American Journal of Integrative Medicine by American Journal of Integrative Medicine

Meet the team

In this issue FALL 2018 04

Practitioner Spotlight

FINDcures.org - Perimeter of Hope

Anxiety and Depression

Hypnosis

DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER CARE PRESIDENT & FOUNDER Tracy Wood, CPC, ELI MP, HHA Perla Galan

Death, Discussions and Children

CONTRIBUTORS

Express Yourself

Fitness Recipe

Heart Disease Tic – Toc

The real reason you can’t get in shape

Quick Tip Series

Teens and Smart Phones

Topical and Chronic Pain

Yoga for You

PTSD – It’s Real, Just Ask A Vet

Frank's Journey

Do you like my new hat?

What is Gluten

The Power of Emotion Thru Hypnosis

Powered by Acute Care Triage, Inc. 27134-A Paseo Espada, Suite 324, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 www.acutecaretriage.com

CIO Zee Shah

EDITOR Virginia Gannaway

Rev Brian Shaffer

Pren'tis Knight President, ZTEK Corporation

Dr. Stephanie B. Nielsen, PHARM.D., CCN

Sue Ayers, MS, LPC Dir. of Psychology services

Dr. Mary Jo Ruggieri, PH.D.

T.S. Wiley

Rosie Schulman, RN

Maria Luebke

Dr. Boyce Berkel

Frank Magana

Jerry Dyer CEO Emeritus

Danish Designer

Chief Medical Officer

Director of Nursing

American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 03

Practitioner Spotlight BY MARIA LUEBKE DIRECTOR OF AROMATHERAPY Maria Luebke is both a Wellness Advocate for essential oils and a Certified Aromatherapy Instructor. Maria met our founder, Tracy Wood, at a wellness convention in Las Vegas earleir this year. Tracy was so impressed with Maria’s knowledge of Aroma therapy, its direct impact on wellness, and her passion for her practice, Tracy knew she had to be a part of the Acute Care Triage family. After a breif demo of the system and a discussion about the global business model, Maria entusiasticaly joined the team to serve the members all over the world. Here is Maria’s story, in her own words: My name is Maria Luebke. I am a native of Las Vegas, a wellness advocate, and a Certified professional in the area od Essential Oils. I have been married for thirty three years. Although I have had many interesting experiences in my life such as being a business owner for twenty eight years, an entrepreneur, leader of young adults and children and private school administrator, my favorite job has been a mother of five beautiful children. One of my first experiences with essential oils was as a young teenager. I loved the scent of patchouli. I used it like a perfume and felt beautiful when I wore it. Approximately eight years ago, I was introduced to doTERRA oils. My son suffered for almost ten years with head tension. We searched for answers, but nothing gave long lasting relief. He used daily over the counter drugs, which offered little relief, so he continued to deal with the discomfort. I was introduced to doTERRA and tried a blend that changed everything. My son’s daily head tension was gone. I realized how powerful essential oils could be. Health and wellness comes in many ways which include our everyday habits of eating, our amount of movement, patterns of sleep, positive vs negative thinking and amount of stress we experience. Some times a new small habit can make a big difference in the way we feel and even deal with daily life. We can focus on one new thing at a time and see long lasting growth. I believe that oils can assist in health and wellness too. Since that first experience with patchouli, a lot has American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 04

changed in the world of essential oils, because oils are now carefully sourced, harvested, processessed and tested. I embraced the oils and “self taught” about the effecacy and purity that sets these oils apart from others on the market. I have helped hundreds of people improve their health by implementing small daily habits of using powerful tools given to us by the earth. Essential oils are Natural! • Natural compounds found in the stem, bark, roots, leaves, flowers of plants • Steam distilled or cold pressed extraction • Powerful, safe benefits without side effects • 50-70% more powerful that herbs doTERRA essential oils are effective in the body. They pass through the cellular membrane to inhibit the growth of pathogenes on a cellular level. doTERRA CPTG essential oils are safe. Every batch is carefully tested for purity and potency above and beyond the industry standard of the therapeutic grade. The FDA requires 10% essential oil in each bottle with additives allowed without labeling requirements. doTERRA essential oils are 100% pure. If blended, all ingredients apear on the label. doTERRA essential oils are Natural, Effective and Safe to use. Do you want to support your immune system, releive occasional sleeplessness, support cartilage and joint function, reduce sad and anxious feelings; also help relieve restlessness, eliminate irritablility, restore mental alertness, mental fatigue, help with seasonal or environmental threats……the list goes on and on. We always have a choice as to how we will care for ourselves. I come across people all the time who are looking for answers to health questions they have not been able to find answers to. I invite you to join the revolution of using essential oils everyday for benefits that support your bodies natural function. Step into your best self for mental, physical and emmotional support that is easy. In your wellness plan, you can schedule an appointment to speak with Maria. You can use these natural and effective products successfully for weight management, stress management, sleep support, cleansing your system annd much more. Log into your portal and schedule to speak with Maria today! American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 05

FINDCURES.ORG - PERIMETER OF HOPE BY TRACY WOOD, CPC, ELI MP, HHA

Will I still be able to feed myself? Will I need help, to go to the bathroom? Will I be confined to a wheelchair? Those were just some of the thoughts running through my head when I saw my MRI images on the screen in front of me. My mind flashed to a few weeks before when I was laying frozen inside a massive tube listening to the technician’s voice through the headphones. "Do you want a Xanax Mrs. Wood?” He paused, “We have 40 more minutes to go.” “But you’re Tracy Wood!” my primary care doctor’s voice was booming inside my head, minimizing the prognosis he was sure all the evidence was pointing to. That was the start of my journey. It was January of 2008. Sitting in my neurologist’s office, Multiple Sclerosis, she said. My mother sat sobbing, fiddling with her purse in the chair next to me. I recalled doing a readathon in 4th grade, right after moving to America to raise money for the MS Society.

I had new books from multiple pharmaceutical companies with medication options in them. They all said the same thing – low dose chemotherapy – “flu like symptoms, vomiting, temporary blindness, pain, and other serious side effects will occur in some patients.” Life happens – and it was happening to me. So now was MS. As a single mother with two young children, I went home, fixed dinner for my two little girls, and put them to bed. Mommy kept smiling. They could see and feel none of this new label. How in the world was I going to be sick? I didn’t look sick on the outside. How was I going to have Multiple Sclerosis? This wasn’t going to fit in my schedule. I was full throttle into a startup telehealth project. I had a brutal custody battle to deal with, my eldest sister had just died from a prescription drug overdose, and my family was a hot mess. I waited to treat my new disease. There was not enough information or community support available for me. Sure, there was the MS Society, but local community resources didn’t exist and there certainly wasn’t any online support structure to speak of.

Was this my fate?

I wanted more choices than western medicine had to offer.

My symptoms had come on like a storm in October of 2007.

I did a lot of research, but everything seemed to contradict each other.

It started with my brain shaking. I told my doctor I had an earthquake inside my head, but only in my head. I wasn’t dizzy. I wasn’t shaking, but my brain was shaking, and I knew the difference.

Between a business, kids, MS, being single and dating, and now strange symptoms, life became very different.

The battery of testing followed. MRIs, evoked potentials, blood and other invasive, old technology tests would be the final judge and jury. And now, on the screen for the world to see, multiple lesions, the permanent plaque, and my new label – MS. My mother and I drove home in relative silence.

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Stress impacted me physically - quickly. MS got the better of me by the end of that first year.

