Keys4Healing Essence

The Year of the Rabbit officially begins on February 3rd, 2011 and the elemental energies are again metal and wood, similar to the Tiger year we’re leaving behind. Therefore, some of the unpredictability and conflicts of the Tiger year will carry over to the New Year; however, Rabbit years are usually calm, creative, and positive -- a much-desired change from the volatile Tiger! Rabbit is a peace-seeking symbol, and we can expect that there will most likely be more effort at diplomacy politically. But don’t expect everything to go smoothly, because any accord is always underscored by discord. The focus of this year will orient towards reviving the arts and culture, getting our financial house in order, cultivating intimate relationships, and building family and community. As a result, industries that will likely benefit include entertainment, finance, energy, especially alternative energy, commodities like metals and agricultural products, mining, shipping, transportation, and hotels...

Health test: Score your diet's Mediterranean quotient Joe Rojas-Burke The Oregonian, Portland, Ore. 01-31-11 Jan. 31--The Mediterranean diet is famous for staving off heart disease. But there's growing evidence that the eating pattern -- heavy on vegetables, fruits, olive oil and fish -- offers some protection from a surprisingly broad list of health problems. Among them: Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, certain cancers, diabetes, weight gain, and perhaps even infertility. To rate how closely your eating habits fit the Mediterranean diet, use the following scale (adapted from the diet score created by Antonia Trichopoulou and colleagues at the University of Athens Medical School, Greece, with U.S. data from the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.) Give yourself 1 point for each yes answer, and 0 for each no. Vegetables: 4 or more servings a day Legumes: 1 or more servings a week Fruit: 3 or more servings a day Nuts and seeds: 1 or ...

Leftover Halloween candy is a dangerous thing for your waistline. Here are 3 possible suggestions to help avoid overdoing it: 1. Take 7 samples of one or various treats. Store them in the refrigerator. One study revealed that treats kept in the fridge (in the butter bin, specifically) reduced over-eating of the treat. Then, allow yourself 1 treat per day for a week. One treat per day will not do  you in, but 7 in one day may damage your waistline for weeks to come. Your body can process small bits of sugar  at once, but not large amounts. Better to enjoy 7 times in bites than 1 time in gulps! 2. Take a bite or two then throw the rest in the trash immediately. Make sure to take the trash out after... : ) 3. If there's enough, take the treats to a  neighborhood care shelter. Those kids could use a treat of both the loving and tasty kind. Hope you had a safe and Happy Halloween. Now, what about Thanksgiving? Well, that's a subject for a later blog. Happy Qi! Tom

Here's a report from CNN and the AP news services: The ancient Chinese martial art of tai chi may be an effective way to help alleviate problems associated with arthritis, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine report. An estimated 50 million adults in the U.S. have  some form of arthritis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although many of these people turn to medication to help them deal with the pain, the medical community continues to look for ways to help these patients. Tai chi was originally used to train Chinese warriors before they went into battle. Today it's a popular form of exercise. Tai chi classes incorporate slow movements and balance, helping participants concentrate on the connection between the mind and the body. In this study, researchers followed 354 participants who were recruited from 20 sites in states of North Carolina and New Jersey. To be eligible for the stud...

Many of my clients ask what is the best and healthiest way to lose weight? So I have decided to put in writing what I have been telling them: Maintain a proper energy balance Energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight. The amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks (energy IN) is balanced with the energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active (energy OUT): The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same (energy balance) More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight. You can reach and maintain a healthy weight if you: Follow a healthy diet, and if you are overweight or obese, reduce your daily intake by 500 calories for weight loss Are physically ...

Walter Breuning, the fourth-oldest living person on earth and the world's oldest living male, turned 114 years old on September 21. Born in 1896, Walter has lived in three separate centuries. His advice? Watch your diet - if you are overweight, get the weight off. Keep your brain and your body busy - exercise them both every day. And finally - be kind to everyone, the more people you help, the more you help yourself. Great advice Walter, and Happy Birthday!

Diet is a major cause of high blood pressure. But changing your diet is difficult. However, if you can cut one food from your diet, you can easily lower your blood pressure. Dr. Liwei Chen of Louisiana State University led a team that followed 810 adults with borderline hypertension. The study lasted for 18 months. At the start of the study, the participants drank (on average) one 12-oz sugar-sweetened serving each day. The researchers asked the participants to simply cut their consumption. Those who were able to knock out the sugar drink totally reduced their systolic pressure by 1.8 and the diastolic by 1.1. That may not seem like much, but even a small decrease in blood pressure can significantly reduce your risk of vascular events. And over the years, the drop would be even more significant. Sugar increases insulin. Insulin will raise your blood pressure. Sugar might also make your blood thicker. Increased viscosity is a major heart disease risk. It leads to a need for higher...