Alternative Practices | Breathe Network

Breathe Better, Quit Smoking

: Image by KoFahu meets the Mitropa via Flickr

Breathwork practitioners alter and control their breathing to reach a deep state of meditation. Smokers may find that even normal breathing is difficult, and deep breathing exercises may be more painful than relaxing. It’s hard to practice breathwork when you can’t even breathe regularly and normally. Want to breathe better? Quit smoking!

Easier said than done, of course. Smoking is addictive, and cigarettes are filled with damaging, cancer-causing chemicals. Even quitting smoking can feel like a lose-lose scenario; not only are smokers forced to give up something they truly enjoy, but there is a lot of fear that kicking the habit will lead directly to weight gain. No one wants to kick one bad habit only to pick up another, like overeating.

Electronic cigarettes provide a clean, safe alternative to ordinary cigarette smoking. Rather than inhaling cancer-causing chemicals and lung-damaging tobacco, electric cigarette smokers puff on a small amount of nicotine and water vapor. The nicotine provides the chemical that smokers are addicted to, the water vapor creates a wispy, smoke like effect. Because electronic cigarettes look and feel like real cigarettes, smokers will still enjoy the motion and the action of puffing away. Often, cigarettes are used to keep hands occupied, and many smokers find that they are addicted to the movement of smoking as much as the cigarettes themselves.

Breathwork is a lot easier practitioners who can actually breathe. In breathwork, it’s necessary to control the pace and flow of breath to achieve a deep, meditative state. For some smokers, even drawing a single deep breath creates coughing and pain—side effects that make it difficult, if not impossible, to achieve the meditative state that breathwork is meant to produce. Turn the page on cigarette smoking, and start quitting today to breathe better tomorrow.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, Breathwork Groups, Health, Resources Tagged With: Breathing, Cigarette, Electronic cigarette, Health, Nicotine, Smoking cessation, Tobacco smoking, Water vapor

How Long Does Alcohol Rehabilitation Last?

Alcohol addiction strikes all kinds of people across the United States. The ages for alcohol addiction range from as young as thirteen years of age to senior citizens that are eighty years old. The people that fall within this group come from all walks of lifel. When this disease strikes the best course of action is to seek help immediately. The time it takes to recuperate from alcohol dependency varies depending on the degree of the addiction as well as the commitment of the individual to living a clean and sober lifestyle.

Alcohol addiction is most commonly treated through rehabilitation programs. Alcohol rehabilitation programs identify the cause of the addiction and set a course of action to rid the addict of the need for this substance. These programs range from nightly meetings to inpatient programs. The amount of treatment required is dependent on the severity of the individual. Many people start out with an inpatient treatment program to allow them the time to detox as well as identify the trigger of their addiction. Once they have successfully completed the program it is necessary to maintain sobriety by attending alcohol anonymous meetings. These meetings are provided almost daily for anyone with an alcohol addiction problem.

Most people who struggle with alcohol addiction will be in treatment for the remainder of their lives. This is due to the fact that alcohol is not only very addictive but readily available to the addict. Therefore it is necessary to attend meetings on at least a weekly basis to ensure that there is not a chance of relapse. Those who do not attend these meetings find that it is harder to continue to live a sober lifestyle. This is because the meetings provide a supportive atmosphere that fosters sobriety and provides an outlet for the emotions that come with alcohol addiction.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, Health Tagged With: Alcoholism, Substance abuse, United States

The health benefits of drinking wine

: Image via Wikipedia

Even things that are seemingly bad for the health and can impair vision and judgment may actually be beneficial when taken in moderation. Wine, for example, has a growing number of supporters as not only a relaxing beverage to take while winding down from a stressful day or while enjoying a nice meal, but as a useful agent to combat disease, most notably cancer.

Surprisingly enough, it’s the alcohol content of wine that actually acts serves in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Yes, alcohol thins the blood but it also raises levels of good cholesterol, and the flavanoids found in wine act as antioxidants in the bloodstream, keeping harmful free radicals at bay.

In addition, the resveratrol found in wine works to lower the amount of blood clotting in the body and produces anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially strengthen the heart and lower the risk for coronary heart disease.

So the question is…what wine is best? Instead of getting into the argument of Cabernet v. Chardonnay, simply judge by the color of the grape (for example, red wine carries more resveratrol than white simply by the way it is made).

However, as with all good things, too much wine can be detrimental to wellness and slide one backward in a hurry, both figuratively and literally. Drinking too much alcohol often leads to dehydration, weight gain, and migraines. And perhaps more than anything, drinking too much tends to make you useless the next day. Remember moderation in all things as rule #1 in living and maintaining a healthy, happy life.

