By Donna K. Kelly

Joy is a pillar for good health. Do you allow yourself to experience joy every day? Does joy truly help us to stay healthy? Do you even know what brings you joy or happiness? I hope your answer to each of those questions was yes. 

We may now have to opportunity of time to explore these questions in a new way. We may learn joyous opportunities we took for granted in the past. These might be as simple as sitting in a café and enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. We may miss hanging out with friends in our favorite restaurant. We may be missing attending lectures, going to the library. The list can truly to on and on as we are given the chance of a lifetime to experience the joy of life in an entirely new way due to our mandatory stay at home and social distancing orders. Now just a simple free walk outside and seeing other people at a distance can be comforting. Being outside with the sun and blue sky is rejuvenating and brings joy.

Our immune system is the front line for fighting any infection, viral or bacterial.  Of course, we know COVID-19 is a virus which we want to fight. So how does joy help us to keep our immune system optimal?

Our nervous system has two pathways. One is the sympathetic pathway, which is our fight or flight system. It is important when we are under stress or danger. This fight or flight system helps us to stay alive from injury. It helps our blood to clot more quickly and constricts our blood vessels, so we don’t bleed to death. Longterm, one may see how this may raise blood pressure.  

More importantly for dealing with COVID-19, stress decreases the optimal functional of our immune system, which requires a lot of energy for the body to maintain. If our bodies sense danger, they prioritize energy use on processes that enhance short term survival. Stress, whatever the form, activates our body’s fight or flight system, which does not know the difference between the proverbial tiger bite, the common cold, or COVID-19.  

The balance of our fight or flight system is our parasympathetic system. It is our rest, digest and repair system. We would be well served if we lived most of our day in this state. Here our body may more easily digest our food to absorb the life-supporting nutrients of our food. Our heart is at rest and pumping more slowly.  Our blood vessels are not constricted. Experiencing joy during the day may allow us to more easily drop to sleep at night, which is also critical for our health.  

Both paths of our autonomic nervous system are important for health. We would like to easily shift from one system into the other. In our hectic world, we rarely allow ourselves to be at rest. People may experience mental and emotional stressors. But we also face environmental stressors, like water and air pollution, nutrient deficiencies, injuries and of course infection from virus and bacteria.   

Joy may be a path to allow us to tip our body back toward the rest, digest and repair mode. Repair helps us to overcome sickness and injuries. As a bonus, it may help us to age more successfully.

Joy and happiness help us to be more optimistic. There are measurable changes in the body when we allow ourselves to experience joy. We have a decrease in cortisol (our stress hormone) and increases in endorphins, which help us to feel less pain. With less stress, our body feels safe and more easily shifts functions to long term survival; therefore, our immune system is given the energy it needs to functional optimally. Think, fighting infection. Our mood may be lighter because there are increases in serotonin (the happiness neurotransmitter) and oxytocin (the connection hormone). There is an increase in Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF), which helps us to grow new neurons in our brain to protect our memory. We dilate our blood vessels and increase our lung capacity which helps to send more oxygen throughout our body. Laughter may force us to breathe more deeply. Just breathing deeper stimulates the vagus nerve, which runs through the entire body to let all the body’s systems know to rest, digest, and repair.  

How can we bring more joy into our lives?  There are comedy clubs, funny movies and books, and even laughter yoga. I am finding many humorous websites for jokes helpful. We would like gentle humor, not humor at the expense of another. You may want to google Christian jokes, Reader's Digest jokes, jokes for children, coffee, cats, dogs, computers, diets, daily life, dads, and moms. The laughs can go on and on. I am experiencing the joy of learning how to find humor to share.

Our bodies will react the same even if we are faking the laughter or smile. When was the last time you experienced a good belly laugh?  It might be helpful to have a good laugh every day.
In closing, I offer you this.

Day 4 of our new 6 social distancing: I struck up a conversation with a spider today.  Seems nice.  He’s a web designer. 

Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only.  It is being provided to you to educate you about healthy eating and lifestyles and as a self-help tool for your own use.  It is not medical or psychological advice.  This information is to be used at your own risk, based on your own judgment. For my full disclaimer, please go to www.donnakkelly.com.

By Donna K. Kelly

Sunday, March 8th, at 3:00 AM, we will spring forward and be on Daylight Savings Time (DST) in most of the United States, Europe and Canada. This abrupt change in time in relation to daylight may be the cause of a variety of negative health and safety effects. Many people struggle for a week to overcome the time change. People experience lost productivity, lower quality of life, increased illness and complain of just feeling tired.  

Focusing on selfcare before the time change may help to alleviate some of the impact. You might:

• Try to go to bed 15-20 minutes earlier each night for 2-3 nights before the time change. This may allow your body to adjust more easily. 
• Begin to adjust the timing of your meals a little earlier each day for 2-3 days. This may be especially important with dinner.
• Get some early morning sunlight, especially on the first day of the time change, Sunday. The bright light helps to set your body’s clock to the new daytime hours and become fully awake.
• Be careful driving and operating machinery if you feel drowsy. Your reaction times may be delayed, and accidents may happen.
• Stick with your normal bedtime on Sunday to get plenty of sleep for your Monday normal waking routine.
• Avoid using phones and computers in the evening to decrease the blue light wavelengths which decrease melatonin, your sleep hormone.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol for several hours before bedtime. Caffeine is best consumed before noon. 

 
Studies show the negative health consequences of DST. 

Monday is routinely associated with more heart attacks than any other day of the week. It is known as the “Monday cardiac phenomenon.” After DST there is an additional 24% increase in heart attacks on Monday. Conversely, there is also a 21% drop in heart attacks on Tuesday following the end of DST.