I was mostly alone in my process. Many friends and most of my family panicked, withdrew, and even stopped coming to see me. No one knew what to say, my life was becoming a very lonely place to be. My children didn’t know I was ill. They were 6 & 8. I dealt with my diagnosis, its side effects, and ugliness in a vacuum. When we get a diagnosis like ALS, MS, Parkinson’s, some of us lose our partners or spouses. Our friends and family scatter, and our children are confused. Their fears go to the worst images, immediately. Depending on their ages, these children cannot grasp the concept of what is happening to their mommy or daddy. There was no support affordable and ubiquitous system to help, no 800# to call, no .com to Google looking for a list of qualified providers to help us and our family who are impacted by our diagnosis, Until now. AcuteCareTraige has partnered with FINDCures. org. FINDCures.org is a group of likeminded individuals, who have all been impacted one way or another by neurological disease, trauma, or serious illness. The “Perimeter of Hope” concept, developed by the brilliant team at FINDCures.org has blended all of us for the benefit of the membership and their families.

For me, I found a more integrative medicine approach, and that has subsequently turned my life and disease path around. I have not had an active flare in years. I have more energy than even before my diagnosis, and I feel amazing. These services both holistic and allopathic, are available for affordable rates to everyone, and it have been expanded into Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico. So, log into acutecaretriage.com today and ask about the FINDCures.org Wellness Silver Plan. Reach out to your friends and families if they are struggling in silence with one of these afflictions. One little ripple in the water can set off the biggest waves upon the sand and help make all the difference in the lives of those who suffer and struggle alone without a friend or family member in sight. Now, I have not reduced my stress, nor has my life settled down by much. I use BBHRT and electroceutical tools to manage my health. I am in control of my health and wellness instead of being at the effect of my disease and its horrific historical nature. Today, when I see my neurologist, if ever, and they ask, how am I? I respond with, “Have you met me?” This is an original work by Tracy Wood, CPC, HHA.

The goal for FINDCures.org is to meet the needs of those impacted by the disease, not just for the patients, but those people who are one and two steps removed. These diseases are not a life sentence, in most cases, and in others they don’t have to be. In the partnership, ACT delivers a robust wellness program to support the needs of the patients, their families, children, and those people in their lives who desire to gain access to affordable mental health, life coaching, wellness, even medical concierge for questions demanding answers.

Reluctantly, I started on Avonex and stayed on it for 18 months, but I paid a huge physical price. I became violently ill. I got all the side effects on the label, and a few they hadn’t thought of yet. I tried several other medications with no success.

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Anxiety and Depression… More Common Than You Think BY REV. BRIAN K. SHAFFER, GC-C, FT, LLPC, NCC

Many of us have, at one time or another, felt sad or anxious. For example, the death of a loved one can leave us experiencing feelings of deep sadness, loss, even isolated. Financial or work demands can cause us stress, make us anxious, and cause us to lose sleep. However, when these emotions negatively affect (for long periods of time) how we think, how we handle our daily activities like working, sleeping and eating, the symptoms may be due to depression or anxiety. Both of these conditions can severely interfere with or limit your ability to live a productive and happy life. Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health disorders in the nation. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), nearly 40 million people in the U.S. (18 percent) experience an anxiety disorder in any given year. Additionally, an estimated 16.2 million adults in the U.S. had at least one major depressive episode in the last year according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Let’s take a quick test: During the past 2 weeks, 1. I have felt anxious, nervous or on edge a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all 2. I have not been able to stop worrying a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all 3. I have been worrying about several different things a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 08

4. I have had trouble relaxing a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all 5. I have not been able to sit still and felt restless a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all 6. I have become easily annoyed or irritable a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all

If you feel like you need assistance in managing your anxiety, or if you can’t seem to shake these feelings of sadness, loss, even depression, consider contacting AcuteCareTriage.com credentialed Mental Health Clinicians. Our Interfaith Chaplains, Spiritual Advisors, and Life Coaches are available to provide emotional and spiritual support to you for current conditions, life transitions, and challenges.

licensed nurse anytime, any day. AcuteCareTriage, Inc. is committed to helping you by nurturing well-being through body, mind and spirit.

This is an original article written by Rev. Brian K. Shaffer, GC-C, FT, LLPC, NCC

You can also make an appointment with your primary care physician (PCP), who can help coordinate your care and refer you to a specialist, if needed. If you don’t have a PCP, our concierge services can help you locate one near you. If you have any changes in your health and you’ve got questions, call our 24-hour nurse line. You can speak with a professional and

7. I have been fearful that something bad is going to happen a) almost every day b) several days c) at least half of the days d) not at all To identify your score, please use the following score guide and add the numbers: Letter a = 4 points Letter b = 3 points Letter c = 2 points Letter d = 1 point YOUR SCORE If you scored... You may have... 15 & up 10 - 14 6-9 0 - 5 Severe Anxiety Moderate Anxiety Mild Anxiety No Anxiety

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DISCOVER YOUR INNER POTENTIAL THROUGH HYPNOSIS BY ROSIE SCHULMAN, RN What is the consequence of negative thoughts invading our mind from the reaches of the subconscious? Suffering! Our past experiences, negative impulses, desires, guilt feelings are constantly pushing themselves into our awareness. This awareness generates feelings, often times creating unhappiness, discontent, even depression. This can dramatically affect our health, daily life, and our confidence.

we can either chose to be amazing or by accepting our self-imposed limiting beliefs, get stuck behind the lesser image of ourselves. When we are stuck, we limit our potential, affecting our ability to live happily, abundantly and accomplishing many, dreams, desires, and goals. What’s the outcome? We live in lack, not truly experiencing our greatest self, and possible our highest purpose.

As we reach adulthood, the build-up of this negative thinking affects how we navigate our very lives. It can make unconstructive or non-serving habits and behaviors part of our very fiber. As with any habit, these limiting behaviors and habitual thought patterns become hard to break or change.

Hypnosis is a influential tool for taking your vision and goals for your professional and personal growth, and manifesting them into reality. Guided imagery is a form of hypnosis. By our creating a visual image that places us in a beautiful and peaceful surrounding, a place of utter happiness, joy, feeling loved and worthy of all good things, feelings and desires. In this wonderful state of complete relaxation, we allow ourselves to experience these visions, dreams, feelings of self-love, worthiness through all our senses. When immersing ourselves in this state we create a formidable force of self-empowerment, self-healing, insight and the ability to connect the mind, body and spirit. Transformation is attained by learning how to relax the mind, which allows us to be open and receptive to the changes we want to create in our lives. Whether getting rid of limiting beliefs, unwanted behaviors or by guided visualization of our visions, dreams and desires in a safe and positive way.

Thats where ACT comes in. Using the valuable tool of hypnosis, you can virtually change any limiting or disempowering belief and pattern. Hypnosis is a state of profound physical relaxation and heightened concentration, wherein the subconscious minds ability to accept positive change is greatly enhanced. Our subconscious mind controls our emotions, self-esteem, beliefs, our immune system and our bodies. It is filled with phenomenal untapped powers. Hypnosis is the primary method used to connect to the subconscious mind and harness its incredible power for healing as it releases limitations that may have been blocking us from achieving our desired goals. In communicating directly with the subconscious mind, we can effect positive changes within ourselves and others. Our minds are very powerful and enable us to accomplish amazing things in life. The issues we have will vary from person to person. However, American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 10

Log into your Acute Care Triage Wellness portal and schedule an appointment with one of our professional Hypnotherapists, today!

