As you may know, I am an RN and certified hypnotherapist. Most of my private clients come to me to change a stubborn habit such as overeating, smoking , hair pulling, nail biting or biting their lip or the inside of their mouth. There is almost always a laundry list of changes they wish to make in addition to their  primary goal that includes exercising, sleeping at night, relaxing, feeling comfortable speaking with others.  And they always add “I know it’s a tall order.” To their great surprise, most of the requested changes are made after the first visit.

How can I do that?  It’s actually very simple.  Habits and behaviors are a response to an uncomfortable emotion.  We feel stressed and we…….. fill in the blank.  We overeat, drink alcohol, smoke, bite our fingernails.  We feel bored and we have a favorite activity to comfort us. During the first session, I simply ask the subconscious to communicate in a different way. I ask that when it needs attention, it be in touch with the conscious mind in a gentle way that can be understood and acted upon.  This works.  We then work on the underlying issues  (almost always stress) which are also usually resolved quickly and comfortably.

It’s my goal to help many thousands of people lead healthier, happier lives.  So I have a series of professionally recorded Guided Imagery CD’s.  You can make the same changes my private clients do by simply purchasing and listening to one of my CD’s.

Try “Peace of Mind” or  “Creating Optimal Health and Wellness” CD’s. A minimal investment of time and money can allow you to make big changes  in your life.

Happy Holidays.

Yes, health insurance and Medicare help many people get the medical care they need. The flip side is, the third party payment system is responsible for much of our health care funding crisis. Why do I say this?  To begin with, many  people make decisions about their health care based on whether or not insurance will pay  rather than evaluating whether or not the care or test is appropriate  and balancing the risk versus benefit.  Additionally, since they don’t consider insurance dollars to be their own, they are less likely to pay attention to the billing.

In the case of Dr. Sheth, even if the billing agencies, the Insurance Companies, and Medicare missed the warning signs, each and every patient should have received an EOB (Explanation of Benefits of the equivalent) and seen payments to a doctor they never even saw.   People seem to forget that everyone who pays health insurance premiums or taxes is paying insurance bills, whether they are legitimate or not.

“Solving” the funding challenges around health care funding need to focus on education, awareness, patient advocacy, empowerment, and wellness.  People need to have good information and use common sense when making choices about every aspect of both their health care and life style choices.  Does it make sense that we can thrive on processed foods that come in boxes and have lots high fructose corn syrup?  How about diet soda? We know the value of exercise.  How many people exercise regularly?  How about doctors’ recommendations for testing and care?   Information and common sense are critical. If you doubt what I am saying about the importance of being aware and your own advocate, check out “Death By Medicine“.

Begin today.  Learn more about nutrition, exercise, healthy lifestyles, reducing stress and any diagnoses you may have received.  The ball is in YOUR COURT. Grab it and run with it.

We are well aware of the need to balance caloric intake and exercise, but clearly, more changes are necessary.

Let me share some things I have learned about weight control.

1. In our culture the word “lose” has a negative connotation. We don’t really want to “lose” anything.  A much better way to define our goal  is to “attain our ideal weight” Words have power.

2. There is a powerful emotional component to overeating and being overweight.  Many people eat in response to an uncomfortable emotion. In my hypnotherapy practice, I help people identify their emotions and satisfy them in an appropriate way. When they feel a need to eat, I ask them to stop to identify whether or not they are feeling true physical hunger. If they are, they choose a nutrition packed snack. If not, they determine what emotion they are feeling and choose a healthy coping mechanism. If they are bored, they find something to do; anxious, take some deep breaths or maybe exercise.

3. The second part of the emotional component is that the subconscious mind sometimes uses fat as a blanket of protection.  I have observed in my own practice that many obese people have been physically or sexually abused as children. Some of my clients have done extremely well using hypnotherapy to allow them to feel safe without that insulation.

4. People need a good night’s sleep to be at their ideal weight. If we are tired, we have more cravings.  Without adequate, deep sleep, the hormone Leptin which allows us to feel satisfied is not produced properly.  Know what works for you to manage stress and sleep soundly most nights.

5. Overweight people can have an obstructed airway  which can lead to sleep apnea.  These people  seldom get a good night’s sleep.  If you snore, it’s really important to be screened for sleep apnea.

6. There is far less nutritional value in our food supply than in the past as a result of depleted soils and the over processing of foods.   We eat a lot of food and lots of empty calories but receive inadequate  nutritional value.   We  need to continue eating since our body truly does need nutrients. Do some research and make wise food choices based on what is available to you locally.

The work I do as a certified hypnotherapist can help with some of these challenges.  n addition to private sessions, I have a wonderful, preloaded MP-3 player “Oasis of Comfort”which has hypnotherapy scripts for stress management, changing habits, sleeping well,  along physical and emotional comfort.  It is totally portable and provides  positive thoughts to go. Available at Amazon.com or my website for just $29.95 plus shipping and handling.

I’d love to hear about your journey to a fit and trim, healthy body.

Jane Brody’s column today quotes  evidence based research reinforcing what we have already read about the dramatic impact regular exercise has on our physical health and cognitive abilities.

Check it out:  Even More Reasons to Get a Move On

Great idea!  I myself shy away from using stairwells in big buildings because I don’t always feel safe.

The study suggests using music, carpeting, artwork, air conditioning and doors that are easy to open.  I’m all for it.

Check it out  Fitness: Making Stairs A Lure For Exercise