Welcome to the Denver Holistic Health Blog
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Connection in Action: Small Businesses in Community
How do we best serve our community while also caring for our own businesses, families, and health? We CONNECT. We unite to solve problems as a collective. We form networks that fill in each other’s gaps. This is how we learn and grow as individual providers, how we adapt to a changing healthcare landscape, how we thrive as small businesses in an industry driven by large corporations, and how we remain healthy and grounded in our own bodies and lives.
How to Find a Therapist
Finding a therapist can be a stressful process, especially if you have never been to therapy before. There are a few ways to go about looking for one. To start, most therapists offer a free consult call to get an idea of what you want to work on in therapy and for you to hear about their therapeutic style. This would be a great time to ask them some questions and share with them what you are looking for. Here is some helpful information to know before starting.
Herbal First Aid Kit for the Home
Most of us have a first aid kit at home but how many have a natural herbal first aid kit? In this article we will cover topical and internal herbs to keep on hand to help with bleeding, burns, colds, coughs, sore throats, headaches, sinusitis, stomach pain, constipation, aches and pains, insomnia and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Below are a collection of formulas that would complete a basic first aid kit to have available in your home or while traveling just in case any illnesses or injuries happen.
How to Support Your Kid’s Mental Health as They Start School
The transition back to school can be a particularly challenging time for kids. They can be experiencing a wide range of emotions around this return and displaying these in many confusing ways. Overall kids can display a range of attitudes, behaviors, and emotions that might be confusing to you. Here are some ways you can best support them during this time.
The Low-Down on Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a descent of the vaginal organs that creates a bulge or pressure into the vaginal opening. This occurs due to a weakening of the support structures that hold these organs in place such as the ligaments, health of the vaginal tissue and pelvic floor muscles. The most common types of prolapse are:
Bladder (Cystocele)/Urethra (Cystourethrocele), Rectum (Rectocele), Uterus (Uterine)
Phases of Psychedelic Therapy
Psychedelic experiences often bring greater insight to how an individual has been showing up in their life that often inspires change and growth. Integrative psychedelic therapy supports this journey for each individual in a way that helps them feel connected through the process. While each psychedelic medicine has its own unique experience, a common effect is how each can soften emotions and emotional reactivity. In this way, the therapist is able to access and help patients process difficult experiences they have felt stuck in.
So What IS Acupuncture, Exactly?
I get asked this question so often. It’s the number one most-asked question. The complexity of Eastern healing is vast and trying to simplify it is a challenge. Acupuncture has been PROVEN to regulate the Central Nervous System (CNS), which controls most functions of the body and mind. It consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The spinal cord is the conduit for the signals between our body and the brain. When needles are administered in the body, sensory input, information processing, and motor output are all effected. By stimulating the CNS, several other systems are activated, like an increase of blood circulation which will release muscle-tension, the release of endorphins (our happy hormones), and the activation of the parasympathetic system, which controls our “rest and digest,” mechanisms.
CranioSacral Therapy: What Is It and How Can It Help You?
CranioSacral Therapy is a noninvasive therapy that assesses, modifies, and corrects restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve wellness and enhance the body’s ability to self-regulate. The craniosacral system is a physiological system that is responsible for the production, circulation, and re-absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This fluid is what keeps your brain from hitting the side of your skull and it flows all the way down your spine and back up again. Not only does the CSF protect your brain but it also helps maintain the environment for your nervous system to develop, function, and thrive. The system itself consists of the ventricular system that produces the cerebrospinal fluid, dural membranes surrounding the spinal cord, and the bony and fascial attachments of membranes. The practitioner is observing and feeling for areas of restriction in what we call the craniosacral rhythm. This rhythm is the movement of the bones and body tissues in response to the flow of CSF that I mentioned earlier.
Psychedelics in Therapy & the Psychedelic Science Conference
Much research has already been undertaken that demonstrates the efficacy and long term success of psychedelic-assisted treatments: Clinical trials exploring ketamine, psilocybin (magic mushrooms), and MDMA for treatment of depression have shown promising long term results for reduction of symptoms. Research exploring psychedelic medicine indicates that therapies incorporating it into treatment can help individuals process and heal from trauma. Neuroimaging research has shown that psychedelic treatment promotes increased neural plasticity, allowing for new connections and reorganization within the brain. Other studies exploring addiction and recovery suggest that the profound and transformative experiences induced by psychedelics can lead to increased motivation, self-reflection, and a greater sense of purpose, which can aid in the recovery process.
