Andrew Weil's Blog: Dr. Weil's Healthy Living Blog, page 7

Reflection:

We are living a historic moment in time. The COVID-19 virus is controlling us and everyone on the planet. For many this will be catastrophic: bringing a lonely death of a loved one, and for the rest of us, we will be left to mourn those lost and to forge our way in a new and forever-changed world.

In the midst of the fear, helplessness, and lonely isolation, we hear stories of and participate in beautiful things.  Many people are learning creative new ways to stay in and build community, like operating Zoom and other online platforms. Others from all over are reconnecting with their families, some for the first time in years or ever.

It seems clear that the world post-COVID-19 will be unlike the world we knew. Documenting it for the future is one of our tasks as legacy writers.

(I lost an aunt who was 15 when the 1918 influenza epidemic changed the world then. My family never talked about Lillian, how her unexpected death changed the family, or how the larger world was different after that catastrophe that claimed 1/3 of the earth’s population and left 675,000 Americans dead.)

Consider the following idea as you write for the future: there are 3 time zones (I don’t mean daylight saving time, etc.) There is the moment in time when something happened; then there is the time when it is written about (and if we continue to write NOW these two time zones will be collapsed), and the third time zone is the time when the writing is read, which might be in a generation’s time or longer.

We’ve all suffered from not knowing our history and feel the empty place within us that can never be filled because those who could have told us, our ancestors, are gone. Let’s not let that happen to future generations.

Taking Action:

Considering reflecting and writing for 10-15 minutes daily to document our time and your personal situation. This journal can be shared in the future with those now too young to realize, and those yet unborn. Be as clear and detailed as you can; remember your readers will be living in a different time zone and will be fulfilled by the treasure of knowing their history.
Write about your feelings, and the things you are personally doing to offer help to others. You might do something so simple as to make 2 or 3 calls to others just to connect and see how they are doing, and note and write about how you felt before and after each call.
If you know someone, family or friend, who is working in the demanding and dangerous health system, reach out to them to see if there are ways you can help: sewing masks, donating money, and just letting them know you are thinking about and appreciating them.
Use our four-paragraph template (context, story, learning – wisdom extracted from the story, and a blessing) to format your legacy letters, keeping the gift of your letters personal and informative.

“As you write, you are blessing the larger world by actively participating in the community. You bless others and yourself by documenting the reality of this new world we are all evolving into. May your words make a difference to others now and in the future  and may you and your loved ones be blessed to stay safe and well.”

Rachael Freed

Rachael Freed, LICSW, senior fellow, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, is the author of Your Legacy Matters, Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies: Passing Your Beliefs & Blessings to Future Generations and Heartmates: A Guide for the Partner and Family of the Heart Patient Rachael Freed [email protected] and www.life-legacies.com

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Many coronaviruses can cause illness in humans and animals, from the common cold to serious diseases including Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and now illness due to the current virus (COVID-19) infecting humans worldwide. MERS, and SARS seem to have originated in bats and then jumped to an intermediate animal (camels for MERS and civit cats for SARS, with the pangolin theorized for COVID-19), which then allowed human exposure.

Stay up to date:

The most current world-wide COVID-19 stats
Cases in the United States

No vaccine is currently available to prevent COVID-19. One is under development but is not expected to be available for at least another year.

Below, you’ll find what you need to know about transmission of the virus from person to person, symptoms, testing and treatment, as well as Dr. Weil’s recommendations for prevention

Transmission Of COVID-19

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the virus can be passed via close contact (within six feet) with an infected person who coughs or sneezes, spreading droplets that you can inhale. You also can pick up the disease by touching surfaces where viruses have landed and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes. However, according to the CDC, this is not the main way the virus spreads.

 Symptoms

The initial symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath that develop between two to 14 days after exposure. Most cases (an estimated 80 percent) are mild. Some people have no symptoms after picking up the virus but can still transmit it to others. If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and develop severe breathing problems, call 911, tell them about your diagnosis, explain what’s wrong and ask for immediate medical help. In addition to fever and coughing, difficulty breathing is the main symptom of serious illness.

Those who develop serious illness as a result of infection with the corona virus usually are people age 65  and older, as well as those with underlying health problems, such as lung disease, high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes.

