by Mary Ernsberger, a graduate of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts' Associate of Occupational Studies Degree in Mind/Body Transformational Psychology, Master Hypnotherapy Program, Associate of Occupational Studies in Holistic Health Care, and the Western Herbalism program.
Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Did you ever watch one of those TV movies that is based on actual events? There is always a disclaimer that says the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Does your life ever feel like that?
Every decision you make in your life is based on a memory. Sometimes those memories are good and sometimes not so good. How many times have you told yourself – this time will be different. I know better. I’ve learned my lesson. I don’t want to go through that again. The question remains – do you really KNOW better? Deep inside where it really counts? How do you really feel? Do you believe you deserve better? Or do you end up doing the same thing, reacting the same way, asking the same questions? Does your “story” ever really change?
Is the life you are living now working for you? You have the power to rewrite your story. No one else can do that for you but you don’t have to do it alone. You’ve already taken the first step by choosing to make a change. Step two is finding the right modality to make the changes as easy and painless as possible. During your search for the right modality, you need to determine if you are willing to be actively involved in your own well-being and are you willing to open up and share your inner most secrets with someone else? If not, maybe self-help tapes or meditation can connect you with your inner desires. If you said YES ! I am willing to be involved, I am willing to be honest and open – then the search for the right modality and practitioner begins. Don’t be afraid to ask for support or referrals from family or friends. Do your homework – call around or look up the modalities you are drawn to on the internet. Which modality feels “right?” Is it body work – such as Polarity, Cranial-Sacral massage, Reiki or other touch/energy therapy to release stuck energy and emotions in your body? Is it Hypnotherapy or Guided Imagery to let go of past life, stress, anxiety, fears, phobias or other traumatic memories being held in your subconscious? Is it someone who will ask the right questions so you can find the answers within and for yourself? – call a Life Coach. Is it a spiritual connection that is missing from your life? Will a traditional religious doctrine bring you the peace you desire or is there another way? There are many spiritual counselors, non-denominational reverends and ministers available to help you.
These are just a few of the paths to wellness you can choose. Remember, you did not build the road you are on in one day and finding the best “crew” to repave that road may not happen overnight. Trust yourself and your intuition – it will never mislead you.
About the author: Mary M. Ernsberger is a master hypnotherapist, life path coach and light worker. She has an Associates degree in Mind-Body Psychology from the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the American Board of Hypnotherapy. She lives in Chandler, AZ with her 3 Indigo children. Call (480) 343-9555, e-mail:
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or visit her web site: www.hypno4kids.com for more information.
by Marianne Crafts-Brandner: A graduate of SWIHA's Associate of Occupational Studies Degree in Clinical Nutrition.
Is someone who you know on a gluten-free diet? It's quite possible that person has celiac disease, an intolerance to gluten that causes damage to the intestine.
Gluten is found in the following grains: wheat, rye, barley and wheat-related grains such as triticale, kamut and spelt. Oats, although they do not contain gluten, must be avoided as well becaue they may be grown in fields subject to cross-contamination with wheat.
Individuals with gluten intolerance treat their condition by avoiding gluten. There is no known cure for the disease, but folowing a gluten-free diet reverses the intestinal damage, in most cases. Strict adherence to the diet is the only treatment option available at this time, other than the medications and nutritional supplements used to help repair the damage and restore health.
Celiacs often experience great difficulty in being diagnosed. They may or may not have recognizable symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation and abdominal discomfort. Or these complaints ma incorrectly suggest various other gastrointestinal problems such as lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome. The severity of the symptoms varies with the individual and the amount of gluten ingested.
The name of the condition varies widely, as well. It is actually more common for celiac disease to present atypical symptoms; in the absence of digestive complaints, the disease may continue to masquerade as other disorders.
A study by the Celiac Disease Foundation revealed that the disease is very often misdiagnosed, as the nature of the disease presents obstacles to correct diagnosis. For example, when gluten damages the intestines, it affects their ability to absorb nutrients. This malabsorption and increased intestinal permeability, often called leaky gut, causes a wide variety of ill effects that reach far beyond the digestive system. Some of these conditions, such as osteoporosis and arthritis, may not manifest until later in life. Others become apparent sooner; anemia is one such common condition.
