Essence & Qi

A blog by Pacific College

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It’s the Friday Wrap-Up!

TCM in the news this week! Check it out!

It’s the Friday Wrap-Up!

TCM in the news this week! Check it out!

It’s the Friday Wrap-Up!

TCM in the news this week…Check it out!

Holistic Opportunities Abound in U.S. Hospitals

The American Hospital Association (AHA) recently published a report that 42 percent of responding hospitals offer one or more Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies, up from 37 percent in 2007, and 26 percent in 2005.  This shows that the positive trend-lines are steady and that CAM is growing in popularity and acceptance.

  • Hartfort Hospital, Connecticut

The Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center : Research has shown that techniques such as Acupuncture , ART for Healing , Guided Imagery , Massage Therapy , and Reiki help to decrease anxiety, strengthen the immune system, reduce pain and accelerate healing.

http://www.harthosp.org/integrativemed/default.aspx

  • Stanford Hospital and Clinics, California

Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine: Clinical Services for Mind and Body: Since 1998, the Stanford Center for Integrative Medicine (SCIM) is committed to evidence-based practices. This center offers a multi-disciplinary team composed of highly qualified physicians, psychologists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, and class instructors.

http://stanfordhospital.org/clinicsmedServices/clinics/complementaryMedicine

  • Arizona University Medical Center, Arizona

Arizona University Medical Center offers Reiki for cancer patients and Tai Chi for stroke patients. The slow, purposeful movements of Tai Chi can relieve pain and reduce stress. This is an activity patients can use at home while on the mend.

http://www.azumc.com/

  • Montefiore Medical Center, New York

At the Montefiore Medical Center, patients treated for cancer are provided with alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, yoga and martial arts. The alternative therapies given to children undergoing chemotherapy and radiation are offered through the hospital’s Integrative Medicine and Palliative Care Team.

http://www.montefiore.org/

  • University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

MD Anderson Cancer Center offers more than 75 complementary therapies including art, music and humor sessions; guided imagery and stress management; yoga, tai chi and flexibility classes; aromatherapy; nutrition, diet and health y cooking demonstrations; counseling and support groups; and journaling.

http://www.mdanderson.org/

Read the entire article here .

It’s The Friday Wrap-Up!

TCM in the news this week!  Check it out!

Holistic Nursing Tips for Coping with Stress in the Workplace

Many of us experience some degree of stress in the workplace, but ironically, nurses (who help treat patients suffering from stress related illnesses) are experiencing stress at a much higher rate than most other groups, according to a study conducted by the American Nurses Association. In the study, 70.5% of nurses cited the effects of stress and overwork among their top three health and safety concerns.

We think you can relate to some of the reasons why, even if you’re not a nurse. They include: workload, inadequate staff coverage, time pressure, relationship with other staff, leadership/management style, excessive noise, lack of influence in decision making…and that’s just to name a few.

While nurses as a whole are suffering from stress, a nursing specialty group called “holistic nursing” offers a refreshing perspective on how to heal yourself from the stress plaguing your life.

Holistic nursing views all parts of a human being as inseparable and interconnected. Our mental, emotional, physical and social/relational aspects are all intertwined and interconnected, according to the American Holistic Nursing Association. In other words, what affects one part of yourself will influence all the other parts too, so by engaging in a variety of positive and anti-stressful activities, you will be reducing the stress in the other areas of your life.

Holistic nurses suggest some of the following activities for coping with stress in a healthy way:

  • Yoga and Tai Chi
  • Meditation/Prayer
  • Nutritional Counseling
  • Art, Music, and Dance
  • Journaling
  • Cognitive Restructuring
  • Diaphragmatic Breathing

To read about some of these methods, as well as other stress reduction exercises, visit the American Holistic Nurses Association . Do you have a stress reduction technique that’s worked for you? Tell us about it!