Newsletter Contents

From the Practitioner's Corner:
5 Tips for Control of your Allergies from an Integrative ENT

From the Holistic Nurse's Corner:
The  ABC's on Allergy Season by Wanda Diaz, RN

Our Center Steps Up To the Challenge of Treating SuperStress

Stress is a word with so many meanings that all anyone can gather from the term if you use it is that you're feeling somewhere between hassled to devastatingly exhausted. In using the word "stress", the inflection of your voice and the context of its use must qualify the degree to which you are suffering from it. That's a pretty vague description of a frequent symptom that's invading our lives.

The American Psychological Association's (APA) annual surveys on stress have shown that over the last four years Americans consistently have been struggling with extreme chronic stress, or SuperStress, as described in the recently released book, The SuperStress Solution (Random House, 2010), written by Dr. Roberta Lee at The CCHH. This is not your grandmother's stress of forty years ago. This stress that has four distinctive telltale features:

It's compounded: there's more than one source and reason for your stress

It's depleting joy in your life: the days are so wearing that moments of joy are missing. Things you normally look forward to don't seem to be bringing that spark to your life. You're in a state of burn out.

It's the kind of stress that makes life feel out of control. You just can't seem to get a handle on things.

Anxious is the new normal. Your default for approaching life has now settled into a perspective of mild to moderate anxiety. Any new task spells overload.

In short, this is the type of stress derived from our hectic 21^st century lifestyle and life's recent unfortunate events.  It's the kind of stress that has overwhelmed your body to the point where it cannot recover very easily on its own. The 2009 APA study on stress revealed that 42 percent of Americans suffered from extreme stress or a stress-related illness (e.g. chronic headaches, insomnia, drop in libido, fatigue, anxiety or depression). From a patient care perspective one out of three patients saw their primary care doctors for a stress-related illness. From an employer's perspective this insidious pandemic sapped workplace productivity by $300 billion annually.

At the Center, we have begun to build multiple programs for individuals who want to take control of this problem. Special classes are offered as well as individualized stress reduction sessions, medical consultations for primary care and other integrative modalities including traditional East Asian medicine, acupuncture and other forms of bodywork, homeopathy and focused SuperStress consultations. Anyone interested in signing up for any of these programs can contact Bonnie Everhart at the Center (646-935-2248) or beverhart@chpnet.org

In April the Center began offering a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) workshop led by Elaine Retholtz, M.S., L.Ac. who has offered these trainings in New York City since 2005. This eight-week course offers guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices combined with gentle, mindful stretching and yoga exercises. This approach to life known as mindfulness, a state of heightened moment to moment awareness, is one of the most powerful antidotes to the loss of perspective that evolves out of a sense of being in a hurry. With a mindful frame of reference, though you may be surrounded by chaos, you are able to regain and retain a sense of inner calm.

Those who want a more focused and short relaxation training program can sign up for Aurora O'Campo's Stress Reduction Class. This is a one and a half hour session in a small group setting which teaches a variety of ways relaxation can be accessed including use of essential oils (concentrated oils from plants), self-hypnosis, Reiki, visualization and breathwork. Those wishing to have this training one-on-one can also schedule individualized sessions with Aurora O'Campo, MA, RN by calling the front desk. 

Some people derive immense benefit from re-examining their lifestyle habits and feelings. Caroline Werner, CSW, our holistic therapist, is available for integrated cognitive counseling sessions which examine the context of a stressful life. Ms. Werner formerly worked as an attorney and experienced stress first hand. After much reflection, she left her lucrative law practice and decided she would make a career change to offer counseling to those suffering from stress. She has also offered corporate stress reduction programs to many companies.

Several of our integrative practitioners address stress from a primary care lifestyle management perspective. Our acupuncturists use the pragmatic and long tested East Asian Medicine approach.

For those wishing to have a very structured integrative medical approach based on the book, The SuperStress Solution, you can have a consultation with its author, Roberta Lee, MD. This involves a full assessment of the psychological and physical aspects of chronic stress. You will also learn which of the five SuperStress types you are. For more information on superstress types go to www.superstresssolution.com.

Those virtually inclined (meaning wishing to receive information via the computer) can go to the Center's website and access the informative and instructive stress reduction module recently created by our Informatics Director, Marsha Handel and stress reduction expert, Aurora O'Campo .  Written for pre and post surgery stress management but applying to all forms of stress, four guided video and audio sessions are offered on breathwork, centering and grounding, guided imagery and biofeedback at www.preparingforyoursurgery.org/before_surgery/relaxation_techniques.html

Stress knows no socioeconomic boundaries or age. As we move through an increasingly chaotic age The Center will continue to offer its varied programs and individualized therapies to help people navigate and learn how to cope with SuperStress.

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Research

Chronic Pain and Integrative Management

The Research Department continues to recruit participants for an observational study on patients at the Center who see their healthcare practitioners for chronic pain. We are one of eight leading integrative clinical centers from around the country participating in this study.  The objective of the study is to better understand the effectiveness of a variety of indigenous or integrative interventions in patients with chronic pain.

You may be eligible to participate if you:

  1. Are age 18 and over

   2. Are a new or existing patient seeking treatment for chronic pain (pain lasting at least 3 months)

   3. Have the ability to read and write English and provide informed consent

   4. Are able to understand and comply with the requirements of the study

If you would like more information about this study, please call Jeanne Kenney at 646-935-2275.

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From the Practitioner's Corner

5 Tips for Control of your Allergies from an Integrative Ear/ Nose/Throat Doctor (ENT)

Allergy season is here, and for those of us troubled by spring allergic symptoms, now is the time for planning.   While nothing substitutes for a trip to the physician here are some useful tools that might give you relief in the interim.

• Stay indoors.  Check pollen counts on the radio or internet before you leave the house in the morning. (Great source: www.Pollen.com)Though pollen levels vary over the course of the day, a pollen count (the measure of pollen levels in a given area over the preceding 24 hours) can tip you off when it's particularly hazardous outside. Many people start having trouble when the count reaches the 20 to 100 grains per cubic meter range. Note that the time of day when levels are highest is from 5:00 to 10:00 am and early evening and the time of day when levels are lowest is from mid to late afternoon.

• Nasal irrigation can be useful.  I like the squeeze bottle ones - mix with the enclosed packets, bend your head forward.  While squeezing, pant like a puppy - it will keep the solution out of the back of your nose, so you can avoid that drowning feeling.

• Take herbs or supplements that reduce inflammation.  Inflammation is one the biggest contributors to the allergic process in the body right behind repeated allergy exposure. Probiotics, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, herbal blends, essential oils and homeopathy can all be used to control and prevent symptoms. Quercitin, bromelain and stinging nettles are ones that should be on your radar screen. For dosing check: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsLookups/Herbs.htm.  Eucalyptus and RC by Young Living Oils can be soothing to the lining of the nose when gently inhaled.  Histaminum by Boiron is a good start if you're considering adding a homeopathic option to your treatment.

• Immunotherapy. Allergy shots are a conventional option that can be useful. However, there also exists sublingual immunotherapy-- a hot new topic for the allergy prone. The patient takes drops under the tongue that act like allergy shots reducing the immune response to the allergen. Like allergy shots this kind of treatment requires weeks to months.

• Leverage diet to reduce allergy symptoms- even if you don't have food allergies, eating a healthy diet keeps inflammation at bay - and makes you less prone to an allergy attack even if it's your season. Check out the Mediterranean diet, or look at the Ultrasimple Diet, or Ultrametabolism by Dr. Mark Hyman. It's an easy way to incorporate more healthy foods into your lifestyle