My Mom

Happy birthday Mom and Josh! Today is a special day in my family: My Mom is 90 years old and our youngest son, Josh,  is 30. Both were born on May 14, 60 years apart. One of the many things that I love about both of them is that they live their lives true to themselves. We are having a family reunion today in Colorado. My 91 year-old aunt and her little brother (age 76) have flown in from California, my aunt and uncle from Arizona are here and my cousin from Dallas have all come to celebrate. It is a weekend of food and family – lots of eating out. I know that I will have special food from the tribal feast and that I will eat only when I am hungry and only enough to meet my nutritional needs. For me, this weekend is about family, not about how much and how fast can I eat.

Mom learned hypnosis 18 months ago at the age of 88 to lose weight and to control pain. Josh has completed the Basic Hypnosis Course as a teenager. I’ve been using hypnosis in one form or another since the ’60′s and I know that self-hypnosis is one of my tools for celebrating life. No matter where you are in the aging process, learn hypnosis and celebrate your life.

Happy Birthday Mom and Josh!

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Yesterday I wrote in 1/3 With Arthritis Report Anxiety or Depression I wrote “I started using my unconscious mind to make changes with my autoimmune system. I used stress reduction techniques that allowed my immune system to function better.” Over the years of teaching clients stress management and how to use their unconscious mind with their autoimmune system I have witnessed many clients reducing or eliminating their symptoms of arthritis. No matter how old you are, if you are suffering with arthritis you too can use the stress reduction tools offered here at Hypnosis Health Info (like Orange Blossom) and the Light Switch Self-hypnosis technique to improve your health.

Easing Stress, Easing Arthritis Symptoms

WebMD Feature: Whether it’s a problem at work, relationship troubles, or just dealing with traffic, we all deal with stress in our lives. But ongoing stress can take a toll on your health. It can also make any health condition that you have feel worse, including arthritis.

When your body is under stress, it releases chemicals that can trigger inflammation and pain. So you might be more likely to have arthritis flare-ups when you’re feeling stress.

What’s more, stress can increase your perception of pain. “Stress can leave you feeling less able to handle your pain and more easily overwhelmed by it,” says Sharon Kolasinski, MD, a rheumatologist and professor of clinical medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

And, having a chronic illness, such as arthritis, can add to your stress level. “Chronic pain is a stressor in itself,” says Kolasinski. “But it can be even more stressful when the pain limits your mobility or activities.”

This article offers seven stress management suggestions and ideas on how to get started.

1. Exercise to Reduce OA Pain: One of the easiest ways to get started is to find an activity that you enjoy.

2. Meditate for Arthritis Pain Relief: Meditation can be extraordinarily helpful for those with osteoarthritis.

3. Breathe Deeply to Lower Stress: One simple way to stop stress and feel more relaxed wherever you are is to take a few deep breaths.

4. Try Alternative Relaxation Techniques ~ Many people use alternative therapies, such as hypnosis, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery training to help manage stress.

5. Take Time Away From OA~It’s important to make time in your schedule for activities you like, such as reading, having coffee with a friend, seeing a movie, or listening to music.

6. Stay Connected and Say No to Joint Pain ~ Having friends feels good — and it’s good for your health too.

7. Get Help to Manage OA Stress ~ If you’re having a hard time managing your stress, it might be time to ask for help.

Read Easing Stress, Easing Arthritis Symptoms

Stress can influence health both directly and indirectly. Directly, stress exerts a powerful effect on all body systems by affecting the nervous system and the endocrine system. All gastrointestinal functions, such as appetite, digestion, muscle contractions in the intestine and bowel movements are mediated by nerve impulses and hormone signals. You don’t need scientific research to know this if you’ve ever experienced a stomachache, diarrhea or loss of appetite in response to stress.

Chronic stress not only makes people more vulnerable to catching illnesses but can also impair their immune system’s ability to respond to its own anti-inflammatory signals that are triggered by certain hormones. Inhibition of immune and inflammatory systems make you more susceptible to colds and flu and can exacerbate some diseases such as cancer and autoimmune diseases like arthritis.

