Spiritual/Mind Advancement, Food and Exercise.

The diagnosis and subsequent medicating of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has jumped to alarming levels in the United States over the last few years. The stimulants used to treat the condition have more than doubled since 2007 to an astounding $9 billion in 2012. In light of this, many are questioning whether children are diagnosed accurately or if this is yet another medical label that pharmaceutical companies can exploit to reap massive profits. To date, 1 in 5 high school aged boys are diagnosed with ADHD, while 1 in 10 are said to have the condition across all age groups below eighteen. According to data collected in 2013 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s estimated 6.4 million children in the U.S. aged 4 through 17 have received an ADHD diagnosis at one point during their lifetime, which equates to a 16 percent increase since 2007 and a 41 percent jump over the last decade. “Those are astronomical numbers. I’m floored,...

Although I’ve been aware of the recent positive discussion of cannabis oil as a treatment for various serious diseases, I was still skeptical to consider this as a viable solution for certain health disorders. After all, so many people these days are looking for the perfect miracle pill to solve their health issues! Is this another panacea? Is this another way of buying into the mentality of one-size-fits-all treatments that come in a bottle without making any necessary dietary and life style changes? In the end, it all depends on how we really make use of these extracts that nature provided us and how clearly we see the “big picture” of true healing. So it was time I found out more! I interviewed one of my colleagues with extensive knowledge on the matter – Steven Sinay, VP of Nutritional Science for Empower Genetics and a fellow Metabolic Typing practitioner. This article is what he kindly shared with me on the very interesting topic of cannabis oil. Understanding Canna...

You probably already know that selling your soul in a job that stresses you out can predispose you to illness. However, what if I told you, as a physician, that finding your calling could significantly improve not just your mental and spiritual health, but also your physical health? Let me tell you a few stories to demonstrate this. The Harmonica Angel In 1996, Andy Mackie was told he would die within a year if he stopped taking the 15 heart medications that doctors told him were saving his life after he had undergone nine heart surgeries. But the side effects of the drugs made Andy’s quality of life so miserable that he decided to stop his drugs and live the rest of his life as comfortably and happily as possible. Since he figured he did not have long to live, he decided to do something that had always been a dream, he took the $600 he would have spent on his heart medicines and bought 300 harmonicas for children in public school, complete with lessons from Andy himself. When And...

Growing up as an entrepreneur and a research junkie, I always read articles on meditation but never really understood all the hoopla. I was always one to seek power rather than peace. My entire life I struggled believing that you could only achieve this power one way, and one way only; through MONEY – and lots of it! I soon realized that I had it all wrong. But it wasn’t until I became a certified hypnotherapist and began studying consciousness and the subconscious mind that I became aware “I’ve been played!” Let me explain. Meditation and the Right Brain Meditation is the key to developing certain areas of the brain; areas that help us become more intuitive, imaginative, creative, and better connected to the universe. Albert Einstein, considered one of the greatest minds to have ever lived, was said to have struggled in his early school years. This was because Einstein was more of a right-brained thinker than a left-brained thinker. Einstein was never “taught” his theories a...

Christmas has become symbolic of all that is wrong with our society. Much like the Grinch, whose heart was three sizes too small; our hearts have diminished in size due to the culture of fear, conformity, and consumerism in which we reside. As a result, we have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas, and celebrate it in ways that are in direct opposition to its original intent. This year, on Black Friday, I was reminded about the true meaning of Christmas. I choose not to celebrate Thanksgiving, but rather honor the Day of Mourning for our Native American brothers and sisters. I surrounded myself in nature and spent time at a cabin in small-town Western Wisconsin. The sights and sounds were serene. It was a true “silent” and “holy” night with no one around, yet I was far from being alone as I was immersed in the thriving and picturesque landscape provided by mother earth. And it was there, at the local gas station, that I re-discovered what the meaning of Christmas is really ...

Want to hear the strangest thing on earth? Death is perhaps the most constructive fact of our existence. Being aware of death throughout your life can beget the healthiest attitude: one of perspective. Countless people throughout history knew this too. The ancient Greeks used to “practice death every day,” and the Toltecs would use death as “fuel to live and to love.” The constant reminder ensured they would live more boldly, more kindly, and with less fear. The Good News About Death Here's how the morbid subject can actually benefit us: Our limited days on earth are the ultimate impetus to live with less fear and more intention. The majority of the time, many of us live as if there will be no end to our days. We stay in unfulfilling careers. We remain in unhappy relationships. We will travel the world “one day.” We fail to tell people how much they matter to us. We hide our real truth, gifts, or talents from the world because we are scared of being judged and criticized. Lo...

What might your office or apartment have in common with a NASA spaceship? Unfortunately the answer may be poor air quality. Indoor air pollutants have been ranked among the top five environmental risks to public health: Stagnant indoor environments allow pollutants to build up and stick around in greater amounts than we humans should be breathing in. Living and working in places rife with air contaminants and lacking decent ventilation can cause "sick building syndrome," which can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and eye, ear, and nose irritation. Lucky for us, NASA scientists have been working to understand this problem and find solutions. Their space-age solution was an easy one that anyone can use: Use houseplants to clean the air . What’s the Deal? Given that people spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, air quality matters . Furnishings, upholstery, synthetic building materials, and cleaning products in homes and offices can emit a variety of toxic compou...

Most holidays in first world countries are about having fun, and most involve explosives. Maybe this is the extreme stimulation we need to feel excited. Our holidays largely lack spiritual context and meaning, save for expressing our love to one another and sharing good times. Religious holidays that literalize religious myths don’t fare much better in terms of helping us deal with reality. We are missing the sacred in our celebrations, which would honor the things and experiences for which we are truly grateful, that truly fulfill us and give us life, as if we were truly grateful... which collectively we may really not be. Our Earth-honoring rituals have all but disappeared in the modern world and visits to the natural world for many are akin to going to Disneyland. How might we make a shift? Gratitude Sacred celebration leaves us feeling more whole while doing little to no damage to the natural world. We feel better after sacred celebration, even if “better” is simply to acknowl...