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Welcome to the holiday season. What does this mean to you? Does the hype of the holiday cause you stress? There can be so many pressures during the holidays, leading to winters in the northern hemisphere, shorter days, cooler weather and expectations.
The winter months are also associated with cold and flu season. In our society, it is not always possible to stay home during the duration of an illness. Also, there are times when contagious illnesses are more contagious prior to knowing one is ill. Keeping up with regular activity and extra holiday obligations may lead to stress, reduced sleep and less desirable food choices. These may make one more susceptible to becoming sick. We are all exposed to microbes at school, work, public places and from friends and family. Good hygiene and frequent hand washing may help reduce exposure to germs and microbes. Staying away from sick people would be ideal. Find out work or school policies on sick leave prior to becoming sick to help reduce the stress of decision making in times of illness. Talking to health practitioners prior to becoming ill can help to be educated on how to make urgent or acute appointments, treatment or prevention options and information on the process of obtaining sick leave letters. Setting boundaries can help to reduce stress during the holidays. Using a technique that works for you can become an invaluable tool to help get through the season. Starting with a simple piece of paper and pen can get the ball rolling quickly. The following list can get you started on setting up boundaries that work for you, your family and your budget: • Finances & budget; needs vs. wants • Food choices and staying hydrated • Holiday activities • Holiday gifts and cards • Entertainment • Vacation time • Family time • Children’s activities • Self-care • Respite • Friends and fellowship time • Setting boundaries with family; knowing when to draw the line and set limits • Simple decorating ideas • Immune support techniques • R and R; rest and relaxation • Pet care • Home and yard care • Work and home parties • Heating and indoor air quality • Weight management • Physical activity • Charity This blog post is for entertainment purposes only. This is not meant to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any ailment. For medical advice talk to your primary care practitioner. Michelle Brown-Echerd, ND Naturopathic Physician Owner of Tower of Health, LLC Phone: 971.407.3684
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Greetings from Oregon USA.
It is a day to celebrate and relax; if possible. There are so many people on social media posting pictures of themselves with family and friends doing activities such as camping, boating, river floating, going to concerts, parades, BBQs, participating in running events and just hanging out with others and enjoying each other's company. You have woken up this morning with a beating heart and breathing lungs. Allow your mess to become someone else's message and grow in this time for the better. Primary care medicine
Women's health Men's health Infants Pediatrics Geriatrics Acute care; colds/viruses, injuries, skin issues/rash, stitches and more Chronic conditions Medications: herbs, supplements, homeopathic, prescriptions & medical devices. Hydrotherapy Diet & food plans Meal planning including vegan, vegetarian & raw foods Home visits Mobile medicine House calls Portland Metro area - ask for details Lab work Food allergies & intolerances What does it mean to detox?
I have a lot of experience with removing toxins from the body via herbs, juicing, saunas, exercise, with charcoal and other modalities; including massage. One strategy in helping overall health is removing toxic people from you and your family's life. This is one area in which I could use help. Do you ever feel obligated to continue to listen to abusive talk and put downs because someone is your neighbor or your relative? What if you are a busy person, with home and business and there are a couple of people who contact you frequently, but they only want to use you for information or other things, but ignore you whenever you call or contact them? Thoughts are a powerful thing and thoughts lead to speaking. Thoughts and speech lead to action and we would like to have healthy thoughts, speech and actions in order to maintain the integrity of a healthy lifestyle. Three tips for removing toxic people from your life; that I am experimenting on myself: 1) Take a break from these people; give yourself a timeline and journal about your thoughts and growth during this time. Do you have a lonely neighbor you feel sorry for? Do you feel obligated to hang out with that person even if he/she is abusive? Do you feel guilt, say knowing a holiday is coming up and you know that neighbor will be alone? Keep your promise of taking a break from that neighbor for a time; if you cannot stand to think of the neighbor alone, send or drop off, with being seen, a gift and card to let him or her know that you are thinking about them and that you have been working on some things that are taking up time in this period of life. You may feel growth and be able to forgive and release some of the toxic words that were said by this person and realize that your self-confidence and self-esteem have risen and you are becoming a better person in society because of this avoidance. 2) Do you have a friend who uses you? Have you sensed the red flags and continued to fall for the same tricks over and over? Have you continued to tell yourself; what goes around comes around, I'll help this person and one day she will help me. Then the day comes and goes (multiple times) that every time you ask for a small favor she avoids you like the plague. However when she wants something, she will blow up your phone 24/7 until you give her what you want. Set up boundaries, write out the pros and cons of this relationship. Are you feeling drained around this person? Do they stop calling at midnight when you tell them not to? Do what you need to do: block them from your phone, social media and don't feel obligated to bend over backwards for this person. They are good at getting what they want and will probably be fine. If you feel you can, let this person know how you feel. If you have brought this up before and there has been no change, it may be time to call it quits or at least take a break from this person. 3) Is there someone in your life that ignores you for the most part but when you decide to hang out with them, they become overwhelmingly clingy? For instance, at a time you actually have a break and you've spent time with your own family, you decide it would be fun to hang out with this person and go to a movie. Then every day they want you to go to a movie and they call you and text you when you are work and get mad after texting 12 times and getting no reply --because you are actually working-- they blow up and tell you how rude you are. Have you set boundaries with this person and told them that your availability is scarce and you have a job and family to take care of; yet they still feel offended. Do they keep quiet when you keep to yourself but when you hang out they contact you day and night and feel you have to be joined at the hip. Don't allow yourself to fall into this person's trap. If you have fun with this person then become overwhelmed and smothered, it may be time to move on if this person doesn't respect your boundaries. Take a break. Find a group of people to go on an adventure with, join a book club, volunteer at a local non-profit, sign up for online dating and meet some new people. Let yourself know that everyone does not behave the way this friend does and that it can be draining and affect your health. Now that you have started thinking about some ways to protect yourself from toxic people realize that you may start by taking a break from these people and even blocking them from phones or social media. If you do this discretely and decide to go back to being friends with these people it is okay. Give yourself time to heal and set up boundaries; if they cannot adhere to the boundaries make a decision of what to do, and realize that the way certain people affect your mind will lead you to treating others away that is not your style. This blog is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure any ailment. Please seek the care of your health practitioner and/or mental health provider for any advice or care related to your health and wellbeing. This blog is meant as an educational and entertaining subject; relating to health and wellbeing. Please leave your comments below!
This is the end of 2014, which marks the beginning of a new career. I recently, completed the fingerprint portion of my state naturopathic board licensing application.
I have completed a doula training course and will be working as a provisional doula; free of charge for the time being, until I complete the certificate requirements of 5 births. Contact me at [email protected] for more information. I will be servicing the Portland, Oregon metro area and some surrounding neighborhoods. It is Christmas time and a time to reflect on the year which has been overwhelming in some ways and miraculous in others. |
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November 2019
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