Your Need To Know

I read a very interesting article yesterday in WebMD magazine (July/August issue).  The title of the article is Painful Conversation.

What made this article so interesting to me is the fact that the medical profession is giving more credence to the power of the human mind in dealing with pain.  While I have read other articles on mind and medicine, and Mind-Body Therapies for treating pain,  I was happy to see this article in a mainstream magazine read by so many.

This article is written in a question and answer format, with answers given by Scott M. Fishman, MD.  Here is an excerpt from the article:

Q: What new treatments are you particularly excited about?

A: One has to do with teaching patients how to overcome their pain.  We know that the human mind can create pain but that it also has enormous power to take it away; we can teach people skills that were known to Buddhists hundreds of thousands of years ago.  It’s the same focusing technique athletes use to help them improve their performance.  Take Lance Armstrong on that last hill of the Tour De France.  Even though his legs are burning, he can divert his attention from the pain to the goal of performance.  And you can do this with many different techniques.  In this case, he’s used a cognitive technique to change the internal message, “I’m hurting, I better stop” to “I better keep going but perform differently.”  A pain psychologist teaches these techniques.  What I tell my patients is that pain psychologists are really coaches.  They’re not there to diagnose an illness, but to help you learn techniques to use your brain better – just like you would go to a physical therapist to learn techniques to use your body better.  It’s the same thing.

Q: You’re describing the mind/body connection.

A: Yes.  You can’t have pain without a mind so it’s all connected.  My patients are always afraid I’m going to think their pain is all in their head, that they have a mental illness rather than a physical illness, and ignore the real problem.  I try to counsel them that it’s quite the opposite, that any pain requires a mind and you can’t  have pain without a head; so recognizing that opens up all sorts of opportunities to help cope and reduce suffering.

I think of the mind/body approaches as techniques that tap into the body’s own pharmacy.  Things like mindfulness and biofeedback and cognitive behavioral retraining, or guided imagery, even self-hypnosis.  Things like acupuncture and massage.  We don’t know how these things work, but we’re certain they’re helpful.

Scott M. Fishman, MD, American Pain Foundation president and chairman, is Chief of the Division of Pain Medicine and professor of anesthesiology at the University of California, Davis.  He wrote The War on Pain: How Breakthroughs in the New Field of Pain Medicine Are Turning the Tide Against Suffering.  A University of Massachusetts Medical School graduate, he is board certified in internal medicine, psychiatry, and pain and palliative medicine.

Click the logo to read more on Mind-Body Therapies at WebMD:

Gina

Technorati Tags:Mind-Body Connection, Health, Pain Management

Having some stress in your life is a good thing.  It keeps your mind and body active and more alert.  It only becomes harmful when you have too much of it.  Too much = more than you can cope with.  

Everyone has experienced stress at some point and we all know when we are experiencing it.  Our jobs and family life can be stressful when conflict arises and agreements aren’t easily reached. Stress can make us feel irritable, upset our stomachs, and interrupt our sleep.

Even though we intuitively know what stress is, and despite the obvious signs, defining stress can be difficult. 

Stress is defined as the psychological and physiological conditions a person experiences when they perceive a situation as threatening, harmful or demanding. 

Whether we feel stress or not depends on how we perceive these situations we are facing.  What is stressful for one person may not be for another, and there are many factors that influence how we interpret these situations.  Such as:

• Who you are
• Your personality
• Your overall attitudes
• Your skills
• Other events in your life
• Other people in your life

When you are experiencing stress, you may have some or many of the following symptoms.  You may:

• Become irritable
• Eat poorly
• Develop stomachaches or heartburn
• Have problems sleeping
• Develop tense muscles
• Become ill more often
• Feel like you have too much to do and not enough time to do it
• Feel tired or have a noticeable lack of energy
• Not enjoy your usual pleasures
• Abuse or overuse drugs or alcohol

Once you recognize you have stress and the symptoms that go along with it, you need to choose a way to deal with it.  Here are some ways you can deal with stress:

1. Eat well-balanced meals and get enough sleep
2. Stop worrying about things you can’t change
3. Talk with a trusted friend, family member or counselor
4. Meditate
5. Try to look at change as a positive thing and not as a threat
6. Work to resolve conflicts with other people
7. Do more things that you don’t find stressful, such as sports, social events or hobbies

Develop a stress reduction plan. Once you put a couple of methods in place, you can begin to reduce the stress you are experiencing.  When you have a plan, stress becomes much easier to break down and deal with.  You can break it down piece by piece until it is gone – or at least greatly reduced.