Testing

Initially, the CDC restricted testing for the coronavirus, eliminating those people who had no symptoms, those who had not been in contact with someone who had a confirmed case or had not traveled to China, Italy, Iran or other affected countries.

Limits on testing of people in the U.S. who fear they have the virus were lifted on March 4 subject to doctors’ orders. Testing may involve a blood test, as well as taking samples of mucus from your nose, throat or lungs.

Initially, the CDC sent test kits to state labs but later announced that some were flawed and asked that specimens be sent to its lab in Atlanta. New test kits are in production. According to the Association of Public Health Laboratories, its government labs would be able to conduct about 10,000 tests daily when all its 100 affiliate members able to perform testing are running. At this writing 79 of the labs are able to do so.

In mid-February (2020), the CDC announced plans to begin testing people with flu-like symptoms in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle and eventually to expand testing to all 50 states in order to detect possible spread of the virus.

Treatment OF COVID-19

There is no specific treatment for mild cases. If you have tested positive and have a mild case, you probably will be told to go home and stay there. The CDC advises wearing a facemask when you’re around people or animals in your household. Do not allow guests to visit while you’re in quarantine. If possible, stay in a room of your own, away from other members of the household and (if possible) use a bathroom for yourself alone. Your physician or local health department will determine when you’re no longer capable of transmitting the infection to others and no longer need to be quarantined. This is done on a case-by-case basis.

Symptoms of severe cases include shortness of breath, increased trouble breathing and a high fever that can lead to severe pneumonia with respiratory failure and septic shock. People this sick need to be hospitalized.

In China, death rates from COVID-19 have been higher among men than women, possibly because more men in China are smokers and at greater risk of respiratory complications.

Prevention Of COVID-19, Dr. Weil’s advice:

Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Studies have shown that this can reduce respiratory illness in the general population by 16 to 21 percent. Reportedly, in 2003 during the SARS epidemic, handwashing reduced the risk of transmission by 30 to 50 percent. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hand washing is essential under the following conditions:

Before eating and during and after food preparation…
Before and after treating a cut or wound.
After using the toilet, changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet.
After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
After touching an animal or cleaning animal waste.
After handling pet food or pet treats; after touching garbage.


Hand sanitizers: Choose products with an alcohol concentration between 60–95 percent. These are more effective than those with a lower concentration of alcohol or non-alcohol-based products. Apply the product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount) and rub it all over the surfaces of both hands until they are dry.
Avoid sick people.
If you’re sick: Stay at home.
Wear a mask if you’re sick: This can prevent transmission of the virus; wearing a mask if you’re not sick won’t protect you from infection.
Do not shake hands. Instead, greet friends and business associates with a fist bump or friendly nod.
Try not to touch your face: Most people touch their face multiple times per day. If you’ve picked up germs on your hands, then touch your face, you give the infectious agents easy access to your body via eyes, nose and mouth.

What to consider taking:

Vitamin D: Weil recommends taking 2000-4000 IU daily. Choose supplements that provide D3 (cholecalciferol). Anyone with vitamin D deficiencies should discuss intake levels with his or her physician.
Astragalus: This is one of Dr. Weil preferred immune-boosting tonics. He recommends taking two capsules of a standardized extract preventively twice a day during the flu season. for this herb’s anti-viral effects. Astragalus is nontoxic and can be used long-term to increase resistance to infection.
MycoShield throat spray: Dr. Weil recommends this spray when in close contact with the public, such as on trains or airplanes. It is a mushroom-based product that helps support the immune system.
Elderberry: An elderberry extract called Sambucol® is indicated for flu – not for colds. It appears to shorten the duration of symptoms, but. it does not work as a preventive.
Garlic extract: Garlic (Allium sativum) contains several compounds that possess antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Dr. Weil advises taking two cloves of raw garlic at the first sign of a cold or as a preventive. Mash them or chop finely and mix with food or cut cloves into chunks and swallow them whole like pills. Capsules of allicin, the active component of garlic, are more powerful.
Zinc lozenges: Dissolve one in your mouth every few hours at the first sign of a sore throat or respiratory irritation.

For more information:

Dr. Weil recommends accessing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 website.

Information about the spread of the coronavirus worldwide is available from the World Health Organization.