Is Melatonin a Safe Sleep Solution? What Users Need to Know
Millions of Americans are turning to Melatonin as a “natural” alternative to sleep aids … but is it safe? Endogenous melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain and helps to regulate the body’s internal clock, called the circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour cycle that regulates various internal processes, including the sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, metabolism, and digestion. Melatonin’s job is to tell the body when these cycles start and stop in a 24-hour period. However, despite confused reports, melatonin plays no role in the quality, depth, or overall restfulness of sleep. Although melatonin is thought to help with sleep issues, it is not effective for chronic insomnia, restless sleep, frequent nighttime waking, or other troubles with sleep at night.
Box Breath aka Square Breath for Calm
This style of breath, also called a “Square Breath” or a “4x4 Breath,” can be used in moments of stress or anxiety, or simply when you’d like to calm down or relax. You may have heard of Box Breathing due to its use as a part of Navy SEAL training—it’s used by soldiers to reduce stress and improve focus during chaotic moments of combat. Research supports this technique to help regulate your autonomic nervous system and it is correlated with improved sleep quality, decreased blood pressure and heart rate, and decreased symptoms of depression.
Mindfulness At The Workplace:Why We Need It
Mindfulness may seem like a buzzword, however it is on the cusp of becoming a household name. It is a centuries-old idea that has been reinvented to address modern day mental health challenges. So what is mindfulness really? It is a “mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic and meditation technique.”
How Do You Get Rid Of Sciatic Pain?
Did you see Adele recently discussed her battle with sciatica? The irritability. The pain. The symptoms are debilitating. Yet, you did nothing different from your normal day to day activities, so why is there suddenly pain? It was your normal drive to your in-laws, so why this time are you left feeling a nagging sciatic pain? Unfortunately, the answer is, it depends.
Massage Therapy and the Safe and Sound Protocol
Dr. Stephen Porges created the Safe and Sound Protocol to encourage a state shift in our nervous system to a setting of safety. It’s not creating neuroplasticity; it moves the train to a different set of tracks that have been there all along. I initially discovered SSP when searching for interventions to help my son who has a diagnosis of autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. SSP creates a setting of safety in the individual’s nervous system increasing their capacity for social engagement.
Grounding and Calm During the Holiday Season
As we move into the final weeks of 2022 and a holiday season that is in full swing, it can be helpful to support our well-being with practices that allow us to pause, breathe, and connect. Whether you are driving in traffic, checking off the to-do lists, or moving through the busyness of everyday life, these practices will offer you tools to stay grounded and connected this season, and throughout the year ahead! Here are some of my favorite practices to support overall health and well-being.
Immune Health Supplements and Botanicals
What supplements can help keep your immune system at its peak this winter? There is not one magic thing that will stop a cold in its tracks or ward off viruses but there are several nutraceuticals and botanicals that have good evidence for use to help modulate the immune response. These are some of my favorites and things I keep handy for me and my family during cold and flu season when we tend to be more proactive on the supplement front. As always, it is vitally important that you work with a trained practitioner to know if these are safe for you to take with respect to your health history and current medications.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome): East Meets West
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS, has troubled the minds of health professionals for years. Sadly, there are no real clear answers because it’s a relatively new disorder. What’s even more puzzling is that it can present with a combination of symptoms or the complete absence of common symptoms altogether. As practitioners of Chinese Medicine, we are constantly looking for patterns in the body. Your symptoms are signal fires guiding us to the root cause of your imbalance, and it’s our job to find that root imbalance to provide relief or reversal or symptoms. That is the real gift of eastern healing—a deeper knowing of yourself and the confidence to sit in the driver’s seat of your own wellness.
5 Tips to Help You Recover From Caesarian (C-Section) Delivery
For anyone who has experienced a caesarean (c-section) delivery, you have also experienced an incision into the abdominal wall. These scars are typically located horizontally above the pubic bone or vertically under your belly button. The incision moves through 6 different layers of the abdominal cavity with stitching performed at the uterus, sometimes rectus abdominis muscle (6-pack muscle) and skin. In the immediate weeks after delivery we can be unsure how to heal the scar and how to take care of your newborn with decreased abdominal strength.
Prepare for Your Next Doctor’s Visit & 5 Questions to Ask
Going to the doctor can be confusing, overwhelming, or even scary—especially if you have a specific health concern. And often the appointment seems to go by so quickly! Here are 5 questions to ask your doctor and other ways to prepare for your visit.
Seniors’ Guide to Cancer
Seniors are living longer and having to face more challenges than before. A healthy lifestyle can help you deal with aging, protect you from cancer, and keep you at your best.
As average life expectancies increase, older adults are learning more about the cancers and other health risks that might affect them. In fact, age is the most significant risk factor for developing cancer. People 65 and older comprise 60% of all cancer patients.
While age is the primary factor affecting your cancer or treatment, your physical lifestyle, treatment decisions and mental fitness determine your overall health.