“All things in moderation” stands as a maxim that anyone looking to live a long, healthy life should espouse as sacred. Even too much oxygen will cause a healthy person to pass out. Too much water will drown a man. And too much sunshine, well, it’s easy to know what that will do.Even things that are seemingly bad for the health and can impair vision and judgment may actually be beneficial when taken in moderation. Wine, for example, has a growing number of supporters as not only a relaxing beverage to take while winding down from a stressful day or while enjoying a nice meal, but as a useful agent to combat disease, most notably cancer. Surprisingly enough, it’s the alcohol content of wine that actually acts serves in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Yes, alcohol thins the blood but it also raises levels of good cholesterol, and the flavanoids found in wine act as antioxidants in the bloodstream, keeping harmful free radicals at bay.In addition, the resveratrol found in wine works to lower the amount of blood clotting in the body and produces anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially strengthen the heart and lower the risk for coronary heart disease. So the question is…what wine is best? Instead of getting into the argument of Cabernet v. Chardonnay, simply judge by the color of the grape (for example, red wine carries more resveratrol than white simply by the way it is made). However, as with all good things, too much wine can be detrimental to wellness and slide one backward in a hurry, both figuratively and literally. Drinking too much alcohol often leads to dehydration, weight gain, and migraines. And perhaps more than anything, drinking too much tends to make you useless the next day. Remember moderation in all things as rule #1 in living and maintaining a healthy, happy life.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, General Discussion, Health Tagged With: Alcoholic beverage, Heart disease, Wine

The Cost of Breathing – The Pros and Cons of O2 Bars

: Image by dannyman via Flickr

The fact is that paying extra for something even the most corrupt gangsters couldn’t possibly corner the market on is a much more common occurrence than most people realize. But what is the value-add to spending hard-earned money on something that surrounds us everyday and is accessible for free, no matter who we are, what we do, or where we live?

The fact is that some areas of the world don’t have adequate breathing air and oxygen bars rose out of necessity more than fad. Air stations became popular in overcrowded, badly polluted areas of Asia including the downtowns of Tokyo and Beijing. However it was in Toronto that the first official oxygen bar took root in 1996. Catering to a growing numbers of fans, looking to try something new and inexplicable, the trend continued to spread throughout North America into bars, restaurants, malls, and spas in virtually every area from coast to coast.

Some claim that because oxygen is quite literally the end all, be all of human existence and the very lifeblood of life, too much O2 can never be enough. Proponents will only look to diminishing levels of air quality in most urban areas of the world and claim that better breathing will only lead to better health and wellness, and that purer oxygen, even taken in smallish doses, will do much to enliven the bloodstream and fight disease through a bolstering of the immune system. While this is true in theory, it remains to be seen scientifically whether or not oxygen bars make enough difference in the overall wellness of humans more than it does in hyping an industry with the “next best thing.”

It seems odd to see people sitting at a bar, with a noticeable absence of drinks in their hands but instead sporting strange tubes from their noses. It may seem stranger still to learn that these people, some of whom must be relatively intelligent, are paying good money to purchase the oxygen flowing from one of many colorful lit hookah-ish contraptions, and sometimes at a premium price. Money. For oxygen. Really? What’s next, bottled water?The fact is that paying extra for something even the most corrupt gangsters couldn’t possibly corner the market on is a much more common occurrence than most people realize. But what is the value-add to spending hard-earned money on something that surrounds us everyday and is accessible for free, no matter who we are, what we do, or where we live?The fact is that some areas of the world don’t have adequate breathing air and oxygen bars rose out of necessity more than fad. Air stations became popular in overcrowded, badly polluted areas of Asia including the downtowns of Tokyo and Beijing. However it was in Toronto that the first official oxygen bar took root in 1996. Catering to a growing numbers of fans, looking to try something new and inexplicable, the trend continued to spread throughout North America into bars, restaurants, malls, and spas in virtually every area from coast to coast. Some claim that because oxygen is quite literally the end all, be all of human existence and the very lifeblood of life, too much O2 can never be enough. Proponents will only look to diminishing levels of air quality in most urban areas of the world and claim that better breathing will only lead to better health and wellness, and that purer oxygen, even taken in smallish doses, will do much to enliven the bloodstream and fight disease through a bolstering of the immune system. While this is true in theory, it remains to be seen scientifically whether or not oxygen bars make enough difference in the overall wellness of humans more than it does in hyping an industry with the “next best thing.”

