Chuck Nechtem, Owner of EAP To Visit New Hampshire

Posted on October 31, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

Exciting things are going on here in Seacoast New Hampshire.  Chuck Nechtem is visiting this week and doing a presentation at the Sheraton Harborside, Portsmouth, NH.  If you are a business owner or someone who counsels businesses and have an interest in learning more about Chuck’s services and how they can benefit your company’s bottom line, please e-mail me.  sharon@acmswellness.com

Charles (Chuck) Nechtem, is the founder and president of Charles Nechtem Associates, Inc., one of the ten largest providers of Employee Assistance Programs in the country. Chuck and his staff constantly strive to improve services in innovative ways to fulfill clients’ needs in an ever evolving workplace, financial and regulatory environment. Currently, Charles Nechtem Associates serves over 1000 companies with over five million employees. His proven approach has resulted in significant cost savings for his clients

Chuck is also the author of a book, “Chuck It:  The Revolutionary Path to Success and Happiness,” in which he outlines the three core principles that have led to his business success:

(1)  Get to know the company you are working with.

(2)  Help their employees find personal satisfaction in their work and home lives.

(3)  Give companies not only the services they need, but also the quality they deserve.

The goal of Charles Nechtem Associates, Inc. is to exceed these three principles in every way. With this motivation and a greater vision, Chuck established himself as one of the pioneers of health and wellness in the workplace.

Chuck has much wisdom to share and is a gifted speaker and writer.

Posted in ACMS Wellness, Health Care Costs & Stress, Sound Mind Sound Body Corporate Wellness, health care costs | Leave a comment

Sound Mind Sound Body- Managing Stress

Posted on October 8, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

Do you know what the impact on our health and health care expenses would be if we simply managed our stress?  It would be huge.  I have spent some time reviewing various studies quantifying the incidence and impact of stress and the numbers are pretty staggering.

This past week, I saw first hand how many people are stressed. .  Every client who walked into my office was stressed. People came to me because of smoking, overeating, vomiting when it was time to head off to school.  With the exception of that young student, my clients didn’t even acknowledge that they were feeling stressed.  It was very apparent to me because of the way they spoke.  They just seem to take this for granted. I t’s pretty amazing, but not really surprising.

There are so many challenges in our culture right now.  We have people without jobs stressed about finances and finding another job. Then there are those with jobs who may be overworked and wondering how long their jobs will last.  Gallup-Healthways reports that only 47.7% of those polled feel good about their work.

Many have kids and parents to care for and place great demands on themselves and others. The Gallup-Healthways Study “Facets of Well-Being Across the Age Spectrum in the American Population” shows that people age 44 to 64 have an “intermediate” wellness score, lower than people both older and younger.

Why is too much stress harmful?  Because what we are talking about is the “Fight or Flight” response as a chronic state as opposed to the response to an “acute” situation.  It wasn’t meant to be used in that way.  Think of the effect of excess stress.  We don’t sleep at night; we overeat, may use alcohol or cigarettes to cope. We have more accidents, more illnesses, challenges in our relationships. This takes a huge toll from the standpoint of quality of life and financial resources.

The challenges are real.  The economy is the source of much worry.  What can we do?

In  my opinion, pay attention to the basics:

1.       Meditation.  Try practicing meditation twice daily. Before you dismiss this as being to “out there” for you, consider the fact that in addition to being embraced by people of many faiths and belief systems for thousands of years, the value has been quantified by Western Medicine and its advanced imaging equipment. We know that the mind has “neuroplasticity” and, just like a muscle, can be exercised into better shape. Meditation is simple, effective and requires no financial investment.  It takes only a few minutes twice daily.

2.       Focus on what is great about you and your life.  Have you ever noticed that 90% of your life can be wonderful and yet  where do your thoughts gravitate?  The 10% that is not.  Make lists of your accomplishments, positive skills and attributes, dreams and all that is good in your life.  Allow the challenges you face to take a back seat to the abundance you have.  It is not only possible but very helpful

3.       Feel as happy as possible.  You may have noticed that happy people are also successful. University of California researchers in a meta analysis of 275,000 participants found that hat people with “frequent positive affect” are more likely to be successful  in both their professional and personal lives. “It seems that happiness leads to success, not vice versa.”   Appreciate simple pleasures.  Do your best to continue to spend wisely on things that make you feel truly happy.

