Summer’s almost here, but you’re shopping for a beach burka, instead of a nice one-piece or a bikini. You’re feeling bloated and rundown and your belly is misbehaving. As Seinfeld said, “This train isn’t leaving the station.” Sounds like your body is just begging for a fresh start, a re-boot, a springtime detox.

There are a million reasons to detox – and probably a million different ways to go about it. But, what must one look for, what’s the best way ?

I’ve seen from my years in practice that to be completely effective, a detox program needs to contain the following key components.

• fiber to scrub the gut, bind toxins and promote their elimination
• anti-microbial herbs to kill bad bugs in the gut and maintain healthy flora
• targeted nutrients to boost the liver and prevent the accumulation of toxins
• digestive enzymes to help the body break down food and assist digestion
• a balanced blend of vitamins & minerals to safely support you during detox
• a dietary plan that eliminates problem foods, but doesn’t leave you feeling hungry

An effective detox must not only address the toxins we eat, drink, breath and put on our bodies every day – but just as important – it MUST contain the specific ingredients needed to neutralize or eliminate the internal toxins the body creates as it performs it’s normal everyday functions.

Without these targeted nutrients to clear out the bodies own biochemical and cellular waste, your body won’t be getting the cleanse it really needs.

A safe and effective cleanse won’t:

• make you feel woozy from lack of nutrients or food.
• have you praying for the detox to end.
• make dining with family and friends almost impossible.
• starve you for weeks.

What it will do is:

• kill bad bacteria in the belly that are a major source of toxicity and weight gain.
• clear out accumulated toxins that slow digestion and elimination.
• drench your body in nutrients leaving you feeling energized and vibrant.

Here are my top five reasons to do a good detox every now and then:

1. A good detox will make your engine purr

Just like your car runs better after a tune-up, our bodies function better when they’re purged of the built-up waste products and toxins that compromise health. A truly effective detox must go beyond fasting or juicing by supplying the specific ingredients needed to boost the body’s own detoxification system. The toxins and chemicals of modern industrial life assault our bodies every day. Our systems are constantly neutralizing and eliminating them, but the problem is, over time, this exposure overwhelms the detox organs, (primarily the liver and the gut). So, instead of getting eliminated, toxins wind up being stored in various tissues, bodily functions start to slow then falter, setting the stage for the development of chronic diseases.

A periodic detox will keep your engine humming and help you to maintain good health in the long-term.

2. A detox has wonderful side effects

Although the primary goal of a good detox is to reset and optimize detox function, the side effects are wonderful too – most people will experience:

• Weight loss
• A boost in energy levels
• Less bloating and puffiness
• Clearer skin
• Improved digestion
• Better sleep
• Relief from aches and pains

3. A detox program is like a vacation for digestion

A good cleanse resets your body, giving it a fresh start. Your digestve organs will get a vacation from the bad stuff allowing your body’s natural detoxification systems to reboot and return to peak performance.  Herbal anti-microbials diminish the flood of internal toxins from yeast and parasites, lightening the load on the liver so it doesn’t get overwhelmed. Digestive enzymes ensure fewer negative effects from undigested foods. Fiber feeds the cells lining the intestines thereby supporting cellular integrity and decreasing inflammation. Eliminating foods that often cause sensitivities or reactions will give your digestive system a well earned rest.

4. A good detox will create a heightened sense of well-being

A good detox should make you feel buoyant, energetic and vital, not spaced-out, deprived, physically weak or cranky. By not ingesting the toxins and irritants that are a common cause of sensitivities, reactions, irritation and inflammation – and by supplementing with digestive enzymes, fiber and herbal anti-bacterials, the work load on your body is reduced – which leaves your engine with more energy for other things. You should feel lighter and more mentally focused.

5. A good detox could possibly change your life

One of the most powerful things I see in my practice is the life-changing effects of living a healthier lifestyle. Not only is an effective cleanse like giving yourself a good wash and polish on the inside, but it often makes a powerful entry point into living a healthier lifestyle. Many of my patients feel such a big change in such a short time, that they want to remain feeling that way. A good cleanse can kick-start healthy habits and get you started on the path of smarter choices and sustainable health – the cornerstone of long-term wellness.

You simply feel so good and you don’t want it to stop.

