Green Options » stress

Healthcare and Wellness for All

John Ivanko — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:59:10 +0000

As my wife and I write about in ECOpreneuring, if good health is important – and it should be for everyone – then a regular exercise routine along with eating right becomes a feature in our sustainable lifestyle, whether you walk around the block, do yoga or work out three times a week at a local YMCA like we do. Or go for a hike in the woods instead of watching more TV.

Remember the last time you had the flu or a lingering cold? Get much done? When we’re healthy, we take our good health for granted. Despite what our politicians and healthcare providers might suggest, good healthcare does not necessarily provide good health. Our lifestyle and daily habits contribute to feeling great just about every day of the year.

Some companies provide a good healthcare plan when it comes to physician access and medical coverage. But what does that matter when the stress-filled, unhealthy environment in a cubicle – with no access to the outdoors and fresh air – ends up giving us poor health? The American healthcare system is great – perhaps the best in the world – if we crashed in our car. It’s designed for treatment, not prevention. It’s a healthcare system based on the poor health of relatively well-off people who can pay (by credit or otherwise) for the services it provides.

Given all the debate on a national healthcare plan offered by the United States, below are a few promising trends many people are discovering.

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Convenient Aromatherapy Personals by Nuworld Botanicals

Liz Thompson — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:31:36 +0000

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.

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Tips for Eating to Reduce Inflammation

Amy Bell — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 15:37:29 +0000

Studies have shown that many illnesses (including several types of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease) are largely influenced by chronic inflammation in the body.

Prolonged inflammation causes the immune system to become off balance, and can result in damage to healthy tissue.

Poor diet is a main contributor to chronic inflammation, but several lifestyle factors such as lack of exercise, and excessive stress can promote inflammation as well.

Many health and nutrition experts are now starting to emphasize the importance of following an anti-inflammatory diet.

Here are a few tips to get you started on your way to less inflammation and better health:

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Why you Should Craft When Times are Tough

Kelly Rand — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:31:52 +0000

If you haven’t heard the economy is in the drink. It seems every time I turn around there is more news of another bank or company on the brink, with no foreseeable end in sight.

We’ve heard the comparisons that this recession looks very much like the great depression. It is hitting everyone’s pocket book, no matter your socioeconomic status. This free fall to the bottom isn’t discriminating.

So why should you craft when there is even less disposable income for you to play with? Well here are my top reasons you should craft when times are tough:

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Baby Essentials That Aren’t, Part 3: Strollers

Heather Dunham — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:35:20 +0000

Open any pregnancy or baby book, and you’ll find that list: the baby essentials, the things you absolutely cannot live without. While many accessories are easily recognized as frivolous, certain items are truly indispensable: the basic necessities for life with a baby.

Or are they?

In this weekly series, we’ll be looking at several baby essentials that really aren’t. They may be useful in certain situations, but if money or space is tight, or if you’re just looking to simplify and reduce consumerism and waste, here’s how to get along just fine without these so-called “essentials.“

In Part 1, we questioned the crib. Part 2 bemoaned the bucket. This week, let’s scrutinize the stroller.

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8 Easy Nutrition Tips to Combat Stress

Amy Bell — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:59:17 +0000

Stress… it’s something we deal with on a daily basis. Some of us take it all in stride, others let it build up to the breaking point.

When we experience stress too often, our autonomic nervous system rarely has a chance to activate the relaxation response. This can eventually lead to physical or emotional illnesses such as high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, and depression to name just a few.

Making simple diet changes can help reduce stress, here are a few tips to get you started:

(Remember to always use organically grown foods when possible, it’s healthier for you and for the planet.)

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10 Health Benefits of Drinking Tea

Amy Bell — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 18:42:13 +0000

Black, green, white, and oolong teas all come from the same plant known as Camellia Sinensis.

The more processing the leaves of the plant undergo, the darker they will turn. (Green and white being steamed quickly, black and oolong being dried and fermented.)

