Investing in Well-Being Makes “Cents”

Upgrade Your Health, Invest in Slow Food

by Jean Chuang Menges

One important lesson from the effects of downgrading the United States government credit debt rating from AAA to AA+, is the importance of staying healthy. As the saying goes, “if you don’t have health, you have nothing.”

Sickness incurs high treatment costs and loss of valuable productivity for employers and employees. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has reported that much of the rising expenditure for health care can be attributed to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and asthma. Individual behaviors and lifestyle choices are found to influence the development and course of these chronic conditions. New medical technology, expansion of insurance coverage, and growing aging demographics have pushed the spending on Medicare and Medicaid from 2.2% of Gross National Product in 1985 to 5.5% in 2010, further adding to the U.S. national debt.

A key investment strategy to maintaining good health is slow food. Today, more people are becoming aware that what we are eating is making us sick: genetically modified foods, fruits and vegetables sprayed with herbicides and pesticides, and animals injected with hormones and antibiotics. Most supermarket produce is flown in from all over the globe. This year-round availability of tropical fruits in New York City requires burning large amounts of aviation and road transportation fossil fuel and dumps more carbon dioxide that pollutes our atmosphere.  The global availability of fast food, such as pre-packaged foods, low-cost-big-portion restaurant meals, and soft drinks is linked to an epidemic of obesity, which the Center for Disease Control (CDC) now sees as one of the top threats to the heath of the nation.

Slow food is about preserving traditional and regional cuisines that encourages farming of plants, seeds, and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystems. Developing a relationship with local farmers through farmers’ markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) ensures environmental stewardship, support for family farms and rural communities, encourages animal welfare, and keeps our food fresh, delicious, nutritious, and healthy. Research into physiology and biochemistry increasingly shows that organic plant products are higher in nutritional density and diversity of phytomicronurients, such as polyphenols and antioxidants. Slow food helps us banish the health-degrading effects of “fast food” and decreases our exposure to outbreaks of the toxic strain of E. coli bacteria that is plaguing our current food production, processing and supply.

Your health is too important to wait till you get sick before making it a priority.  Switching to slow food puts money back into your community’s economy and results in fewer visits to your doctors.

 

Further Reading:

Prevention Makes Common “Cents”

Why Are Health-Care Costs Rising?

Wellbeing – Staying Healthy Is As Important as Treating Illness

The Slow Food Revolution

Fast Food Nation

Eating Real Food

 

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Disclaimer:

This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Wisdom House NY or its staff.

Eating Together, Growing Together

Healthful Eating for Young Kids and Teens

By Jean Chuang Menges

 

Did you know that frequent family dinners are an important part of healthy living? Younger kids that frequently eat dinner with their families tend to eat more vegetables and fruit, thus reducing their risks for many physical and emotional health problems later in life. A survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse found that frequent family dinners help teens get better grades in school, keeps them away from alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana, and reduces their stress and tension at home.

With afterschool programs, late workdays, or long commutes, it can be a scheduling nightmare getting everyone to the dinner table to spend quality time together.  Here are a few tips for pulling it off:

• Set a goal. Start with once a week and build from there.
• Get the family involved. Let the kids help prepare meals and set the table.
• Keep it simple. Family meals don’t have to be elaborate. Focus on healthful favorites like chili and mixed fried rice (not in the same meal).
• Work salads or vegetables into every meal. Kids will accept eating vegetables the more they see their parents eating them.
• Stock the kitchen with plenty of fresh fruit, nuts and seeds. Give kids healthy “appetizers” they can snack on after school.
• Drop ingredients in a crock pot slow cooker before work, and dinner is ready when you get home.
• Don’t have time for home-cooked meals? Take out or eat out still counts as quality time spent together.
• Create a relaxing environment. Play soothing music. Put flowers on the table. Light a candle.
• Family meals are for nourishment, comfort, and support. Keep the serious discussion for another time.

Eating habits and food preferences are established early in life.  No TV watching, answering the phone, or checking emails and texts allowed.  Family meals are an opportunity to promote positive role modeling and keep families connected and communicating.

 

Further Reading:

Family Dinner Linked to Better Grades for Teens

Family Dinners Are Important

Family Meals With No TV

 

Need to Use This Article? You can, as long as you cite it using this format: “Reproduced with permission of the author, Jean C. Menges, from the WisdomHouseWellness.com blog, © 2011.”

 

Disclaimer:

This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We reserve the right to change our opinion.