The post COVID-19: What You Should Know About Coronavirus appeared first on DrWeil.com.

Reflection:

As storytelling beings, we tend to remember stories more than lectures. Stories have the power to shift our perspectives, change our values and behaviors. It follows then if we want to make an impact on future generations, we will likely be more successful if we share our personal and memorable stories.

We all know that water is basic to life – that our bodies are made up of 50–65% water – that clean water is at risk planet-wide. What we’ve long taken for granted is a scarce and endangered commodity. We are plagued with floods, droughts, and tsunamis. It’s predicted that the wars of the 21st century will be fought over water, not oil. Closer to home, we run water in our kitchens and bathrooms without a thought for its value. We remain unconscious at best and entitled at worst as we waste the elixir of life.

I’m in Israel as I write this to you, living for two months less than a five-minute walk from the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. I spent several days last week in the Negev desert, (with my son who was visiting me) where they get less than 2 inches of rain annually.

Last month I heard about an award-winning Israeli company, Watergen, that developed a practical way to make water from … (drum roll, please) … air! Check out their story that amazed me and gave me hope that we could change the legacy of millions dying in droughts and deserts, I decided to re-post a 2015 Tips&Tools I’d written about water. Back then it was Seth M. Siegel’s amazing book, Let There Be Water, describing Israel’s water partnerships with Jordan and The Palestinian Authority – sharing drip irrigation and dirty water reclamation projects to preserve this precious commodity that inspired me.

Water is the driver of nature.

– Leonardo da Vinci

Water, water, everywhere, And not a drop to drink.

– Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Is it possible for us to affect this terrible legacy we’re leaving the future? The best way I know is to tap my memories and share stories with my grandchildren, hoping they will value water before it’s too late.

Born a Scorpio, one of the water signs, it’s no wonder that I love being in and around water: Viewing the unique blue of Crater Lake in Oregon; watching the sun paint the clouds as it sets over the Eastern edge of the Mediterranean, feeling awe at the power of the Flaming Gorge Dam in Utah, and the frigid western shore of Lake Superior; canoeing in the pristine Minnesota Boundary Waters; listening to the sound I make trailing my hand in the water from a rowboat; sitting at the creek’s edge feeling the spray from wind and water play; riding my first bike around Lake Harriet every day of my tenth summer.

Here are two of my favorite water stories that I want my grandchildren to remember:

During the drought of the late 1970s, we lived in northern California. Water was rationed. We learned from neighbors the water-saving strategy of ‘flushing with a friend’. One afternoon my seven- and nine-year-old kids returned from school enthusiastically proclaiming their plan to participate in the family’s water preservation efforts: they wouldn’t bathe anymore!

One afternoon I took a dying friend for a ride around the Minneapolis lakes; we stopped at the southern shore of Lake Bde Maka Ska (name recently returned to its original legacy name of the Dakota Native American tribe) I opened the sun–roof and the waning autumn sun warmed the tops of our heads as we sat – each of us occupied with our own thoughts. We’d talked a lot as we drove, but the silence at the lake broken only by the water lapping the shore had a special quality. His wife later told me he’d said that afternoon was the best he’d had in a long time. For me too, and the water was more than just a setting!

We forget that the water cycle & the life cycle are one.

– Jacques Cousteau

Taking Action:                                                                                                                                                                         

Take some time to reflect and write about your own water memories and favorite stories.
Choose a person or persons of a younger generation to share your memories and stories with.
Begin your letter explaining the context of the importance of water specifically for this time in history. You may want to share how you feel about the privilege of having an abundance of water. Share your stories and memories. Conclude your legacy letter with a blessing.
You might want to follow up your letter with a conversation in which they share their water stories with you and together you make a commitment to use water more consciously and carefully.

May you and your loved ones be responsible stewards of our planet and always enjoy water, the elixir of life.

– Rachael Freed 

Rachael Freed, LICSW, senior fellow, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, is the author of Your Legacy Matters, Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies: Passing Your Beliefs & Blessings to Future Generations and Heartmates: A Guide for the Partner and Family of the Heart Patient Rachael Freed [email protected] and www.life-legacies.com

The post The Legacy Of Water appeared first on DrWeil.com.