There is an increase in traffic accidents and workplace injuries on Monday after DST. 

There is lost productivity after DST. Cyberloafing, surfing the web for unrelated content to work, increases after the time change. 

Judgement may be impaired.  There are studies showing increase in spending on the Monday after the time change. A study of federal courts found 5% longer sentences handed down on “sleep Monday.” Managers may find themselves doling out harsher criticisms.

Students taking a test on the Monday after DST may find a decrease in test scores. 

Our European neighbors have plans to phase out DST in 2021. The European Union has noticed these negative consequences to their population’s health and economy and are acting. Russia stopped their time changes in 2011. Asia and Africa do not change their times during the year.  

Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only.  It is being provided to you to educate you about healthy eating and lifestyles and as a self-help tool for your own use.  It is not medical or psychological advice.  This information is to be used at your own risk, based on your own judgment. For my full disclaimer, please go to donnakkelly.com\disclaimer

As you know, we officially entered Autumn yesterday, with the Autumnal Equinox. Our resident astrologer, Mary Jane Staudenmann, put some thoughts down about it so we can put this day into perspective:

The autumnal equinox marks the beginning of a new season, as we know, but it is especially important as the balance of dark and light, also growth and rest in nature, all happening in the sign of Libra, the energy field devoted to harmony and balance. The entrance of the Sun into this sign marks for us a time of making order, taking stock, and acting for the greater good in our relationships of all kinds. Communication, diplomacy and finding common ground are key words during this time of searching for harmonious satisfaction in all our human dealings: Venus and Saturn are the ruling planets of this sign and put the accent on adult, egalitarian exchanges with fair and equally positive results in view.

The horoscope of the fall equinox this year, though, indicates much stress in realizing this ideal harmony. Two other planetary movements are manifesting in early October: Mars enters the sign of Libra on Oc. 3, and Venus enters Scorpio on Oct. 8. They will prove important in the different negotiations going on both world-wide and personally to each of us: each one of this karmic pair is miscast--Venus as a passionate and intense seeker of absolute truth in action (the hawk) and Mars as peacemaker, placating and willing to compromise (the dove). They are engaged in an arm-wrestling duel on the negotiating table that is sure to complicate the graceful exchange we would otherwise hope for, and at best will lend each other the energy to stand up for one's rights at the same time as fair results are achieved.

There is a further complication in the sky at the time of this horoscope that dates from the last full solar eclipse of July 2 this year. At that time, the Sun-Moon conjunction occurred at 10° in Cancer and created a hard opposition to Saturn and nearby Pluto: on September 23, the Moon was exactly opposite Saturn and Pluto and created a conflict with planets in Libra. Goodbye, easy negotiations! Hello, people in the streets threatening Big Power!

These noisy encounters are sure to continue through October and November, and on a personal level, they will likely complicate our efforts to find satisfaction when face-to-face dealings turn into power struggles. Individuals should consult their natal chart to see just how and where these tensions are likely to fall.

By Matt Gonzales 
This article was originally published on drugrehab.com​. It is reproduced here with permission.

The body comprises interdependent parts that influence one another. Physical pain can lead to mental anguish, and emotional distress can cause sleeping problems and anxiety. If all of a person’s needs are not addressed, chronic health disorders such as addiction can be difficult to overcome.

Holistic treatment is a set of therapy approaches that target all aspects of a person’s health—the body, the mind and the spirit. These programs use natural methods to treat drug or alcohol addiction.

The traditional model of substance abuse treatment focuses on counseling, 12-step meetings and other supportive services. But holistic treatment also integrates complementary therapies such as meditation and acupuncture to address underlying causes of addiction.

Nanci Stockwell of Advanced Recovery Systems suggests ways to incorporate alternative therapies into a person’s recovery plan and stresses the importance of finding the right therapies for each individual.

Holistic therapies focus on the patient’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. Paying attention to each aspect may expedite recovery and create a more stable body and mind.

Why Is Holistic Treatment Important?Addiction affects many aspects of a person’s health. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction can cause problems to the cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. Substance use disorders can also lead to overdose and death.

But addiction is a disease that changes the brain. In addition to physical problems, this disorder can result in mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Many people simultaneously experience addiction and mental health problems.

Holistic treatment addresses myriad physical, emotional and spiritual issues associated with addiction, from physical health to spiritual wellness.

Generally, holistic therapies can:

• Treat pain
• Reduce tension
• Decrease stress, depression and insomnia
• Improve self-care

According to the American Holistic Health Association, holistic medicine educates clients and encourages them to actively participate in their own recovery. Through the holistic philosophy, individuals suffering from addiction learn to protect many areas of their health.

Is Holistic Treatment Effective?Research has found that holistic therapies can enhance addiction recovery when combined with traditional substance use disorder treatments and self-help groups. These complementary therapies can provide additional tools to support people in recovery.

A 2013 study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence showed that holistic treatment may be effective in treating smoking addiction. In a review of 14 clinical trials, researchers found that yoga and meditation-based therapies showed promise in improving smoking cessation.

And according to a 2009 study published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, holistic treatment is efficient in treating chronic illnesses such as mental health disorders and other health-related problems.

In the United States, holistic treatment is growing in popularity.
More than 30 percent of American adults and about 12 percent of children have used some form of complementary or alternative medicine, according to a 2016 report by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
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Results from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey showed that the most common complementary health approaches among adults included natural products, deep-breathing exercises and meditation practices such as yoga.