Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Most of us are familiar with the culinary uses of nut and seed oils such as olive, sesame, sunflower and coconut oils to flavor and moisten the foods we ingest. In addition to the benefits of ingesting them through our diet, nut, seed and some vegetable oils applied topically can help bring immediate relief to [...]

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In August of 1973, my father, age 52, began abruptly leaving the dinner table, napkin to mouth, while my mother, obviously startled, struggled to retain her composure while eating. It wasn?t long after that a family conference was called and my father informed four children that he had cancer of the esophagus. The doctor had [...]

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Most of us are acquainted with herbs for their culinary uses in the kitchen. Potato salad without dill? How dull! Pesto without basil? Barely conceivable. Spaghetti sauce without oregano? Well, you get my drift. While your palate may be telling you what is pleasing, what many people don’t know is of the deeper mutuality between [...]

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A client recently came to me with symptoms of gas, bloating and headache. Because the symptoms were present and active while we were meeting, I had her put her hand 4-6 inches in front of her belly and take a few minutes to rest her hand, and her attention there. After a minute, I asked [...]

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The business of health in this country is just that, a business. That has certain implications for the health-minded consumer who wants to be informed about the health choices they are making. Take the popularity of vegetable oils. Vegetable oils (corn, safflower, Crisco, soy) rose in popularity in the 1960?s when the vegetable and food [...]

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The sixties and seventies in the United States was a time of tremendous cultural change and ferment that spawned, among other things, a widespread interest in ?personal growth.? I experienced my first taste of this when my mother, in 1975, insisted that I accompany her to a class on TM, Transcendental Meditation. I was twelve, [...]

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Flowers have long held a place of high esteem in the traditional healing systems of the world. Many plant flowers have medicinal properties that are utilized in Western herbalism, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine and Native American healing. California poppy and passionflower are two highly regarded plants utilized in Western herbalism in the treatment of depression, anxiety, [...]

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[tag]Compassion [/tag]is a quality that runs like a thread through all attempts, all efforts to alleviate human suffering. To suffer means, among other things, to ?carry.? Compassion means to ?carry with.? When we experience compassion, from others or in relationship toward ourselves, we are experiencing the support of another who, by truly listening and attending [...]

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The article “Plant a garden, grow a community” in the column The Potting Shed (L&BH May 17, 2006 issue) got me to thinking. An interesting phenomenon occurs when people come together around a common goal. People often set aside their differences while contributing their unique talents to the creation of something that will benefit the [...]

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Hippocrates, widely regarded as the Father of modern (Western) medicine, is known for this statement which, in its entirety, is ?let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.? Hippocrates was a physician in ancient Greece who developed an Oath of Medical Ethics for physicians to follow. Today, newly graduating physicians are [...]

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Summer brings a celebratory, playful spirit into most people?s lives. Nature calls to us to celebrate the abundance in our lives, and to do it outside where we can enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of a world in bloom! So, as you head out into the sun, consider these simple dietary and lifestyle tips [...]

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Living with a persistent health condition often feels like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Chronic pain, arthritis, anxiety, depression and other persistent health conditions can put us in the unwinnable situation of experiencing our bodies as an uncomfortable, unsympathetic even hostile environment in which to live. We are in it, we [...]

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Holistic health, for many people, has a vague connotation. Like ?alternative medicine?, many people understand that it is referring to something other than mainstream Western medicine, something perhaps that doesn?t include drugs and is ?healthier.? But, beyond that, people?s comprehension can get a little foggy. This is understandable. ?Alternative medicine? and ?holistic health? are really [...]

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Where do we go to find meaning & satisfaction in our lives? Is it work? Our relationships? A hobby? For many of us, the act of survival in the high-priced Bay Area is fully consuming our time and attention. The pursuit of meaning and satisfaction may seem a luxury. But not heeding the call of [...]

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In the area of desire, there always seem to be associated taboos, certain foods, alcohol and drugs, sexual experiences come to mind as some of the most obvious. Most of us associate the word ‘taboo’ with what is off-limits due to some sort of moral juncture. In short, it’s “bad”, or it’s bad to want [...]

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