Stand Up for Your Health!

The hazards of sitting for long periods of time

If you have a desk job, as most people do, you spend hours on your rear end every day. It’s now becoming clear to health experts that this is not good for health. Even if you exercise regularly, sitting for hours at a time can be dangerous, at work, at school, or at home.

The chair slump is a common position we all know and one that is terrible for the back. Even if you sit up straight, it’s very hard to hold your stomach in, not to mention the tight hip flexors and shortened hamstrings that sitting promotes. If you sit all day at work and go home and sit some more, it won’t be long before you see that rear end I mentioned spread with all those extra calories your body can’t use up.

Now, there’s evidence that even worse damage is being done. After four hours of sitting, genes regulating the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut off. Could this lead to excess weight and diabetes? It will take a lot more investigation to be sure but in the meantime, STAND UP.

It might not be part of office protocol, but try to do some stretching as often as possible, even if you have to go to the restroom to do it. Stand to do your work whenever possible; take breaks and walk around the office or climb some stairs if you have access to them.

Don’t hesitate to tell people what you are doing and why, including your boss. One of the biggest financial drains on business these days is healthcare costs. Your boss might just commend you for trying to stay healthy, and it may encourage your work mates to follow. Stand up to stay healthy.

Need to Use This Article? You can, as long as you cite it using this format: “Reproduced with permission of the author, Jean C. Menges, from the WisdomHouseWellness.com blog, © 2011.”

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We reserve the right to change our opinion.

Your Body is Talking. Are You Listening?

A quick checklist to keep you in touch with yourself  

Most of us have more distractions in our lives than ever before. We are addicted to multi-tasking every chance we get. It’s become a race to see how much we can get done in one day. But what we sacrifice in all this “busyness” is time for ourselves.

I’m not talking about getting a manicure or makeover. Those things are for your outward self. I’m talking about your inner self, whose voice falls on deaf ears because we are so busy doing things. Your body is constantly sending you a stream of information that you need to pay attention to. Ignore it and poor physical and emotional health often results.

I rarely have the time to completely stop my activities and focus on my inner self, but here are a few ways I manage to grab some “me moments.” Walking down a street, traveling on a bus, waiting for my kids, I give myself a quick scan:

•    Is my mind racing?    
•    Am I tense?   
•    Do I have pain or soreness anywhere?    
•    Is my breathing easy and normal?    
•    Do I have any digestive discomfort?    
•    How is my energy level?    
•    Is my posture good?

I am focusing on the physical being with this checklist more than the mental/emotional one. Those of you who meditate regularly are already used to calming your mind and with it the body. For those of you who don’t practice meditation, I think it may be easier to go for the physical first. Remember your body and mind are one. Listen to your physical being and your mental/emotional being will join the conversation.

Need to Use This Article? You can, as long as you cite it using this format: “Reproduced with permission of the author, Jean C. Menges, from the WisdomHouseWellness.com blog, © 2011.”

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We reserve the right to change our opinion.

Laugh Yourself Healthy

Laughter  is the best medicine

One of the best mind/body/spirit therapies I know of is simply laughing. I noticed a smile coming to my face just preparing to write this blog. I want everyone reading this to smile, right now! Give me a big toothy grin whether you feel like it or not!

How do you feel now?

Just enter “laughter and health” into a search engine, and you will be astonished at the number of scientific studies on the health benefits of laughter. Wisdom that has been around for centuries is now the subject of serious scientific study.

Happiness keeps us healthy. It improves the immune system. But how does a joke or a humorous movie actually make us healthier? There’s no definitive answer to this, but I think the actual physicality of laughing and smiling is the key.

If you are familiar with yogic breathing exercises you know how much they use big inhalations and exhalations through the stomach, sometimes quite fast to stimulate energy, much like a big belly laugh. If you’ve studied acting, you’ll know the inner transformation that comes from simply assuming the posture and physical movements of a character. And if you do any sort of physical exercise regularly, you know how it can lift your mood no matter how exhausted you are.

Our bodies not only reflect our moods, they can create our moods. Mind, body and spirit are all one.

Just try it for one week. Every morning, throw your head back, relax your belly, and laugh out loud. Make sure you’re breathing from the stomach, not just your diaphragm. During the day smile as often as you can, even when you’re alone. Read jokes,  look at funny pictures, giggle and be silly. You can even join one of the hundreds of laughter therapy groups that have sprung up across the country. Laugh yourself healthy.

