Self Relaxation Technique -- De-stress your tension now!

The word 'stress' is such a common term that we can hear it everywhere. In fact, everyone has a certain level of stress they have to deal with everyday. Stress from career, finance, relationship, study, and health etc. I would like to share with you a self relaxation technique or exercise that is beneficial to all of us. This exercise will relax your entire body and mind and is very easy to follow.

1. Sit comfortably and close your eyes
2. Take 3 slow, deep breaths
3. Clench your right fist and tighten your forearm and bicep
4. Technique - notice the tension in your arm as you keep your arm tense
5. Relax all the tension
6. Technique - feel the difference between your relaxed right arm and your left arm
7. Repeat the above with your left arm
8. Wrinkle your forehead as tight as possible and tense your facial muscles
9. Tightly close your eyes. Tense your cheeks and press your lips into an "O" shape
10. Relax and let go the tension
11. Technique - notice the tension in your cheeks, forehead, eyes, jaw, tongue and lips
12. Repeat the above with your throat, neck, shoulders, stomach, buttocks, thighs, calves, ankles and feet

Treat Eczema Itch with Acupuncture

Acupuncture at specific points showed a significant reduction in type I hypersensitivity itch in patients with atopic eczema.

German researchers from the Technical University of Munich had conducted the following clinical test: Thirty people with eczema were treated right after being exposed to an allergen such as dust mites or pollen. All patients went through three different test conditions. The first treatment condition was "point-specific" acupuncture targeted at areas designed to treat itchy skin (Quchi and Xuehai points). The second treatment condition was "placebo-point" acupuncture treatment where the points selected were not those used to treat itchy skin. The third test condition was no treatment following allergen exposure.

It turned out that the subjects all reported lower levels of itchiness after receiving the point-specific acupuncture compared to either placebo acupuncture or no treatment. Even more interesting, when they got a second exposure to the allergen after the point-specific acupuncture, their flare-ups were less severe.

Healthy drink for diabetes and hypertension sufferers - TOMATO & CUCUMBER JUICE

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber

1 Big tomato

Instructions:

Cut up all ingredients

Blend all ingredients in a juice blender

Health Benefits of Tomatoes:

Tomatoes contain a factor that inhibits platelets in blood from clumping together and forming blood clot. It's beneficial to diabetes and hypertension sufferers. It also contains the antioxidant lycopene. Scientific studies have suggested that lycopene consumption may protect against prostate cancer and breast cancer.

Health Benefits of Cucumbers:

Cucumbers contain potassium which makes it highly useful for conditions of high and low blood pressure. It also contains erepsin, the enzyme that helps to digest protein.

Turn your fan on!

Frying foods is the essence of Chinese or Cantonese cooking. Do you know that frying foods at high temperatures releases fumes that the International Agency for Research on Cancer describes as “probably carcinogenic,” and using non-stick cookware on high heat might also release cancer-causing chemicals.

Research from Norway has found that cooking on a gas stove produces more potentially harmful fumes than cooking at the same temperature on an electric range. The worst combo they concocted? Margarine on a gas stove. It is suggested using a fan, running it on high and letting it run for 15 more minutes after you’re done.

Great Success on Saturday's workshop at Medlink Academy of Canada

Great success on TCM and Acupuncture in pain managment and weight loss Workshop. 11 people signed up for the HOLISTIC HEALTH CHECK. 4 of them have already booked an appointment.

Functional foods - unique concepts of TCM

•One of the unique concepts of TCM is that food and medicine come from the same source.

•Functional foods are a milder course of treatment and can be used either to treat disease, or to help healthy people to prevent disease.

Here's some recipes you can try:

• Lotus seed tea: lotus seeds (30g) are first soaked in warm water for 5 hours then boiled with water and brown sugar (10g) until the seeds become soft. Tea is added just prior to serving. This dessert invigorates the spleen and kidneys, which is recommended for individuals with edema.

Christine will be speaking in MedLink Academy of Canada (Yonge/Eglinton) on April 30

Christine will be the speaker of Weekend Cafe Socials organized by P.O.I.N.T. Inc. on Friday April 30.

Subject: TCM and Acupuncture in pain managment and weight loss.

Details: What is Traditional Chinsese Medicine and acupuncture? What does acupuncture treat? What does an acupuncturist do? How can acupuncture help in pain management and weight loss?

Audience: Caregivers and Personal Support Workers

Healthy fruity drinks recipe - Papaya Yogurt Drink

A couple of days ago, I bough a huge papaya at $2.99 at the supermarket. I always pick the biggest one when they go by a fixed price. This one I picked weighted almost 3 pounds! I know we can't finish the whole thing in one shot so I made a drink out of it.

Ingredients
1/2 papaya, 1/2 grapefruit, 2 cup drink yogurt (Yoplait), maple syrup or honey to taste

Steps:
Blend all the ingredients using a blender. Put ice cubes and maple syrup to taste after blending.

Facts about papayas

Papaya has papain, a natural digestive aid which breaks down protein and cleanses digestive tracks. Great food for people who are trying to lose weight. It's also rich in vitamin C, folate, and potassium. It has 30% more vitamin C and 50% more potassium than an orange.

HEALTH and the city event

So much fun and information taken away! Attended one of the workshops prepared by Dani Renouf, Registered Dietian - Bone Density. Learned a lot from her.

Some of the key points are:
- Women need more calcium than men in general especially after they reach age of 50
- The best form of calcium supplement is CITRATE as it's easier to be absorbed by the body.
- Frozen fish is just as good as fresh fish in terms of nutrition values. It's suggested to have fish at least 3 times a week.
- Traditional Chinese way of making soup is great. Chinese people tend to put pork or beef bones and vegetables in the soup. Great way of getting calcium.

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Is your sunscreen safe? UVA Vs UVB?

SPF ratings were instigated when scientists thought UVB rays — the cause of sunburns — were the primary cause of skin cancer, but newer research has shown that UVA rays, which go deeper into your skin, also contribute to melanoma. So avoid UVA-based tanning beds, and be aware that if you’re using a high-UVB, low-UVA-blocking sunscreen, you could end up staying in the sun longer and actually getting more UVA exposure than if you used nothing at all. The answer? Avoid the sun or cover up, and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains ingredients like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or Parsol 1789.

Christine volunteering in HEALTH and the city event

I will be volunteering in the HEALTH and the city a World Health Day event from 4pm to 8:30pm on April 7, 2010 in Bathurst Heights School.

Come join us! See details here:

Event Fly...pdf

http://www.newheightshealth.org/whdPRIZES

Which types of plastic containers and bottles can be reused and safe?

Some plastics can have a negative effect on your health. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, you should also avoid using plastic number six (check the little recyclable symbol to distinguish it). And plastics number one and seven are fine for single use, but shouldn’t be reused.

Plastic three shouldn’t be reused or microwaved — which is unfortunate, since some plastic wraps are designed for this purpose. Which ones are in the clear? Reuse and eat from plastics two, four and five without worry.