By Liz Thompson •
May 13, 2009
I have always loved the idea of aromatherapy and at times (headache, extreme stress…) have tried it. But the idea of having to 1) research which essential oils are appropriate for which need, and 2) buy and combine said oils without coming up with something obnoxious, sounded like more than I wanted to take on. And even though essential oils can be very beneficial they are also very potent and care needs to be taken when using them.
Not long ago Stancie Wilson reported on Nuworld Botanicals Aromatherapy Personals on her blog Fig+Sage, and I just had to try them. They are little rollerball vials that combine aromatherapy and acupressure, along with health benefits of antioxidants, vitamins and 100% certified organic essential oils. Nuworld Botanicals uses a base of 100% certified organic Jojoba oil to dilute the essential oils for safe use.
By Heather Dunham •
April 29, 2009
Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Rockstar, and Monster — laced with high doses of caffeine (up to seven times the amount in a cup of strong coffee, or 14 cans of cola) and other stimulants — have been shown to increase blood pressure, cause heart racing, and increase anxiety, in a study published last fall by Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Another study by Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, published this March, found similar concerns:
The researchers found that healthy adults who drank two cans a day of a popular energy drink experienced a 10-point increase in their blood pressure and a five- to seven-beat increase in heart rate. The study is published in March in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy.
These are “healthy adults” being affected this way. But our children are also downing energy drinks in record numbers, looking for a quick after-school pick-me-up, or as a sports booster, without understanding the real risks. With their smaller bodies, the 50 to 500mg of caffeine typically found in one can will have much greater effects on children. There is also a concern that children are becoming addicted to caffeine because of energy drinks.
In the study, Griffiths highlights the cases of nine patients treated by a US poisons unit after having an energy drink called Redline, which contains 250mg caffeine. Eight of the nine were boys, with the youngest aged 13. Their symptoms ranged from nausea and vomiting to tremors, chest pain and a racing pulse. (guardian.co.uk)
By Amy Bell •
February 1, 2009
Eco-anxiety: the growing anguish experienced by someone who can’t handle the thought that they are in any way contributing to global warming, species extinction, depleting natural resources, and the like.
Does this sound like you? If so, maybe it’s time to seek eco-therapy.
Some experts say all the worst-case scenario/gloom and doom type stories about the environment, which seem to be favored by the media, are taking a mental toll on some people.
Because of this, a new kind of therapy has been developed.
By Jennifer Lance •
January 16, 2008
It is common knowledge that the breast is best for infant’s health, cognitive, and physical development. Breastfeeding is also better for the environment. A new study from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm also claims that children who were breastfed as infants are better able to cope with stress and have less anxiety. Breastfeeding is good for children’s mental health too!
Researchers in Sweden and the United Kingdom collected data on almost 9000 children. They found,
Not surprisingly, children whose parents had divorced or separated were more likely to have high anxiety. But what the researchers found striking was the difference in stress levels between breast-fed and bottle-fed kids. Breast-fed children were significantly less anxious than kids who hadn’t nursed at their mother’s breast.
By Max Lindberg •
December 3, 2007
More and more people are showing up at their therapists these days with signs of what is called eco-anxiety, or fear concerning environmental issues. Santa Fe, NM therapist Melissa Pickett says this unrest has been growing in the last two years, and may be the tip of the iceberg.
Michael d’Estries wrote about Melissa in May, and I had the occasion to interview her recently about this issue, and the field of eco-psychology. [...]