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The Card has many benefits. • There is no credit chec because it is not a credit card • It is safer than carrying cash, and there are no Monthly or Annual Fees or Overdraft Fees* • If your card is lost or stolen, report it immediately and a new card will be mailed to you • If your card is used fraudulently – report it to customer service within 48 hours and Mastercard will reverse all charges against your card that were not authorized by you** • You can Direct Deposit your paycheck onto your card at no charge* and reload with cash at Walmart, CVS, Western Union, and Green Dot agents for a nominal fee • Using the card saves you money because you can: • Pay your bills via phone or online with your card • Receive Cash Back Rewards when using your card – available Jan 2019*** • Make online purchases • This is a Prepaid Mastercard debit card that can be used worldwide for purchases, paying bills, everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted • Click here to sign up NOW!!!

*While this feature is available for no cost, other fees may apply. See cardholder agreement for more details. **Under MasterCard’s Zero Liability Policy, your liability for unauthorized transactions on your Card Account is $0.00 if you notify us promptly upon becoming aware of the loss or theft, and you exercise reasonable care in safeguarding your Card from loss, theft, or unauthorized use. These provisions limiting your liability do not apply to debit transactions not processed by MasterCard or to unregistered cards. ***This optional offer is not a MetaBank® or Mastercard product or service, nor does MetaBank or Mastercard endorse this offer. The Alterna Prepaid Mastercard is issued by MetaBank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard Incorporated.

American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 11

Death, Discussions and Children BY REV. BRIAN SHAFFER, GC-C, FT, LLPC,

It sounds odd to link children returning to school and death together, doesn’t it? They seem like opposites that shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence. With some so young just starting out in life, how can we think of ending their life. Yet in today’s world, children are having to face death all the time. Sadly, it is something many fears daily at school, through the prevalence of gangs in their neighborhoods, through gun violence, and with the abuse of alcohol and drugs in their homes. When children are forced to face death, because they or someone else close to them has died, it forces them to begin to deal with serious issues. Often such a loss creates trauma, and paralyzing fear. For children this is directly linked to the unknown. The reel in their head plays and common questions emerge. 1) Who will take care of me? For children who have lost a parent, thoughts often turn to survival. They think, “if one parent died, will the other one die too?” Sometimes just sitting with these children and opening a dialogue, can relieve the impending pressure they are building in their minds. This may be especially true when there has been a divorce prior to that parent’s death. It helps to clarify – I will be here to care for you. For an older child, the questions may be more complex, taking on a more internalized dimension. “What if you die, too?” Don’t be afraid to discuss these American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 12

topics, but don’t catastrophize with them either. Keep them present, help them feel connected to their social support, family, and faith. 2) Is it my fault? Young children, especially those between the ages of 4-9 years, believe in magical thoughts. “If I think or wish for something, then it will happen.” This can be a challenge if they have had a difficult interaction and thought, “I wish you were dead.” If a death occurs by chance, imagine that children who thinks they have the power to wish someone dead. Oh boy! So keep it real. Facts are best, but in an age appropriate fashion. Tell them in simple words what caused their loved one to die; for example, if it was a disease, use its name and explain what it means. Answer the questions that they ask, but keep it simple and brief. If they want to know more, they will ask another question. In most causes it just happened, no one knows why. You may need to emphasize that no one caused the death. By mentioning this, it may settle their own internal struggle and thoughts, which are often more frightening that what happened. Talking about the death is the first step in helping children deal with their feelings.

Facing death may be the first lesson in the human life cycle, which defines death as the end phase of life. We all hope we will live long lives and have some choice in the time and way we die, but that’s not always the case. Children need to know this. When faced with this question directly, perhaps all we can say is, “Yes, someday everyone dies, but not today, and not anytime soon.” e all want to protect our kids from having to deal with these questions. However, we cannot, nor is it wise. Death is often forced upon us. Hopefully some of these ideas may help.

professional

counselors

and

therapist.

AcuteCareTriage, Inc. is committed to helping you by nurturing wellbeing through body, mind and spirit. AcuteCareTriage.com is here to help provide the tools, resources, and support you need to deal with your Mental & Behavioral Health Needs. Consider seeking counsel from a member of our Therapy Team! This is an original article written by Rev. Brian K. Shaffer, GC-C, FT, LLPC, NCC

For more information, it often helps to talk to spiritual or religious advisors,

3) Will I Die, too? When anyone dies, we all have thoughts of our own mortality. It’s especially hard for children who often see themselves as indestructible. This is especially true for children between the ages of 9 years to young adulthood. American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 13

EXPRESS YOURSELF BY TRACY WOOD, CPC, ELI MP, HHA Do you ever want to share how you feel or what you’re thinking, but you don’t have the words? On the other hand, you may have the words, but they just don’t capture the depth and meaning of what you’re trying to say? At Acute Care Triage, our licensed and certified professionals will help teach you how to express yourself in creative ways and assist in getting others to understand you and connect with you on different levels. There are a multitude of fantastic and creative ways to express your inner most feelings, thoughts, and emotions. Her are a few suggestions and examples: Express Yourself through Pictures/Imagery: There may be times when you see a picture that evokes emotion. These could be pictures from your childhood, your vacations, or of your family and friends. They could be priceless works of art from the masters of the generations before us. These images can prompt you to experience different and new emotional experiences internally. You can try sharing these pictures with someone close to you and maybe connect on a new level. But what happens when you are struggling in your life? Use these images from a time in your life when you felt excitement, passion, joy. Let them help lift you up, pull you from the struggle, let them remind you of a better time. But pictures are not the exclusive catch all to evoke emotion, are they? Of course not. Have you ever driven down the road and seen a beautiful sky and sunset? While you can experience it, in the moment, you can also save that God-given beauty in your minds eye and store it in your beautiful brain for later. We invite you to use your blogging feature in your patient portal. Share your pictures and images that help you best express yourself. You and your mental health clinician can review these shares together. A picture can be worth a thousand words… Express Yourself through Music: Music can be a powerful form of emotional expression. Most everyone loves music in one way or another. Music can transport you to various times in your life. You can hear an older song, and it can take American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 14

you right back to that moment in time. Music also can change you feel in a split second. You can hear a song on the radio for the first time, and it can resonate with you on many levels. Learning how to use music to express yourself in a way that feels safe and personal is a highly valuable skill. Mastering this skill can help you manage different emotions or moods, and help you reconnect if you feel isolated and far away.

“These songs always make me happy” B52’s - Loveshack Areosmith – Come Together The Champs - Tequilla ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man “Songs that describe my sadness” Melissa Etheridge - Breakdown Whitney Houston – I Have Nothing Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares To You

“My feelings of love” Julia Fordham - Love Moves in Mysterious Ways Martina McBride - There You Are Celine Dion - Falling into You Keith Urban - I’m In “Keeping my Life perspective” Michael Jackson - Man in the Mirror Dolly Parton - Better Get to Livin Susan Boyle - I Dream to Dream

I have different playlists in my smartphone for different things. You can learn how to create playlists that can actually manage your emotions. Mastering our mind and emotions is key to keeping our vibrational energy positive, confident, and upbeat. You can use music to get your through a grueling workout. Having a playlist to help you reminisce in a happier time in your life can pull you through the death of a loved one or other highly emotional losses. How about anger? What do you do when you feel really angry, yet have no safe way to express it? Create a playlist. The songs may reflect your expression of anger, or you may create music that calms and settles you. Truly, do whatever will work best for you. To get you started, here are some playlist examples that work wonders for some of our team. “These songs shift me from sadness to focus” Tina Turner – Simply the Best Mary J. Blige – Family Affair P!nk – So What The Rolling Stones – Start Me Up “These get me motivated!” Santana - Winning Queen – We Will Rock You/We are The Champions Kid Rock – All Summer Long The Notorious B.I.G. – Big Poppa Katy Perry – Roar Avicii – Wake Me Up “Introspective, these lyrics stir up more than anything I can say” Sarah McLachlan - Angel Creed - Higher Alicia Keys - How Come You Don’t Call Me? Christina Aguilera - Hurt Tina Turner - What’s Love Got To Do With It American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 15

Fitness Recipe BY PAMELA EDWARDS, HHA

What’s in Your Fitness Recipe Studies show, 95% of all diet and exercise programs fail within the first 10 days. That is a staggering statistic. Here’s another one; The average dieter will start and quit four NEW diets a year!!! Why are so many weight management programs so unsuccessful? That’s a good question, the answer to which, we are going to explore here and now!