Learning stress management techniques and self-hypnosis are first and foremost for any person with autoimmune disease.  Stress or a stressful event may or may not have triggered the autoimmune disease. Having an autoimmune disease is stressful and stress suppresses the immune system. No matter how old you may be, you can learn self-hypnosis and other stress reduction techniques to ease the pain and suffering of diseases like arthritis. With hypnosis you can use the power of your subconscious mind to enhance your autoimmune system for your health and wellness.

Read 1/3 With Arthritis Report
Anxiety or Depression

Be sure to get your free hypnosis MP3 download, Orange Blossom.

Check out Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis.
Call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

Remember to sign up for your FREE 8-part audio course, Understanding Hypnosis, at the right side of this page NOW!

I’m not at all surprised to read that 1/3 of the people with arthritis report anxiety or depression. As someone who has suffered with rheumatoid arthritis in the past, I experienced stress, anxiety and depression. It is frightening and depressing to have your body ache and no longer work as it should and to watch as joints become swollen and misshapen. Knowing what I know about hypnosis and how the mind works, I started using my unconscious mind to make changes with my autoimmune system. I used stress reduction techniques that allowed my immune system to function better. The aching and swelling went away, my joints are no longer misshapen and my symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are gone. Today I teach clients self hypnosis for autoimmune disease so that they too can reduce or eliminate their own symptoms of arthritis.

1/3 With Arthritis Report
Anxiety or Depression

WebMD, April 30, 2012: One-third of people 45 and older with arthritis report that they are depressed or anxious, a new study shows.

And anxiety may even be more common than depression among these people.

“Many patients with arthritis have depression or anxiety related to pain, loss of function or participation, and uncertainty,” says David Pisetsky, MD, in an email. He is the chief of rheumatology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

“Symptoms can be improved by decreasing pain, increasing physical activity, and controlling disease,” he says.

It makes sense that people with arthritis would feel anxious, says Martin Jan Bergman, MD. He is a clinical associate professor of medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia and chief of rheumatology at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Pa.

“If a person is concerned that they are not going to be able to take care of their family or go to work, they are going to be anxious about that,” he says.

Read 1/3 With Arthritis Report Anxiety or Depression

My hypnosis for autoimmune disease program can help you to end your symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Hypnosis will naturally allow you relax and be free of anxiety and depression. I’m happy to teach you self hypnosis so that you too can decrease your pain and increase physical activity.

Read Easing Stress, Easing Arthritis Symptoms

Check out Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis.
Call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

Remember to sign up for your FREE 8-part audio course, Understanding Hypnosis, at the right side of this page NOW!

With all clients in my Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis offices I talk about the importance of a healthy diet, regular exercise and how this impacts health. I have worked with many people who are living with cancer or who are cancer survivors. I talk about the importance of a plant-strong diet, being physically active and I teach self hypnosis for stress reduction and lifestyle compliance.

New Guidelines Link Lifestyle to
Cancer Survival

Healthy Diet, Regular Exercise Can Improve Odds, Report Confirms

WebMD Health News, April 26, 2012: Cancer survivors who eat right, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight improve their chances of survival, the American Cancer Society says. The Society has long recommended these measures to prevent certain cancers, and officials say the evidence now shows that healthy lifestyle has a direct impact on cancer recurrence and survival.

Nearly 12 million Americans, or 1 in 25 people, are cancer survivors, meaning that they have been diagnosed with the disease at some point in their lives. For some time, proper nutrition and physical activity have been thought to play a role in surviving cancer. But this is the first time the American Cancer Society has issued formal guidelines for survivors. The studies overwhelmingly suggest that eating a mostly plant-based diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding obesity can lower cancer recurrence risk and improve survival.

Studies in breast cancer survivors have shown that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains is associated with a lower risk of death than one that contains a high intake of processed and red meat, refined grains, sugar, and high-fat dairy products. Eating a healthy diet low in red and processed meat appears to protect against cancer progression, risk of recurrence, and overall survival for a variety of cancers.

Regular exercise appears to be associated with a lower risk for recurrence and improved survival following treatment for breast, prostate, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.

Moderate exercise during cancer treatment has been shown to improve fatigue, anxiety, and self-esteem, as well as heart health and muscle strength.

Cancer survivors who are overweight or obese may benefit from intentional weight loss following treatment.