OK, so what’s the best way?

No matter which detox you choose, be sure that it supplies all of the critical components needed for an effective detox. Remember that a good cleanse is not about deprivation or starvation, it’s an active process. It’s not just about juices or powders or pills, but equally about supporting yourself with fresh nourishing food to replenish your system.

There are as many products out there as there are reasons to detox. In this sea of options I must admit, I’m biased towards my own Be Well Cleanse program – because everything I’ve learnt over the last 25 years of doing cleanses with my patients has gone into it.

With your detox systems running smoothly your body will perform more efficiently – just like it should – leaving you looking and feeling better than ever – it’s the perfect way to get ready for swimsuit season.

It’s a fact. Kids today are sicker than they were a generation ago, and according to the Pesticide Action Network of North America (PANNA), pesticides are a part of the reason why.

“From childhood cancers to birth defects and asthma, a wide range of childhood diseases and disorders are on the rise, and public health experts tell us we have a “silent pandemic” of learning disabilities and disorders” they suggest.  But these pesticides aren’t just affecting children, their impact is far-reaching, affecting all of us.  On average, Americans are exposed to between 10 and 13 pesticide residues on their food and drink every day.

A full report goes into explicit detail about the impact that pesticides can have on our health, and while this information can be painful to learn, it is important to remember that knowledge is power.  Here are a few key findings:

• Neurotoxic pesticides are contributing to the rising rates of ADHD, autism, widespread declines in IQ and other measures of cognitive function. Over the last 15 years, the rate of U.S. children being born with come kind of developmental disability has grown by 17%.
• Pesticide exposure also contributes to rising rates of childhood cancer, birth defects and early puberty. Overall incidence of leukemia and childhood brain tumors, the two most common types of childhood cancer, have risen 40% and 50% since 1975. Studies suggest that exposure to pesticides during pregnancy and early childhood are contributing to this trend.
• Emerging science indicates that pesticides may be important contributors to the current epidemic of childhood asthma, obesity and diabetes, and today, more than 7 million children, or about 1 in 10 kids, are affected by asthma, up from 2 million in 1980.

Scientists have understood for decades that children are particularly vulnerable to the harms of pesticide exposure. Quickly growing bodies take in more of everything; they eat, breathe and drink more, pound for pound, than adults. Trends and emerging data show that these harms are real and getting worse, and cannot be explained away through diagnostic criteria or lifestyle choice.

In other words, genetics don’t change this quickly, the environment that are children are living in does.  And today, food crops are now hardwired to withstand increasing doses of pesticides, insecticides and weedkillers or engineered to produce these insecticides internally, within the plant itself.

So what’s a parent, a caretaker or a concerned American to do?  Thankfully, there is a lot. Protecting Kids From Pesticides Starts With Us, suggests PANNA.  And if you think about it, it truly does.  So lend your voice.  Do what you can, where you are, with what you have, so that together, we can create an environment in which are children can thrive – for the sake of our families, our communities and our country.

Want to learn more? Pesticides 101 is a great resource.  To learn more, please click here.

As we age, many of us have a fatal flaw that can lead to a fatal fall — we lose our balance, stability and coordination. Stephen Jepson says he can change that for everyone. And as a bonus, he believes it can help you build brain cells, develop neural pathways and prevent or delay Alzheimer’s and dementia.

What is his prescription? Play!

Stephen believes the key to never losing your balance — or your mind — is in the games and activities of our youth. Wait until you see his incredible playground!

Taken from www.growingbolder.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In this New York Times article, A-list actress Angelina Jolie bravely announced that she made the tough decision to undergo elective bilateral mastectomy after her doctors warned her that she has an 87% risk of developing breast cancer and a 50% risk of getting ovarian cancer because her mother died of breast cancer and she carries the BRCA1 gene. While I fully support Angelina’s right to write The Prescription for herself, and while I admire her courage to go public with what some might hide, as an OB/GYN physician with a passion for mind-body medicine, this breaking news concerns me for a variety of reasons.

The Nocebo Effect

In Chapter 2 of Mind Over Medicine, I share the scientific data about “the nocebo effect,” the opposite of the placebo effect, when we think something will harm our health – and it does. In one case study, a man was misdiagnosed with cancer and told he would only live 3 months. He died exactly 3 months later and was found to have no cancer on autopsy.