3. Don’t be afraid of carbs. Okay, so Dr. Atkins would roll over, right? Yeah, maybe, but hear me out on this, research shows if your balance your grains properly, you are at a lower risk for metabolic complications like type 2 diabetes. By contrast, avoiding grains can be linked to high BMI and waist circumference.

In order to start and maintain a diet and fitness program, some key ingredients must be put into your “fitness recipe.” Your fitness plan must be right for your body type and your physical and emotional health. Your fitness plan should also fit into your schedule. It doesn’t make sense to try to train for a marathon when you have only 30 minutes a day to devote to exercise. Your fitness plan must also be fun and enjoyable. You are not going to maintain a program that brings you no joy. Even if you do, you likely won’t excel because you aren’t having any fun! To find out what will work and not work for you, enroll with a personalized fitness coach who can assess and develop a plan for you and your lifestyle.

4. Don’t try to compensate with exercise for a lousy diet. One spin class does not a large pizza equal! Put down the fried chicken and step away from the microwave. Read point one again!

Now, what about your food? I mean, food and fitness go hand in hand, right? So here are nine things I want you to know about weight loss: 1. Forget the math! The calories in vs. calories out conversation is rubbish! Science shows as we lose weight, our metabolism changes, so that right there will skew the entire in/out ratio. So, if I have remembered anything over the past decade it’s what I heard from John Travolta during an interview with Oprah, “Eat less, and exercise more.” 2. Eat more veggies. I get it, a chocolate chip cookie is better. But how do you look 10 years from now and another 50 pounds heavier? Right, like crap! Get real! Get real with yourself, your food, your fitness. Get off your butt, shop better, shop smarter, and no more processed food. Whole foods, cook clean, and it will pay off. American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 16

and empowering habits, and design your ideal lifestyle. Your fitness coach can also help to ensure variety in your program. Your coach will encourage you to try something new and will offer alternative exercises and ideas. Trying new exercises or classes may provide just the right mix in your program to take you to a new level of health. The changes do not have to be drastic. Even small changes can create a challenge to the body that will help you break your plateau.

Log into your patient porta, and sign up to meet with your Certified Professional Coach today! Article written by Director of Fitness and Womens Health, Pamela Edwards, HHA.

5. Your scale is your buddy. Get on it. I have heard people say, “Oh its bad to weigh every day!” Well, its worse to gain 10 pounds in a week and not be monitoring it!. Inspect what you expect. Get your big booty on the scale every day. The booty will shrink if you are always watching! 6. Define your goal weight, then redefine it! If your ideal weight was two months post diapers, rethink your goal setting skills. Pick a realistic goal. Something that is attainable will keep you motivated and give you a knowing you will succeed. 7. Mental fortitude. This is hard work. This will not be easy You didn’t get fat in a week, a month, or in six months. Your weight is a direct result of years of bad decisions, bad habits, and rewarding yourself with food that will kill you. Get over it. Enough. You must have your reasons to change as MUSTS, or don’t waste your time. 8. If you get a hitch in your get-along, get over it ad begin again! Don’t sit an analyze why you screwed up, you screwed up, move on! And begin again. 9. Successful completion doesn’t mean its over. Maintenance is key. So, once you have gotten to your goal, its time to make new American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 17

Heart Disease Tic – Toc BY TRACY WOOD, CPC, ELI MP, HHA Widow Maker – MI – Coronary Failure – CRF (Cardiac Risk Factor). All horrific words and phrases that none of us want to hear. Just recently, I had a blood test that returned a CRF of 15.5. Now, for those of you who don’t know what that means, its beyond the high out of range marker for a cardia event. I am a 52-year-old with high blood pressure, Multiple Sclerosis, and a highly stressful life. I'm the ultimate trifecta. I eat pretty well, gluten free and I don’t drink alcohol. I golf once or twice a week. I wouldn’t say I live a sedentary life, but I won’t be running a marathon this year either. My blood results were a huge wake up call for me. My doctor’s office called and said I had to have a specific heart scan at the Dick Butkus Heart Center in Orange right away, to detect any blockage. To say the least, I was frightened. I scheduled my EBCT and waited. I realized my level of exercise was not enough. That very day, I started swimming. I started at 30 minutes a day, every day. I have increased it to 55 minutes a day, and I push through breast stroke, freestyle and butterflies to the absolute limit that I can achieve. My EBCT came back that my heart scan was good, no plaque build up and the only area of worry is my LDL cholesterol. I was put on medication and an advanced Lipid panel has been ordered. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for men and women. This accounts for about 1 out of every 4 deaths each year. Sometimes sudden death is the first and last symptom of heart disease. In the majority of cases, this disease is a slow, progressive, and relentless problem. As it progresses, you can lose a lot of your normal function due to decreasing oxygen and blood supply to your body. Heart attacks are a big problem for two main reasons: 1. Heart muscle can die, making the heart weaker. 2. Electrical fibers that run through the heart muscle can be affected and cause the heart American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 18

rhythm to change or even stop. This is called “cardiac arrest.”

much exercise is appropriate for you. Your provider may even order cardiac rehabilitation where you can work with a physical therapist to carefully increase your exercise ability. Medications are often used to help improve the blood flow to the heart muscle. Different medications are used for different reasons. Many of the medicines are used to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure is like allowing the heart to lift less weight,

making it easier for the blood to move forward because there is not so much pressure to push against. Slowing the heart down can help allow more blood to move forward because the time for blood to flow into and out of the heart is increased. Your heart can also pump more efficiently with less “overload” by taking some water out of your blood vessels. Some of the drugs your health care provider may prescribe include the following medications:

If you have had a heart attack and survived, you may be left with damage to the heart muscle or the electrical system. If enough of the heart muscle is damaged, your blood will not be able to circulate as well. This disorder is called “congestive heart failure” or simply “heart failure.” It can vary from very mild to quite severe, depending on the amount of heart muscle involved. One of the first symptoms of heart failure is difficulty breathing when you exert your body. This can occur when you walk, run, exercise, or climb stairs. If the strain is great enough, you may develop chest pain during this type of exertion. Your health care provider will likely want you to have a cardiac stress test to determine how much your heart is straining under exercise. Other symptoms of heart failure include the following: • Swelling of the ankles • Difficulty breathing when lying flat • Difficulty breathing in the middle of sleep • Kidney failure Treatment of heart disease and heart failure is much the same. You want to gradually improve the circulation to the heart muscle and strengthen the muscle to improve your ejection fraction. Gradually increasing an exercise program is the most important thing you can do to help your heart. If you have chest pain during exercise, you should stop and go to the emergency room. Your health care provider will help you evaluate how

Taking your medications as prescribed by your health care provider is essential to keep your heart functioning well. If you can strengthen your heart over time by exercising, your health care provider may decrease the numbers or amounts of medicine you need to take. If your heart becomes weaker due to a heart attack or too little exercise, you may need even more medicines. When medicines no longer help, you may need surgery to help open up the small arteries to the heart muscle. This can be done through a catheter placed into the artery of your leg or your arm (catheterization) or through open-heart surgery (coronary artery bypass). Integrative medicine has much to offer patients with heart disease. In a landmark study, Dr. Dean Ornish treated patients with severe coronary disease. The patients needed heart surgery and were at very high risk for the surgery. Half of the patients elected to try to get better without surgery while the others continued with conventional care. The integrative treatment group received classes in diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, and stress management. The patients who received these integrative medicine treatments did better than the group receiving conventional care. These patients even reversed some of their heart disease.

