InnerSelf

by Thea Summer Deer. Lavandula angustifolia, known as true lavender or English lavender, was until recently considered the hardiest and most fragrant species. Lavender essential oil is the one most widely used in aromatherapy to...

by Matt Mumber, MD & Heather Reed. Breathing is the bridge between our external and internal environments. The exhalation is linked to relaxation and the sense of well-being. It’s understood in expressions such as, “breathing a sigh of relief” and “breathing easy.”

by Thea Summer Deer. While I first heard the voice of an herb deva in my kitchen that morning, shortly thereafter, they appeared in my garden. They sent me off running to my computer, so I could type the messages they were so insistent on delivering...

by Tana Amen, B.S.N., R.N. We can learn a lot from gorillas. Humans and gorillas share nearly identical DNA and digestive systems. A gorilla's wild diet is much healthier for people than the standard American diet...

Author and activist Anna Lappé (daughter of Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet) takes on the billion-dollar business of marketing junk food, soda, and fast food to children and teens. With diet-related illnesses...

by Greg Anderson. Sur­viving breast cancer is not simply about treating illness. It is primar­ily about creating wellness. I have come to this deeply held belief based on extensive surveys and interviews with more than sixteen thousand cancer survivors...

by Peter Bane. Our conventional diet is deteriorating in quality because our farming has depleted the soils and polluted the waters in which they grow. Adding a few vitamins to "enriched" white bread, cornmeal or white rice doesn't replace the minerals that have eroded from...

by Mark Liponis, M.D. There are two types of people: Hunters and Farmers. Why are there two types of metabolisms that need two different diets? The idea of being a Hunter or a Farmer shouldn’t be taken literally...

You may have jokingly said, as you weren't able to put down that bag of chips or cookies, that those darned things were addictive. Well, it turns out you were right all along.

by Marie T. Russell. We all know that stress is bad, that working 18-hour-days is not healthy, and that working at a job you hate can lead to depression. But did you know that job burnout may be increasing your risk for a heart attack and Type 2 diabetes?

by Susan Pease Banitt, L.C.S.W. The truth of what we experienced is stored in the body. The body does not lie. Only the mind is capable of denial. A trigger can be any stimulus that was previously paired with a trauma, whether we remember it or not...

by Christopher Vasey, N.D. Invading germs as well as ingested poisons that have accumulated over time from unhealthy lifestyle choices can all be eliminated in a relatively short time by one simple, but intense process: fever. But is it possible to create an artificial fever?

by Matt Mumber, MD and Heather Reed. Stress affects us whether it’s considered good or bad, positive or negative. In physics, stress is a force that acts on a specific object and causes deformation or strain. In health and wellness, stress is seen as a force that causes mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual strain.

by Joanna Poppink, MFT. What follows are possible early warning signs of an eating disorder or behaviors that, when repeated, can indicate an ongoing eating disorder. Be gentle with yourself as you examine the things you consider normal and routine, but which may indicate a serious problem.

by Susan Pease Banitt, L.C.S.W. I once had a patient who came in and announced calmly, "I had a brownie yesterday, and then I felt really suicidal." For a moment, my conventional reaction was to think she was losing touch with reality. She was one of my least dramatic, most levelheaded clients and usually she understated rather than overstated everything.

by Jack Angelo. Life is about change. Our breathing undergoes changes according to the rhythms of our state of imbalance (another reason to remain mindful of our breath). Specific breathing exercises can work on the causes of our stress, illness, unhappiness, or discontent in order to restore balance in...

by Matt Mumber, MD and Heather Reed. The optimal approach to physical activity varies by age and health status. We’ll focus on a foundational and sustainable process here, which includes exercising on all three levels of capacity: aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and flexibility...

by Jonty Heaversedge and Ed Halliwell. People whose “drug of choice” is food have a tendency to cope with stress by over-eating, often bingeing on foods. Unlike drugs or alcohol, it isn’t possible to steer clear of temptation — we all need to eat, several times a day. People who are drawn to binge have to find a way to face their triggers, without succumbing to habitual patterns.

by Greg Anderson. After I was told by my surgeon that he thought I had about thirty days to live, I was put in touch with an exceptional cancer survivor who was convinced that healing and forgiveness are inextricably linked. After weeks of resistance, I took her counsel to heart...

by Julie Daniluk, R. H. N. We have over one hundred trillion bacteria living in our digestive system. We need these bacteria to be healthy. People with inflammatory bowel diseases have lower numbers of friendly bacteria. To repair your gut, increase absorption of nutrients, and overcome many health challenges...

by John Robbins. Chocolate has gotten a bad rap. People say it causes acne, that it's junk food. But these accusations are not only undeserved and inaccurate; they falsely incriminate a delicious food that turns out to have profoundly important healing powers...

