The Role of Hypnosis in Reducing Anxiety Before and After Surgery

A lot of research has been performed using hypnosis either as a stress reducer or as a pain reliever. There are countless studies about the benefits hypnosis has had in these areas. Studies have been performed on cancer patients, people with phantom limb pain, child birth, and dental procedures. Hypnosis has been shown to help reduce anxiety and pain associated with medical procedures. Hypnotherapy has also helped in preparing for a medical procedure and it has also helped the recovery process.

In 1997, a study was performed in Belgium to see whether stress reducing techniques or hypnosis would have a greater effect on relieving stress and pain before, during, and after a medical procedure. The study consisted of sixty patients undergoing plastic surgery using local anesthesia and intravenous sedation. The sixty participants were divided into the stress reducing techniques group and the hypnosis group.

During the medical procedure, both the stress reducing techniques and the hypnosis was performed by the anesthesiologist. Also in the room during the procedures was a psychologist. The psychologist observed patient behavior. Each patient was asked to rate their levels of anxiety, pain, and control before, during, and after their surgery. After the surgery they were also asked to rate their level of nausea.

The Usefulness of Hypnosis in Pediatric Patients

Hypnosis has been shown as being an increasingly beneficial treatment for helping children with medical illnesses. Studies have shown that children in particular are very suggestible and have a good chance of benefiting from hypnosis.

A study was performed in a pediatric pulmonary center from 1998-2000. During this 30 month time period, 303 patients received hypnotherapy for a variety of symptoms and illnesses. All patients were having pulmonary problems including persistent cough, asthma, shortness of breath, and chest pain.

Patients received hypnotherapy to help their pulmonary symptoms due to psychological issues, side effects of medication, and fear of treatment. Some patients received hypnosis even after medical treatment was administered, due to continuation of the symptoms…

Hypnosis Compared to Stress Reducing Strategy in Burn Patients

Any kind of burn, whether it is a first, second, or third degree burn, is painful. In addition to the pain felt from the burn, burn victims have to keep their wounds covered to help the healing process and prevent infection. Patients with severe burns have to go through frequent dressing changes to keep the burned area clean. This process is often very painful.

As you can imagine, being burned can cause a lot of anxiety and stress on the body, both physically and mentally. Anxiety comes from pain, fear of disfigurement, surgery, and the long healing process.

An article was published in the Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries about a study performed in 2001. The study compared the role hypnosis played on badly burned victims to the role stress reducing strategies played in relieving pain related to dressing changes and anxiety.

Guided Meditation Workshop – December 5, 2008

Learning the Art of Meditation

Group Guided Meditation Workshop

Friday, December 5, 2008
6:30pm – 8:00pm

Hosted by Dragonfly Yoga & Pilates Core Center
Location: 176 Route 70, Medford, NJ 08055
Cost: $20/person

Just as when we were children, learning to ride a bike, or read and write, what seemed to come so easily to those around us was completely foreign to us. We had to learn each of these practices and over time, perfected it in our own, unique way. It’s unfortunate that in today’s society we are not taught as children to tap into this amazingly powerful gift that we were all born with, this gift that is stored in the minds of each and every one of us. Luckily, it’s never too late!

Is there scientific evidence that microwaves are dangerous?

About 2 years ago a friend of mine told me that using microwaves to heat food could actually be dangerous and unhealthy. I wasn’t sure if the “evidence” was there or not, but I figured, what would it hurt to spend just one month doing my own experiment. What I found was not only did it NOT hurt, but I felt better than I had felt in years! I had more energy, felt more at ease mentally and emotionally, and even saw improvements in my skin, hair and nails.

Of course, there was that part of me that wondered if it was all just in my head. Knowing what I know about the power of the human mind, this was a definite possibility. In the end, however, I decided that it didn’t matter if it was all in my head, I wasn’t going to use the microwave anyway because I figured, if there was even a chance that it was hurting my health, why take that chance? Besides, food tasted better when I heated it up on the stove or in the toaster oven anyway so it was kind of a win/win.

Shortly after making this decision, my suspicions were confirmed when I went out to a local restaurant. I ordered “steamed” vegetables along with my meal in an effort to make healthier choices even when eating out. Turns out, “steamed” means “microwaved” in many restaurants these days and it didn’t take long before I felt that all too familiar feeling… my nemesis, the MIGRAINE!

Stress Management – How To Stay Stressed (a step-by-step guide)

In this industry I am all about helping people to let go of stress, and find peace withing themselves regardless of what is going on around them. However, I understand that some people don’t want to let go of their stress, it’s their’s and nobody is going to take it from them. It’s basically the equivilent of holding your favorite rock all the way down to the bottom of the ocean.

Since I cannot “make” anybody do anything that they don’t want to do, or change behaviors they don’t want to change, I thought I’d share this little bit of information that I found online on How To Stay Stressed. Just because living a stress-free life is for me, doesn’t mean it’s for everyone, and here are a few reasons why…

Stress helps you seem important:

Anyone as stressed as you must be working very hard and, therefore, is  probably doing something very crucial.

It helps you to maintain personal distance and avoid intimacy.

Anyone as busy as you are certainly can’t be expected to form emotional attachments to anyone.  And let’s face it, you’re not much fun to be around anyway.

It helps you avoid responsibilities.

Obviously you’re too stressed to be given any more work.  This gets you off the hook for all the mundane chores; let someone else take care of them.

Breast Cancer “Awareness” Month

I’ve been inundated lately with articles on breast cancer, mammograms, and so-called “prevention.” With Breast Cancer Awareness month fully upon us once again, retail stores have been invaded with everything pink, including “pink ribbon” candies and personal care products made with blatantly cancer-causing ingredients. Because of this, I feel that natural common sense should also be shared with the interested public.

The decision to receive chemotherapy or not isn’t for me to decide, or judge for anyone. It is very personal, and not something that should be taken lightly. However, I feel that we should all at least be informed of the alternatives before taking such drastic steps. For me personally, it simply didn’t feel right to bring my body to the point of near-death (which is what chemo does) to heal it. Something simply didn’t add up. I will be forever grateful for the path that I chose all those years ago in seeking the truth about a cure instead of just taking someone’s word for it because they had a fancy degree on their wall.

Below you will find a few highlights from a very informative (but long) article I found on NaturalNews.com. I think #10 is my favorite because it is so obvious! When we are faced with what is so obviously common sense, we can see how easily Western society has been conned into believing just about anything. It doesn’t have to be “factual,” simply repeated over and over until it becomes “fact.”

All natural lotion for the skin (Recipe)

Below you will find a link to a recipe for an all natural lotion for the skin that I think you’ll love! It’s both cost effective and beneficial. My sister, who makes all natural salt/sugar scrubs and lip balm, came up with this recipe as well, but is unable to sell it because it only has a shelf life of one month.

I’ve tried all the expensive stuff on my skin, and while it worked, I never really felt comfortable with the chemicals and preservatives I was allowing onto my skin, and eventually into my blood. The lotion below works just as well (if not better), is much less expensive, and preservative and chemical free! Can’t get much better than that…

Click this link… 100% Natural Dry Skin Cream Recipe