Celiac disease may be labeled as any number of things before the root of the problem is discovered. These are just some of the common misdiagnoses made: irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, spastic colon, thyroid disease, colitis, diabeter, chronic fatigue sundrome, parasites and ulcer. Therefore, it may be worthwhile to ruly out celiac disease before undergoing an extensive battery of tests.
Another important aspect of celiac disease is that all three of the following factors must be present before the disease manifests. First is the genetic component; an individual carries a gene that predisposes them to the disease. The second factor is exposure to gluten in their diet. Third is the autoimmune factor.
Something always triggers the adverse reaction tp g;utem/ This could be an infection, such as mononucleosis or Epstein-Barre virus, or exposure to toxic environmental chemicals. A stressful event in the individual's life may initiate symptoms. The third factor, the autoimmune reaction, helps explain why individuals in their 60s or 70s recovering from the death of a loved one, often develop celiac disease.
The disease appears to have become more prevalent recently. While is is accepted that one out of every 133 people is a celiac, some experts are beginning to suspect the condition may be even more common. Autoimmune diseases, in general, are on the rise, partly due to an increasing number of environmental stressors. More investigation is needed regarding other factors that may trigger these autoimmune reactions.
Although we cannot control most environmental stress factors that trigger celiac disease, we can be aware of certain drugs and treatments that cause increased intestinal permeability. One well-known example is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Also, stressful cancer treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy can interfere with intestinal absorption. More research is needed to determine whether these kind of drugs and treatments actually trigger celiac disease.
The Italians are way ahead of the game in diagnosing celiac disease. Since this condition is very prevalent in the Italian population, all children are routinely screened for it by age six. Older Italians who suspect they have developed the condition get tested immediately. For this population, the time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis is usually several weeks at most. Contrast this with the average time in our country of eight to 10 years. If you or someone you know is struggling to solve a health problem, perhaps it's time to consider the possibility of celiac disease. Trying a gluten-free diet, is part of that rpocess - and it may be a part of the solution.
More information about all aspects of celiac disease can be found at www.celiac.com.
Marianne Crafts-Bradner is a certitied nutritionist. She offers individualized nutritional counseling, specializing in special diets,
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or 602-615-8065.
AZ NET NEWS
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by Mary Ernsberger, a graduate of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts' Associate of Occupational Studies Degree in Mind/Body Transformational Psychology, Master Hypnotherapy Program, Associate of Occupational Studies in Holistic Health Care, and the Western Herbalism program.
Henry David Thoreau said, “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters – compared to what lies within us.” But, what if you were unable to express or share that information inside you? Many adults experience that feeling each day. They know how frustrating it can be.
Now imagine for a moment, what it must feel like to be a child with those same feelings. You don’t have the same life experience to help you express what gets bottled up inside you day after day. The pressure you feel to fit in with your peers. Kids in your class are making fun of you, calling you stupid or worse. Your teacher doesn’t understand why you fidget in your seat or why you can’t get your work turned in on time, if you finish it at all. Your parents don’t understand why you are “the way you are.” Pretty soon, if you don’t already, you start to believe what everyone else is saying. Maybe there is something wrong with you. Maybe you are stupid. Maybe you have a disorder (such as ADD/ADHD). Maybe you are “learning disabled,” or any number of different derogatory labels we place on our children when they don’t perform the way we expect them to.
Or, maybe you’re not! Maybe you just don’t learn and relate to the world the same way “everyone else does.” Has anyone bothered to ask you? Stephen V. Faraone, PhD, Harvard Medical School, said, “By determining how people’s lives were impacted – starting from childhood – we can begin to help people take control and reduce the potential for life-long impairments.”
So the question is, how can we, as a society, help our young people – the future of our country – take control of their lives? In 1995, The National Institute of Health reported that meditation and other relaxation techniques are often a better treatment for a variety of illnesses than Allopathic medicine. One treatment method is through the use of hypnosis and guided imagery.