by Connie Bennett, CHHC, CPC, ACC. Research from Princeton University showed that fructose can make you fat... “Some people have claimed that high-fructose corn syrup is no different than other sweeteners when it comes to weight gain and obesity, but our results make it clear that this just isn’t true..."

by Tony Burroughs. It always seems strange to me that when I go to a sporting event in a large stadium and they play the national anthem, almost everyone in the crowd stands up and supposedly holds their hand over their heart, off to the side of their chest. But wait a minute! That's not where our heart is at all. Our heart is in the exact center of our chest...

by John Robbins. There are legitimate questions about soy. To my mind, by far the most disturbing one stems from the fact that 90 percent of the U.S. soybean crop today is genetically engineered. Because so much Roundup is used on these crops, the residue levels in the harvested crops greatly exceed what, until very recently, was the allowable legal limit...

by Stephanie Marohn. Bipolar disorder is a complex condition. No single factor is respon­sible for creating it, and no single therapeutic measure can reverse it. This means that you must discover what factors are involved in your case and take steps to ameliorate them. The following are steps you can take to eliminate the causes, triggers, and contributors to your bipolar disorder.

by Connie Bennett. While we often hear that cancer may be linked to smoking, asbestos, pollution, pesticides, sun exposure, or red meat, one of the best-kept secrets is that sugar fuels the growth of cancer. Don’t believe me? Consider a few studies...

by Barry Dennis. Our children are the first generation in human history predicted to have a shorter life span than the previous generation. Even with all the miracles of modern medicine, the kinds and the amounts of food we are giving our children, combined with a lack of exercise, is killing them...

by Chuck Fata & Suzette Hodnett. The benefits of massage — reducing stress, soothing overworked muscles, boosting our immune system, and meeting our emotional needs for touch — are in our own hands. When massage is done in the comfort and familiarity of our homes with the people we already trust and...

by Tami Quinn & Beth Heller. The jala neti, or nasal wash, is an old yogic technique. While the technique is very old, it has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, as research has shown daily saline nasal irrigation de­creases sinus symptoms and medication use in patients with frequent sinusitis and improves quality of life.

by Dr. Zoltan Rona. Inflammation is the number-one reason that an individual consults any health care practitioner. Arthritis, gastritis, colitis, dermatitis, nephritis, neuritis, and cystitis are just some of the common inflammatory conditions that bring people to their doctors...

by Deanna Duke. (Do you think your tap water is only water? Think again.) The major contaminants that the EPA re­quires testing for include benzenes, vinyl chloride, BPA, triclosan, DEET, mercury, cadmium, perchlorate, phthalates, DDT, PCBs, atrazine and other pesticides, E. coli and fecal coliforms. Other contami­nants...

by Stephanie Marohn. Nutritional deficiencies and imbalances are a common feature in bipolar disorder and other “mental” illnesses. Correcting these often produces dramatic improvement. Unfortunately, nutrient status test­ing and intervention are not standard practice in conventional psy­chiatric medicine.

by Connie Bennett, CHHC, CPC, ACC. When it comes to weight loss, the pen is mightier than the scale. Begin to keep careful track of everything you put into your mouth, including beverages. Being accountable to yourself in this way will be an eye-opening experience, because it will force you to come face-to-face with...

by Meryl Hershey Beck, MA, MEd, LPCC. Emotional eaters often have negative thoughts about their bodies, weight, eating behaviors, and themselves. By using creative visualization, you can set goals and use the power of your imagination to create what you want rather than...

by Julie Daniluk, R H.N. Emotional healing is the hardest thing to face because it isn't tangible or quantifiable. You may have to address the fact that you're eating extra food for comfort or out of boredom. Some foods may have seemingly addictive qualities. For example, when you eat...

by Stasia Bliss. The truth is, chocolate is very, very good for you. Honestly. Chocolate in its raw form contains a long list of key nutrients qualifying it as a 'superfood.' Chocolate's greatest benefits are delivered when taken in its natural form, the cacao bean, or the...

by Tami Quinn, Beth Heller. Water is essential in supporting proper functioning in the body. Water helps with the transportation of hormones, nutrients, oxygen, and antibodies throughout the bloodstream and lymphatic system. Water can also benefit our physical appearance by helping hydrate cells, making the skin look plumper and less saggy...

by Meryl Hershey Beck, MA, MEd, LPCC. Emotional overeating involves eating large quantities of food in a short period of time, feeling out of control during these binges, eating rapidly, eating without physical hunger, choosing to eat alone, grazing (nibbling at food all day), and/or feeling depressed about overeating.

by Larkin Barnett. Many people believe that the mind and body are at odds. Changing the "inner messages" you give yourself by consciously choosing how you respond to stress is the first step in bringing the mind and body together as a team...

Bill Moyers talks to scientist and philosopher Vandana Shiva, who’s become a rock star in the global battle over genetically modified seeds.