3 MINUTES COPING EXERCISE FOR CHRONIC PAIN, STRESS, ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION

This exercise is simple and doesn't require any equipment so find a comfortable spot anywhere and maximize 3 minutes during the day, everyday and reap the rewards as you practice this simple yet effective exercise. 

Take a relax and dignified posture. Sit on a chair or rest on the floor. Close your eyes if that feels OK with you. Bring your awareness to what is going on with you at this moment. What thoughts are around? What feelings? What body sensations? Observe what is bothering you the most at this moment, without judgment, simply observe the thought.

Increase mental awareness, bring 
relaxation and improve your 
health in just 3 minutes daily.

Now shift the awareness to the breathing movements of your belly. The rise of your belly with inhalation, the fall of your belly with exhalation. Stay focus of the breathing in this location, right here right now. Spend a moment or two to observe the sensations of breathing in the lower belly.

Now with an out breath, let go your focus of awareness on your lower belly and expand your awareness to the entire body. Pay attention and become aware of the sensations of the entire body in this moment. Notice the feelings of clothes on your body or the pressure of your body on the chair or on the floor.

Spend a few moments observing the sensations of the entire body without following any thoughts attached to these sensations.

Now breath out and expand your awareness from your entire body to your environment while letting go of this practice and open your eyes if they were closed.

This practice can quickly shift your focus of awareness from your problems into other sensations by becoming an observer of the problems, feelings and body sensations. As you practice this technique daily, you will start to notice an increase in energy and mental awareness and learn to shift focus of your chronic pain, stress, anxiety and depression into a meditative state of calmness, you shall then suffer less under the same conditions. So give it a try and keep practicing, chances are you will soon feel a lot better!

THE MINDFUL MOVEMENTS FOR BETTER PEACE & HEALTH

Please enjoy this video about the 'Art of Mindful Living' by the famous Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.
I hope you find it useful and learn a new technique to implement in your daily routine.

10 SUPER FOODS & HOW THEY CAN HELP YOU

Eating healthy is easier said than done. How do we know which foods to avoid and which have the hidden nutrients our bodies need? We’re constantly told that a healthy diet is the key to prevent and control disease. But which foods will give you the most bang for your buck? Here are some “Super foods” that you can try to fit in to your everyday meal plans.

A balance diet rich in minerals and vitamins.

Always talk to your doctor before you start any new diet plan. Not all foods are for everyone.

BERRIES

I’m not referring to the rare exotic berries found in the Amazon jungles. Berries right here at home are a super food all on their own. Take strawberries for example. Just a handful of fresh sweet strawberries carry more vitamin C than a whole orange! The blueberries you toss into your cereal every morning are even better. Blueberries have the highest amount of antioxidants of the berries here in North America. These antioxidants are powerful disease fighters. And who hasn’t been told to drink more cranberry juice? Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins. These are substances that stop bacteria from sticking to the inside of your urinary tract, causing a urinary tract infection, or “UTI”.

BEETS

As a child, no one was excited to hear that beets were on the menu for dinner. Beets however, carry tons of nutritional value. Beets are loaded with vitamins and minerals such as fiber, vitamin A, B and C and folic acid just to name a few. Beets also work as a tonic for the body. Beets also contain tryptophan, which relaxes the mind somewhat like the way that eating a piece of chocolate relaxes your mind. Good luck passing off beets as chocolate though!

CABBAGE

Cabbage wins the race beating out broccoli and cauliflower. Regular consumption of cabbage has been linked to a decrease in the risk of colon cancer, as well as a decreased risk for other estrogen based cancers. The enzymes in cabbage give a boost to the production of antioxidants. These antioxidants can help to deactivate carcinogens and work to prevent abnormal growths.

AVOCADO

The rumours are true. Avocados are fairly high in fat and calories. (138 calories and 14 grams of fat in just ½ of a medium avocado.) However, these fats are good fats. Avocados are full of antioxidants that help protect your body from various illnesses. ½ of an avocado has about 3.4 grams of fiber. Fiber is important because it helps keep your digestive system running smoothly. Avocado also has oleic acid, which can help to reduce cholesterol. Some avocado with your meal can help slow down digestion, preventing a steep spike in blood sugar after a meal. Avocado is so creamy, it can be used in place of mayo, and some people swear by using avocado in place of butter when baking.

