How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
Health
- Details
- Written by: Editor
Current methods of dealing with stress not working?
Want to make a change but don't know how or where to start?
Sutter Lakeside Hospital Wellness Center invites you to attend the next session of the Stress Reduction and Relaxation Clinic beginning Tuesday, Jan. 8.
In this eight-week intensive, participants learn new patterns of response to stress and how to transition from being highly reactive to life events, to learning how to respond with calmness.
In the small group classroom environment, participants gain support and learn from each other and the curriculum.
Participants will take a health risk assessment and general wellness inventory to assess their current state of mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Through the use of diaphragmatic breathing, progressive relaxation, mindful meditation, gentle movement yoga and other strategies, participants will learn how to consciously and healthily cope with life stress.
The program begins Tuesday, Jan. 8, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and meets twice a week for eight weeks.
The program instructor will be Leslie Lovejoy, RN, Ph.D. Lovejoy has worked in the wellness, self-help and health care field for more than 30 years. An educator, wellness coach, and Reiki Master, she helps individuals access their self healing potential and return to a life of balance and harmony.
Costs associated with the program begin at $200, however scholarships are available. Pre-registration is required by Jan. 7.
To register, or for more information, call the Wellness Center, 707-262-5171.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008.
Dr. West explains how monitoring the condition of your tongue, face and fingernails can help prevent disease and imbalance before major medical problems arise.
Attendees should be prepared to take a close look in the mirror and read their body’s messages during this lively workshop in the basics of Ayurvedic body typing.
Cost for the workshop is $45 and space is limited.
Sutter Lakeside Wellness Center for Health is located at 5176 Hill Road East, Lakeport.
To register or for more information, call the Sutter Wellness Center for Health team at 262-5171.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
“The period from Thanksgiving to New Year’s is a time when many drug addicts and alcoholics try to ignore their condition to participate in the camaraderie and festivities of family gatherings, company parties and the like. This behavior typically results in increased drug and alcohol abuse, especially among those who are already addicts,” explains Phil Allen, CEO of The Pat Moore Foundation, a nonprofit alcohol and drug rehabilitation center in Orange County.
Studies show that cases of depression, drunk driving accidents, suicide, even domestic violence all increase during the holiday period. Many of these are tied to alcohol and drug abuse typically engaged by people who are trying to cope with holiday stress.
A study published in 2006 by the Centers for Disease Control found that suicide victims frequently tested positive for alcohol or illicit drugs. About 33 percent tested positive for alcohol while another 16 percent tested positive for opiates, 9 percent tested positive for cocaine and 8% tested positive for marijuana.
“Family members can be a great source of support for recovering addicts,” explains Allen. “Planning ahead, designating drivers, being there to help when there’s a craving. All of these are ways family can help recovering addicts from slipping back, especially during the holidays.”
Following are some tips that everyone can use for dealing with alcohol and drug cravings during the holidays:
Alcohol: Alternatives. Try a refreshing non-alcoholic drink. Mix fruit juice with sparkling water or try a bottled sparkling grape juice or cider. Drink a favorite non-alcoholic mixer complete with garnish. Sip a fruit smoothie (pureed mixed fruit and juices) for an after dinner treat.
Cravings: Eat Sweet. When a strong craving or urge hits, eat or drink something sweet. Alcohol is a sugar and satisfies that part of the brain that triggers the need for alcohol. This also helps for drug cravings (especially opiates). If weight gain is a concern, take the time to sit down and look at the consequences of drinking or using drugs, and then the consequences of a piece of hard candy or small cookie.
Parties: Backup Plans. Go with a friend with long-term sobriety to parties where alcohol will be served. Or, line up a few support people who can be called in the moment if necessary. Also, plan to stay for a limited time and park where there’s no chance of being blocked in.
Stress: Get Rest. Be sure to get not only enough sleep, but enough quiet time. Exercise and walk outside as much as possible. Suggestions for stress release include listen to meditation CDs, music, massage, exercise, yoga, deep breathing, walking, even avoiding arguments and limiting social and family obligations.
For alcoholics and non-alcoholics alike, alcohol can increase stress, especially during the holidays. It is always important to moderate alcohol intake but especially during the holidays when there are more drinking opportunities, more driving to do, and for some people, loneliness and depression. Alcohol is a depressant, high in calories and low in nutrients. Too much alcohol can make one feel jittery, moody and tired.
Drinking alcohol can also set up dangerous situations. Alcohol can interact in a dangerous way with prescription medications as well as illicit drugs. In addition, half of all traffic deaths in the U.S. are alcohol related.
"When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, the usual outcome is sobriety, jail or death," says Allen. “If you recognize you might be dealing with a substance abuse issue, or if you are a friend or family of someone who does, I encourage you to seek help. For many, it can mean the difference of life or death.”
The Pat Moore Foundation is a nonprofit alcohol and drug rehabilitation center in Orange County that provides information, resources and treatment for people dealing with the life-shattering cycle of substance abuse and addiction. If someone needs immediate help, call 24-hours a day at (888) 237-5192 or visit us online at www.PatMooreFoundation.com.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Editor
If you are like most people, excessive worry and fear can be a source of frustration. Being overly afraid about life circumstances can also negatively impact your health. With an improved frame of reference, fear and worry can be controlled – and even eliminated.
According to Matthew McQuaid, DPM, the secret to “living fearless” is changing your conscious and unconscious thinking. He suggests many simple and practical techniques you can do to eliminate fear from your life.
Dr. McQuaid will discuss these fear-reducing skills during an evening presentation, “Living Without Fear,” Tuesday Jan. 8, 2008 at the Sutter Lakeside Wellness Center for Health. At 6 p.m. refreshments will be served, with the program beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Webster’s Dictionary defines fear as, “an unpleasant emotional state characterized by anticipation of pain or distress.” Dr. McQuaid reminds people the key word in the preceding definition is anticipation. Fear is only the anticipation of events, not necessarily how experiences unfold in reality. In his talks, he teaches the following acronym for fear: False Evidence Appearing Real.
The workshop is design to have broad appeal, covering all of the various reasons people experience fear, e.g., the fear of the unknown, financial stress, relationship worries, illness or injury, and work-related anxieties. Dr. McQuaid emphasizes that regardless of the situation, there is hope.
The class gives hands-on training in stress reduction. Participants in the workshop will also discover the relationship between fear and its impact on general health.
Dr. McQuaid will explore the causes of fear and how to effectively reduce the negative thinking that can lead to self-sabotage. According to Dr. McQuaid, the techniques student will learn in the class are proven ways to eliminate fear and live a healthy, successful and happy life.
Call 262-5171 to register or for more information.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}