The best approach to heart disease includes good health management and proactive wellness behavior. Acute Care Triage has a philosophy of Reverse and Prevent. Our revolutionary wellness plan coupled with a hands-on relationship with your cardiac care specialist can help change the path you are on. Log into your patient portal and schedule an appointment with your wellness specialist today. Acute Care Triage and their practitioners believe strongly in integrative medicine. There is more than one approach to health and wellness. Its not our way, its what works for your unique body type. Please remember that heart disease is a killer. Take your heart condition seriously. Stay compliant with all treatment recommendations. Try building better heart health every day. Arialdi M. Miniño et al., “Deaths: Final Data for 2008,” National Vital Statistics Reports, 59 (7 December 2011), http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_10.pdf. Dean Ornish et al., "Can Lifestyle Changes Reverse Coronary Heart Disease? The Lifestyle Heart Trial," The Lancet 336 (21 July 1990), 129–33, http://www.sciencedirect. com/science/ar ticle/pii/014067369091656U. This is a collaborative piece with Tracy Wood, CPC, and Todd A. Hoover, MD, DHt.

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The real reason you can’t get in shape BY JONATHAN SMITH FOUNDER & CEO KAI FITNESS You don’t need a new workout, you need a guide for your fitness journey. The real reason you can’t get in shape I’m the kind of guy who makes it approximately 30 days into P90X… twice a year for six years. I’m the kind of guy who drinks 6 cans of Dr. Pepper a day and has a major addiction to bread in all forms. I did not play sports in high school, and whenever I did, I regretted it. I’m a big fan of Red Baron pizzas, and I really, really hate running. My name is Jonathan, and despite all my many fitness failures, against all the odds, I am in really good shape. Five years ago, I lost 20 pounds of fat and put on 20 pounds of muscle in a very short period of time. I entered this period of my life at 24% body fat (dangerously close to obese, according to the American Council for Exercise) and exited at a cool 10.9% (which makes me an “athlete” — take that, everyone in my middle school). And, most critically, I’ve stayed that way for going on five years now. I live a pretty normal life, sometimes still involving Dr. Pepper and pumpernickel (though at lower quantities), and yet I haven’t gained the weight back or lost any muscle mass. If anything, I’ve continued getting stronger and leaner. Truly, I am fitter and healthier at age 31 than I was at age 21. To this day, I look and feel completely different than ever before. Do you want to know I did it? My great fitness secret? Well, It certainly wasn’t my extreme discipline. I still often missed workouts and failed to meal plan. There was no strict diet full of acai and turmeric, nor some extreme celebrity training regimen I found on Instagram. And I still hate running.

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So how did I do it? I had help. That’s right: the only difference between me — who experienced nothing short of a bodyand-mind transformation, and you — who can’t seem to get to the gym or say no to fries — is that I had help, and you don’t.

questions. We’re hiring people to help us change our bodies when we should be hiring people to help us change our mindset.

eryone could have a coach who really cares. Our core belief at Kai is that each of us is a hero on our own journey, and every hero needs a guide.

If you’re anything like me, the revolving door of setting a fitness goal, starting strong, getting burnt out, and giving up has left you feeling defeated, stupid, and ashamed. I was convinced that if I just found the right workout for me or the right diet plan to help me lose weight quickly, then I would finally succeed instead of giving up.

So, if you want to get in shape, get active, fix your diet, or just generally be better than you currently are, you need to ask the right question:

Help, for me, looked like the right person showing up in my life at the right time. That person was Jason. Jason and I grew up together, so he already knew me pretty well. Jason had some of the hallmarks of a personal trainer — he challenged me, taught me how to do certain movements, made me do burpees — and he definitely had a lot of fitness knowledge that I didn’t

I’m going to be straight with you. There is no right diet for you. There is no optimal workout routine. The people who tell you (or sell you) these things are lying. To get from where you are to where you want to be, the only option is change. Change is a hard journey, and a journey demands a guide.

But, critically, Jason had more of the qualities of a coach, or a guide (like this guy, or this guy). Jason taught me things about myself. When things went well, we celebrated. When they didn’t, he commiserated. Rather than focusing on the physical, Jason helped me deal with the emotional and behavioral challenges of navigating a difficult transition in life.

That’s actually why I started Kai, so ev-

Instead of trying to decide WHAT you’ll do or HOW you’ll go about it, instead ask WHO — “ Who am I going to take with me on this journey? Who will make me the hero of the story? Who will I follow on the trail? Who will be my coach, my guide, keeping me going when the going gets tough?” And remember: the right help at the right time can change everything. A original work by Jonathan Smith Founder & Ceo Kai Fitness

Everyone deserves a guide like Jason in their life, someone who just won’t let them lose.

Indeed, some of my hardest barriers lay even deeper, in my beliefs. Jason recognized pretty early that I didn’t really believe in my own ability to change (which makes it pretty easy to give up), and also that I believed a lot of things about diet, exercise, and my own body that were just plain false, causing all sorts of suboptimal choices. Jason saw good things that I didn’t always see in myself. And he worked hard to draw them out. Put simply, he wouldn’t let me lose. I recognize that these are the sorts of things you would typically hire a therapist for, not a personal trainer. But maybe that’s why we keep losing: we keep looking for someone to make us do tougher workouts when we should be looking for someone who will ask us tougher

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QUICK TIP SERIES BY TRACY WOOD, CPC, ELI MP, HHA Quick Tip Series #1 How to Feed America’s Kids Nutrition for Toddlers can be tricky. Finicky kids, allergies, difficult schedules, the list goes on. Nutrient and calorie needs increase as a child progresses from an infant to a toddler, as their size increases as well as the activity level. Toddlers need a diet that provides enough calories to support a healthy rate of growth but not so much as to cause a weight problem. Fat intake should be about 30-40% of their total calories, a little less than that of infants. Fat provides a concentrated source of calories which is important for toddlers, as their stomach capacity is small and they cannot eat too much food at one time. It also is needed to support continued development of the brain and nervous system. For this reason, reduced fat milk should not be given until the age of 2. Toddlers need more protein than infants because they weigh more and are still growing quickly. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is 1.10 g/kg body weight per day, which is about 13 grams of protein per day. Healthy choices include chicken, turkey, fish, and lean meats. The RDA for carbohydrates is 130 grams/ day, which should work out to be about 4565% of their total daily calories. Most of the carbohydrates should be complex, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grain carbohydrates, as opposed to refined, processed carbohydrates from crackers, cookies, cakes, and other snacks and desserts. Fruit juice is fine but should be limited to 4-6 ounces a day for 1 to 6 year olds, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. This is because too much can cause diarrhea but also can cause them to be full and thus replace other foods. Keep in mind that children ages 2 and up should have 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

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Toddlers need enough fiber to prevent constipation. The recommendation is 14 grams per 1,000 kcals of food, or about 19 grams per day. Healthy sources are fruits, vegetables, whole grain breads, and cereals. The minerals of calcium and iron are of particular concern with toddlers. Calcium is needed for proper bone density, which continues to increase until early adulthood. For toddlers, the recommended amount of calcium is 500 mg/day. Dairy is a good source, as well as calcium-fortified orange juice, almond milk, broccoli, and some other dark green vegetables. Since toddlers’ stomachs are small, they usually cannot consume enough calcium through foods alone, so a calcium supplement would be wise.