In another case study that is the stuff of fairy tales, a woman born on Friday the 13th in the Okefenokee Swamp near the Georgia-Florida border was one of three girls delivered that day by a midwife, who proclaimed that all three girls, born on such a fateful day, were hexed. The first, she announced, would die before her 16th birthday.  The second would not survive her 21st. And the patient in question was told she would die before her 23rd birthday.

As it turns out, the first two girls died within one day of their 16th and 21st birthdays. The third woman, terrified that she would die on her 23rd birthday, showed up at the hospital the day before her birthday, hyperventilating.  Soon afterwards, just before she turned 23, she died, proving the midwife’s predictions correct. This is an extreme example of the nocebo effect, when fear-based thoughts about your health can actually kill you.

“Medical Hexing”

In his book Spontaneous Healing, Dr. Andrew Weil argues that physicians may unwittingly engage in what he calls “medical hexing.” When we pronounce patients with “chronic,” “incurable,” or “terminal” illnesses, we may be programming their subconscious minds with negative beliefs and activating stress responses that do more harm than good. What proof do we have that they will not be one of the case studies who winds up in the Spontaneous Remission Project, having been cured of a so-called “incurable” illness?

By labeling a patient with a negative prognosis and robbing a patient of the hope that cure might be possible, we may ultimately prove the poor prognosis we have bestowed upon our patient correct. Wouldn’t we be better off offering hope and triggering the mind to release health-inducing chemicals intended to aid the body’s self-repair mechanisms?

Is it really healthy for any of us to know that we might have an 87% risk of any illness? Do we really want to poison our minds with such fear-based thoughts that then force us to make decisions about whether or not we will electively cut off perfectly healthy body parts?

The Slippery Slope of Elective Surgery

Once we start surgically removing healthy body parts, it’s a slippery slope. Should we cut out appendixes and gallbladders in babies, since appendicitis and gallbladder disease can kill you? Should we cut out uteri and ovaries after childbearing, since all they’re doing is waiting to get cancer? Should we cut off all moles because some could become melanomas?

How is it that we live in a culture where barbaric surgeries – like elective bilateral mastectomy as prevention for breast cancer – have become not only normalized, but even recommended?

When We Live In Fear, We Predispose Ourselves To Illness

To live in fear of what might happen only triggers stress responses in the body. And as I teach in Mind Over Medicine, the body has natural self-repair mechanisms that can kill cancer cells, fight infection, repair broken proteins, and retard aging. But they ONLY work if the nervous system is relaxed. When the amygdala in your primal lizard brain is threatened – as it would be if anyone told you that you have an 87% risk of getting cancer – your body’s natural self-repair mechanisms are going to deactivate. And when this happens, you’re at risk not only of breast cancer, but of other illnesses.

The Risks of Genetic Testing

Should Angelina Jolie have undergone BRCA testing? There’s no simple answer to this. Angelina Jolie might carry the breast cancer gene, but that in no way guarantees that she will get breast cancer. While the presence of the BRCA gene – and her family history of breast cancer – may statistically put her at an 87% risk of breast cancer, there is no way to know whether she will be one of the 87% who get sick or one of the 13% who remain healthy. But what we do know from the scientific literature is this – what you believe about your health is likely to come true.

Your body is your business, and you are the guardian of your mind, so it’s your responsibility to be careful what kinds of thoughts you put into your brain.

We Are Not Victims Of Our Genes

Epigenetic research proves to us that environmental influences, including hormonal factors that are affected by your thoughts, beliefs, and feeling, affect how your genes express themselves.

Your genetic code is like a blueprint that can be interpreted in millions of different ways. Before the Human Genome Project, biologists assumed that we would have at least 120,000 genes, one gene for every protein made in the body. We now know that each of those 25,000 genes can express itself in at least 30,000 ways via regulatory proteins that are influenced by environmental signals. Studies have even shown that environmental factors can override certain genetic mutations, effectively changing how the DNA is expressed. These altered genes can even be passed down to offspring, allowing the offspring to express healthier characteristics, even though they still carry the genetic mutation.