The report recommends that cancer survivors obtain the nutrients they need from foods instead of supplements, noting that “a concern exists that supplements may do more harm than good” following the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Read New Guidelines Link Lifestyle to Cancer Survival

Learn self hypnosis to be healthy, fit and active. Hypnosis can also be used for pain control for injuries and illness, to help you lose weight and for exercise motivation. Hypnosis lifestyle changes can last for a lifetime.

Check out Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis.
Call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

Remember to sign up for your FREE 8-part audio course, Understanding Hypnosis, at the right side of this page NOW!

It should be no surprise that stress reduction helps patients battle cancer. For the past several years I have had the opportunity to teach stress reduction, mindfulness and self hypnosis skills to many people living with and recovering from cancer. Learning how to be calm and relaxed in stressful situations has been essential for these clients. Having a disease like cancer and dealing with the medical appointments, family, friends, work, insurance, finances, …. can be extremely stressful.

Stress Reduction Helps
Patient Battle Cancer

Cleveland.com, April 23, 2012

Meditation, deep breathing, talk therapy — and anything else that reduces stress, even hypnosis — is a good idea in any high-stress situation. And new evidence reinforces what we’ve been saying for years: You can help defeat cancer if you practice stress management.

The department of psychology and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami joined forces to prove that a 10-week stress-management program reduces tumor-promoting inflammation. Inflammation not only weakens the immune system and promotes the spread of cancer cells, it aggravates the side effects of treatment and helps fuel anxiety and the blues.

They used cognitive-behavioral therapy to help women deal with the side effects of treatment (physical changes, as well as anger, grief, fear and uncertainty) and targeted early-stage breast cancer patients.

A comprehensive approach to stress reduction sounds like just what you need. Many cancer-support programs also encourage family members to attend counseling. You can find good programs in teaching hospitals, and we’re certain your oncologist and even your general practitioner will give you good advice on where to go.

Read Stress Reduction Helps Patient Battle Cancer

Women undergoing surgery for breast cancer who received a brief hypnosis session before entering the operating room required less anesthesia and pain medication during surgery, and reported less pain, nausea, fatigue, and discomfort after surgery than women who did not receive hypnosis. The overall cost of surgery was also significantly less for women undergoing hypnosis. [Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Sept. 5, 2007 (J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Sep 5;99(17):1304-12. Epub 2007 Aug 28)]

Stress management boosts your immune system and can help recovery from illness and disease. Self hypnosis and other mindfulness techniques help stress reduction. You can learn how to hypnotize yourself and put hypnosis to work in your life so that you can be more calm and relaxed even in highly stressful situations.

Orange Blossom
Free hypnosis MP3 download for stress reduction

Check out Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis.
Call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

Remember to sign up for your FREE 8-part audio course, Understanding Hypnosis, at the right side of this page NOW!

Do Happy People Have Healthier Hearts?

Optimism, Happiness Linked to Lower Heart Attack, Stroke Risk
WebMD Health News, April 18, 2012: Having a “glass half-full” outlook just might help protect people at risk for heart attack and stroke. In a newly published review from the Harvard School of Public Health, characteristics such as optimism and happiness were linked to a lower risk for heart and vascular disease.

Among people who had established risk factors for heart disease, those who were the most optimistic were less likely than their least-optimistic peers to have a heart attack or stroke. People who reported having a greater sense of well-being were also more likely to have healthier lifestyles, which could explain their better outcomes.

They generally exercised more, ate better, and got more sleep than people who reported having a more negative view of life, and they were less likely to have risk factors for heart disease and stroke, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. This suggests that bolstering psychological strengths like happiness and optimism could improve cardiovascular health.

Optimism Can Be Learned

But can people who are not hardwired to be happy change their outlook to improve their health? While genes certainly play a role in disposition, behavioral therapy and other psychiatric interventions can help people improve their sense of well-being. Helping people become more optimistic is often a goal of therapy.

Read Do Happy People Have Healthier Hearts?

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
~ Charlie Chaplin

Yes, a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. If your heart is sad and your spirit is broken, self hypnosis may be what you need. You can learn optimism and you can learn to have a merry heart. If you would like to learn hypnosis to lift your spirits, let me know.

Find something to laugh about today!

For a Merry heart click here

Check out Seattle hypnosis and Bainbridge Island hypnosis.
Call (206) 903-1232 or email for your free consultation.

Remember to sign up for your FREE 8-part audio course, Understanding Hypnosis, at the right side of this page NOW!