Dr. Weil has a well-known passion for mushrooms. He began to hunt them in the wild years ago and still does. Mushrooms’ rich, complex flavors aren’t all they have to offer. Many varieties that used to be considered exotic and hard to find have become increasingly available in the United States. Some are delicious as additions to your diet, but some are strictly medicinal mushrooms available in dried, liquid extract or in capsule form. Many have potent medicinal activities. Learn more!

 

Fungi: A Dr. Weil Favorite

Video Transcript

Here’s a sampling of what some of them can do for you.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Staples of Asian cuisines, shiitakes have a rich, savory taste. Dr. Weil likes them so much he’s trying to grow them near his summer home in British Columbia. Shiitakes contain substances that may help lower cholesterol, boost immune function, combat viruses and reduce the risk of several kinds of cancer.

Mushrooms Of Immortality: Reishi

Woody reishi mushrooms have impressive health benefits but aren’t for eating. You can buy reishi in tea bags, as capsules and as liquid extracts. These medicinal mushrooms can help:

Lower blood pressure
Improve immune function
Protect the liver
Counteract allergy symptoms.

They may even help prevent the spread of cancer cells.

Energy Boosting Mushroom: Cordyceps

Cordyceps are parasitic medicinal mushrooms and grow mainly on insects and even other fungi. Cordyceps can:

Enhance energy
Help increase aerobic capacity
May help athletic performance
Banish fatigue.

They also can help overcome muscle weakness and heighten sexual vigor. You can buy cordyceps in tinctures, liquid extracts, capsules, and powders.

Hen of the Woods: Maitake

These mushrooms resemble the tail feathers of a nesting hen. Maitakes taste great and are widely available fresh or dried. Maitakes have anticancer and antiviral effects. They also can help control high blood pressure, high blood sugar control and enhance immune system power.

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms

These culinary mushrooms also have impressive health benefits. They can improve mild cognitive impairment and promote nerve growth. Lion’s Mane mushrooms also have been shown to reduce anxiety and enhance sleep.

Enoki Mushrooms

Enoki are mild tasting mushrooms that cook quickly and are perfect in soups and salads. Besides their great taste, enokis have anticancer and immune enhancing effects.

Turkey Tail Mushrooms

Strictly medicinal mushrooms Turkey Tails have anticancer effects and can increase immune function. You can buy Turkey Tail mushrooms in liquid form or in capsules.

Agaricus Blazei

This edible medicinal mushroom is also known as the “almond portobello” for its distinctive flavor. Healthwise, agaricus blazei can enhance immune system effects. It also has anti-tumor and anti-viral activity.

Final Notes On Mushrooms

Dr. Weil always cooks mushrooms and warns against eating them raw because they’re tough to digest and some contain toxins that cooking destroys. Before broiling, grilling or sautéing, Dr. Weil flavors mushrooms with a little teriyaki sauce.

Dr. Weil used mushrooms in the line of skin care products he developed for Origins to combat dry, inflamed or sensitive skin.

The post Fungi: A Dr. Weil Favorite appeared first on DrWeil.com.

Reflection:

Wherever I travel, I notice that light is unique; I only thought of the light as peculiar to Tunis or San Francisco, two cities where I’ve lived where the sky and the light are very different from my native Minneapolis.

I never thought of light also changing according to the time of year – not just shorter or longer days, but that the quality of light is also different until I read Elizabeth Strout’s new sequel to her Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Olive Kitteredge – Olive, Again

“What she would have written about was the light in February. How it changed the way the world looked… for Cindy the light of the month had always been like a secret, and it remained a secret even now. Because in February the days were really getting longer and you could see it, if you really looked. You could see how at the end of each day the world seemed cracked open and the extra light made its way across the stark trees, and promised. It promised, that light, and what a thing that was. As Cindy lay on her bed she could see this even now, the gold of the last light opening the world.”

“Here is the thing that Cindy, for the rest of her life, would never forget: Olive Kitteridge said, my God, but I have always loved the light in February.” Olive shook her head slowly. “My God,” she repeated, with awe in her voice. “Just look at that February light.”