Remember to avoid foods that pose a choking hazard such as grapes, raisins, cherry tomatoes, nuts, and carrots. Whatever you give your toddler for snacks, meals, and drinks, remember this; processed foods, sugary drinks, and fast foods are foods we all need to avoid. Good food habits start early and at home. Kids will emulate what they see at home. If Mommy and Daddy eat a Big ac Value Pack a day, they will grow to do the same thing. I had a rule when my kids were babies and toddlers. If you can’t hunt it or gather it, don’t eat it. My kids choose Cesar salad over burgers

and fries, to this day 15 years later. My kids have maintained healthy weight, have virtually zero acne, and have great sleeping habits. I believe this is due in large part to proper nutrition and a diet free from sodas and fast foods. When you can, sitting around a table as a family is a great habit to develop with your toddler. Engage with them. Put your phones away and talk to them about their day. Talk about colors, letters and help them grow into productive and active adolescents. Tracy Wood, CPC, ELI-MP, HHA

Iron-deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in children in the world. This can affect a child’s energy level, mood, attention span, and learning ability. The RDA for toddlers is 7mg/day. The best absorbed sources are fish, poultry, and lean meats. Other good sources are eggs, greens, legumes, and fortified cereals. Vitamin C will help increase iron absorption. Since toddlers can have inconsistent eating habits, a multivitamin and mineral supplement is a good idea to protect against deficiencies. Make sure it is formulated especially for toddlers and that it is taken with food. It is important to remember that a toddler’s stomach is still quite small, so they cannot consume all the calories they need in three meals. They need small, frequent meals with some snacks, every 2 to 3 hours. Portion sizes should be small; one tablespoon of a food for each year of age is what is recommended throughout the toddler and preschool years. Snacks should be nutritious, as their role is to be part of the total daily nutrients. Several crackers, a half of a banana, and some cheese are examples.

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Teens and Smart Phones

PTSD – IT’S REAL, JUST ASK A VET

BY SUE AYERS, MS, LPC Are you frustrated with your teen’s obsession with their smart phone? Are you fearful they may be flirting with dangers associated with social media? Is your teen mature enough to comprehend how questionable postings could follow them throughout their life and limit future opportunities? How do we know if they are spending too much time with their faces glued to a screen and what are the effects? While a debate over teen screen time continues parents struggle over setting boundaries. Most of us grew up before the “age of the cell phone” and have no frame of reference to pull from when trying to deal with the unregulated digital world. Ten years ago when the first smart phones appeared on the market, the high cost made teen ownership prohibited, but now prices have come down and adolescents almost consider them a rite of passage. The Pew Research Center recently reported 95% of teens, ages 13 to 17, have a smart phone or access to one and 45% are online almost on a constant basis. Pew found the most widely used platforms by teens were Snapchat (35%), You Tube (32%) followed by Instagram (15%). The effects of social media came back with mixed reviews, 31% mostly positive, 45% neither positive nor negative, 24% mostly negative effect. . The beauty of the mobile phone is it provides parents with the ability to stay connected with their teen and to know they can reach them in the event of an emergency. Teens look at the phone as a devise to stay connected with peers and to some extent view it as an instrument to measure popularity and acceptance. Parents may find it very tempting to completely unplug their teen’s phone, but before taking that extreme approach understand why they are so attached to them. The teen’s brain reward center reacts to seeing “likes” on social media the same way your pet reacts to a treat. When the reward region is constantly activated it actually rewires the brain and as a result cravings for the trigger develop so the stronger the rewire the greater the craving. The brain becomes accustomed American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 24

to immediate gratification and any sudden cessation could result in behaviors resembling withdrawal. Do you see where we are headed? Any sudden significant phone restrictions will most likely be met with resistance.

BY COL. SUSAN ROGERS, PH.D. What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)? It’s a disorder that can happen to any of us under the right circumstances. By definition, it is a

Professionals recommend establishing social media rules tailored to your situation. Before setting those limits include your teen in the discussion allowing them to share their feelings while you listen with empathy.

reaction to being exposed to a traumatic event

Some family guidelines to consider:

ness, or horror. Just because you may have ex-

• Be a good role model and curtail your own use first.

perienced a traumatic event does not mean you

• Establish technology free zones and hours in the home for everyone to follow, includ ing adults.

look at some of the symptoms.

• No phones in the bedroom during sleep hours.

where a fear of death or harm is imminent. Usually, you have feelings of intense fear, helpless-

will develop PTSD. However, it’s important to

The symptoms of PTSD can vary. Some of the

• Give your children your full attention by checking your mail after they go to bed or before they get up in the morning.

symptoms include reliving the event in what

• Don’t use your phone while in the car with the children, especially when driving; instead use this time to talk to them.

the event or place where it occurred, feeling “on

• Monitor their Facebook page by being a “friend”.

event, nightmares, disturbing memories, trouble

• Think carefully before spying on your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics has even more recommended tips for a family media plan you may wish to consult. Also there is a wide variety of apps available to assist in monitoring phone usage listed on the web. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ family-life/Media/Pages/How-to-Make-aFamily-Media-Use-Plan.aspx Technology is a wonderful thing and as we pioneer through the challenges don’t be afraid to ask questions we are here to help.

some call a flashback, avoiding reminders of guard” or unusually watchful, flashbacks of the

Acutecaretriage.com, we can help you deal with these symptoms in a safe, secure environment using emails, texting, and Zoom. You can participate in private messaging with your clinician and learn how to deal with the problems you’re facing. We can also help you with your family members and the problems they may be dealing with. Our goal is to offer you a protected, trustworthy place to help you navigate the special issues you’re having as a result of serving in the military. Log in today. Be well. This is an original work authored by Col. Susan Rogers, Ph.D.

sleeping or concentrating, feeling numb or detached, angry outbursts, being easily startled, and feeling depressed or guilty. It’s important to note that you may have one or a few of those symptoms, and some may last a shorter time than others last or appear at different times. What’s important is whether the symptoms are affecting your daily functioning. A

t American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 25

TOPICAL ANALGESICS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN BY BOYCE N BERKEL, MD, PHD Pain pills (including narcotics) are commonly prescribed for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, but these often cause side effects, which are sometimes severe. While the issuing of prescriptions is on the rise, filling these prescriptions is becoming much more challenging. Pharmacies nationwide are having their supplies throttled back by the FDA and DEA. Those who legitimately require pain relief in some state, like Maine, cannot get pain medication if they were begging for it. So, what is the alternative?

ing through your liver, gallbladder and gut.

Pain cream. Pain creams (topical analgesics) offer the potential to give the same pain relief provided by the pain pills but with minimal systemic side effects. This article describes the results of a systematic review of the efficacy of pain creams (topical analgesics) in the management of acute and chronic pain conditions. This article is adapted from abstract written for the Mayo Clinic by Charles E. Argoff MD.

Pain Creams were developed, in part, to provide the relief from pain seen with pain pills but without the associated side effects with the pain pills. Application of pain creams produce clinically effective drug concentrations at a local site of injury or inflammation, without resulting in high concentrations of the drug in your system that it increases the likelihood of a reaction.