4.       Surround yourself with people who are upbeat and encouraging.  Words have power. Allow yourself to be inspired by the words of others.

5.       Read motivating books or encouraging books.

6.       You may want to consider one or two hypnotherapy sessions to release outdated and limiting beliefs that may be contributing to your stress.

7.       Sound Body:  Exercise, eat nutrition packed foods, get adequate rest. Make sure you get plenty of sunshine. We are just starting to document the benefits of Vitamin D, the Sunshine Vitamin. A sound body contributes to a sound mind and vice versa.

I’d like the take away message to be that you are in control.  Feelings change based on your perspective.  Looking for that  “silver lining” can be very empowering.

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Look For Rainbows in Fiscal Storm

Posted on October 4, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

Is someone you know without a job? I’d like to share with a you story about a woman who was also without a job that I’ve worked with over the past year.  In spite of the challenges, it has a happy ending and some suggestions to help you weather the storm.  Look For Rainbows in Fiscal Storm.

For more information about health and wellness “Like” us on Facebook  ACMS Facebook

Have a peaceful week.

Posted in ACMS Wellness, Stress, attaining your goals | Leave a comment

Be Self Empowered for Optimal Health

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

What leads to outstanding health?  A little effort and a lot of awareness

1.  Research + review + commons sense = the right choices for you.

The internet provides us a wealth of information with simply the click of a mouse.  Take full advantage of this.   Research any topic that impacts your health and wellness with an open mind.  Check out sources that challenge your beliefs.  Review the findings and apply common sense to determine what makes sense for YOU.

2.  Be internally motivated  as opposed to making choices based on the expectations of others. What works for you?  No two people are alike.  Determine what feeds your mind, body and spirit.

3.  Create balance in your life.  Every aspect of your life will be better if you make time for family, work or other responsibilities, recreation, exercise, spiritual practice, and quiet time for yourself.

4.  Manage your time wisely.  Many people experience stress because they are overcommitted. Look at your schedule in an objective way and eliminate or delegate whatever you are not passionate about.

5.  Evaluate your diet and nutritional needs.  There are many pitfalls in our food supply.  Learn more about Organic and GMO foods, Vitamin D Deficiency (which is implicated in a host of serious conditions) aspartame (just because there are no calories doesn’t mean it’s good for you).  Plan your meals and snacks. Eat for Optimal Health.

6.  Move a lot.  Incorporate exercise, movement and stretching into your daily routine.  Determine what works for you.  Your plan should be safe, comfortable and become a valued part of your schedule.

7.  Manage your emotions. We are now aware that the so called “molecules of emotion” are found in every cell of your body, not only in the brain.  A common emotion that we feel is stress. Stress related hormones are powerful and impact us in a very negative way.  They contribute to illness (according to the CDC, up to 85% of illness is a result of stress) accidents, poor decisions, unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms, and more.

Meditation is first on my list for managing emotions.  It is simple, affordable and very powerful. We have also learned that the brain has “neuroplasticity”.  Much like a muscle, it is improved and enhance by exercise. In this case, exercise in the form of meditation allows us to be in a peaceful place in the face of challenges.  That becomes our fallback position.  It’s   also  very healthy  to feel and express gratitude, forgiveness, and, at times acceptance.

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Power of the Mind in Healing Cancer

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

Cancer Be Gone Guided Imagery CDPlease accept my apologies if you have already read this article under a different title. The fact that even my good friends missed it made me think it needed a new name and more press. People are experiencing great results using my “Cancer Be Gone” Guided Imagery CD, as you will see.

I still remember an article I read many years ago that said many studies showed that the success of a prescribed drug was impacted by the words the doctor spoke when prescribing it.  If a patient was told “This is a miracle drug.  It will make you well” it was very likely to work wonders.  If, on the other hand, the patient was told “Let’s give this a try.. If you have……… this will help.  Otherwise, we’ll try something else” the treatment was likely to fail. I now know that the placebo effect is well documented and shown to have direct and measurable physiological effects.

I’ve learned about the “Nocebo Effect”.  In Latin this means “I will harm”.  This term refers to the adverse effects of expectations about disease, treatments, and pharmaceuticals. A commonly quoted story is one about a man back in the 1970’s who first won a bout with cancer.  He was later told his cancer had returned and he had only a short time to live.  He did pass away at the prescribed time. An autopsy showed that he did in fact have a minute tumor on his liver that did not kill him.  He died with cancer rather than from cancer.

