| Times are tough, money is tight, uncertainty | | | | and finding the strength and resources to respond. |
| reigns and here's the kicker. Things can get | | | | "When I had a melanoma," she reveals, "I was |
| worse. Not because the economy tanks, or the | | | | very frightened. But my inner voice, my intuition, |
| 401K seems to be circling the drain, or we won't | | | | told me that I needed to change my life and |
| see the inside of a shopping mall until housing | | | | leave my marriage or I would die. Now that I |
| prices level out. When the news is bad, what | | | | understand psychoneuroimmunology - the science |
| makes things worse is allowing the world around | | | | behind the mind/body connection - I see that I |
| us to dominate the world within us. When our | | | | was 'jumping out of my skin.' I knew it was a |
| sense of well-being goes up and down with the | | | | spiritual awakening to get me to look at my life." |
| Dow Jones. We may not have control over the | | | | A pioneer in the field of holistic health and |
| success of the latest stimulus package or the | | | | co-founder of the Guild of Holistic Practitioners, |
| fate of our brothers and sisters in the military | | | | Beth practices and teaches nation-wide from a |
| facing multiple deployments, but we do have | | | | philosophy that views a person's entire life and |
| choices about how to think about these and any | | | | being as related to one's health. |
| other sources of psychological stress. This is | | | | "I used to work for a cancer specialist who |
| important not only because stress-resilient thinking | | | | treated patients with surgery, chemotherapy and |
| and practices energize and strengthen us to | | | | radiation," she relates. "Although he was able to |
| successfully deal with out struggles, but because | | | | cure some, I became interested in the bigger |
| attitudes and mental habits create real-time, | | | | picture of why some people got sick and some |
| long-term changes in our physical health. | | | | got better and began to read books on nutrition |
| "Stress is the major predictor of illness because it | | | | and psychology to understand the relationship to |
| stimulates the production of cortisol and | | | | illness and wellness. From that I went to school at |
| epinephrine from the adrenal glands," states Beth | | | | the Margaret Sanger center to study Holistic |
| Moran, ARNP, Nurse Practitioner and author of | | | | Women's health care, and for the past 25 years |
| Intuitive Healing: A Woman's Guide To Finding The | | | | have continued to study natural medicine. My |
| Healer Within (currently under revision). Both | | | | practice emphasizes women taking responsibility |
| cortisol and adrenaline are life-saving in the short | | | | for themselves after receiving a lot of |
| bursts of intensity for which nature installed them. | | | | information. I endeavor to empower women to |
| Cortisol triggers the "fight-or-flight" survival | | | | make decisions based on facts and their own |
| response when we sense a physical threat. It | | | | inner truth and philosophy." She works extensively |
| boosts muscle strength, heightens perceptions and | | | | with BioIdentical Hormones, Thyroid imbalance, |
| memory, and lowers sensitivity to pain, while | | | | Adrenal fatigue and the mind/body relationship, |
| adrenaline keeps us hyper aware and alert as we | | | | combining appropriate medical treatment, testing |
| engage in whatever response is necessary to get | | | | and tools with information and a range of |
| away from danger. But they must be followed by | | | | resources relevant to an individual's needs. |
| the body's natural relaxation response once the | | | | "The world today has a great many stressors," |
| danger has passed because what makes us | | | | Beth states, "and humans are ingesting many |
| stronger and better survivors also exacts a price. | | | | toxic substances as a coping mechanism, e.g. |
| Prolonged exposure to this same heady rush of | | | | alcohol, sugar, caffeine, refined flours flours, |
| brain chemicals has serious health effects such as | | | | cigarettes, pot, drugs, all of which weaken the |
| significantly lowered immunity, a heightened | | | | vital force." A study published in the journal |
| inflammatory response, slower wound healing, high | | | | Neurology and reported in Discover magazine |
| blood pressure, thyroid problems, and blood sugar | | | | showed that chronic psychological stress causes |
| imbalances. | | | | memory loss and other serious cognitive |
| And here's the thing. Our brains and bodies | | | | impairments that interfere with quality of life in |
| experience a psychological threat as a physical | | | | older people. But the good news is that we can |
| one, with the same rush of cortisol and adrenaline. | | | | protect ourselves against this kind of decline |
| That is how the angry thoughts that never get | | | | through the kind of awareness Beth supports for |
| resolved, the oppressive relationship that saps | | | | overall health. |
| self-confidence, relentless self-criticism, fearful | | | | Nutrition, meditation, exercise, self-knowledge, |
| projections about the future or any other | | | | changing the negative situations we can control |
| persistent negative attitudes playing over and | | | | and learning to think differently about the ones |
| over in our consciousness have a direct effect on | | | | we cannot, are some essential tools for |
| our health. | | | | integrated health. In a world with so many |
| In her book, her teaching and her practice - | | | | stresses coming at us 24/7 from so many |
| Integrated Wellness in East Hampton - Beth | | | | directions, intuitive intelligence is a vital renewable |
| Moran encourages forging a connection with the | | | | resource that strengthens resilience to the |
| inner voice we all possess that knows what we | | | | stresses and pressures of ever-changing 21st |
| need to change about our thinking or our lives, | | | | century life. |