Four Simple Strategies to Help Maintain a Healthy Weight

There is no magic pill for weight loss. The best magic for weight management is weight maintenance. As with all things in life, moderation is the key. Here are four tips for moderation to help kick-start your spring health goals.

1. Do some type of exercise every day... preferably every morning

It is very easy to lie in bed having an internal dialogue: “It’s too cold. I could get sick”; “I’ll do it tonight after work”; or “If I go for a walk now, then I’ll be late for work.” Don’t think about it. Just pull yourself out of bed the second the alarm goes off. That’s right—don’t snuggle. Snuggling is not helpful. Just autopilot to the clothes that you left out the night before, open the door, and start walking. By the time your brain catches up, you will already have done 10 minutes.

2. Have lots of healthy foods available

It is much easier to make a healthy food choice when there are some healthy choices available! Make a big fruit salad to keep in the fridge for when you need a snack. Have some of your favorite veggies ready to eat when you are hungry. Make an extra-large salad at night and eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. Just leave the salad dressing on the side, otherwise your salad gets soggy.

3. Avoid TV

What is it about commercial breaks that trigger the munchies? Tape your favorite shows, then you can fast-forward the breaks. It works!

4. Indulge your mind, senses, and body with something other than food

Many of us love to cook, love eating out, love gourmet food stores. Break out of the food focus by pampering yourself in other ways. Take long aromatherapy baths with lots of bubbles. Get a hot rock massage. Curl up in front of a fire and read a book. Play with your cat or dog. Live life through things other than food!

Which moderation tips work best for you? Start a conversation and post your tips. You never know who you'll inspire!

How to Use Essential Oil in Your Home

You can incorporate essential oils into your everyday life by using them whenever you would use a commercial cleanser or air freshener. You may want to avoid using your precious essential oils, such as neroli (Citrus aurantium var. amara) and rose attar (Rosa damascena), for cleaning and household purposes.

You do not need to invest in diffusers or other aromatherapy equipment, although they can be quick and easy ways to disperse essential oils into the air. The following suggestions do not require an investment in any equipment:

• Use two or three drops on the filter pad of your vacuum cleaner to leave a refreshing aroma around your home as you do the housework.
• Add two or three drops to the edge of the toilet roll before placing on the toilet roll holder.
• Place a few drops on cotton balls that are distributed in drawers, wardrobes, closets, and cupboards. A good night's rest is ensured if placed into pillowcases. This will also help keep moths and insects out of linen.
• Use as a room freshener. Pour directly on cotton balls and leave in a room. This is particularly good for freshening up a room that is stale with cigarette smoke or pet odors.
• Sprinkle a few drops on potpourri to revive the original fragrance.
• Sprinkle a few drops in and around drains, into the trash bin, compost bucket, toilet bowl, and in the dishwasher.
• Add a few drops to the washing machine or dryer when doing laundry. For dryers, add the oil to a dry cloth and place it into the dryer along with the wet laundry.
• Add a drop of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) to the water that you add to your steam iron or use a hydrosol.
• You can use essential oils in every room in your house: kitchen, living room, bathroom, bedroom, laundry, and even in the garden.

For more information about the history of aromatherapy download our free lecture History of Aromatherapy and our PowerPoint presentation What is Aromatherapy?

American College of Healthcare Sciences' Aromatherapy Programs Approved By Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA)

Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) has approved the ACHS Certificate in Aromatherapy as a Level II approved aromatherapy program and the ACHS Diploma in Aromatherapy as a Level III Clinical Aromatherapy program.

American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) is the only nationally accredited, AIA Level II and III professional clinical aromatherapy training available in the U.S. This recognition ensures ACHS aromatherapy programs and ACHS students meet and exceed AIA’s extensive curriculum requirements for aromatherapy training at the clinical level as critically reviewed by independent evaluators of the AIA Education Committee.

“We’re very proud of this recognition,” says ACHS President Dorene Petersen. “AIA is diligently working to establish a high standard of excellence in the aromatherapy industry, which begins with quality education. Our mission at ACHS is to provide leadership in holistic health education through comprehensive professional online and on-campus education. This AIA recognition supports our mission and validates what we feel on a personal level, that our students are on the cutting-edge of aromatherapy education. We have the great privilege of training responsible, influential members of the growing aromatherapy professional community.”

For more information about AIA approved Level II and Level III programs at ACHS, including the Associate of Applied Science in Complementary Alternative Medicine with the Aromatherapy major, contact ACHS at (800) 487-8839, email admissions@achs.edu, or stop by the College campus located at 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland OR 97239.

For more information about ACHS and the AIA, visit the AIA website at http://www.alliance-aromatherapists.org/Aromatherapy_schools.htm

>> Read the full-text press release online here: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=262

Earth Day is April 22! How Will You Promote Sustainability in 2011?

Earth Day is April 22! Founded in 1970, Earth Day provides a dedicated day to to raise awareness about the importance of conservation and to demonstrate our commitment to the health of our environment.

This Earth Day ACHS encourages you to review and renew your day-to-day commitment to the preservation of our natural environment. Here are some simple things you can do without significantly impacting your day-to-day routine:

• Compost. Many food items like fruits and vegetables, tea bags, coffee grounds, and plant material can be composted.
  
• Reduce energy consumption. Turn off lights when you leave a room and unplug electronics that are not in use.
  
• Get rid of old cosmetics and recycle the containers. Body and skin care products with organic ingredients support sustainable practices and your health! To find out what may be lurking in your cosmetics, visit the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.
• Plant an herb and veggie garden. Plus, growing your own herbs and veggies is a great way to reduce cost, involve the entire family, and bring healthy, nutritious foods from backyard to table. For tips about organic gardening and growing herbs in pots, visit ACHStv on YouTube for easy-to-follow instructional videos.
  