Gina 

 A Timeshare May Be Just What The Doctor Ordered
By Mel Borins, M.D.

When it comes to what ails you, Mel Borins, M.D., a leading authority on Complimentary and Alternative Medicine is likely to recommend…a timeshare vacation.  The author of “Go Away: Just for the Heath of It,” Dr. Borins is an authority on the medical benefits of vacationing and a foremost proponent of the health advantages of timesharing.

According to recent data, Americans took 10 percent less vacation time in 2003 than they did during the previous year – an average of 8.1 days – which is less than any other industrialized nation in the world.

Results from one study showed that women who vacation at least twice a year have a 50 percent less chance of dying of heart disease compared with those who don’t take vacations.  Likewise, men who take more frequent vacations reduce their risk of dying of heart disease by almost 30 percent.

This alarming trend and compelling research has Americans working towards a health crisis.  Vacations of a week or longer can provide both a mental and physical break that doctors believe reduces stress and restores health.

In his role as staff member of St. Joseph’s Health Center and faculty member of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto,  Dr. Borins encourages people to maximize their available vacation time as part of a healthy lifestyle.

“To ensure I use my vacation time,” said Dr. Borins, “I became a timeshare owner and joined a timeshare exchange program to help create a structure for vacationing in my life that ensures I take at least one seven-day vacation every year.”

The top five reasons timeshare vacations are healthy:

Reason #1.  Gotta Get Away
As our hectic lives wear us down, it is imperative to take time to recharge our batteries and get off the treadmill of our lives, according to Dr. Borins.  Because the commitment has been made up front, timeshare owners are much more likely to take their pre-paid vacations.  And research indicates timeshare owners are more likely to take longer and more frequent vacations.

Reason #2.  No Surprises!
Unmet expectations can ruin a vacation and add to stress, especially when a vacation is filled with unwanted surprises.  The majority of timeshare owners (80 percent) cite the certainty of getting quality accommodations as a prime appeal of vacation ownership.

Reason #3.  Home Away from Home
Vacations rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit, but some people may be concerned that eating in restaurants day after day may lead to weight gain.  Timeshares offer all the conveniences of home while on vacation, including full kitchens that can accommodate special dietary needs and help people stay on their diets. 

Reason #4.  Comfortably Close
More than 80% of timeshare resorts offer two or three-bedroom units, which can enhance family togetherness with extra living space, while separate bedrooms accommodate individual schedules, preferences, and privacy.

Reason #5.  The Healthy Social Butterfly
According to a study by Flinders University in Australia, having a network of friends and being social is as beneficial for good health as diet and exercise.   As a timeshare owner and RCI member, you belong to a community of more than three million members, who interact with each other both online and in person, sharing vacation stories and photos, and the common language of timesharing and timeshare exchange.

“Taking a vacation is one of the best ways I know to break the pattern of daily stress,” said Borins.  “Don’t wait until you face a serious illness before you re-evaluate your life – Go away, just for the health of it.”

The above article was published at SelfGrowth.com.  As a timeshare owner myself at Westgate Resorts in Orlando, this struck a chord with me and I can relate to much of what Dr. Borins is saying.   I simply love having the accommodations for my vacations totally taken care of and worry free.  

After launching this web site, I decided to participate in Westgate’s Owner Referral Program.  As an owner, I receive rewards points for those taking advantage of a discounted vacation stay.  Of course, the purpose of this promotion is to introduce you to Westgate Resorts and solicit sales of timeshare periods.   This may or may not be for you, but your only obligation is to listen to their 90-minute presentation.  In exchange, you can stay at one of nine fabulous resorts including Myrtle Beach, Orlando, and Las Vegas.   This is really a win-win situation for all.  Everyone benefits.  The accommodations are fantastic and the price can’t be beat! For more information, click Westgate Resorts. 

Gina