Attachment Styles and How They Show Up in Our Relationships

thoughtful-3Welcome back to this blog series on rewiring the brain, neuroplasticity, resilience and more.

In the first of the series, we talked about the different ways our brain becomes conditioned and how we can begin to change it. In the second post, we talked about our protective “negativity bias” and the autonomic nervous system, which revs us up (the job of the sympathetic nervous system) or slows us down (the job of the parasympathetic nervous system).

In this post, we’ll dive in a little deeper into how our programming takes shape when we’re young. Continue reading “Attachment Styles and How They Show Up in Our Relationships”

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5 Essential Oils for Stress and Anxiety

essential-oilsEssential oils and diffusers are very trendy right now. They have been used for centuries to soothe and heal. Not just used to make your home smell nice, you can also use essential oils for stress and as a natural way to relieve anxiety. This is what aromatherapy is; the science and art of using scent for our health. And anyone can benefit from it.

Essential oils are highly concentrated, aromatic plant extracts generally derived through steam distillation. They are much stronger than the flowers, herbs, or trees they come from. Hundreds or even thousands of pounds of a plant can go into making just one pound of its essential oil. Continue reading “5 Essential Oils for Stress and Anxiety”

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Taking Steps to Conquer Your Fear

fear-thoughtfulWhat is fear? According to Google, fear is “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.” But as many of us know, fear is a lot more than an unpleasant emotion. Fear is the thing that holds us back, that prevents us from achieving our potential, that keeps us firmly rooted in an unhealthy place we want to move away from. So why are we so afraid of overcoming something that is clearly so detrimental to our physical, mental, emotional or spiritual well-being – if not all of the above? The truth may be a little hard to swallow. Continue reading “Taking Steps to Conquer Your Fear”

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Why Stress is Dangerous: Types, Causes and Risks

stressThere are two types of stress and most of us have experienced one or both, at times. There are many causes and more risks involved than you may realize, but the good news is that not all stress is dangerous and there are ways to lessen your stress and enjoy better health.

Acute Stress: Momentary help in times of danger

Acute stress is the term for what occurs when your body senses danger and adapts to the threat by making physical changes, enabling you to avoid greater potential harm. This protective mechanism, crucial to your safety and designed to protect you, causes your body to secrete chemicals and stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, in response to your thoughts and prepares your body for “fight or flight.”

For example, let’s say you’re crossing a street to meet your friend at the local coffee shop and notice a car quickly approaching. You see the car and understand the risks, which causes you to feel fear and anxiety (learned behaviors that we only feel when we decide something is dangerous or anxiety provoking). Your body adapts to this stress by secreting chemicals and hormones, sending messages to your heart, lungs and organs to prepare them to handle the crisis.

  • Your heart rate increases
  • Blood flow is diverted to muscles allowing for quick movement
  • Pupils dilate and more oxygen flows through your lungs for an extra burst of energy

These changes allow you to react quickly, enabling you to jump onto the curb to safety. Within a short period of time, your body calms down and things return to normal, allowing you to continue on to the meeting with your friend over your favorite cup of coffee.  Continue reading “Why Stress is Dangerous: Types, Causes and Risks”

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Stress Series: A Natural Approach to Dealing With Anxiety

anxietyIn this next part of our series on stress, we will talk about a natural approach to dealing with anxiety.

Anxiety is a normal human emotion. You may feel anxious, or nervous, when faced with a problem, taking a test, making an important decision, or when afraid. When these feelings cause such distress that it interferes with a person’s ability to lead a normal life, then it can be considered an anxiety disorder.

There  are different types of anxiety disorders:

Panic disorder: Panic anxiety disorder is having the feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeat with no warning. Anxiety symptoms related to panic disorders include sweating, chest pain, palpitations (irregular heartbeats), and feeling of choking.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): OCD is having constant thoughts or fears that cause you to perform certain routines or rituals. The disturbing thoughts are obsessions and the rituals are compulsions.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): PTSD can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying event, the unexpected death of a loved one, or a sexual or physical assault, among other things. People often have lasting and frightening memories of the event and tend to be emotionally numb.  Continue reading “Stress Series: A Natural Approach to Dealing With Anxiety”

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Our Bloggers

  • Paula Gallagher
    Paula Gallagher
    Paula is a highly qualified and experienced nutrition counselor on the staff at Village Green.
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  • Margo Gladding
    Margo Gladding
    Margo's impressive knowledge base is the result of a unique blend of educational and professional experience.
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  • Dr. Neal Barnard
    Dr. Neal Barnard
    Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research.
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  • Joseph Pizzorno
    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, ND is a pioneer of integrative medicine and a leading authority on science-based natural medicine.
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  • Debi Silber
    Debi Silber
    Debi is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition, a personal trainer, and whole health coach.
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  • Teri Cochrane
    Teri Cochrane
    Teri is a is a Certified Coach Practitioner with extensive certifications and experience in holistic medicinal practices.
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  • Dr. Rav Ivker
    Dr. Rav Ivker
    Dr. Rav Ivker is a holistic family physician, health educator, and best-selling author.
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  • Susan Levin
    Susan Levin
    Susan writes about the connection between plant-based diets and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
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  • Rob Brown
    Dr. Rob Brown
    Dr. Brown's blended perspective of healthcare includes a deeply rooted passion for wellness and spiritual exploration.
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