Regardless of the processing method, brewed tea not only tastes good, but can have many health benefits as well;

Tea contains antioxidants. Antioxidants can help slow down the aging process, and help cells regenerate and repair. Many studies suggest antioxidants also assist our bodies in preventing cancer.
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Do you have what it takes to become an ecopreneur?

Scott Cooney — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:40:12 +0000

Everyone’s had a dream to start a green business.

Well, at least everyone reading this blog. But where to begin? You have an idea. You have some skills. Maybe you have some experience in the field. Perhaps you have some startup capital. Are these things enough for you to become a successful ecopreneur? Maybe most importantly, do you know what you’re doing?!

Let’s say you love the idea of organic agriculture, and want to support organic farmers. You hang out a shingle as an organic foods broker, offering to represent organic farmers in promoting their goods in your community among local grocers, restaurants, and coffee shops. You get a bunch of people willing to sign up and give you a cut of their proceeds if you’ll get them into your local market, and all seems good until you pick up the phone and start to call the restaurant on the corner by your house. Wait. You’re a cold-calling salesman? Really? How did this happen?

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New Pharmacy Research: Holy Basil has Anti-Aging Properties

Derek Markham — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:26:54 +0000

Stressed out?

Feeling old?

Holy Basil helps your immune system to help you!

Research recently presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference found that holy basil extract was effective at searching for and eliminating harmful molecules and protecting against damage caused by free radicals in organs.

The researchers, led by Dr Vaibhav Shinde from Poona College of Pharmacy, Maharashtra, India, studied the herb for anti-oxidant and anti-ageing properties.

Dr Shinde said: “The study validates the traditional use of herb as a youth-promoting substance in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. It also helps describe how the herb acts at a cellular level.”

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Herbal Remedies: 8 Natural Methods for Relief from Childhood Canker Sores

Jennifer Lance — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:39:12 +0000

My daughter has been complaining that her mouth hurts, and I thought nothing of it because she said she scratched her cheek with her fingernail. Yesterday, I finally looked in her mouth, and there was a huge canker sore, which is a small mouth ulcer. Canker sores can be caused by a minor injury to the mouth, such as my daughter’s fingernail, as well as bacteria, a faulty immune system, stress, certain foods (chocolate, coffee, strawberries, etc.) and/or a diet lacking B vitamins. I wondered if the flush of strawberries from the garden had been impacting my daughter’s canker sore, as well as her weekend full of ballet performances added stress to her little body. There is also some evidence that toothpastes containing SLS, like Tom’s of Maine, may contribute to canker sores.

Most canker sores heal on their own within two weeks, but due to my daughter’s pain, I decided to treat it naturally with herbs and homeopathy that we already had in our home. There are other recommended herbs not included in this list, but this list reflects our current regime without making a special trip to town.

Calcarea Carbonica: This homeopathic remedy is often recommended for canker sores, but like all homeopathic remedies, the remedy needs to be selected based on the individual’s symptoms beyond the sore itself. Homeopathy takes a holistic approach when choosing the correct remedy. Borax is more often used for canker sores than calcarea carbonica, but since CC is also a remedy for cradle cap, we already had it.

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By Exposing Participants to Infuriating Computer Activities, Scientists Prove that Nature Posters Reduce Anger & Stress

Levi Novey — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:00:21 +0000

Many of us have been there at one time or another: working in an office or room with empty, white walls. It can make you want to a) either hang something on the walls or b) blow your brains out. Of course, this is assuming that the environment you are in has an effect on you. Scientists recently put the question to the test. Would hanging nature posters on the walls of an office reduce the stress and anger levels of people working in the office?

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Breastfeeding Reduces Anxiety in Children

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:47:43 +0000

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.

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On Rest and Travel with Sara Snow

Elizabeth Redmond — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:53:30 +0000

The holiday season is hectic and stressful for many, but the aspect that often gets consumed by other activities is the fact that we get a few days off of work. In light of vacation and travel I decided to interview a close source of wisdom- my sister, TV show host, and Natural Living Expert, Sara Snow. First, Sara and I talked about the importance of taking a break from the daily grind, then she gave us a few tips on traveling lightly and with intension.