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, General Discussion, Health Tagged With: Alternative, Bottled water, Immune system, Oxygen

It takes more than a good scent to be therapeutic

: Image via Wikipedia

Other forms of therapy find a place between these two extremes, carrying both physical and emotional/spiritual benefits. One such example is aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy, in its truest, best form, comes from nature itself, usually from the very essence of plant oils. Generations have espoused the healing and curative aspects of aromatherapy, as the pungent and pervading odors of these essences enter the body and, depending on the oil, do much to promote the ongoing health of body, mind, and spirit.

Along with essential oils, aromatherapy embraces the use of other natural ingredients from a variety of sources. Along with minerals such as sea salt and natural sugars which serve as excellent exfoliates, some cultures have perfected the use of the land itself – in the form of mud and clay – as ways for the body to not only cleanse itself through the abrasive cleansing nature of the dirt, but through the very aroma of the land, with the minerals and nutrients it holds.

On the flipside, there are many products on the market that claim to be true agents of aromatherapy, yet carry very little, if any, natural essence of any kind. As a general rule, products that carry any kind of chemical of artificial ingredients intended to mimic the effects of natural essences are not considered true agents of aromatherapy. It takes more than simply “smelling good” to call itself therapy. Always look to the ingredients to ensure the product you buy can deliver on its promises.

People tend to seek out relaxing and stimulating therapy in variety of ways. Some enjoy the soothing calm that comes with a good body massage or something as simple as a foot rub – a simple form of therapy that enlivens the senses and promotes good feelings. Other kinds of therapy venture deeper then the physical, through awareness techniques, meditation, and through the work of professional therapists who deal directly with the emotional and sometimes spiritual aspects of wellness and healing.Other forms of therapy find a place between these two extremes, carrying both physical and emotional/spiritual benefits. One such example is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy, in its truest, best form, comes from nature itself, usually from the very essence of plant oils. Generations have espoused the healing and curative aspects of aromatherapy, as the pungent and pervading odors of these essences enter the body and, depending on the oil, do much to promote the ongoing health of body, mind, and spirit.Along with essential oils, aromatherapy embraces the use of other natural ingredients from a variety of sources. Along with minerals such as sea salt and natural sugars which serve as excellent exfoliates, some cultures have perfected the use of the land itself – in the form of mud and clay – as ways for the body to not only cleanse itself through the abrasive cleansing nature of the dirt, but through the very aroma of the land, with the minerals and nutrients it holds.On the flipside, there are many products on the market that claim to be true agents of aromatherapy, yet carry very little, if any, natural essence of any kind. As a general rule, products that carry any kind of chemical of artificial ingredients intended to mimic the effects of natural essences are not considered true agents of aromatherapy. It takes more than simply “smelling good” to call itself therapy. Always look to the ingredients to ensure the product you buy can deliver on its promises.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, Health, Resources, Techniques Tagged With: Alternative, Aromatherapy, Essential oil, Massage

Real Men Eat Raw Eggs

: Image via Wikipedia

But there are some who would say that cooking an egg is the worse possible thing one can do. It would be heresy, they would state, to ruin something widely consider to be a literal “super food.” Placing heat on the egg divests the egg of its base nutritional superpower, and thereby can actually be made bad for human consumption. This argument is based on the way human beings consume protein, of which eggs have a plentitude. Scientific research has supported the notion, to a certain extent, that humans digest meat and animal products (e.g. eggs) more efficiently in their natural raw state. Cooking, as it were, changes the literal chemistry of the egg and can produce mutations in its molecular structure, as well as unwelcome protein links that have been linked to a number of health related disturbances. Translation–cooking an egg destroys its “perfect food” reputation and creates a toxic mess compared to the perfectly pure source of protein, vitamins, and minerals found in a raw egg.

Yet raw eggs, as any raw meat or animal products, do carry a risk of spreading salmonella bacterium, which can have extremely adverse effects on humans. Diarrhea, extreme abdominal pain, and nausea are but a few of the symptoms this bacterium causes. However, research has shown that salmonella has little to no effect on healthy people, made healthier, perhaps, by eating raw eggs. Which begs the question, which came first?