Strong evidence was identified for the use of topical diclofenac and topical ibuprofen in the treatment of acute soft tissue injuries or chronic joint-related conditions, such as osteoarthritis. Evidence also supports the use of topical lidocaine in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy. Currently, limited evidence is available to support the use of other topical analgesics in acute and chronic pain. Although potentially effective in providing meaningful pain relief, oral administration of regularly prescribed pain pills frequently results in unwanted side effects, which may prevent their ongoing use and result in you having to stop them altogether. For example, narcotics (Hydrocodone, Tramadol, Tylenol 3 and others) are associated with a wide variety of side effects that affect your brain and nerves, including potentially fatal depression of your respirations, addiction, itching, nausea, and severe constipation. These side effects often lead to the need for additional medications for relief of the effects. It’s a never-ending cycle of medications goAmerican Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 26

Use of oral NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, and others) also can result in serious side effects, including bleeding from your stomach, heart complications (such as hypertension and increased risk for a heart attack, and kidney abnormalities or failure. Salicylates, Aspirin and other similar drugs, pain relief through a mechanism similar to that of other NSAIDs and therefore are associated with similar side effects.

pears to be comparable in efficacy to oral ibuprofen in the treatment of chronic knee pain or acute soft tissue injuries. Topical diclofenac also has equivalent efficacy with oral diclofenac in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder. Topical lidocaine therapy can be recommended for use in patients with neuropathic pain, particularly PHN and diabetic neuropathy, and controlled trials have consistently found that such treatment can provide effective analgesia. Topical analgesics offer better tolerability than oral therapy. For example, studies comparing topical and oral NSAIDs have consistently reported more favorable tolerability profiles for topical agents. In general, topical analgesics are devoid of systemic AEs, notably the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular events that often limit the usefulness of oral preparations of opioids, NSAIDs, and salicylates. Although application site reactions are common

with some topical preparations, these generally have been mild, transient, and well tolerated. Topical analgesic therapy using NSAIDs or lidocaine has an important place in the management of acute and chronic pain conditions and warrants further study. Our Chief Medical Officer developed a specific product designed to provide relief to millions who suffer. Painbreak. Six out of every ten Chronic Pain sufferers who try our product, PainBreak, a new topical analgesic available in the Acute Care Triage portal, are getting relief. To get your own pain support, go to the “Useful Links” menu in your Acute Care Triage healthcare portal. Click on pain management, and research the pain creams for yourself. Be well! Boyce N Berkel, MD, PhD

Various factors influence the penetration and absorption of pain creams, including the types of ingredients included in the formula and of course, everybody is different, and their skin absorbs differently. With the skin being the largest organ in the human body, using pain creams is nevertheless a potentially valuable strategy in the management of a variety of conditions associated with acute or chronic pain. This includes acute soft tissue injuries, chronic muscle and joint pain, and various nerve pain disorders. The Mayo Clinic therefore did this study just to evaluate and prove the effectiveness of pain creams in acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is defined as the immediate pain you feel as the result of an injury. Chronic pain is defined as pain that has lasted 3 months or more. Our conclusion is that the available evidence suggests that topical NSAIDs can be recommended for short-term pain relief in patients with acute soft tissue injuries or chronic jointrelated conditions such as osteoarthritis. Topical ibuprofen and topical diclofenac have been widely studied. Topical ibuprofen apAmerican Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 27

YOGA FOR YOU BY TRACY WOOD, CPC, ELI MP, HHA Yoga is more than 5000 years old, and it has stood the test of time. Why? Because it works.

5. Moving from your neck down to your toes, progressively relax your body.

The word yoga originally meant “yoke” and evokes the act of binding together mind, body, and spirit. Originating in the East, Yoga has for some time now been embraced by the West as a foundation for ethical disciplines through its breathing techniques, physical regimen, and meditative context.

6. Focus on your natural breathing with out changing it. Just be aware of it.

Its benefits are many, and for this reason Yoga is practiced by individuals and encouraged by many corporate environments. Healthier individuals make more productive and creative workers.

9. Repeat 12 times, clearing your mind of any intrusive thoughts and focusing on your breathing.

What Yoga Does for You:

7. Inhale, filling your belly with air. 8. Exhale through the nose, navel pulled to your spine.

10. Continue the above deep breathing, this time filling not only your belly but also your rib cage.

Here are just a few of the benefits you can look forward to as you incorporate Yoga into your lifestyle:

11. Exhale, pushing air from your rib cage, then from your belly.

1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

13. Now inhale, filling your belly, your rib cage, and your upper chest, causing it to rise.

Reduced stress, anxiety, and tension Increased physical strength and greater flexibility Better sleep and relaxation Enhanced awareness of life General sense of well-being and peace.

But I don’t know what to do? Is it that dog thing? I don’t want to take a class and be humiliated in public. Start at home. Breathing Technique-Dirga Pranayama Dirga Pranayama is Yoga’s technique of Three-Part Breathing. 1. Choose a quiet, calm place.

12. Repeat 12 times, allowing a sense of wellbeing and peace to fill you up.

14. Exhale, lowering your upper chest, and emptying your rib cage, followed by your belly 15. Repeat 12 times. 16. Eventually, through practice, these 3 progressions will smoothly blend into one uninterrupted motion. Done and dusted. That wasn’t so bad. Be well!

2. Anticipate mentally clearing your mind from your daily preoccupations. 3. Lie down on your back with your arms along your body. 4. Close your eyes, relax your forehead, your lips, your jaws. American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 28

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FRANK'S JOURNEY BY FRANK MAGANA

Platinum Partnership, which was the ultimate

ing happy, healthy and contribution to those

membership within the Tony Robbins enter-

who need our help.

prise. I believed, I could do more to better everything in my life and business.

My name is Frank Maga-

my entire life turned on a dime.

na. I am a highly success-

I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams

ful businessman, a father,

from the first day I went to Tony Robbins event,

and a believer in personal

UPW San Jose. I was in awe on the energy, in-

development coaching.

formation and amount of people at the event.

My personal journey with

There we were 15,000 people, jumping around

my coach, Tony Robbins,

like maniacs, screaming, laughing and partici-

started because I wasn't growing anymore in my

pating, all because this guy heled reach inside

business. I felt as though my staff didn't see my

us, to a better part of ourselves, and show us,

vision as our company’s potential in the busi-

all that we were capable of, in that moment. All

ness. I didn’t feel like I could effectively convey

the information Tony talked about was cutting

my vision. In my home life, I wasn't sure what

edge, and I connected with it right away. What

happiness looked like. I was struggling with my

really stood out for me was idea of Business

marriage and struggling with my family relation-

Mastery. I believed that program was going to

ships. All of this, on top of the tensions with my

change my business for the better.

insurance franchise, it became too much to bear. I signed up for the program, and I have nevA dear friend told me about Tony Robbins, and

er looked back ever since. Business Mastery

how much Tony’s programs had impacted his

helped me immensely. By making simple and

life. What did I have to lose? I went to a semi-

even minor adjustments to my day-to-day op-

nar, Unlash the Power Within, or UPW, and ev-

eration, I increased my business sales three

ery aspect of my life changed.

times over. It also helped me educate my peo-

After UPW, I used the tools and resources,

ple on why we do what we do to, which sub-

from within myself, that I unlocked using Tony’s

sequently turned into an additional increase in

coaching and mentoring. I did my work, every

business.

day. I worked on improving just 1% a day, and

During Business Mastery, I learned about a

American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 32

When I met Tracy Wood, CPC, HHA, I realized she too had studied with Tony. She was a kin-

Platinum Partnership, gave me access to all of

dred spirit and was a practicing Certified Pro-

Tony's seminars, and VIP seating. I was con-

fessional Coach. The creation of our affiliate

nected with other like-minded professional

business has built a platform for anyone who

from all over the world, at the front of the stage.

wants to work on their own personal develop-

I gleaned from these amazing people, more

ment through an affordable medium.

skills, tools, and behaviors I needed to manage

Through www.acutecaretriage.com, we have

risks in business created more opportunity and

gathered affordable Health Sharing Ministry

subsequently money for me and my family. We

products, Personal Development Services with

became a real family of brothers and sisters.