Few diseases result from a single gene mutation. Less than 2% of diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s chorea, and beta thalassemia, result from a single faulty gene, and only about 5% of cancer patients can attribute their diseases to heredity.  Scientists are now learning that the genome is far more responsive to the environment of the cell – especially the hormonal environment created by our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings – than we once thought. (Yes, how you think can change how your DNA expresses itself!)

The study of epigenetic control is revolutionizing how the medical community thinks about genes. We used to think that some people were blessed with “good genes,” while others were cursed with what some in the medical community insensitively refer to as “piss poor protoplasm.” But we need not be victims of our DNA.

BRCA Testing

Angelina Jolie might be a BRCA1 carrier, but that doesn’t mean she need be a victim of her genes either. She may feel she has made an empowering choice to be proactive about breast cancer prevention – and more power to her.  I respect and honor her body wisdom and intuition and greatly admire her willingness to speak her truth.

But I worry that other women with family histories of breast cancer will now rush out to get BRCA testing, and if they test positive, they will follow her lead and undergo potentially unnecessary and possibly dangerous elective surgery. I sincerely hope others think twice before undergoing genetic testing that will put them in the difficult position of having to choose between their breasts and their peace of mind.

But as always, I know that you know your body better than any doctor does – and only you can know what’s right for you.

What Do You Think?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Many of us have done a detox in order to eliminate internal toxins from our body, but how many of us do anything about the toxins in our own homes? Common household and body-care products are increasingly being found to have negative health effects on the nervous and immune systems, on our reproductive systems and on our endocrine, cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

The average home contains 500-1,000 chemicals, many of which we are unable to see, smell or taste. While these chemicals may be tolerated individually and in small doses, problems can arise when one is exposed to them in combination or in larger doses. Everyone’s tolerance level is different depending on genetics, nutritional status and previous contacts with many chemicals, but the negative effects of household toxins are often compounded by the use of other drugs especially the habitual use of alcohol, or prescription or recreational drugs.

Indoor air is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Home insulation, so wonderful for keeping our homes warm in winter and cool in summer, doesn’t allow fresh air in, so we’re constantly breathing in the same stale air. Wall to wall carpeting keeps us cozy, but can introduce a myriad of toxins to our well insulated homes. It can also trap dirt, fleas, dust, dust-mites and lead.

Many of the cleaning products we use to clean our furniture, bathrooms, windows etc. are full of toxic chemicals, some of which do not even appear on the labels. Similarly with the many personal-care care products we put on our skin and the pet-care products we use on our pets.

Most tick and flea products contain active ingredients and solvents that might cause cancer in animals. Also, substantial human exposure is possible by absorption through the skin, while playing with and handling the pet.

The pesticides we use on our gardens eliminate not only plant pests but also most of the insects that are beneficial to help control these pests. Of the 30 most commonly used lawn chemicals, 19 have studies pointing toward cancer and 15 are known to cause nervous system poisoning.

This is not to say that we should not keep our houses comfortable and clean and our yards looking good. What’s important is to understand that how we do this can have an important impact on our health. Abundant toxins can and do lead to health problems.

Taking more care to reduce our exposure to both internal and external toxins, by detoxing our bodies and our living space allows the body’s own detoxification to function more efficiently. This strengthens our resilience to the daily onslaught of factors impacting our health.

There are many things you can do to “detox” your home, some more practical than others.

Here are my 20 suggestions:

1.  No shoes in the house (as most household dirt, pesticides and lead come in on your shoes). Go barefoot or wear slippers.

2.  Place floor mats vertically by your entryways to wipe your shoes. This way more dirt and residue from your shoes stays outside on the mat

3.  Keep the air clean. Keep your windows and doors open as much as possible to ventilate. Use green plants as natural air detoxifiers. Remove odors with baking soda. Use fresh flowers or bowls of herbs like rosemary and sage to add a pleasant fragrance to rooms. Have your air ducts and vents cleaned with nontoxic cleaners. Get a portable air cleaner/purifier, especially for the bedrooms.

4.    Switch from the standard household cleaning products to cleaner and greener ones. These don’t damage your health or the environment’s as much and work as well as the mass marketed ones. You can also use basic ingredients you have around the house, for instance, vinegar in place of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains. According to Annie Bond, the author of “Better Basics For The Home,” she can clean anything with water and these five basic ingredients: Baking Soda, Washing Soda, Distilled White Vinegar, Vegetable based liquid Soap eg Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Soap and Tea Tree oil.