Need to Use This Article? You can, as long as you cite it using this format: “Reproduced with permission of the author, Jean C. Menges, from the WisdomHouseWellness.com blog, © 2011.”

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We reserve the right to change our opinion.

Wisdom House Community

Rev Up Your Community Qi

Help us create a Wisdom House with purpose

As most of you know, Wisdom House is in the process of creating itself as a center for holistic healing, sharing wisdom, philanthropic work, and community.  In an effort to create a true “community,” we’d like to involve you, our supporters, as we build this dream.  Each one of you has wisdom and qi (energy) to share.  Tell us your thoughts and suggestions on Facebook or drop us an e-mail (office@wisdomhousewellness.com).  Get involved; be a part of growing Wisdom House.

Have you enjoyed our blogs?
Our plan is to introduce concepts of Chinese medicine, BioEnergetic medicine, and other therapeutic modalities in the framework of common health issues.  For the last few weeks we focused on allergies and hives.  Our upcoming topic will be fertility and childbirth.  We’d love to know what topics you want to hear about.

Classes and demonstrations
We had a great turnout for our first BodyTalk First Aid course.  Due to this overwhelming response, I am offering the Tap Out Cortices class again on July 19.  We encourage everyone to learn this simple technique, especially mothers who can use it on their children.  I know this from experience!

If you came to our BodyTalk First Aid class, please let us know what you thought.  What other types of classes would you enjoy?  Do you have expertise in an area of health and wellness that you would like to share with us?

Next Steps
A new website is in the works that will reflect our growing community and services.  We are making plans to increase our healing programs as well as introduce some new technology to improve diagnosis and treatment.

Our community outreach will be growing with more talks around the city on my special method of acupuncture, Wan’s 3E.   If you know of a group that would be interested, please let me know.  In addition we are in the process of finding a new home for our Wisdom House community clinic.

None of this can be done without you, our patrons and supporters, so talk to us.  Help us give you what you need.

Disclaimer:  This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  We reserve the right to change our opinion.

Wei Qi

Is your Wei Qi Tough Enough?

Keeping Your Body’s Perimeter Strong

Have you ever wondered how Bruce Lee and his arch enemies never seem to get injured when they hit each other? That’s because they have a strong Wei Qi!

In Chinese medicine, Wei Qi (pronounced “way chee”) is the border patrol of your body. It’s a layer of protective energy that circulates on the surface of the skin. In other words, wherever outside substances can get into your body, Wei Qi is there to filter and protect. A strong Wei Qi will let in the substances you need – food and oxygen for example, but will keep out harmful pathogens, such as allergens and germs. In Western terms, it is a combination of the immune system, autonomic nervous system, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

When someone comes down with hives or any other allergic response, we need to consider the strength of the Wei Qi. (See All About Hives). If the body comes in contact with an allergen and has a negative immune reaction to that allergen, it indicates that the Wei Qi is weak and needs to be addressed.

Wei Qi is a strong and important force in our bodies that it is involved with a number of health issues. It encompasses so many internal systems (skin, immune system, autonomic nervous system, spleen, lungs, and kidneys), that discovering a weakness along its path can require some detective work on the part of your acupuncturist or BodyTalk practitioner.

Here are a few tips to help you strengthen your Wei Qi:

1. Identify toxic substances in your food, water, household, or anywhere you spend time and begin eliminating them.

2. Go to sleep by 9:00 p.m. as often as possible.

3. Wear natural fiber clothing – cotton, silk and wool are best.

4. Give lots of hugs or get lots of hugs from others. Wei Qi is like a sensory organ; it requires stimulation from positive reinforcement.

5. Learn martial arts or get involved in contact sports. You may not be as strong as Bruce Lee, but your Wei Qi will be!

Need to Use This Article? You can, as long as you cite it using this format: “Reproduced with permission of the author, Jean C. Menges, from the WisdomHouseWellness.com blog, © 2011.”

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We reserve the right to change our opinion.

Hives4

Tap Away Those Hives

Symptomatic Relief for Mild Attacks

Hives is an allergic reaction manifesting in raised, itchy, red welts on the body. Many people experience an occasional case of hives when they come into contact with an allergen. In previous blogs, we spoke about more serious causes, such as Leaky Gut Syndrome and toxic overload, but today, I will address the simple case and the simple answer– BodyTalk First Aid.