LENTILS

All legumes are fairly healthy for you. Lentils are very high in fiber, and taste great. A diet high in fiber can be linked to lower cholesterol, and a decreased risk for colon cancer.  Did you know, just 100 grams of lentils carry more potassium than a whole large banana? Not only that, but lentils actually carry the highest levels of folate out of all plant based foods. Folate is a vitamin B that helps support your body to make red blood cells. Who couldn’t use a few extra blood cells? Folate also helps with nerve function.

SPINACH

This one is easy. We’ve been told our whole lives how good spinach is for you. Popeye based his whole life around his spinach. That might seem like a lot of credit to give to a vegetable, but if anyone deserves it, its spinach. One cup of fresh spinach carries twice your daily vitamin K needs. Vitamin K, along with the calcium in spinach work together to make sure you maintain good strong bones. Vitamin K is also the vitamin that helps to clot blood and stop bleeding. Spinach also has vitamin A, D, and E. Antioxidants in spinach work to help protect your eyes against various diseases.

FISH

Most types of fish are generally good for you provided it isn’t battered and fried. Fatty or oily fish have the highest amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is also a good source of protein and it carries plenty of vitamins and minerals. Fish is light, easy to cook, low in fat, low on calories, and let’s face it. It tastes great. Adding a piece of salmon to any salad adds tons of flavor, color, and nutrients.

QUINOA

Quinoa is just starting to become popular. Vegetarians have known about it for a while. Quinoa is a truly ancient food. Originally from South America, quinoa was used by the Inca warriors to build stamina as well as to recover faster after battle. Quinoa is referred to as a grain, but actually it’s a seed from a vegetable. Because it has no association with grains or wheat, it is gluten free! It also works as an excellent substitute for rice or other grains. Quinoa carries a high quality protein. It has 9 essential amino acids, and a great balance of protein comparable to milk. It’s even used as an antiseptic. The saponins from quinoa are used to encourage the fast healing of minor skin injuries in South America. Quinoa is also low in fat and calories (172 calories per ¼ cup dry, 24 of those calories are from protein and 12 are from sugars. The rest are fiber, complex carbohydrates and good fat.) Try adding quinoa as a side dish to your meals. There is even quinoa flour that you can use for baking.

TOMATOES

A staple in every salad, one serving of raw tomato has vitamin A, C, K and folate and potassium. Tomatoes are low in fat and sodium. Did you know one serving of tomato offers 2 grams of fiber (that’s 7% of the daily recommended amount.) Tomatoes also have lycopene. Lycopene makes your skin less sensitive to damage caused by UV lights. This damage is also known as fine lines and wrinkles! Tomatoes can also help regulate blood sugar.

NUTS

Now don’t try this is you’re allergic! If not, consider nuts your heart healthy friend. Nuts have been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes. Nuts also can help lower cholesterol. Nuts also contain phytosterols. Phytosterol is a chemical found in plants that help you maintain good heart health. Pistachios have a high level of phytosterols.

PAINTING CAN EASE YOUR PAIN

Chronic pain is the most dramatic and personal experience one can encounter in life. This is an experience that cannot be explained by words. Words come short when depicting the depth of emotions involved in this experience. As a result, the story of this life experience becomes captive in one's mind and heart.

Interestingly, many pain patients find comfort in painting. They bring out what they feel and paint it as a way of expression. For some this may be the only way they can show their pain to others. For many this is a path to gain control of what is controlling them. It comes out from deep inside, where it hurts the most and where it is disturbing the flow of life. 

Express your pain in colour no matter who you are.

Painting puts a face on the experience of pain and makes this unseen enemy shown to others. It is very interesting to see how unique the paintings of pain patients are. Each pain patient has a story to tell which finds a face on their paintings. By bringing this story out and making it visible to others one can share the dramatic experience and feel less isolated. There is a sense of ownership and control that comes with this practice. You don't need to be an artist to be able to make a perfect painting. That is not the point. The point is to express yourself in a different way. Allowing your feelings and awareness to take control of the experience and bring it out by way of painting. There is no right or wrong way of doing this. 