5.  Replace your skin care and personal products with less toxic and chemical free options. Deodorant, toothpaste, cosmetics, hair products, nail polish and perfumes are often loaded with toxins. Learn how to identify them and avoid them.

6.  Use plastics wisely (as some contain Bisphenol A (BPA), which is linked to cancer and Phtalates, which are linked to endocrine and developmental problems). Avoid plastic food packaging (when you can). Don’t wrap food in plastic. Don’t microwave food in plastic containers. Choose baby bottles made from glass or BPA-free plastic. Avoid vinyl teethers for your baby. Stay away from children’s toys marked with a “3″ or “PVC.” Avoid plastic shower curtains.

7.  Avoid non stick pans, pots, bakeware and utensils (as Teflon contains perfluorinated chemicals (PFC’s) which have been linked to cancer and developmental problems).

8. Keep house dust to a minimum (as more dust means more toxins). Mop all surfaces at least once a week. Use a vacuum cleaner (with a HEPA filter, preferably) for your carpets. HEPA-filter vacuums capture the widest range of particles and get rid of allergens.

9. Avoid excess moisture (as it encourages the growth of mold and mildew). Check areas for moisture accumulation or leaks (particularly basements). Regularly clean surfaces where mold usually grows – around showers and tubs and beneath sinks.

10.  Get a shower filter (as many of the contaminants in tap water become gases at room temperature). A shower filter can help keep these toxins from becoming airborne.

11.  Get a water filter (as more than 700 chemicals have been identified in drinking water). Filtering your tap water is better than drinking bottled water.

12. Avoid stain-guarded clothing, furniture and carpets (due to the presence of PFC’s). Wrinkle free and permanent press fabrics used for clothing and bedding commonly contain formaldehyde – use untreated fabrics where possible.

13. Be conscious of toxins in carpeting, especially in products made from synthetic materials. Use natural fiber wool & cotton rugs. If possible, replace your wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors, all natural linoleum or ceramic tiles. Use nontoxic glues, adhesives, stains or sealers for installation.

14. Seal (with a non toxic sealer) or replace particleboard walls, floors or cabinets (which often contain formaldehyde, which can emit irritating and unhealthy fumes for decades). Avoid plywood, fiberglass, fiberboard and paneling

15. Avoid harmful pet-care products and avoid toxic pest control (including traditional termite exterminators).

16. Replace toxic lawn and garden pesticides and herbicides with less harmful natural ones.

17. Tell the dry cleaner not to use the plastic wrap or remove it as soon as possible (as the plastic traps the dry cleaning chemicals on clothes and in your closet). Let your dry cleaning air out (preferably outside) before storing it. Use “wet cleaning” if you are lucky enough to have it in your area.

18. Use low VOC, low odor latex (water based) paint. Open all windows to ventilate properly when painting indoors.

19. Have your house checked for carbon monoxide leaks, (most commonly found in leaking gas stoves, gas fireplaces, furnaces and chimneys and gas water heaters).

20. Check Radon levels in poorly ventilated basements that have cracked walls and or floors.  Radon is an odorless gas that forms as uranium in rocks and soil breaks down. Radon is linked to lung cancer

We can reduce our risk of chronic illness by limiting our exposure to these toxins but don’t let this become an obsession which can cause so much stress that it creates more of a negative impact on your health than the toxins themselves.

And finally, no amount of environmental toxins are as important as emotional toxicity. You can do all the above, but if your house is full of anger, resentment, jealousy, unhappiness and a lack of love, compassion and forgiveness, the house will remain toxic.

The media is abuzz with the latest bombshell about lead in lipstick — and this time, that’s just the beginning. A new study by University of California found many other toxic metals in products we put on our faces.

What’s going on? As I explained on Fox News recently, we’ve known about this problem for a long time. I was part of the team that broke the story about lead in lipstick in 2007. FDA followed with its own study and found even higher lead levels in hundreds of lipsticks. And now, a UC study is here to tell us that it’s not just lead but aluminum, cadmium, chromium, and other toxic metals too.

For six years, the beauty companies have shrugged their shoulders and told us not to worry our pretty little heads.

