Posts Tagged ‘holistic health’

Music may be holistic health care for cancer patients

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

There's no question that listening to music can do wonders in improving a person's mood. Hearing a familiar tune can inspire spontaneous singing and dancing, and it's difficult to stay sad while doing these things.

Now, researchers at Philadelphia's Drexel University reported that the power of music may even be strong enough to lift the spirits of individuals going through cancer treatment.

A team of scientists reviewed 30 trials that examined the healing ability of song. The study revealed that music can significantly relieve anxiety, improve quality of life, lift mood and alleviate pain. Moreover, the researchers also observed a positive impact on cardiovascular and lung function.

"The evidence suggests that music interventions may be useful as a complementary treatment to people with cancer," said lead researcher Joke Bradt. "Music interventions provided by trained music therapists as well as listening to pre-recorded music both have shown positive outcomes in this review."

Flutist and trailblazer Ilchi Lee recommends non-pharmaceutical interventions for practicing holistic health. Additionally, he says that music is one of the healthiest forms of entertainment and that it has the power to soothe the body, mind and spirit.

Lee also recommends that individuals experience the benefits of meditation and yoga in order to achieve wellness without an invasive procedure or drugs. These holistic health methods have been shown to significantly improve a person's mental abilities, which may also strengthen the physical self and prevent disease.

Too often, people turn to medications to help them feel better. But sadly, these drugs can have side effects and leave individuals feeling worse of than they would without the pharmaceuticals.

A home-cooked meal may help people achieve best holistic health

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Individuals who prefer to make their own meals at home may end up with the best holistic health, according to researchers at Nova Scotia Agricultural College and McGill University.

Their study revealed that people who cook and eat at home tend to make healthier food choices and be in better moods than individuals who dine at restaurants.

"The home is a privileged environment that nurtures healthy eating and in which healthier food choices trigger and are triggered by more positive emotions," said study authors.

The researchers noted that while humans have been hard-wired to crave fatty, salty or sugary foods in order to obtain enough calories to survive during the hunting and gathering years, the calmness that individuals tend to feel while in the comfort of their own home may counteract the evolutionary trait.

Authors of the study said their findings may help more Americans achieve a healthier diet.

Philosopher, trailblazer and flutist Ilchi Lee recommends practicing holistic health methods as a way to achieve overall well-being. This certainly includes eating a healthier diet, which can lead to a stronger body and mind.

Individuals who wish to improve their wellness through the food they eat may want to consider making their meals at home. A balanced diet includes ample fruits and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and beans and legumes. Individuals should avoid products like soda, packaged snacks, fatty meats and excessive desserts.

For those who may not be used to eating at home, consider getting into the habit by purchasing some cook books, which may provide some simple techniques and recipes to get to you into the kitchen.

Brain Education may help decision-making skills

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

Individuals make decisions each day, from the banal choice of what to eat for breakfast to important distinctions between choosing a school to attend. However, few actually think about the actions that the brain makes in even the most simple of decisions.

Researchers at Rutgers University have found that making a choice activates regions in the brain associated with reward, suggesting that the action is an adaptive trait to help humans achieve what they desire.

"It makes sense that we would evolve to find choice rewarding, since the perception of control is so adaptive. If we didn't feel that we were capable of effectively acting on our environment to achieve our desired goals, there would be little incentive to face even the slightest challenge," said co-author Lauren Leotti.

The team of scientists conducted a study wherein participants were either allowed to make choices in a computerized game or the machine would make the decisions for them. Participants were able to receive rewards for certain answers. Results revealed that individuals who were given the option to choose felt a stronger sense of control, when compared to their counterparts.

Author and philosopher Ilchi Lee believes that people's choices are key drivers in their life success. In fact, his Brain Education research reveals that individuals may be able to choose to see the positive in life over the negative, thereby boasting a stronger, more pure mind.

Brain Education and learning are key components to reaching a heightened state of mental well-being. The technique has been shown to yield positive results in people worldwide, helping them on their journeys toward betterment and fulfillment.  