Elizabeth Strout is not the only author to note the light of this time of year; here’s Parker Palmer’s profound awe in Let Your Life Speak:

“Spring teaches me to look more carefully for the green stems of possibility; for the intuitive hunch that may turn into a larger insight, for the glance or touch that may thaw a frozen relationship, for the stranger’s act of kindness that makes the world seem hospitable again.”

Listen to the music of light that opens Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens’ bestselling novel: “Marsh is a space of light, where grass grows in water, and water flows into the sky. Slow-moving creeks wander, carrying the orb of the sun with them to the sea… Then within the marsh, here and there, true swamp crawls into low-lying bogs, hidden in clammy forests. Swamp water is still and dark, having swallowed the light in its muddy throat.”

Perhaps the earliest legacy we share with all life is light: The Bible begins: “In the beginning God created…and darkness was upon the face of the deep… And God said, “Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good…”

What do the Bible, Owens, Palmer, and Strout have to do with legacy? Everything! Light is our legacy every day from sunrise to sunset, and like so much – in all of nature – we are unaware, blind, and fail to observe and experience the sublime, the gift of awe that is our legacy every day.

What better legacy can we offer others than to invite them to experience February light, the light that is so special, and also the harbinger of spring.

Taking Action:

Reflect on your personal relationship with light – how it has nourished you, enhanced your life.
Write one paragraph about a time when light lifted you, or filled you with awe – and if in February, all the better!
Choose a recipient for your legacy letter about light.
Use our four paragraph template (context, story, learning – wisdom extracted from the story, and a blessing) to keep the gift of your letter simple.

May your memories of light remind you to be present to the February light and to light all year long. 

– Rachael Freed

Rachael Freed, LICSW, senior fellow, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, is the author of Your Legacy Matters, Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies: Passing Your Beliefs & Blessings to Future Generations and Heartmates: A Guide for the Partner and Family of the Heart Patient Rachael Freed [email protected] and www.life-legacies.com

The post The Legacy Of February Light appeared first on DrWeil.com.

By Andrew Weil, M.D.

 Years before commercially prepared drinks of fruit- or vegetable-infused water became popular, I recommended drinking warm water with lemon juice (one tablespoon of juice in eight ounces of water first thing in the morning to help with hydration after spending seven to eight hours without any water overnight.

Lemon may make water more palatable, but the key to fruit- or vegetable-infused drinks is the water, which is a basic and essential nutrient needed to maintain a healthy body, a clear mind, and a good balance within your tissues. About 60 percent of the body is water, and we must constantly replenish the supply, as it’s continuously used in the processes of life. If you are among the many people who fail to drink the recommended eight 8-ounce glasses a day, I recommend consuming as much as you can and more than you think you need, whether you drink it plain or infused.

A key issue with commercially prepared versions of water infused with various combinations of fruit, vegetables or herbs is whether or not they’re as good for you as advertised. Claims range from softer, smoother skin, better transport of nutrients and oxygen in your body, less strain on your organs, maintenance of optimal body temperature, less joint strain, more energy, better digestion and moods, to quicker recovery from exercise. I know of no research that backs up any of these claims.

Nevertheless, the market for commercial infused drinks is growing, principally in North America and partly in response to a (welcome) shift away from soda and other sweetened beverages.

Water And Weight

Research suggests that heavier people need to consume more fluids than slimmer individuals, although that fluid doesn’t have to be plain water.

Some research indicates that drinking water before meals increases the chances of succeeding at weight loss, probably because it helps fill the stomach. We don’t know, however, whether keeping hydrated will have a lasting effect on weight loss. Researchers at the University of Michigan have reported that obese individuals have higher needs for water than the non-obese, “because water needs depend upon metabolic rate, body surface area, and body weight.” They also noted that poor hydration is associated with worsened physical, mental and emotional health and may affect how well individuals manage tasks requiring attention and good psychomotor and memory skills. Inadequate hydration also has been linked to worse moods, headaches and poor kidney function.

For adequate hydration, the U.S. Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 125 ounces of water daily and women 91 ounces. Those numbers represent the combined total of water contained in all the food and beverages you consume. You can tell you’re well hydrated if your urine is light in color. If it is dark, you need to drink more. (Keep in mind that if you take supplemental B vitamins, one of them – riboflavin, vitamin B2 – will color your urine bright yellow).

Infused Waters Worth A Try

Before the commercial advent of infused waters, I recommended the following two practices on this website.