Certified Professional Life Coaches, Wellness,

We meet regularly with Tony and contribute to

Therapy, Nurse Hot Line, Medical Concierge,

the greater good with gratitude and joy.

and so much more. All of these programs are available for less than a cup of coffee a day.

Today, I have the tools to fix the challenges

Like Tony always says, “Life will never be the

that once stopped me in my tracks, all through

same!”

working with a personal development coach. Today, I can see what true wealth is about.

So log in, check out the options, and Be Well!

Wealth is not just about money, it's about be-

American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 33

DO YOU LIKE MY NEW HAT? BY DR. STEPHANIE B NIELSEN, PHARM.D.,CCN

Do I need a new hat? No, you need so stop your hair loss. I noticed recently that it is “cool” again to wear hats more frequently. Well, until I realized that the real reason is increasing hair loss. So what causes hair loss and what can be done about it…..naturally? Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is a by-product of testosterone which is a hormone manufactured in your adrenal glands, hair follicles, testicles and prostate gland. Like testosterone, DHT is an androgen hormone, which means it plays a role in the development of male and female sex characteristics. Elevated levels of DHT have been found to contribute to both enlarged prostate and hair loss. DHT can cause hair follicles to regress and die. This results in premature balding. Specifically, DHT shortens the growth cycle of your hair and increases the resting cycle. Over time, hair in these locations grows less and becomes shorter until it simply does not grow anymore. Genes can make certain hair follicles (usually in the front and crown of the head) especially sensitive to this hormone. Certain herbs naturally block DHT synthesis from causing these actions. However, you should always check with your doctor or health care provider to get information about these herbs or any supplements you might use. Nature is a wonderful source of nutrients that can combat the build up of DHT and potentially decrease hair loss: Pumpkin Seed Eating raw pumpkin seeds is an old-fashioned remedy for the prevention of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In Europe, the German E Commission, a regulatory agency like the U.S. Federal Drug Administration, has approved the use of pumpkin seed and pumpkin seed oil for

American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 34

the treatment of prostate disorders. Pumpkin seed oil is available to be consumed like olive oil in salads or on raw or cooked vegetables or in gel capsules. Pumpkin seed oil is a very dark green almost black oil with a nutty flavor that does not taste pumpkin like. According to the “Physicians’ Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines,” the DHT-blocking effects of pumpkin seed stem from the presence of unusual amino acids such as cucurbitin, as well as several plant steroids, particularly delta-7-sterols.

BHRT Hair loss in men and hormones are closely related. Men go through a similar decline and shift in hormones that women go through during menopause. For men, it's called andropause, also known as "the male menopause." Hormones regulate nearly every function in the body, including hair growth. Fluctuating levels of testosterone resulting from stress and poor diet can impact the body's ability to regenerate hair follicles. The connection between hormones and hair loss is definitive. Your hormones can be augmented naturally with bio identical hormone replacement therapy. The state-of-the-art testing used by the

doctors and practitioners affiliated with Acute Care Triage can assess your testosterone, DHT, thyroid hormones, and cortisol to help you determine if your hair loss is hormonal or genetic. If hormone and/or nutritional levels are imbalanced, natural bio identical hormone replacement therapy paired with a customized nutrition, and supplement program, can bring the levels back to optimal balance and be effective in combating your hair loss. While you cannot fight your genes, you can fight the effects of aging and hormonal imbalance. Bio identical hormone replacement therapy with has the possibility to not only stop or prevent hair loss but also may help you re-grow the hair you have already lost. BY DR. STEPHANIE B NIELSEN, PHARM.D.,CCN

Saw Palmetto Saw palmetto is one of the herbs that block DHT and has been studied extensively. Of particular interest to researchers is the presence of a specific plant sterol found in beta-sitosterol. The anti-androgen effects of this substance are directly related to the inhibition of an enzyme which the body uses to convert testosterone into DHT. In 2010 there was a study that showed low concentrations of a saw palmetto extract was almost as effective as the drug finasteride, used to counter DHT conversion. Saw palmetto is readily available in capsules. Caution should be used not to over do the use of Saw Palmetto or you could experience impotence. Green Tea Research indicates that epigallocatechin3-Gallate, or EGCG, one of the main active constituents of green tea, also blocks the formation of DHT. The Journal of Nutrition 2003 reported that green tea significantly reduced DHT and testosterone concentration in the blood. Green tea has also been found to increase levels of good hormones and improve blood flow to the skin. Drink a few cups of good quality green tea daily or use concentrated green tea capsules or drops.

American Journal of Integrative Medicine, Page 35

THE POWER OF EMOTION THRU HYPNOSIS

What is Gluten

BY ROSIE SCHULMAN, RN.

BY TRACY WOOD, CPC, ELI MP, HHA What are the Non Gluten Flours and Grains?

What is Gluten? Gluten is the protein complex formed when wheat flour is mixed with water.

Amaranth

Potato Flour

The components of gluten are gliadin and

Arrowroot

Potato

glutenin.

Buckwheat

Potato Fries

The gluten is essentially what makes the

Corn

Sweet Potato

dough elastic, cohesive and sticky; it gives

Corn Chips

Rice (white, brown and wild rice)

dough its texture. Gluten has also been used as a generic term for the water-insolu-

Corn Meal

Brown Rice Tortillas

ble proteins found in all cereal grains. It has

Corn on the Cob

Rice Cakes

been added to some processed foods to im-

Corn Tortillas

Rice Crackers

prove the flavor and/or the shelf life of many

Lentil Flour

Rice Flour

products.

Millet

Rice Bran

Polenta What are Gluten Grains?

Sago

Wheat

Couscous

Sorghum

Barley

Kamut

Soy Bean

Rye

Triticale

Soy Flour

Oats

Semolina

Soy Grits

Pumpernickel

Spelt

Tapioca

Hypnosis can be confusing and even intimidating to people. One of the reasons for this is most people’s exposure has only been through entertainment. It leaves us to assume that the subject is not in control of themselves and they would end up barking like a dog, or clucking like a chicken in public. Humiliating at best.

At Acute Care Triage, we stress learning SelfHypnosis techniques that can be used on a daily basis. You can learn these valuable tools by meeting on line with one of our highly trained and certified Hypnotherapists. The resources they teach you will help you to attain your desired results in many areas of your life.

At the most basic level of interpretation, when using Hypnosis, we really are in a state of focused emotional suggestibility. Emotion, not information drives behavior and frames belief. Emotion provides the power for change to occur. If you have enough reasons why, the how is easy, right? Hypnosis is a tool for facilitating that “how” of change.

We have people who use Hypnosis for weight management, sports performance, smoking cessation, pain management and behavioral modification. Log in and give it a try. What do you have to lose? Except maybe some stress. Be well! This is an original work by Rosie Schulman, RN.

You are the story you tell yourself. If you want any change to occur, you need to tell yourself a better story. Focus on the results that you do want, not on the obstacles. For example, we are approaching the silly season, right? The holidays are approaching, and most of us feel a heightened sense of stress. Using the emotional techniques for change, focus your thoughts on the positive results of the holidays. Remove all the negative information that is housed in your brain and stored in the subconscious. This change will occur when you replace the programing that causes stress to a new state of emotional excitement. Now, to really install this new feeling and “program” if you will, you must use visualization. So repeat this process using visualization to enhance and enforce the change.

Bulgur

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