In June of 2009, a very vibrant, determined  young women, Jessica, was diagnosed with rectal cancer that had already spread to her lungs and liver.  Early on, Jessica made the decision that in spite of her doctor’s dire predictions, she would survive and live a long and healthy life.  The blog her mother created reflects her expectations  http://jessicasvictory.blogspot.com/ She agreed to have chemotherapy and chose not to learn about possible adverse reactions. (This information was shared with her mother who could monitor Jessica’s well being).  She researched and used acupuncture, proper nutrition, guided imagery, and participated in a Tong Ren group led by a healer and acupuncturist for people who were given no hope by their doctors.  She was also given my Guided Imagery CD “Cancer Be Gone” by her oncology nurse at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. 6 months later,  Jessica’s primary tumor was  completely gone!  She remains beautiful, full of life, and her cancer markers are very low.  Many would call her recovery a miracle.

A California man was given two of my guided imagery CD’s (“Cancer Be Gone” and “Peace of Mind”) when he was diagnosed with terminal esophageal cancer.  He also chose to have chemotherapy.  His course was very difficult but he has been declared cancer free.

How is this possible?  Looking at these situations from a practical standpoint,   1.  Hypnotherapy  allows people to sleep at night.  This alone is so important.  It allows our body to be refreshed and the immune system to be stronger.  2. Hypntherapy reduces stress.  The negative impact of stress on the body’s ability to heal is very well documented in studies done by Dr. Janet Kiecolt Glaser and many others.  3. The messages and suggestions in hypnotherapy are encouraging and create feelings of optimism.  In this case of my CD “Cancer Be Gone”  cancer is compared to weeds in a beautiful garden that are easily managed by removal (surgery) or chemicals (chemotherapy) both of which target only the unhealthy cells.

Let’s look at these simple changes in light of our understanding of the mind’s functions and power.

Have you ever heard it said that we use only 10% of our mind?  This is only partly true.  We have control of only the 5 or 10% of our mind that is our conscious mind. The other 90 to 95% is on autopilot using our beliefs and expectations to call the shots.  The process of guided imagery or hypnotherapy or guided imagery  makes changes at the level of the subconscious mind. Limiting beliefs can be reframed.

Let me share a quote from Bruce Lipton, PhD and Steve Bhaerman’s   book “Spontaneous Evolution”:

“Cells, tissues and organs do not question information sent by the nervous system. Rather they respond with equal fervor to accurate life affirming perceptions and to self-destructive misperceptions. Consequently, the nature of our perceptions greatly influences the fate of our lives.”

The takeaway for me is twofold.  First, those who practice guided imagery and hypnotherapy need to keep up the good work.  Second, huge positive strides could be made in the health care system many now embrace  if health care providers used to our advantage the power of the placebo effect by  choosing  words that truly encourage health and wellness.

Let me ask you this question.  In your life, do you choose PLACEBO or NOCEBO?

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Watching Your Health Care Dollars

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

An article in today’s New York Times got me thinking. The article “Doctor Doesn’t Work Hard to hide Symptoms of Medicare Fraud “is the story of a physician who received somewhere between $13 and $20 million by filing claims on patients who were not even his own.

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.

Posted in ACMS Wellness, Exercise, Medical Ethics, health care costs, well being | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Study Finds Stress Does Impact Fertility

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

Do we really need a study to confirm this? How about anecdotal “evidence”.  Over the years, have you ever known couples who try forever to become pregnant. as soon as they throw in the proverbial towel and adopt, they become pregnant.

How about going back to the basic physiology of stress, or the fight or flight response. Does it make sense to bring another child into a world in which there is stress? In earlier times, that stress could be lack of food or abundance of predators.  Therefore, in times of stress, the reproductive system shuts down.

Yes,  it has been apparent to me for years that stress has a powerful impact on a woman’s ability to become a mother.

Being a certified hypnotherapist, I work very successfully with woman who are too anxious to conceive .  There are studies that show hypnotherapy can double to success rate of IVF. It’s my contention that in many instances, using relaxation techniques such as Guided Imagery and Hypnotherapy as the first step would eliminate the need for fertility treatments altogether.

