The Power of Sound Healing: Gong Meditation

Reaching Theta Brainwaves
Sound healing sessions with gongs bring you into a deep rest where you reach a theta brainwaves state. Theta brainwaves occur during R.E.M. sleep, active dreaming and meditation. This is a deeply relaxed state where healing takes place with more ease.

Integrative Pain Management: Free From Pain, Free From Dependency

Why not Pop a Pill?  It’s Easy…right?

A recent study showed that patients over 60 who were given opiate painkillers after minor surgeries considered to be “low pain,” were 44% more likely to still be using the painkillers a year later when compared to patients who were not prescribed opiates right away.  There was also a strong trend in the opiate group to graduate from a drug like codeine, to stronger opiates like oxycodone within a year.  {Asim Alam, MD, et. al.  “Long-term Analgesic Use After Low-Risk Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.” Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(5):425-430.}

Cancer and Your Immune System: Limiting the Possibility of Recurrence

I see many patients post chemotherapy and/or radiation often wondering what to do next. Scans are clear, and there are no “visible” signs of cancer. This of course is great news! The cancer was responsive to therapy and now it’s about staying healthy. So what can you do to limit the possibility of recurrence?

Change your Mind

Everyday it seems we are reading about some news or study presenting evidence that our mind is connected to our health. Our thoughts effect how we feel, and how healthy we are.

Fructose: The Weight-Gain Sugar

Obesity is an epidemic in America that now affects many millions of adults and children. Obesity is classified as having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30.

Magical Thinking

The openness of childhood

Did you grow up believing in magic, magical places, and beings?

Did the world seem like a place full of magic, wonder, a place where anything could happen, a world where anything is possible?

ILADS 2011 Conference Impressions

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Having attended the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) conference last month in Toronto, we came home both reassured about the treatment options we offer and with additional therapies to improve our treatment options for our growing number of lyme patients at the Stram Center for Integrative Medicine, Delmar office. One of many interesting developments was discussed by Dr. Richard Horowitz on the topic of Babesiosis diagnosis and treatment, for example: usage for an herbal supplement used in Ethiopia to treat malaria, cryptolepis, has been shown to be effective in this co-infection.

Tips for Letting Go of Stress

Allow Change

Ever try to capture a moment and put it in a bottle, or try to stop the seasons from changing? It just can’t be done. The simple truth is that everything of this world is subject to change. Change is the only constant. You are subject to change. Your body changes, your circumstances change. You are quite literally not the same person you were a year ago, physically, emotionally or in your life circumstances. With all this change we have the choice of moving with the flow of change or resisting it.

The Right Practitioner for You

How Do I Find a Good Practitioner?

I’m often asked by people who are moving, or who live too far away from the Center for regular visits, “what should I look for in an acupuncturist?”

The Food and Fertility Connection

Fertility Foods Basics

When looking at ways to enhance fertility, the diet is one of our most reachable influences.  To improve the diet it is helpful to consider your specific constitutional needs.  A Chinese medical assessment which includes a tongue and pulse diagnosis will give you a framework to work within.