I agree we shouldn’t worry. It’s time to get mad.

First of all, don’t tell us it’s just a little bit of lead. We don’t want to put lead on our lips in any amount. And besides, there is no safe level of lead exposure — even the lowest doses can harm the brains of children and developing fetuses.

And don’t tell us it’s not a problem because lipstick isn’t for kids. We know that little girls love it, and anyway, where do you think kids come from? From the bodies of women, millions of whom are wearing lead-tainted lipstick every day — and reapplying often.

And do not try to tell us it’s legal. That means nothing when there are no safety standards for cosmetics.

Obviously we need standards. Yet we’re still waiting for a response to this February 2012 letter  from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, and this request from a group of U.S. Senators who asked FDA to set safety standards for lead in cosmetics back in 2007.

As usual, the only way to get anything done around here is to do it ourselves. Are you with me? Here are my 5 best tips for avoiding lead in lipstick.

1. Don’t wear lipstick. Maybe not what you want to hear, but there’s no way to know which lipsticks contain lead unless you test them at a lab for $200 a pop.

2. Or at least wear less lipstick.

3. And definitely don’t let kids wear lipstick.

4. Ask your favorite lipstick manufacturer to convince you they’re doing everything they can to keep the heavy metals out of their products.

5. Demand safe products. Why are there no safety standards for cosmetics? The cosmetics laws in the U.S. are from 1938! But just two weeks ago, Congressional champs introduced the Safe Cosmetics Act into the US Congress. Please support this important legislation right now by taking action here.

Let’s give the beauty industry a makeover!

Stacy Malkan is a co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and author of the award-winning book “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.” Contact her at stacy@safecosmetics.org and on twitter at @safecosmetics.

SADHAKA: The Yoga of B.K.S. Iyengar is a feature documentary film about BKS Iyengar’s practice, life and influence from award winning director, Jake Clennell. The film is currently in post–production editing. Watch the extended trailer here. And please visit the Donate page to join the community and help Jake finish the film. If you are a yoga student of any tradition, this is a must see!! BKS Iyengar has been a major influence in many yoga styles and in the introduction of yoga to the West.

www.sadhakafilm.net/trailer.html

Click here to view the embedded video.

When the weather starts to warm up, we inevitably feel it in our bones as well—our own personal thaw has begun and winter’s hibernation starts winding down and we start to feel more alive. But those indoor habits can be hard to break. How best to take advantage of the emergent nature that comes with spring instead of spending the day in front of the television?

Throughout human history, we lived most closely to the land. It’s only in the recent centuries that we’ve barricaded ourselves in high rises and giant track homes doing our best to keep nature out as if it wasn’t an inherent part of who we really are. We lose something when we do this—a piece of ourselves that needs to connect with the natural world—and it’s evident in our national health crises both physical and mental. The more we distance ourselves from the earth, the more we move away from our own selves, too.

Check out some of these tips to reconnect and learn from the land:

1. Prep Your Garden

Getting fingers into the dirt is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to reconnect with nature. If you’re planning a spring garden, now is the time to start preparing your soil and even planting some seeds. Studies have shown that gardening can help relieve depression and anxiety and boost mood.

2. Plan Local Hikes

You’d be surprised just how many city, state, or national parks may be a stone’s throw from your home. Our country’s parks are our nation’s greatest treasures. They preserve vital ecosystems including endangered animals and plants. They protect our history and our future and provide some real, genuine opportunities for soul-searching, reflection, and authentic connections with nature.

3. Ditch The Car

Warmer weather means it’s also more pleasant to be outside for extended periods of time. And if you put on a few extra pounds during the winter, getting active can help prep you for summertime. When the weather breaks, commit to walking anywhere that’s 2 miles or less from your home. It’s better for the environment too. Even if you live in an urban area, you’ll still smell and see spring sprouting up all around you. The air is alive with fragrance and warmth and just the act of being outside in it can liven your senses and connect you with nature.

4. Go Barefoot

While it’s probably not the best idea to walk barefoot for a great distance, digging your toes into the dirt, grass, or sand brings an important grounding experience that does more than just tickle your toes; it also tickles your inherent nature and that important connection with the earth.

