negative side effects on your central nervous system?
When you arrive for an initial consultation, 1 ½ hours are set aside to give full attention to you. In this time you will experience an in depth medical intake to get a full picture of you and your health.
You will be asked questions about your health goals, any present illnesses that you have, and inquiry will also be made on your energy levels, sleeping habits, diet, body temperature and many other aspects of your health.
You will then be shown how all the answers you gave combine and paint your present health picture. From this picture we can proceed on an exact line to create a treatment plan that best fits your own health goals.
You will definitely know yourself even better, be even sharper and be able to make wiser health choices that guide you towards your health goals.
Call today to get started on the road to feeling as awesome as you look!
Bishara Wilson, L.Ac., MSTOM
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Part 2 - The Importance of Cleansing the Body
Did you know that the
Ancient Egyptians would use herbs and other methods to cleanse their insides
for three days every month?
I know this sounds excessive, but the builders of the pyramids and creators of hieroglyphics have done a bunch of things that we still have not figured out yet.
A lot of my friends and family are either from the Caribbean, down South or immigrated here from Africa, Europe or Asia. They all tell me that their parents would occasionally make them take some castor oil or bitter herbal brew on a Friday night that would have them in the bathroom all day Saturday. As they got older and moved from home, they discontinued this seemingly inconvenient practice of ridding their body of waste on a regular basis. They did not know that these nasty tasting concoctions were a blessing in disguise.
Probably the Number One mistake that people make when trying to be healthy is forgetting to regularly cleanse their insides. So many well-meaning people go to the gym, take nutritional supplements, eat right, drink water and get enough rest, but they *fail* to take steps to detoxify and cleanse their system.
They don’t bother to cleanse their insides before building a new body around it!
You have to cleanse your body from the twinkies that you used to eat (or still do) so that your body can get most out of the organic foods that you eat today.
Here are the main sources of toxins that can sabotage our efforts to be healthy:
• Processed foods like white bread, white rice and junk food are devoid of nutrients and turn into a sticky paste that clogs our intestines, causes pot bellies, and weakens the immune system.
• Greasy and fatty foods weaken our digestion so that we are unable to able absorb nutrients. Greasy and fatty foods also lead to weight gain that puts us at risk for degenerative diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis.
• The electromagnetic field (EMF) from electrical devices like cellular phones, computers, television, hair dryers and the electrical wiring in our homes disrupts our body’s natural electromagnetic field and weakens us, making us more susceptible to the chronic degenerative diseases named above.
• Environmental toxins, like the residue from chemicals and pesticides, household products like cleaners, paints and solvents, and petrochemicals like plastic and styrofoam have chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body and breakdown the endocrine (hormonal) and digestive system.
• Mercury in dental fillings disintegrates and leach into the body and negatively affects the bones, joints, central nervous system and brain.
• The recycled air that we breathe at our jobs has been shown to be 100 times more toxic than the air outside causing ‘Sick Building Syndrome’ with symptoms like respiratory, eye and skin diseases, headache, memory loss, fatigue, temporary weight loss, infections and irritability.
The Ancient Egyptians cleansed three days every month and didn’t have to contend with any of the above!
The good news is that I have Personalized Detox, Cleansing and Health promoting programs! You can integrate these programs into your lifestyle so that you can protect yourself, boost your immune system and have a strong foundation that will support all of your efforts to be healthy.
Bishara Wilson, L.Ac., MSTOM
www.NewYorkSportsAcupuncture.com
I know this sounds excessive, but the builders of the pyramids and creators of hieroglyphics have done a bunch of things that we still have not figured out yet.
A lot of my friends and family are either from the Caribbean, down South or immigrated here from Africa, Europe or Asia. They all tell me that their parents would occasionally make them take some castor oil or bitter herbal brew on a Friday night that would have them in the bathroom all day Saturday. As they got older and moved from home, they discontinued this seemingly inconvenient practice of ridding their body of waste on a regular basis. They did not know that these nasty tasting concoctions were a blessing in disguise.
Probably the Number One mistake that people make when trying to be healthy is forgetting to regularly cleanse their insides. So many well-meaning people go to the gym, take nutritional supplements, eat right, drink water and get enough rest, but they *fail* to take steps to detoxify and cleanse their system.
They don’t bother to cleanse their insides before building a new body around it!
You have to cleanse your body from the twinkies that you used to eat (or still do) so that your body can get most out of the organic foods that you eat today.
Here are the main sources of toxins that can sabotage our efforts to be healthy:
• Processed foods like white bread, white rice and junk food are devoid of nutrients and turn into a sticky paste that clogs our intestines, causes pot bellies, and weakens the immune system.
• Greasy and fatty foods weaken our digestion so that we are unable to able absorb nutrients. Greasy and fatty foods also lead to weight gain that puts us at risk for degenerative diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and autoimmune diseases like lupus and multiple sclerosis.
• The electromagnetic field (EMF) from electrical devices like cellular phones, computers, television, hair dryers and the electrical wiring in our homes disrupts our body’s natural electromagnetic field and weakens us, making us more susceptible to the chronic degenerative diseases named above.
• Environmental toxins, like the residue from chemicals and pesticides, household products like cleaners, paints and solvents, and petrochemicals like plastic and styrofoam have chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body and breakdown the endocrine (hormonal) and digestive system.
• Mercury in dental fillings disintegrates and leach into the body and negatively affects the bones, joints, central nervous system and brain.
• The recycled air that we breathe at our jobs has been shown to be 100 times more toxic than the air outside causing ‘Sick Building Syndrome’ with symptoms like respiratory, eye and skin diseases, headache, memory loss, fatigue, temporary weight loss, infections and irritability.
The Ancient Egyptians cleansed three days every month and didn’t have to contend with any of the above!
The good news is that I have Personalized Detox, Cleansing and Health promoting programs! You can integrate these programs into your lifestyle so that you can protect yourself, boost your immune system and have a strong foundation that will support all of your efforts to be healthy.
Bishara Wilson, L.Ac., MSTOM
www.NewYorkSportsAcupuncture.com
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