On Friday, May 20, I will be giving a workshop on Living From the Heart at the home of Margaret Arndt and David Sneickus in Newton, MA.
LIVING FROM THE HEART
Our hearts thrive when our lives are "coherent," meaning we have a sense that life is purposeful, manageable and meaningful. This approach to living makes us happier and healthier in all ways. The messages we receive from the culture, however, do not often invite us to go inward and listen to our hearts. Instead, we are told to do more, go faster and keep going...skipping over the critical messages our hearts and bodies give us moment to moment and over time about the things we really need.
In this evening workshop, you will have a chance to slow down, bring your focus inwards and listen to your own heart. We will explore some of our basic human needs (beyond food, shelter and clothing...like being welcome in the world, not having to do it all alone, and having emotional and spiritual connection), and how to bring more of what really matters into our lives. We will do meditation, experiential exercises and partnered sharings drawing from EKP body psychotherapy to nourish and honor our hearts.
Linda Marks, MSM, has practiced body psychotherapy with individuals, couples, families and groupsfor 26 years. EKP (Emotional-Kinesthetic Psychotherapy), a heart-centered, psychospiritual body psychotherapy method is her contribution to the field. Linda has presented nationally and internationally, published two books and hundreds of articles, taught at universities and professional conferences and has appeared on radio and television. She also practice coaching and mediation. Her website is www.healingheartpower.com.
For more information, contact msarndt@verizon.net
Showing posts with label health risks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health risks. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Orthorexia: When Healthy Eating Goes Over the Edge
The adage, "everything is moderation" maintains its wisdom these days, even when looking at supposedly "healthy" behavior. While healthy eating is important, if not essential, for cardiac health, vitality and overall well-being, when one becomes obsessively focused on only eating a narrow band of initially "healthy foods," one suffers from a new member of the eating disorder family, "orthorexia."
"Orthorexia," a term coined in 1997 by Colorado physician Steven Bratman, has its origins in two Greek words, orthos, meaning "correct or right" and orexis, meaning "appetite." An orthorexia sufferer may initially have "health-minded" goals in their eating plans, but take these goals to an extreme, to the point their diets are so restricted or severe, malnutrition can result.
I remember, in college, one of my classmates was obsessed with eating carrots and carrot juice. While a healthy food, when eating in mass quantity, carrots turn your skin orange, and can make you sick. My classmate became more and more orange, and started to feel ill. It was an earth-shattering breakthrough for her to discover that you CAN get too much of a "good thing."
Raw food eating can become a breeding ground for orthorexia as well. When taken to the extreme, it can become a kind of anorexia, where the individual becomes emaciated and denies themselves the nutrition they body truly needs in pursuit of a rigid principle.
Likewise, avoiding food preservatives and additives is important in healthy eating, however when one's definition of products that are "pure and healthy" (in contrast to industrial products and processed foods, which can be considered artificial and unhealthy) becomes too extreme, one's health can start to decline.
While the anorexic wants to be thin, and compulsively works to lose weight beyond what is tolerable for one's well-being, the orthorexic wants to feel pure and natural to the point one loses sight with what is actually healthy.
Sadly, eating issues in one generation may translate into eating issues for another generation. A woman I know whose thoughts and habits are at least borderline orthorexic, is the mother of a young teenage daughter who has become anorexic. In some ways, the teenage daughter is in a power struggle for perfection with her mother. Since her mother is so focused on being healthy and pure, the daughter needed to find a trump card. Anorexia became her point of power.
Finding a way to a healthy middle ground is an emotional, spiritual and educational journey in a culture that too easily swings between extremes.
"Orthorexia," a term coined in 1997 by Colorado physician Steven Bratman, has its origins in two Greek words, orthos, meaning "correct or right" and orexis, meaning "appetite." An orthorexia sufferer may initially have "health-minded" goals in their eating plans, but take these goals to an extreme, to the point their diets are so restricted or severe, malnutrition can result.
I remember, in college, one of my classmates was obsessed with eating carrots and carrot juice. While a healthy food, when eating in mass quantity, carrots turn your skin orange, and can make you sick. My classmate became more and more orange, and started to feel ill. It was an earth-shattering breakthrough for her to discover that you CAN get too much of a "good thing."
Raw food eating can become a breeding ground for orthorexia as well. When taken to the extreme, it can become a kind of anorexia, where the individual becomes emaciated and denies themselves the nutrition they body truly needs in pursuit of a rigid principle.
Likewise, avoiding food preservatives and additives is important in healthy eating, however when one's definition of products that are "pure and healthy" (in contrast to industrial products and processed foods, which can be considered artificial and unhealthy) becomes too extreme, one's health can start to decline.
While the anorexic wants to be thin, and compulsively works to lose weight beyond what is tolerable for one's well-being, the orthorexic wants to feel pure and natural to the point one loses sight with what is actually healthy.
