Wellness

The Definitive Guide to Chronic Fatigue and Alternative Treatments

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a mysterious condition. There is no known cause. While the symptoms can be debilitating, there is no test to diagnosis it. Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with CFS. And most sufferers are between 25 and 45 years old, although there are cases in childhood and middle age.

Some people with CFS live active lives while 25% of the cases are disabled. Sometimes the disease is persistent and other times there is a pattern of relapse and remission. No one knows how many cases there are of CFS because The CFIDS Association of America estimates that fewer than 20 percent of CFS patients in the United States have been properly diagnosed.

CFS has several names. It is called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), chronic fatigue and chronic fatigue immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS). No matter what it is called, the most effective way to manage chronic fatigue is with alternative treatments. continue reading »

Sticking to your New Year’s Resolution: The Trick is Not What You Think

It’s New Year’s again. It’s time to make a resolution.

And you know the drill. You set goals. You work on them for a couple of weeks. You begin to flag.

Many times you give up by February.

Your New Year’s resolution becomes a distant memory until the next New Year’s when you feel slightly guilty and begin the whole process again.

If each year you make a resolution and each year you break it, something has to change. The only way this year can be different is if you do something different.

The trick is not changing your resolution. The trick to achieving your resolution is to use an entirely new plan to reach it. continue reading »

Interesting Ways to Help Your Kids Exercise in Winter

It’s cold and dark outside.

You come home with the kids and all you want to do is snuggle on the couch.

Snuggling in winter may be fun (and I’m not going to say you shouldn’t snuggle) but your kids need something more. In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), kids need at least 1 hour of physical activity—every day. And depending on your children’s school program and sports activities, they may not even get close.

There are many benefits. Exercise helps kids feel less stressed, have higher self-esteem, focus at school, sleep better and maintain a healthy weight. You’ve probably noticed that parenting children who get enough exercise is also easier than parenting those who don’t.

Winter is a time for yin activities. It’s healthy to be introspective and quiet. However, children need physical activity—even in the winter.

But on a cold, dark day, how do you get your kids to exercise? continue reading »

The Holiday Survival Toolkit: How to Not Drink at Parties (And Still Have Fun)

The holiday season is upon us and we all know what that means—parties.

Parties at work, parties at church, parties at school, fundraiser parties, caroling parties, Secret Santa parties…

It’s the season of so many parties that we long for a weekend night with nothing scheduled.

All the parties can lead to excess, but the biggest party of the season, New Year’s Eve, can be the topper. Many people drink so much that it can take days to feel healthy again. And even if you don’t drink to drunkenness, your extra alcohol intake in the month of December can take its toll.

I think it’s great to celebrate and enjoy the company of your loved ones, but I don’t want to see you sick. Find out how to not drink (or at least drink less) this party season. continue reading »

6 Facts to Know When Using Acupuncture to Quit Smoking

Smoking is a strong, complicated addiction. Quitting smoking is no small task and you will need lots of support to be successful. You need the best tools to help with the physical and emotional symptoms, and acupuncture is a great resource to help you succeed.

Here are the 6 things you should know about using acupuncture to quit smoking. continue reading »