Since stress seems to be one of the central themes to several modern illnesses we must ask ourselves the following question? What is the rush??? We are all going to the same place… Humans need not only a sense of purpose in life, but a sense of peace, security and order to deal with the challenges of every day life. The sense of urgency and the false deadlines that we impose upon ourselves is what gets our mind running on high gear and disconnects us with our true self.

The five most powerful tools in managing stress are:

A healthy diet
Exercise
Learning to say ‘NO’ – time management
Rejuvenation of your choice: ex: signing, dancing
Meditation

Meditation has been shown to rebalance the nervous system. With meditation, the over-stimulated life with attention directed outward becomes inwardly centered, focused and peaceful. Various meditation programs have documented significant improvement in many common illnesses with regular practice. This practice is so simple; it is right under our nose and does not cost anything.

Here are a few basic steps:

Sit comfortably in a chair, with your back erect, hands comfortably on your thighs, legs uncrossed and feet flat on the floor.

Breathe in slowly through your nostrils and into your abdomen. Feel your abdomen expanding on inhalation and going down on exhalation. If you need to put your hands on your abdomen to feel the movement at first, do it. Try to keep your breathing as normal as possible. If you notice that it is a bit fast, slow it down.

You will notice that thoughts keep coming up. Acknowledge them and let them go (or they will take you for a ride). Go back to the breath. If thoughts are still coming up too fast, focus on an ‘attitude of gratitude’ and keep going back to the breath. (It is the only thing that you own when you stop and think about it.) This is the practice of being in the moment. Repeat the cycle for five minutes, twice a day when beginning. Build your practice up to 20 minutes twice a day or whatever works for you. It gets easier with time and practice. It is better to have a practice of five minutes twice a day than one hour once a week.

Give it a try…you may like it.

For more information on meditation or other anti-stress techniques please contact us at:
CJM LeBlanc HealthWorks, Centreville Mall, 121-342 Main Street, Shediac, N.B. E4P 2E7, tel: (506)533-8885, fax: 532-8644,
e-mail: charlotteleb@rogers.com, web site: www.wellness-healthworks.com

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the number of children breaking their forearms has increased 40 percent in the past 30 years. The change is more dramatic in girls. Many researchers are pointing to soda drinks displacing calcium as a factor in this increase. In another study from the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, researchers found that teenaged girls who drank carbonated beverages have three times the risk of bone fracture as girls who don’t drink sodas at all.

The Harvard Women’s Health Watch (February 2004) suggested that a lack of vitamin D may also be playing a part in an “alarming surge of bone problems”. More than bone may be affected by a lack of the “sunshine” vitamin. Vitamin D supplementation has been found in a Bulgarian study to markedly improve the control of blood sugar in diabetics.

In addition to vitamin D, the cheapest health insurance for the prevention of osteoporosis is fitness, exercise. Researchers at Penn State University and Johns Hopkins University found that exercise is better than calcium for girls' bones. The study showed that even when girls were getting less than the recommended dose of calcium, bone strength was not affected when exercise was a part of the girls’ lives.

Enjoy the sun while doing your favorite outdoor activity…. don't forget your sunscreen.

Disclaimer: The advice detailed in this article assumes that you are a normally healthy adult. The author, publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage suffered by individuals as a result of following advice in this article.


CJM LeBlanc HealthWorks, Centreville Mall, 121-342 Main Street, Shediac, N.B. E4P 2E7, tel: (506)533-8885, fax: 532-8644, e-mail: charlotteleb@rogers.com

What can you do when a day in the sun turns out being a night of torture.

First of all when you notice yourself getting red even before it is dark, hightail yourself inside in a cool bath to lower your skin temperature and rehydrate your skin.

Once out of the bath apply some aloe vera. Break off a piece, open the leaf and rub the gel onto your skin as needed for pain. It contains chemicals that help burns heal. Preparations in the stores can be good if up to 98% pure, but most other preparations don’t work like the real thing.

Ice packs help keep things cool. Place crushed ice in zip lock bags and inside thin towels. Apply to the burned area for 10 minutes, three or four times daily and for two or three days in severe cases.

Drink LOTS…of WATER to replenish what was dehydrated.

Cover up. Once you have burned; it can take up to 4 months for the skin to heal.

Apply sunscreen, grab a cap, and wear sunglasses for protection.

When the body temperature refuses to go down or any other symptoms persist seek medical advice immediately.


Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes and is not meant to diagnose or treat illness.These recommendations are for supporting the body nutritionally, to help it normalize itself regardless of any disease that may or may not be present. Consult a licensed physician for the diagnosis or treatment of any ailment or disease.


CJM LeBlanc HealthWorks, Centreville Mall, 121-342 Main Street, Shediac, N.B. E4P 2E7, tel: (506)533-8885, fax: 532-8644,
e-mail: charlotteleb@rogers.com, web site: www.wellness-healthworks.com