Sadly, eating issues in one generation may translate into eating issues for another generation. A woman I know whose thoughts and habits are at least borderline orthorexic, is the mother of a young teenage daughter who has become anorexic. In some ways, the teenage daughter is in a power struggle for perfection with her mother. Since her mother is so focused on being healthy and pure, the daughter needed to find a trump card. Anorexia became her point of power.
Finding a way to a healthy middle ground is an emotional, spiritual and educational journey in a culture that too easily swings between extremes.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Toxic Bust: Health Risks of Living In Today's Environment
In November 2008, I was fortunate enough to attend Teresa Heinz Kerry's annual conference on Women, Health and the Environment. This amazing gathering of scientists, journalists, public health officials, therapists, community activists and more was an information haven for how we have been toxifying our planet with the laboratory concoctions that are now standards fare in our food, laundry detergent, body care products, diapers, packaging materials and medications.
According to a synopsis of the film, "Toxic Bust: Chemicals and Breast Cancer," a documentary by Megan Siler, 85,000 chemicals are in use today, of which, 90% have never been tested for their effects on human health. Up to 200 chemicals can be found in the breast milk of nursing mothers.
And a similar number of chemicals can be found in the umbilical cord of a newborn baby.
Many of the chemicals that have been proven to be harmful to human health have been banned in Europe, but are still included in the magical formulas of products manufactured in the US.
As the chemicals we ingest and dispose of find their way into the water system, the earth, and therefore, all of our bodies, we are all basting in an unconscious chemical cocktail, the results of which are creating increasing health problems over time.
The "Toxic Bust" synopsis notes, "Despite advances in breast cancer detection and treatment, breast cancer rates continue to rise. The rate has nearly tripled since 1940. Now, 1 in 7 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Over 50% of these breast cancer cases cannot be explained by personal risk factors or hereditary causes, and are 'unknown.'"
The extremely toxic chemicals used in high tech industry, such as the chip manufacturing process conducted in Silicon Valley, are associated with an alarmingly high rate of breast cancer and other cancers. It seems like a cruel paradox, that computer manufacturing is called a "clean industry."
Some question whether the radiation a woman receives in her annual mammogram is more likely to help contribute to cancer than detect it. The underwire bras that predominate the women's lingerie marketplace are not good for breast health. Neither are all the chemicals added to women's personal care products--be they skin care, soap or perfume.
There is so much important information to share with people about environmental toxins in our homes, in our workplace and in our community. Yet, this information is largely NOT communicated, because it would be bad for business. More accurately, it would be bad or a large majority of businesses that underpin the American economy.
Sadly, there was no Conference for Women, Health and the Environment in the fall of 2009. Perhaps ironically, or even through the cruelty of fate, Teresa Heinz Kerry had been diagnosed and was being treated for breast cancer in both breasts!
I am in dialogue with the publisher of Spirit of Change magazine about doing an in-depth feature on breast health and breast care from many different angles!
According to a synopsis of the film, "Toxic Bust: Chemicals and Breast Cancer," a documentary by Megan Siler, 85,000 chemicals are in use today, of which, 90% have never been tested for their effects on human health. Up to 200 chemicals can be found in the breast milk of nursing mothers.
And a similar number of chemicals can be found in the umbilical cord of a newborn baby.
Many of the chemicals that have been proven to be harmful to human health have been banned in Europe, but are still included in the magical formulas of products manufactured in the US.
As the chemicals we ingest and dispose of find their way into the water system, the earth, and therefore, all of our bodies, we are all basting in an unconscious chemical cocktail, the results of which are creating increasing health problems over time.
The "Toxic Bust" synopsis notes, "Despite advances in breast cancer detection and treatment, breast cancer rates continue to rise. The rate has nearly tripled since 1940. Now, 1 in 7 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Over 50% of these breast cancer cases cannot be explained by personal risk factors or hereditary causes, and are 'unknown.'"
The extremely toxic chemicals used in high tech industry, such as the chip manufacturing process conducted in Silicon Valley, are associated with an alarmingly high rate of breast cancer and other cancers. It seems like a cruel paradox, that computer manufacturing is called a "clean industry."
Some question whether the radiation a woman receives in her annual mammogram is more likely to help contribute to cancer than detect it. The underwire bras that predominate the women's lingerie marketplace are not good for breast health. Neither are all the chemicals added to women's personal care products--be they skin care, soap or perfume.
There is so much important information to share with people about environmental toxins in our homes, in our workplace and in our community. Yet, this information is largely NOT communicated, because it would be bad for business. More accurately, it would be bad or a large majority of businesses that underpin the American economy.
Sadly, there was no Conference for Women, Health and the Environment in the fall of 2009. Perhaps ironically, or even through the cruelty of fate, Teresa Heinz Kerry had been diagnosed and was being treated for breast cancer in both breasts!
I am in dialogue with the publisher of Spirit of Change magazine about doing an in-depth feature on breast health and breast care from many different angles!
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