Sara, why is it so important to rest and disconnect?
“Life is about balance, and I know first hand that life can be extremely busy. Sometimes you have to be able to react and work at that busy pace. In order to do that and avoid burnout you must take time to relax. For me, I can have eight extremely busy days on the road, but then it has to be followed by a few days of rest at home or somewhere else.”

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Green Family Values: Yoga for Children

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:32:11 +0000

If you practice yoga, you know personally the benefits to all aspects of your life. Children can also reap these benefits from regular yoga practice. No matter what form of yoga children practice, they will increase their well-being, reduce stress, and purify their little, physical bodies.

There is evidence that special needs children may especially benefit from yoga. For example, often children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Cerebral Palsy have poor muscle tone. Practicing asanas offers a gentle method to build strength. In addition, yoga calms the mind, eases tension, and teaches children coping methods. These skills are especially important for children with special needs. Joshua Betts, a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, writes of his yoga experiences:

My mom loves yoga. Since she loves me so much, she wants me to do yoga too. She says that yoga keeps her happy and not stressed. I learned some yoga poses. I must say they are not as bad as I thought they would be. My body felt weird at first: very shaky and wobbly. My mom made me do this yoga stuff a lot and I actually started liking having my head upside down! I also liked when my mom told me things to think about while I was doing the poses. She told me to think about being a warrior and being brave and strong when I am doing some of the poses. Sometimes when I am bored at school, I think about these stories to make the time go faster and to stop myself from flapping so much. The weirdest thing my mom makes me do is breathe in strange ways. Mom said that the breathing could help me stop flapping when I am not supposed to. I used to flap at the bus stop all the time, because I was bored and nervous about the school day. Mom told me to take some breaths and she breathed with me. Since I was thinking about my nose and air coming into my body, I could not think about flapping at the same time.

Like Joshua’s mother, I love yoga too. From the time my children were growing in my womb, they have been part of my practice (some Hindu texts say that children practice all 108 asanas in utero). As my children grew into toddlers, they would alternate between playing with my body, such as crawling under my downward facing dog, to imitating my poses. In fact, my daughter would get upset if I skipped my daily practice.

Young children’s attention span for yoga is not that of an adult; thus, many yoga products have been created to entice children to practice. There are many videos, games, and books available to introduce children to yoga. My favorites kids’ yoga products are the children’s book Babar’s Yoga for Elephants, which offers advice as to where to place your trunk during certain asanas, and the Yoga Garden Game, a cooperative game where players work together to plant the flowers before nighttime falls.

Children don’t need specially designed products to learn yoga, but they do need a teacher to guide them. As an elementary school teacher, I regularly incorporated asanas into our physical education program. In addition, the whole class would form a circle and complete the sun salutation each morning. We called this the "Good Morning Stretch," and it was a wonderful way to begin our day of learning together.

It is important that children learn that yoga is a gentle practice, in order to avoid injuries. According to Cookie Magazine, "In yoga, children’s natural gifts, agility and enthusiasm, are also their curse: Many are so bendy that they may not recognize their limitations and overstretch, inadvertently injuring muscles. Kids can also get hurt in efforts to compete with their friends, impress the teacher, or try advanced poses before they’re ready." Children must be taught that yoga is not a competitive sport!

Yoga practice with children is definitely different than practicing with adults, but children deserve opportunities to experience this ancient tradition. If you decide to include children in your practice or volunteer at a local school, be prepared for giggles and silliness. You might even find yourself joining in the laughter with the little yogis and yoginis!

For more information on Yoga for Kids, please visit Yoga Journal.

Green Family Values: The Power of Youth to Change the World

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:13:01 +0000

While stumbling upon the web, I came across the inspiring story of Malawi youth William Kamkwamba on Inhabitat. With all the doom and gloom news of climate change, William Kamkwamba’s ingenuity demonstrates what one person can do to improve their life with green technology. The story also demystifies alternative energy as complex engineering that keeps many Americans from jumping into finding greener methods to power their homes.