The goal is reached by doing it and there is no destination to arrive at. It is a way of opening the heart and letting the experience to come out. It is an unloading of emotions which makes the pain patient feel lighter after releasing the heavy emotions. A variety of feelings or concepts like horror, tension, disconnect or love may come out. Once it is painted, the patient has taken control of the experience and has expressed it, maybe for the first time; an expression which is totally different and personal yet interactive. 

PAINTING IS A VERY PERSONAL WAY OF EXPRESSION FOR A VERY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS CAN'T WAIT

Pain patients can't wait

When we are being crushed under sever ongoing pain nothing comes easy. Every moment becomes a year. Every step becomes a mile. The perspective of time for a pain patient is different from others because waiting is not easy: waiting for an appointment with a specialist if the doctor agrees to make the referral to begin with, waiting for a proper diagnosis after waiting for multiple tests, waiting for different trials of treatments to take effect and waiting to be understood and believed by everyone around us when nothing seems to works. None of these steps are easy and nobody knows the difficulty of this journey other that pain patients.

Putting the goal of waiting in perspective may change things a little bit. In medicine we search for the root cause of a medical condition in order to get to the solution, this process does not work well with chronic pain sufferers. When you are suffering with excruciating pain every moment, it is not easy to wait.

On the other hand, killing the chronic pain is not possible either, nor is finding the exact root cause in many cases. If we set a different goal from the start and we learn about self management instead of waiting for the results of a test or hoping that medical visit with the specialist come sooner, we would start the journey of CHRONIC PAIN MANAGEMENT earlier in the road. 

The concept of waiting would change if self management is incorporated earlier in the journey. We as Chronic pain patients can come back to Here and Now by learning about what can be done with awareness practices. We can learn how to become function centered in life instead of pain centered. We can get help right away if we learn about what can help our experience of life instead of only focusing on what can help the pain. Our function can improve if we learn how to degrade the pain from being the center of our existence.

It is the duty and responsibility of our doctors to learn about ways of self management and to convey this message to their patients. But it would only be effective if the patients take on the role of implementing these changes with an open mind and hope. 

CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS CAN'T WAIT. HEALING NEEDS TO START HERE AND NOW.

CHRONIC PAIN AND SEXUAL PROBLEMS

Many chronic pain patients suffer from sexual problems. This is an equally important issue among men and women. This problem can lead into confidence issues and major emotional conflicts. Sexual impairment can cause depression and in turn, depression can contribute into sexual impairment. This problem may stem from different reasons. The pain itself may be so disturbing that would impair sexual function. Lower back pain and pelvic pain are common conditions that cause sexual impairment. Some neuropathic pelvic conditions may be so severe that make sexual encounter impossible. Infectious or inflammatory conditions of pelvic area can also contribute to this problem. 

Your doctor can help with all aspects of pain but 

the healing comes from inside you.

Chronic pain and depression are hand to hand conditions. Most of chronic pain patients have many personal, financial, employment and social problems due to their pain induced limitations. With all these issues, it would not be surprising if one would become depressed. One of the signs of depression is lack of any pleasurable feelings.

Chronic pain patients who use different medications suffer, as a side effect, a lack of sexual desire. Narcotic medications when used for a long period of time can decrease the Testostrone level and cause impotence. Some anti-depressant medications that are used for pain or depression can show the side effect of impotence or lack of sexual interest.

Anxiety is common with depression and often these conditions are linked together. Stress and pain can increase anxiety, especially performance anxiety, which would in turn lead into sexual impairment. Poor circulation of blood or nerve problems also causes sexual difficulties. For example, this can be the case for some diabetic patients with blood circulation problems or diabetic neuropathy.

As we can see many reasons can cause sexual problems for chronic pain patients. It is essential that a proper evaluation be done for proper diagnosis of the root causes before one would jump to using medications or injections to solve it.

Relaxation techniques, pelvic exercises, treatment of underlying infection or inflammation, hormone replacement and proper depression and pain control may be needed before one would resort to sexual performance enhancing medications. Meditation practices can help by bringing the mind to the present time and help increase the focus on the pleasure sensation and ultimately improve the sexual function.

It is time to put taboos aside and start an open dialogue about all chronic pain related issues, including sexual disturbances.