Hypnosis and guided imagery have long been recognized as safe and effective treatment options for weight management and smoking cessation. Hypnosis can effectively treat so much more. Hypnosis and guided imagery are safe and effective treatments methods for children and young adults. This treatment allows for the child or young adult to use their imagination and to actively become involved in the creation of a “different frame of mind.” An old Chinese proverb states, “Tell me – I forget, Show me – I remember, Involve me – I understand.” Through the use of hypnosis and guided imagery an individual has the opportunity to remove or change age-old negative thought patterns. By “erasing the blackboard,” each individual is empowered with the desire and ability to “rewrite” or reprogram their brain with positive, confidence building thought patterns. Now the child or young person is able to recognize their own inner wonder and this begins the process of “bridging the gap in learning.”
Bio: Mary is a certified master hypnotist, life path coach, author and light worker. She earned her Associates Degree in Mind-Body Psychology at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, AZ. She lives in Chandler, AZ with her three children. Her expertise is working with those that have been diagnosed as ADD/ADHD, as well as their families and educators, on how this diagnosis is affecting their educational and home environments. Mary conducts individual and group hypnotherapy and guided imagery sessions and appointments are available. For more information, call (480) 343-9555, e-mail:
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or visit www.hypno4kids.com.
By Tiffany Weis, a graduate of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts' Life Coaching program.
I thought I was a good yoga teacher, after teaching for five years, doing plenty of extensive studying, and taking a yoga tour throughout India, I thought I could face anything that might confront me "on the mat.” THEN I was given the opportunity to teach yoga to children - a plethora of all ages, from four to thirteen.
Can you say "YOWZA"??? It began last summer with some "guest yoga" teaching opportunities through a local, amazing church children's camp. At first, the group was polite and open to trying some poses. We ran the gamut of children's sequences... roaming through our imaginary forests, becoming birds, monkeys, elephants, and of course cobras... not to mention butterflies and eagles, and their personal favorite, candlesticks.
Then, there were still forty-seven minutes of the hour to fill. Later, I was asked to do a weekly class. Mercifully, at least it was reduced to a half hour each. WHEW! I already had found out that to them, this was an ETERNITY!
I learned quickly that children do NOT hold poses as adults do. Adults hold poses up to three minutes. The kids fade fast after five seconds. They like to ask questions during class, like "Why is your mat sticky?" and "Why won't Billy leave me alone?!!"
I found out that it was unwise to even ATTEMPT to do a pose twice in the same class. Even a modified version elicited a hearty, "We've already DONE THAT!" from the exasperated group. Hitting, tripping, and slapping between students was never covered in my Teacher's Training. Hmmm. ..Nor was crying, or spontaneous screaming.
At first this all kind of threw me. In all my adult classes, NO ONE had ever done a somersault after being instructed to hold a triangle pose. No student of mine had told me that my belly looked "fat" that day. My regular students never jumped up and ran around when told to hold a corpse pose. It was most insightful, teaching this class!
Weeks wore on and interest waned. Many times everyone just wandered off. The only thing that seemed to help calm and focus them was chanting...JUST the thing that was most resisted by my adult yoga students. Go figure.
During one recent class, when I thought for sure that the yoga was not appreciated or even sinking in, I decided to quit fighting their young energy, and instead work WITH it and allow it to lead the class, instead of my ego. What a surprise! When guided to write "yoga-related" things on the board, they wrote things like "Peace,” "Joy,” “Serenity" and "Love." They even wrote, "Tiffany is cool." (Okay, so my ego did NEED that reinforcement at that point!) Then they proceeded to list all the yoga poses they had learned and surprised me by remembering more of them then I did. Then they made a fun game out of poses, based on "Duck, Duck, Goose." They called it "Cobra, Cobra, Butterfly." We never had so much fun in class.
Tiffany Weis is a soul-level empowerment coach and a yoga teacher. She teaches people to become absolutely unstoppable. Her business is called Bohemian Bliss Life Coaching. She teaches a weekly adult yoga class at Yoga Phoenix. www.tiffsterproductions.com or email bohemian coach@msn. Copyright 2005, all rights reserved, Tiffster Productions, Inc.
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