There are very few foods in the world as wholesome, and yet as simple, as the egg. Whether it be from a chicken, a quail, or something as elusive as the ostrich egg (impossible to flip with a normal spatula), eggs are a self-encased, wholesome source of protein and one of the few foods on earth that carries natural vitamin D. Scrambled, poached, sunny-side up, even hard-boiled–there are as many ways to enjoy the egg as there are delicious meals that include them as an ingredient. But there are some who would say that cooking an egg is the worse possible thing one can do. It would be heresy, they would state, to ruin something widely consider to be a literal “super food.” Placing heat on the egg divests the egg of its base nutritional superpower, and thereby can actually be made bad for human consumption. This argument is based on the way human beings consume protein, of which eggs have a plentitude. Scientific research has supported the notion, to a certain extent, that humans digest meat and animal products (e.g. eggs) more efficiently in their natural raw state. Cooking, as it were, changes the literal chemistry of the egg and can produce mutations in its molecular structure, as well as unwelcome protein links that have been linked to a number of health related disturbances. Translation–cooking an egg destroys its “perfect food” reputation and creates a toxic mess compared to the perfectly pure source of protein, vitamins, and minerals found in a raw egg. Yet raw eggs, as any raw meat or animal products, do carry a risk of spreading salmonella bacterium, which can have extremely adverse effects on humans. Diarrhea, extreme abdominal pain, and nausea are but a few of the symptoms this bacterium causes. However, research has shown that salmonella has little to no effect on healthy people, made healthier, perhaps, by eating raw eggs. Which begs the question, which came first?

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, General Discussion, Health, Resources Tagged With: Eggs, Food and Related Products, Protein

Sports Drinks vs. Energy Drinks

: Image via Wikipedia

On the other side of the fence, energy drinks, the more frenetic, heavy metal cousin to the traditional sports drink, are becoming increasingly popular with a crowd looking for a quick upper––something to get them through a class or help them stay up later at night. Like with sports drinks, the makers of these beverages make claims that their product is a safe way to revitalize and enliven the body, and do it better than anything else on the market. These so-called energy drinks may do just that, for a time, but there isn’t a secret component or some space age chemically concocted über-ingredient making this heroic change happen in the body. It’s the old standbys––caffeine and sugar––that drive energy drinks to the popularity they enjoy, yet they do nothing in the long run to promote the wellness that many really desire.

Sports drinks, on the other hand, do have some real restorative benefits and can be a valuable source of replenishment especially during workouts. Sports drinks, when taken during exercise or warm down periods, provide the body with a smaller number of sugars it can use as energy during exercise. These drinks also include electrolytes, which enhance hydration and replenish the body with the necessary sodium, potassium, and chloride it loses through perspiration. And even Gatorade, the granddaddy of all sports drinks, has worked hard to position its product as a workout supplement, not a casual soft drink.

During workouts, sports drinks can be a quick, tasty source of hydration and a much-needed energy boost as they refuel the body with glycogen. But they should not replace water as the ultimate source of hydration, especially during downtimes when the body is less active. And as in all things, take in moderation.

Ever since the advent of the Gatorade, sports drinks have been all the rage, especially for wannabe athletes who think that these drinks will not only help them hydrate faster and replenish those essential minerals and electrolytes, but will actually make them better athletes, cause them to jump higher, run faster, and hit a ball farther than ever before. That is if you believe the ads.On the other side of the fence, energy drinks, the more frenetic, heavy metal cousin to the traditional sports drink, are becoming increasingly popular with a crowd looking for a quick upper––something to get them through a class or help them stay up later at night. Like with sports drinks, the makers of these beverages make claims that their product is a safe way to revitalize and enliven the body, and do it better than anything else on the market. These so-called energy drinks may do just that, for a time, but there isn’t a secret component or some space age chemically concocted über-ingredient making this heroic change happen in the body. It’s the old standbys––caffeine and sugar––that drive energy drinks to the popularity they enjoy, yet they do nothing in the long run to promote the wellness that many really desire.Sports drinks, on the other hand, do have some real restorative benefits and can be a valuable source of replenishment especially during workouts. Sports drinks, when taken during exercise or warm down periods, provide the body with a smaller number of sugars it can use as energy during exercise. These drinks also include electrolytes, which enhance hydration and replenish the body with the necessary sodium, potassium, and chloride it loses through perspiration. And even Gatorade, the granddaddy of all sports drinks, has worked hard to position its product as a workout supplement, not a casual soft drink. During workouts, sports drinks can be a quick, tasty source of hydration and a much-needed energy boost as they refuel the body with glycogen. But they should not replace water as the ultimate source of hydration, especially during downtimes when the body is less active. And as in all things, take in moderation.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, General Discussion, Health Tagged With: Beverages, Electrolyte, Soft drink, Sports drink

