Earth Hour 2012

 

Lights out in Brooklyn, USA and around the world.

 

Lyme Disease Alert! + DEET alternatives that protect w/o toxins

Thanks to the mild weather and its effect on ticks, and their ecosystem, tick season is starting early—and spreading further—this year.  Recent reports in Pill Advised, The New York Times and Scientific American highlight the potential negative public health impact the rise in tick-borne disease could have on the Northeast.

Luckily, at the end of last year’s tick season, Tula Karras and I crafted this comprehensive guide to fighting off ticks and mosquitoes without dousing yourself in DEET. Here, the best ways to protect yourself without exposure to too many chemicals.

The Mean Girl Diet: Why processed food pisses you off

Can dropping processed food from your diet help you drop a bitchy attitude? And maybe even some extra pounds? Don’t miss Cynthia Sass’s recent story on Shape.com.  The author of S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim reports on a new study that suggests eating “bad” foods can put you in a bad mood—and even make you mean. The research  suggests that consuming trans fats increases aggression and irritability…more

Massage + Therapy = Medicine

Well that hit the spot!  It’s gotta to be a good sign when the Wall Street Journal reports on the medical benefits of getting a massage. Check out Andrea Petersen‘s Don’t Call It Pampering: Massage Wants to Be Medicine.

Related alternahealthgrrrl story: Why a Post-Workout Massage Feels So Good

Holistic Healing: What would Bill W. say? LSD may treat alcoholism

Dropping acid may help you drop drinking, according to a large review published this week.

Reading this study, I was reminded of a talk, “The Impact of Spiritual Experience on Health” that I attended at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium. In the workshop, and the session intro, Richard Schaub, Ph.D, described the role of spiritual experiences in improving people’s health and lifestyle choices. “One famous example is the cosmic consciousness experience of Bill Wilson.  A desperate alcoholic who was hospitalized yet again for detoxification, he became immersed in the hospital in a blissful “white light” and emerged free – for the rest of his life – from his addiction.  He went on to co-found the now-worldwide 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and built spirituality into the Steps because of his experience.”

Schaub went on to tell us about Wilson’s experimentation with LSD later in life, saying that he was attempting to revisit the spiritual experience he had in the hospital. Reportedly, Wilson supported the clinical use of LSD as a treatment for alcoholism.  In Scott Hensley’s coverage, he cites a researcher who suggests, essentially, that a “trip” can be a profound experience that dramatically changes the direction of a person’s life.

Hallucinogenic drugs aren’t a magic cure for alcohol dependency, but I find this line of research fascinating.  Can a consciousness expansion help some people who are struggling with addiction? And, as Schaub asked the workshop attendees: What actually happens to someone in such a moment of personal transcendence?  Why does it cause such a ripple effect of change in the person’s health and life choices?  Can such experiences be induced by safe, effective methods?

I, for one, am going to pick up some of Schaub’s books to further explore this topic.

Sexperts Speak Out

Women’s Health Experts Speak Out! Watch the satirical video, starring Judd Nelson and Tim Meadows here 

You call that maternity leave?!?!

Holistic health starts with breastfeeding, bonding, new baby and mama care and recovery. So-called paid family leave policies in the US are downright pathetic. We can do better, right? Tell Congress to get real: Add your voice to the online petition on WorkingMother.com.