Lemon water : No solid evidence supports claims that lemon water can boost metabolism or help with weight loss, but there is no downside to starting your day with it. Since we go about seven to eight hours without any water overnight, it’s essential to drink some first thing in the morning to avoid dehydration. If you find water boring, try adding lemon juice. The vitamin C it provides can help repair and regenerate tissues and is essential for synthesis of collagen, the protein that is the chief component of skin. The scent of a lemon has been found to lower stress levels, improve moods, and reduce agitation. Likely any benefit to your weight will be due more to how you spend the rest of the day.
Cucumber water : You can add cucumber slices to plain water to make a pleasant, refreshing drink. However, any health benefits beyond those of plain water are minimal. Cucumber water is said to improve the appearance of skin, but I have seen no medical evidence for that. On the plus side, cucumbers are very low in calories and provide some vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese, plus a number of flavonoid antioxidants, including quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol. In animal studies, fresh cucumber extracts increase scavenging of free radicals and reduce inflammation, but those effects were seen with concentrated extracts, not slices of cucumber added to water. Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., an internationally recognized expert in the fields of integrative medicine, dietary supplements and women’s health, and an authority on botanical medicine, views cucumber water as a pleasant way to increase water consumption. She combines cucumber and mint, adding one peeled, sliced cucumber and a few sprigs of mint to a pitcher of water and refrigerates it overnight. She also squeezes a little lime in it before drinking it.

 

The post Fruit, Herb, & Vegetable Infused Waters: Good Or Bad? appeared first on DrWeil.com.

Reflection:

My earliest memory of respect and love for trees is riding my bike home on summer Tuesdays when our elementary school library was open, my bike basket brimming with books, lowering the kickstand so my bike would balance as I chose my first book, climbing our backyard green apple tree, arranging myself and being held in the notch between two limbs. Feeling safely hidden in the canopy of branches bursting with leaves that rustled  in the warm breeze carrying oxygen and the aroma of ripening apples, I’d open my book, and read until I was interrupted by a call for supper.

When I got a little older, I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and cried at the poverty of Francie Nolan’s immigrant family, and the symbol of the scrawny tree that grew in a pot on their fire escape, that survived no matter the paucity of sun, water, and soil.

Just this week I read Richard Powers’ Pulitzer Prize- winning 2018 novel, The Overstory.. Nathaniel Rich wrote in The Atlantic, that Powers’ novel takes on “the greatest existential crisis human civilization faces: the destruction of the natural conditions necessary for our own survival.” In it, one of the novel’s nine characters, Adam, answers the question about why Powers didn’t write a scientific treatise or an activist pamphlet: “The best arguments in the world won’t change a person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.” And The Overstory is just that; The language is elegant, the characters realistic and sympathetic; the ideas demanding and courageous. My life was changed, my soul awed, as I reconnected to the majesty of trees.

From The Overstory:

Chinese saying: “When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago.”

The Chinese engineer smiles. “Good one. ‘When is the next best time? Now.’ Ah! Okay!”

Taking Action:

What stories do you have about your experiences with trees?
Write a one paragraph story about some of your tree experiences.
Consider doing something (about and for trees and us) that can make a difference.
Using our four paragraph template (context, story, learning – wisdom extracted from the story, and a blessing) write a legacy letter to someone in your life, perhaps someone younger than you, who may take trees for granted, even when they and we are in such grave danger.

May your legacy letter share what you love and may it open your reader’s heart, mind, and spirit to the majesty and might of trees.

-Rachael Freed

Rachael Freed, LICSW, senior fellow, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, is the author of Your Legacy Matters, Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies and Heartmates: A Guide for the Partner and Family of the Heart Patient. Rachael Freed [email protected] and www.life-legacies.com

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Seeking peace in your life? We all experience occasional bouts of sadness, of feeling a bit blue. This is one of many normal human emotions on a large spectrum. Depression on the other hand is considered an abnormal emotional state. Always consult your doctor or mental health provider if you feel the symptoms of sadness become overwhelming, begin to color every aspect of your life, or last for more than two weeks. If you are seeking comfort in times of sadness or if you are looking to make positive change in your life, consider the following, natural ideas.