How will you promote sustainability and make the earth a better place in 2011? Post your comments and suggestions for Earth Day activities!

Read more about ACHS's sustainability initiatives on our website here and our Oregon Tilth Organic Certification here.

ACHS Course Personal and Community Health (HLTH 101) Starts May 16!

When asked why he loves teaching Personal and Community Health (HLTH 101), ACHS instructor Deryl Gulliford says:

HLTH 101 Personal and Community Health is a thorough and excellent survey course covering health principles and practices. It shares practical things which students can do to advance their own health and wellness, and provides a foundation for sharing this knowledge with friends, family and colleagues in a holistic health practice. Some of our topics in HLTH 101 include assessment of physical health, psychological health, social health, intellectual health, spiritual health, and environmental health. We consider wellness in the broadest possible terms. In addition, HLTH 101 explores ways of achieving better health through models of behavior change. And it looks at examination theories and case studies of health risk communication. Community health campaigns and strategies are also presented. In short, HLTH 101 is a great way to learn more about improvement of health......for yourself and for your community. I thoroughly enjoy teaching this course, and I hope to see you in class starting May 16!

Why is personal and community health important for holistic health professionals to understand? Just some of the topics covered are:

• psychological health
• stress management
• violence and abuse
• reproductive health
• relationships
• drug abuse
• nutrition
• weight management
• physical fitness
• environmental health
• aging and dying
• heart disease
• cancer

If you are searching for practical health and wellness tools to advance your holistic health career or for personal wellness this course is critical! ACHS's HLTH 101 Personal & Community Health starts May 16, 2011. The deadline to register is Friday, April 22!

>> Click here to schedule this course for the May semester.

For more information about American College of Healthcare Sciences, ACHS courses, and/or HLTH 101 Personal & Community Health, call (800) 487-8839 or visit ACHS.edu.

Join ACHS for Our 2011 HerbDay Celebration April 27 at Our Portland, Oregon Campus

Join ACHS for a series of presentations that will celebrate the use of herbs and the tradition of herbal medicine and leave with some new ideas about how you can use herbs in your everyday life.

HerbDay celebrates the importance of herbs and herbalism by raising awareness about the significance of herbs in our everyday lives and the ways herbs can be used safely and creatively for health, beauty care, and culinary enjoyment. Through awareness of, and familiarity with herbs, we increase informed use of herbal products and public support for maintaining personal choice in the use of botanicals.

Presentation topics include: DIY Quick and Easy Sprouting at Home with ACHS President Dorene Petersen; Herbs and Essential Oils for Spring Seasonal Balance with ACHS Graduate Amanda Lattin; Muscle Testing: A key to healing the body with Dr. Robert Ciprian; and more!

Space is limited; RSVP early to (503) 244-0726 or email admissions@achs.edu. April 27, 11 am-2 pm. American College of Healthcare Sciences, 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland OR 97239.

Basic Guidelines for Eating for Health

There is a lot of information out there about how and what to eat. Once we make the decision to prioritize our nutrition and eat for health, sorting through all that information can be overwhelming. Let us help. Here are a few key guidelines to keep in mind when eating for health:

• Do not eat unless hungry. Many of us eat from habit, boredom, loneliness, comfort, or for many other reasons rather than from hunger.
• Chew thoroughly; the slower we eat, the less we eat.
• There is a delay between eating and satiety or feeling full, so leave the table feeling you could eat more. It may be helpful to get a container that is about the size of our hand (this is the size of our stomach) and use it to measure meals. Remember, the goal is to eat enough so we feel sated, not stuff this container full until it breaks!
• Take breaks while eating to give your body a chance to evaluate fullness.
  
• Do not fry foods. Steam, grill, or bake when possible.
• Focus on eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, quality lean proteins, and whole grains.
• If certain foods are a trigger, don't buy them.
  
• Indulge with foods you love that are good for you, such as exotic fruits and vegetables. Exotic produce may seem expensive, but not when compared to the price of many processed foods or the cost of being unhealthy.

Revitalize Your Skin for Spring with Dry Skin Brushing

Dry skin brushing is an easy way to help keep skin smooth, soft, and healthy. Dry skin brushing stimulates the sweat and oil glands, which decrease production with age, and helps stimulate collagen in the skin. Dry skin brushing also exfoliates the layers of dead cells, improving skin’s appearance (our skin's ability to shed the outermost layer of cells decreases with age), and can help break up areas of cellulite.

To use the dry skin brushing technique, use a natural bristled brush, preferably a long-handled bath brush. Note that it must be of natural bristles because nylon can tear the skin and disturb the electro-magnetic balance of the skin. Never wet your brush; dry skin is important as water acts as a lubricant and the beneficial affects of the friction are lost.

Using small circles, move your brush all over the bare body. As you move through each area, it may assist lymphatic flow to begin in the lymph node for that area, then work from the outer extremities towards that lymph node. Begin at the feet and work towards the heart to stimulate venous circulation. Do not brush the face or any tender or inflamed areas, but do brush the soles of the feet.

The brush may feel rough to begin with, so use gentle pressure until you become used to the sensation. Increase the pressure as needed. Dry skin brush at least once a day for best results.

It can also be helpful to follow dry skin brushing with a salt scrub (use ½-cup of sea salt or Epsom salt, add sufficient olive oil (you can also use sweet almond oil) to made a paste. Add a few drops of essential oil if you want). Rub all over the body, avoiding the eyes, mucous membranes, and any broken skin. Then rinse off in the shower.