5. Seek Outdoor Activities

You don’t have to limit your nature reconnection to a hike or day on the beach; there are lots of other activities that take place outside in the warmer weather, like local outdoor movie screenings, farmers markets, and community gatherings. You can even volunteer to help plant trees, wash cars for a cause, or paint a house with organizations helping underserved communities.

6. Make Art

Nature is most inspiring! And after the deep freeze you may find your creative drive has come alive. Look to nature as a canvas. Whether you spend a day taking photos, painting a beautiful nature scene, or writing poems outdoors, notice how being in nature changes the experience. Maybe you collect some flowers for pressing, or rocks for a project. Try making a piece of art in nature—for nature. Perhaps you arrange barks, stones, leaves, and sticks into a mandala or sculpture on your hike or outing and leave it there for the next hiker to add to.

Keep in touch with Jill on Twitter @jillettinger.

This blog appeared originally on http://www.sunwarrior.com/news/its-spring-6-ways-to-reconnect-with-nature/.

You’re not sleeping well. Your belly seems perpetually upset. Your nose is stuffed up and, to top it off, you’re feeling down. You head to your GP for—if you’re lucky—a 10-minute chat about what’s ailing you. The GP then hands you a prescription or two, shakes your hand, and shows you the door. Case closed. Is this any way to heal the unwell? Does this approach actually make anyone better? In a word, no. And more likely, this here’s-a-prescription-seeya approach may even make patients more sick, which is one of the reasons I’ve dedicated my life to helping my patients create and sustain long-term health using the principles of Functional Medicine.

So, just what is “Functional Medicine?” I believe it’s the most profound and effective way to treat patients—particularly those with chronic health issues—and here’s why:

1. Functional Medicine is all about you.

In simplest terms, think of it as the ultimate in personalized, one-on-one, therapeutic relationships. It’s a health-focused, patient-centric partnership, in which doctor and patient work together to dig deep and find out the causes of illness and disease. We examine not only the patient, but also their unique history, environment, lifestyle and underlying factors, and then develop a health-enhancing, usually drug-free plan to help restore the patient to good health and get him or her on a life-long path of wellness. With Functional Medicine, we look beyond the laundry list of symptoms; we take the whole person into account.

2. Functional Medicine is artisanal medicine.

With Functional Medicine, the patient experience is anything but conventional. One might even call it ‘artisanal medicine’, because it involves time, care and patience, since true healing doesn’t happen overnight. With Functional Medicine, we treat the person who has the disease rather than the disease the person has. It’s not unusual for my colleagues and me to spend an hour or more with patients, listening to their histories, doing the detective work, asking questions, and examining the genetic, environmental, and lifestyle patterns that effect health. By addressing the underlying causes of illness and disease, Functional Medicine practitioners are able to design unique, personalized healing plans that Conventional Medicine literally doesn’t have the tools, training, or the time for.

3. Functional Medicine is not assembly-line medicine.

Our current health care system is, to a large extent, governed by profit-driven conglomerates that essentially force physicians to manage huge caseloads and keep people moving through the system as quickly as possible. It’s mass-produced, assembly line, quick-fix, put-a-band-aid-on-it medicine, with little hope of creating long-term health. To it’s credit however, Conventional Medicine is great at managing medical and surgical emergencies, medical crises, acute infections and trauma, but falls way short when it comes to treating chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases, functional disorders, musculoskeletal problems and stress related disorders. This is where Functional Medicine shines bright with its more comprehensive, thoughtful approach.

4. Functional Medicine is the best of both worlds.

Functional Medicine is not an either/or system, but rather a true combination of Conventional Medicine and many different alternative and complementary therapies. It acknowledges the strengths of Conventional Medicine for acute and crisis-care, but also realizes that this approach does not have the tools for preventing and treating chronic diseases. Unlike conventional physicians, we are able to tap into all the tools of healing—drawing from Western, Eastern, alternative, preventative and integrative medical practices—to help our patients heal. By pulling from all of these approaches and by paying special attention to diet, exercise, nutrition, supplementation and the workings of the mind, we’re not just giving patients a band-aid, we’re giving them the tools to create sustainable wellness and vitality. To me, is what true healing is all about.