Malawi is a democratic, densely populated country in southeastern Africa. The Great Rift Valley runs through the center of the country from north to south. The GDP per capita is $596, and the economy is agricultural, and dependent upon tobacco, sugar, and tea; however, the staple of Malawi’s diet is maize. Many refugees from Mozambique, Rwanda, and Congo have fled to Malawi. One million people in Malawi live with HIV/AIDS. Malawi has been in entertainment news lately, as Madonna has been attempting to permanently adopt a Malawian child. Malawi youth William Kamkwamba’s story deserves media attention, too.

William Kamkwamba has built a windmill to power his home. Having dropped out of school because of a lack of funds, William studied donated books on wind power at his local primary school. Using salvage materials and investing about $16, he built his own windmill through trial and error. The original windmill could power a few light bulbs and a radio, as well as charge a car battery for days when the wind does not blow. According to Inhabitat,

The 12-meter tall windmill (it was originally only 5 meters) is made out of scrap timber. The blades, originally made from PVC, now steel, power a bicycle dynamo, the type that power a bicycle headlamp, which in turn provides electricity to the battery. William uses this energy for his house, as well as to help others recharge their batteries. Just recently, he moved from a car battery to a deep discharge battery, which will help improve with the power storage of his house.

William is now blogging about his experiences. William Kamkwamba’s Malawi Windmill Blog received 113,047 page views in its first month and is now translated to English. On his blog, you can read about his village, how he is spending the money people from the world are donating for his education and improvements for his village and family, his return to school, and the worldwide attention he has received. You can also view pictures of William. To donate to William, visit his blog. A generous donor will match donations of $50 or more.

William offers inspiration of how youth in less-privileged countries can improve their lives with materials on hand, rather than relying on the country’s infrastructure to build coal and oil power plants. William has used his ingenuity to improve his home with green technology. Perhaps he was not thinking of climate change when he set out with his project, but his story demonstrates how individuals can make a difference. I don’t suspect Americans will be erecting homemade windmills in their backyards out of scrap material, yet this story shows what power the youth have to solve our problems.

Feeling Shaky? Worried? Depressed? You Might Just Need An Eco-Therapist

Michael dEstries — Wed, 16 May 2007 01:21:58 +0000

Let's face it. Before Global Warming, Peak Oil, and the demise of bees came along, we all had plenty of other things to worry about. Now that we're in the thick of leading "greener" lives, some of the information out there can sometimes make the task a little overwhelming. Thankfully, there are those out there willing to lend a hand.

For instance, Melissa Pickett, an eco-therapist in Santa Fe, sees between 40 to 80 eco-anxious patients a month. Whoa. They complain of panic attacks, sleepless nights, weakness and "the eerie feeling that their cells are twitching." I haven't quite had that experience yet — but I can attest to the buzz of four cups of organic coffee producing similar results.

Needless to say, we all experience the highs and lows of constantly attempting to reinvent our lives (for the better) while also revisiting the question of "Is what I'm doing really making a difference?" Visiting eco websites, attending green drink parties, talking to other "positive" individuals can all help. Therapist Melissa Pickett often recommends her clients carry natural objects, like certain minerals, for a period of weeks. Hey, whatever gets your groove back, Stella.

Then again? Should we really be so worried? Dr. Gavin Schmidt, who studies climate variability at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in Manhattan, says there are "reasons to be concerned, but no scientific reason to despair… 'The fact that people don’t have a good grasp of how science thinking works,' Schmidt said, 'means they don’t have a good grasp of what they should be skeptical about."

Oh, smack! I'd be willing to challenge Gavin that even with the proper education, there's still plenty to be worried about. If you need to see an eco-therapist to inject a little sunshine into your outlook, so be it. We all have different ways of handling stress or depressing news. Just remember that there are lots of us out there going through the same thing you are. Hey, it's not easy saving the world! Keep smiling.

Hit the jump for more!