Leading A More Peaceful, Healthy Life

Video transcript

Dr. Weil believes these 10 ideas can be of particular benefit for those who struggle with mild to moderate depression but can also potentially benefit nearly everyone who follows them.

Exercise Daily

We are designed for regular, sustained movement. Focus on a regular exercise program. One that you look forward to: A vigorous walk, a few laps in the pool, a bike ride, or visit to your local gym. The possibilities are endless.

Follow An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Inappropriate inflammation may underlie depression – so controlling it is key to both physical and mental well-being. Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet consists of whole, unprocessed foods that are especially selected to reduce inflammation, as well as provide abundant vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Do Breathing Exercises

Practice regular, mindful breathing exercises. These can be calming and energizing, and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders.

Limit Information & Media Exposure

Are you choking on “data smog”? A dense cloud of trivial, irrelevant, or low-value information made possible by the internet. Monitor your time with devices and try to incorporate more face-to-face events with friends and more outings in nature.

Laugh More!

Smiling and laughing are very potent mood boosters. One way to quickly, intentionally inspire laughter is via laughter yoga.

Forgive

Forgiveness is almost universally held by philosophers and saints to be a key to peace of mind – and modern research confirms that those who can learn to forgive when appropriate enjoy better emotional health and overall contentment.

Practice Meditation

A regular meditation practice can restructure the mind, allowing us to detach from thoughts that cause emotional swings. It can level out mood cycles and help you learn to do things more effectively.

Practice Daily Gratitude

Try to devote a few moments of your morning meditation session to feel and silently give thanks for all of the good things in your life. Or consider writing in a gratitude journal before bed each evening.

Take Fish Oil & Vitamin D

Adequate blood levels of fish oil and vitamin D have been strongly tied to emotional health.

3 Herbs For Depression

Consider these 3 herbs to address mild to moderate depression:

St. John’s Wort: This plant appears to work well for those affected by low mood.
SAMe: A naturally occurring molecule that has been studied as an antidepressant.
Rhodiola: This relative of the jade plant appears to improve mood and memory.

Bonus: Try Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that helps patients overcome habitual negative views of the world and themselves and has been shown to be among the most effective psychological interventions for anxiety and depression.

The post Leading A More Peaceful, Healthy Life appeared first on DrWeil.com.

Reflection:

Here we are at the beginning of the darkest month of the year. It isn’t surprising that in December we celebrate light. In Christian and Jewish tradition, the holidays of Christmas and Chanukah celebrate light – lighting candles and decorating trees and homes are ways we add light in this month when in the northern hemisphere we have the fewest hours of light.

The Bible begins: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep…. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”

In the modern psychological world, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is defined as a form of depression in response to fewer hours of daylight. It is found rarely in people who live close to the equator and is more common the farther away from it you live. Treatment is daily exposure to bright light through a full-spectrum light source.

What can we share with future generations about the importance of light? We can pass down family traditions of celebrations of light, but more important is what we can share about a broader understanding of light – searching for the darkness within and replacing it with light, and ways to bring light to others through our acts of kindness, respect, and love.

Others have said it better than I, so I’ll conclude with their inspirational words about light for you to reflect on in preparation for a December legacy letter bringing light to those you love in this dark month.

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” 

– Carl Jung

“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.”

– Albert Schweitzer

“Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”

– Maya Angelou

“You have to find what sparks a light in you so that you in your own way can illuminate the world.”

– Oprah Winfrey

“Travel light, live light, spread light, be the light.”

– Yogi Bhajan

“I am in the world feeling my way to light ‘amid the encircling gloom.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

“A book should be a ball of light in one’s hand.”

– Ezra Pound

“Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in.”

– Leonard Cohen

“Owning our story can be hard but not nearly as difficult as spending our lives running from it… Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.”

– Brene Brown

“It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but that you are a conductor of light. Some people without possessing genius have a remarkable power of stimulating it.”

– Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Taking Action:

Reflect about light: in December, in celebration, your feelings about physical light and what it means to you. Then read the words of others and reflect on those that have a particular message for you, and their connections to your emotional, mental, spiritual, and communal life.
Then choose someone(s) you want to write a legacy letter of light to. Your letter may be to pass down family traditions about light, something you learned about yourself as you reflected on the words of wisdom about light, or a discovery about your own light (and/or darkness. Write a draft of your letter, and put the draft away for a day or so, staying present to additional thoughts, memories, or understanding that come to you as time passes.
Write your letter and offer it as a light this December to those you choose.