Most people recognize that the body has an inborn ability to heal itself. When you cut your finger, the brain calls on different organs and systems to heal the cut. This healing mechanism is always on call and often succeeds in fighting off pathogens without you even knowing it. But, sometimes, due to ill-health, stress, pollutants, etc., these communication pathways are compromised.

With hives and other conditions, the stress of the discomfort alone, including itching, burning and often panic, can be enough to disrupt communication in the brain. Stimulating the four lobes of the brain, or “cortices,” is the way BodyTalk reestablishes the balance within. A simple tapping procedure can dynamically affect the body’s ability to provide symptomatic relief from physical illnesses as well as emotional stress. Once the symptoms are relieved by balancing the cortices, the body can rely on its natural healing mechanism.

The theory behind this “cortice balancing” procedure has been demonstrated through experiments using infrared photography. Patients exhibiting various symptoms have “cold spots,” or areas of diminished blood supply or cellular activity in the cortice regions of their brain, reflecting the physical problems they’re experiencing. By warming up or “balancing” these cold spots, you are on your way to providing symptomatic relief. For minor health issues, cortice balancing might be all that is needed. For bigger issues, it can be a first line of defense, until stronger measures can be taken.

BodyTalk is a new modality of healing that is performed by certified practitioners with extensive training. However, this First Aid cortices-tapping technique is simple to learn and can be used on yourself, your family or your friends. Wisdom House NY periodically offers classes in this technique, particularly recommended for mothers to use on their children. The next class will be given on July 19, 2011 so make sure you are on our mailing list…Hope to see you there!

Hives

Hives Above? Toxins Below

The importance of detoxification

An overload of toxins in the body can result in hives or other allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, and numerous other illnesses. These toxic buildups can affect us at any age, but particularly vulnerable are children and older adults. (For older adults see my blog Hives: A Gut Reaction.)

Nature blessed us with a number of organs and systems to naturally detoxify our bodies through the process of excretion. But Mother Nature is no match for our modern environment. We are bombarded with noxious substances in the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. City dwellers are accosted with heavy metals in the air. Our homes are sometimes built with toxic materials, and toxins dwell even in the beauty products we use. It’s easy to understand why our bodies get overwhelmed. When the primary elimination pathways are blocked, the skin is next in line for ridding the body of toxins, which can lead to allergic reactions, such as hives. Lacking proper detoxification, our bodies also become more acidic, which can lead to more serious health issues.

A convenient and safe way to enhance and accelerate detoxification is the Opening Channels Program, offered at Wisdom House NY.  Using a combination of homeopathic, botanical and nutritional supplements, your primary elimination pathways, including the colon, liver, spleen and kidneys, will be primed to function at their full potential. The program is easy to use, can fit into anyone’s schedule and does not require a special diet. It even comes in a portable pack with a pillbox and information booklet so you can take it with you wherever you go.

Opening Channels can be the answer for mild disorders or the first step towards a longer process of healing more serious conditions. For more information on The Opening Channels Program or other health issues, contact Jean Menges at Wisdom House for a personal consultation.

Hives 2

Hives: A Gut Reaction?

The connection to Leaky Gut Syndrome

Hives is an allergic skin condition characterized by a sudden outbreak of raised, red, itchy welts that can last from a few minutes to a few days or weeks. Most cases are a simple allergic reaction, like the one we described in our blog, When Hives Hit Home. But more serious or chronic cases can indicate an intestinal problem, particularly in older people.

Leaky gut syndrome is not generally recognized by conventional medicine, but there is increasing evidence that it’s a real clinical disorder associated with increased intestinal permeability. Leaky gut is the result of damage to the intestinal mucosal lining, making it harder to filter in needed nutrients. Toxins from bacteria, incompletely digested proteins and fats, and waste not normally absorbed are also “leaked” out of the intestine into the blood stream. It can be caused by a number of factors including chronic stress, antibiotics, NSAIDS, alcohol, drugs or a diet high in processed foods. The results of this condition often masquerade as allergies and other autoimmune conditions.

A healthful diet, which includes eliminating disease-causing foods, is necessary to repair and rebuild the intestinal lining. In addition to healthful eating, leaky gut syndrome requires other modalities to assist with the healing process.

Acupuncture would be my first choice. It would unblock and stimulate the flow of energy to the areas that control the entire gut system, thereby promoting healing. Along with acupuncture, I would recommend certain naturopathic medicines to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. These nutritional and botanical supplements would help improve the permeability of the intestinal lining.

To learn more about hives and leaky gut syndrome please read the in-depth articles on www.WisdomHouseWellness.com.