The Benefits of Stretching at the Workplace

: Image via Wikipedia

Many office professionals find themselves siting at their desks for hours on end, many for as long as eight or nine hours without taking more than a bathroom break or grabbing a quick bite to eat. But sitting in one single, sometimes overly tense position for too long can lead to undue soreness, muscle and joint pain, and a decided lack of work production.
By taking just a few moments during the workday to take pause and do some simple stretching exercises, fatigued workers can get some much-needed rejuvenation and do much to avoid the kind of stiffness in the neck, shoulders and back that can lead to serious injury.
Every few hours, scoot back from the computer keyboard and a take a few minutes to stretch the neck. Look straight ahead, relax the shoulders, take the right hand and gently reach over the head and press down on the left side of the head at the temple. Slowly draw the head to the right, bringing it closer to the right shoulder, stretching the left side of the neck and back. Hold in that position for five seconds and slowly release. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side. This simple and quick stretch will relieve tension and stress pain in the neck, shoulder, and upper back.
For another quick and easy exercise, assume the same position; shoulders relaxed, face forward. With the right hand, press against the right side of the chin, turning the head to the left. Put easy pressure on the chin until the head is facing over the left shoulder and hold for five seconds. Slowly release, and repeat the stretch on the other side. Remember to keep the shoulders square and relaxed.
These simple office desk stretches are quick and easy to perform, and coupled with constant hydration throughout the day will result in less stiffness and soreness, a clearer mind, and better work performance.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, Health, Techniques Tagged With: Health, Stress, Stretching

Shake the Blues with The Awareness Technique

: Image via Wikipedia

There are several symptoms to depression, whether it be chronic or the occasional blues many people feel every day. These symptoms can sometimes prove debilitating, including extended bouts of exhaustion, loss of appetite, prolonged sadness or excessive crying, even low energy and a significant loss of concentration. But one thing these and other symptoms of depression have in common is that they all tend to find root in an overall reluctance to engage with the outside world. Depression by its very nature leads to withdrawal. Even extremely minor bouts of depression, such as being in a bad mood, can cause some to go for a walk, hide in their room, or take a solitary drive just to “get away.”

It stands to reason that for those who are feeling the blues, and are experiencing minor bouts of depression that aren’t part of a major illness, they can treat themselves by working to become more aware and attempting to engage with the world around them in a more meaningful way. One technique that works is an exercise of heightened awareness, or a conscious paying of attention to even the most mundane, minute details around them. By choosing to engage the world in this fashion, many have found a real sense of peace and have been able to rise from the doldrums.

Take a walk, and be hypersensitive to what you see, feel, hear, smell, even taste. Pay particular focus to things that would normally seem meaningless or mall; a bump in the road (I sense the way my foot feels when I step on that bump), or a chirping of a bird (I hear the sound of a bird chirping). Speak these nuggets of awareness out loud so they can enter your being and connect you to the world around you. Pay particular attention to senses that may be underserved in your environment (I feel the way the wind passes my face; I taste my gum and feel the way its juices roll down my throat, etc.).

Through simple awareness techniques like this one, life will regain its color and the cobwebs of confusion will slowly lift away.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, General Discussion, Health, Techniques Tagged With: Depression, Disorders, Mental health

Some Truth About the Health Benefits of Fasting

Fasting, or the abstaining from food and water for a predetermined amount of time, and has long been a practice performed by many for a variety of reasons. Some have used fasting as a passively resistant way to speak out for a political or social cause. Others fast as a means to spiritual enlightenment, recognizing that the discipline it takes to stay away from food and water for a time opens the soul and prepares one for spiritual refection and the receiving of enlightenment and inspiration.
But in the world of physical well being, many believe that a regularly scheduled fast does much to promote overall wellness, serves as a means to cleanse the body of toxins and other harmful materials, and can be an excellent catalyst for weight loss.
With regards to fasting and weight loss, there is good news and bad news. The upside is that during times when food and water are not introduced to the body, the body takes what it needs to survive from energy stores and thereby causes the body to lose weight. Some fasts focus on particular food groups and can serve as “cleanses” in ridding the body of toxins, including excess fat. However the downside is that weight loss may only be temporary as the body naturally kicks against the effects of fasting by slowing down the metabolism, only to increase it again once a more normal diet is restored (thus adding the weight back on). In addition, excessive fasting coupled with a level of mental disturbance and a destructive obsession to lose weight can lead to certain eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa.
However, it is interesting to note that those who fast on a regular basis have shown an inexplicable increase in lifespan while other studies have shown a connection to fasting and a reduced risk of clogged arteries (the build-up of plaque that can lead to heart attacks and strokes). However, these “side effects” are still being studied and no conclusive evidence supports the results.

Filed Under: Alternative Practices, Health Tagged With: Fasting, Metabolism, Weight loss