5. Functional Medicine looks for the cause.

In Conventional Medicine, doctors try to make a diagnosis and then apply a treatment for that particular diagnosis. In Functional Medicine we are less concerned with making a diagnosis and more concerned with the underlying imbalances or dysfunctions. These are the mechanisms of the disease process. We aim at treating those underlying disease mechanisms and ultimately look for the causes of those imbalances.

6. Functional Medicine is medicine on a mission.

I call myself a health evangelist, in part because I am a man on a mission. I aim to show the unwell how they can transform their health. Certainly they will need to do the work as I can’t do it for them, but we will work as partners to restore balance and health to their lives. And participating in the process, that slow transition from illness to wellness, is one of the greatest joys of Functional Medicine—for both patient and practitioner.

7. Functional Medicine is true Health Care.

Functional Medicine is true health care, unlike the disease care model of Conventional Medicine. We now have the knowledge to go beyond the current crisis care model and offer patients a much better approach to their health. We can incorporate lifestyle medicine, nutrition, supplements, stress reduction and exercise to improve the functioning of organs as a means of preventing disease and creating vibrant, sustainable health.  We can address the healthcare needs of the 21st century….Let’s do it!!

To learn more about the tenants of Functional Medicine you can find a more in-depth exploration here on my website or at The Institute for Functional Medicine’s website.

To find a Functional Medicine Practitioner in your area, please visit The Institute for Functional Medicine’s directory of doctors.

Anger is big. Anger is monumental. Anger is, well, explosive!

The common myth is that we often think the more spiritually evolved we become that anger just shouldn’t arise in us. But this won’t ever be the case. Whatever your comfort or discomfort level in feeling it, we all must and will experience anger in our lives. It is totally basic and totally human. The tricky thing about anger is that as a standalone feeling it is quite remarkable, awe-inspiring even, but when gone unchecked it gets us into massive trouble.

From a very young age I saw anger in its most violent, unconscious form. It was at once the most intimate, fascinating, and terrifying emotion in my life, thanks to my mom, who as part of her psychosis often flew into insane, fiery, wacked-out rages.

As a kid I used to make fun of how bizarre and unbelievable her anger was, then as a teen I turned my anger at her in on myself. In relationships, I was so afraid of showing any anger at all, that if a friend did something that made me mad, I would break off the friendship. In romantic relationships, I would just cave and bury the feeling.

When I started to work my stuff out as an adult in therapy and on my meditation cushion, the biggest challenge was indeed my relationship to anger. I knew I didn’t have a choice. I knew I had to be shown how to feel and ride it gracefully. And we all do!

Today, I am still amazed by anger’s intensity, its wildly volatile force. But I have also learned to identify the trajectory of anger’s natural path, and when it strikes I am already at the very same time watching it go. In other words, I am already letting it go.

Here are my three key steps to riding the waves of anger:

1. Observe It.

Awareness of the feeling, of the raw power of anger itself is mandatory. Meditation and breathing exercises are great for cultivating this attention. Otherwise we wouldn’t be tuned into the consequence of what happens when we lose our sense of proportion with anger, react to it, and essentially allow the feeling to take us over.

2. Express It.

No matter how we choose to do it, and no matter how seasoned we are in self-awareness, we all have to let anger out or its pressure can literally make us sick. Just like lava flowing out of a volcano, we must create a healthy outlet for our anger. Writing it out, screaming it out (in a safe place), or exercising it out are all great options. The main intention behind this expression is release but also NO HARM.

3. Own It.

Once we’ve calmed down, and in resolution of anger’s organically hot arc, we must acknowledge that we have been angry—to ourselves and to anyone else our anger has affected. Owning our anger, sometimes with apology, sometimes with laughter, sometimes with a subtler “my bad,” is essential in stabilizing and returning to our centers after the storm.

Adyashanti says: “There’s no such thing as never getting angry. Enlightenment can and does use all the available emotions. The idea that enlightenment means sitting around with a beatific smile on our faces is just an illusion.”

See? Even the most enlightened creatures out there get angry! The work is to allow for it in a conscious and responsible way, and to also appreciate its ferocity as catalyst for social change. Anger has after all sparked pivotal movements in the name of justice.

We must however learn to funnel our anger into brave, mindful, and compassionate action. Sounds hard, I know. But this is possible, and a sign of maturity!

Join the conversation. Please comment below and tell us how you relate to anger.