I have a much loved and very effective Guided Imagery CD “Fertility Enhancement for Couples”.Are you willing to invest $18.00 to feel relaxed and move toward a healthy pregnancy in a healthy way?

New York Times Article  “Old Maxim of Fertility and Stress is Reversed“

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Obesity-Thinking Outside The Box

Posted on August 4, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

An article in the New York Times got me thinking (yet again) about obesity and weight loss.  Obesity Rates Keep Rising, Troubling Health Officials. Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the CDC said “Over the past several decades, obesity has increased faster than anyone could have imagined it would. Obesity rates have doubled in adults and tripled in children in recent decades.”

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.

Posted in ACMS Wellness, Exercise, Stress, Uncategorized, obesity | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Do No Harm

Posted on July 20, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

“A Thin White Line Between Doctors” is somewhat of a surprise to me but as I think about criticizing others, part of me understands.  Have you ever witnessed poor performance and yet said nothing?  I certainly have. It’s hard to “tattle”.

A number of years ago, I had dental surgery which did not heal properly. The site had been contaminated with Klebsiella pneumoniae which required several surgeries and 7 months to heal.  Did I sue?? No. I couldn’t bring myself to participate in this unpleasant system.  I have no idea how many other people had a similar experience because I did nothing. Recently, my friend’s husband died. He had elective surgery with no scheduled follow up. He  called his doctor’s office reporting unexpected symptoms and was given an appointment 3 weeks out.  He called again and again but he died two days before his appointment. Is his widow going to sue?  No.  Too much of an emotional drain.  Trust me. I get it.

From the standpoint of ethics, both of us have made the wrong decision.  A deciding factor in making an ethical decision is considering  how many people will be harmed by the decision.  As an ER nurse, it was important to weigh a patient’s right to confidentiality vs. public safety. In the case of significantly compromised doctors, how many will be hurt if a hospital or medical society intercedes?  Probably one: the doctor.  (This could even be a turning point for the doctor if he or she seeks treatment.) What about if he or she continues to practice? How many patients will be affected?  It’s unknown but it seems safe to assume the potential exists to harm to more than one patient.

Does the answer lie in  more regulation or oversight?  Maybe.  Reading this study reinforces my belief that patients  need to be aware, diligent with research and be their  own advocate when making decisions about health care.  What do you think?

Posted in Healthcare Providers, Impaired Doctors, Medical Ethics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Back Pain: An Example of CAM Costs and Outcomes

Posted on July 16, 2010 by Sharon O'Connor, RN

The experiences of two friends got me thinking. Both women, about the same  age, experienced the sudden onset of debilitating  back pain.  Joan, had driven to New York City (a 5 hour drive) and spent the night in a hotel sleeping on a rather soft mattress.  The next morning when she awoke in pain which she described as “debilitating”.  She went to see an acupuncturist.  For her $175.00 investment, she got relief and the chance to enjoy the weekend with her husband and grandchildren.

My other friend, Elise, developed back pain on a Friday evening. It was so severe, she couldn’t even walk.  Although  she routinely uses acupuncture, chiropractic and hypnotherapy, she opted to go to the local ER because of the severity. She had X-rays, a CT Scan, was diagnosed with muscle spasms and admitted for two nights on IV pain medication.  On Monday, she visited me for a hypnotherapy session.  She limped up the stairs, obviously still experiencing a lot of pain.  After one hour, she walked out much more comfortably,  showing significant improvement.  Later, she visited an acupuncturist and got total relief. She later told me she got more relief from the acupuncturist and my hypnotherapy session than she did from her hospital visit.

Let’s compare the outcomes and costs:

Joan was incapacitated for about 6 hours and spent $175.00 for relief.

Elise was in pain for 72 hours.  She spent the same $175.00 for the acupuncture and hypnotherapy. (This is small town USA, not NYC).  But, her insurance company got stuck with a much larger bill for the care that essentially didn’t work.  Elise doesn’t know just how much that bill was because the insurance company and hospital didn’t share that information with her.   I do know that the average hospital stay is now $2,300.00 a day.  So, it is likely that those who pay insurance premiums, or taxes,  spent $4,600.00 for this one stay.

Traditional, Western medicine is very useful in many cases which require acute care.  But, doesn’t it make sense for us to empower ourselves by researching other evidence based options which can have far better outcomes, fewer side effects and save significant amounts of money?

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