“May your legacy letter add light to the darkness and waning light of December, and provide a “full spectrum of light” to you and those you love.”

– Rachael Freed

Rachael Freed, LICSW, senior fellow, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, is the author of Your Legacy Matters, Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies and Heartmates: A Guide for the Partner and Family of the Heart Patient. Rachael Freed [email protected] and www.life-legacies.com

The post The Legacy Of Light In Dark Times appeared first on DrWeil.com.

Reflection:

If we don’t write a legacy letter to accompany our wills (our material valuables) and fail to share the contents of the letter in conversation with our families…

If we don’t write a legacy letter to accompany our living wills/health directives (our values and requests regarding our dying and death) and fail to share the contents of the letter in conversation with our families…

We pass down to another generation silence about those most important subjects of our lives. Instead of increased understanding, evidence of caring, and intimacy, the legacy we pass forward is silence: Another generation mired in outdated taboos, without permission to speak or discuss these topics.

About another area of silence, I recently spoke at a Spiritual Wellness Summit for caregivers and military personnel focused on “moral injury,” a term coined only this past decade and new to me.

“Moral injury” has most commonly come to mean the transgression, the violation, of what is right, what one has long held to be sacred—a core belief or moral code—and thus wounding or, in the extreme, mortally wounding the psyche, soul, or one’s humanity.”

– Robert Emmet Meagher

 In the hierarchical military, moral wounds occur when a person with authority orders you to do something that violates your moral code (easy to imagine when deployed in a war zone). Symptoms from the injury include: Inability to trust after your values have been betrayed, loss of community and sense of belonging, isolation, and loss of purpose (opportunity to serve others beyond self). It’s no wonder that the military suffers from extremely high rates of depression and suicide (20 suicides every day in 2018).

The crippling effects of moral wounds are not suffered by the military alone, most of us have experienced such injuries in the course of our lives. For the most part we are unaware that we are carrying moral wounds from childhood and adolescence. Our abilities to trust, feel safe in community, a sense of belonging, being known and understood, of having a clear sense of purpose, and even a belief in a Source greater than ourselves that we can count on, have been damaged and diminished without our being aware of it.

Because we can’t really know another’s experience, I asked everyone at the Spiritual Wellness Summit to write a paragraph about a moral injury they had themselves suffered, and then to share their story with a stranger. Both military and helping professionals experienced surprise at what they discovered, the power of writing it down, and the relief and sense of healing resulting from reading aloud and being heard.

“Our listening creates a sanctuary for the homeless parts within another person.”

– Rachel Naomi Remen

Taking Action:

As you search your memories for moral injuries, you may discover them by tracing vague feelings of fear or anxiety that you experience that surprise you because they seem disconnected from the present and/or seem out of proportion to present experience. Take some time to reflect and write about moral injuries you have experienced and how they have affected your life.
Put your writing away overnight or for a few days, and stay aware of glimpses of understanding that come to you as time passes.
Choose a trusted person with whom you can share this very personal new knowledge about yourself. The person may be a friend with whom you have a long history, a therapist, or a cleric. Clarify whether you only want the person to witness your letter silently and privately, or whether you want the person to witness you reading your letter aloud, and whether you are open to talking about it. Begin your letter with these decisions, including that you ask the person to hold your trust inviolate.
Then write your definition of moral injury.
Continue your letter describing your injury as you re-member it, and how you understand its ramifications.
Share your letter.
Use your reflection journal to record about your sharing, and any new understanding, awareness, or freedom you’ve had from this experience.

May each of you  and all of us in the human community find through legacy writing a new or renewed sense of peace, of trust, and healing.

– Rachael Freed

Rachael Freed, LICSW, senior fellow, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing, University of Minnesota, is the author of Your Legacy Matters, Women’s Lives, Women’s Legacies and Heartmates: A Guide for the Partner and Family of the Heart Patient. Rachael Freed [email protected] and www.life-legacies.com

The post The Legacy Of Silence & Moral Injury appeared first on DrWeil.com.