Holistic health for eyes and brain includes adequate vitamin C

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

Individuals who are interested in practicing holistic health often take vitamin C supplements, as well as consume ample citrus fruits, in an effort to boost their immune systems and keep their hearts healthy.

Now, researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University discovered that vitamin C plays a very important role in keeping the eyes and brain functioning at their optimal levels.

"We found that cells in the retina need to be 'bathed' in relatively high doses of vitamin C, inside and out, to function properly," said co-author Henrique von Gersdorff, Ph.D. "Because the retina is part of the central nervous system, this suggests there's likely an important role for vitamin C throughout our brains, to a degree we had not realized before."

The researchers found that a lack of vitamin C caused GABA receptors in the brain to malfunction, hindering communication between the brain and cells. Additionally, the study authors noted that the antioxidant vitamin C may act to preserve receptors and cells from deterioration.

The scientists said their findings may have implications for individuals looking to stave off glaucoma and epilepsy. Vitamin C has also been known to prevent the onset of scurvy, which often leads to other conditions like depression.

The best holistic health practices involve things that individuals always knew were good for them: a proper diet, physical exercise and a strong connection between the mind, body and spirit. To attain the latter aspect, author and philosopher Ilchi Lee recommends practices like meditation and yoga, which do more than strengthen muscles, as they have also been shown to improve concentration and brain function.  

New holistic health approach to obesity problem

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

With obesity rates higher than ever, scientists have been searching for both traditional and holistic health approaches to curbing the trend. Recently, researchers from the Technical University of Lisbon and Bangor University have suggested that having a positive body image could help people lose weight.

The scientists took a group of women and gave half of them general health and nutrition information, while the other group attended sessions where the possible causes of their overeating as well as their issues about their bodies were discussed.

After attending the more in-depth sessions, women reported feeling better about their bodies. This led to them being more confident in the choices they made and better able to regulate their eating habits than the women who just received basic nutritional information.

"Our results showed a strong correlation between improvements in body image, especially in reducing anxiety about other peoples' opinions, and positive changes in eating behavior," said Pedro Teixeira from Technical University of Lisbon, who led the research. "From this we believe that learning to relate to your body in healthier ways is an important aspect of maintaining weight loss and should be addressed in every weight control program."

Women in the group that discussed their emotions along with nutrition saw a 7 percent weight loss, compared to women in the other group that only saw a 2 percent change.

Author and philosopher Ilchi Lee believes in the importance of body and Brain Education, so that people may know how to better keep themselves healthy. He also supports using holistic health approaches to find inner and outer health. 

Holistic health care to slim waistline may increase lifespan

Friday, July 15th, 2011

Individuals who have kidney disease may want to consider losing weight around their midsection, since researchers at the Loyola University Health System found that patients with a high waist circumference were at a higher risk of mortality, when compared to their slimmer counterparts.

A team of scientists examined the health data of more than 5,800 individuals with kidney disease over a four-year period, over which time 11.8 percent of participants passed away.

Interestingly, those who died had a body mass index (BMI) that was lower than the average for the study group, but they were shown to have larger waist circumferences, at 40.1 inches, compared to the survivors who had an average measurement of 39.1 inches.

"Waist circumference reflects abdominal adiposity [fat] alone and may be a useful measure to determine mortality risk associated with obesity in adults with chronic kidney disease, especially when used in conjunction with BMI," said the study authors.

Authors of the study noted that the findings may be useful in determining which patients have a higher risk of premature death.

Practicing holistic health techniques, like eating healthy, getting plenty of physical activity and taking vitamin supplements, may help individuals to reduce their waist circumference. Additionally, methods that help to strengthen the connection between the body and mind may help people gain better self control.

Brain Education research has shown that the meditation technique may be an effective way for people to gain control over their minds. In turn, such practices can help individuals let go of unhealthy life habits that may be contributing to excess body fat as well as kidney problems.