U.S. military uses alternative medicine

The U.S. military is known for using super secret codes to identify sensitive projects. The key word here is sensitive. Who would have thought that the US military has a softer side? Project code name: iRest, short for Integrative Restoration, a code name for yoga nidra.

Yoga is one of the newest ‘secret weapons’ in the US Armed Forces. Major Nisha Money, who currently serves as the Chief of Air Force Fitness for the Surgeon General at USAF Headquarters in Washington DC, gave me the scoop. Soldiers suffering from Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are being treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. within a specialized care program that incorporates the iRest protocol. Major Money stated that she hopes that it will not be long before there is a movement to integrate body-mind-spirit healing modalities that not only serve as treatment interventions for emotional and physical trauma but also play a role in prevention by attenuating the impact of emotional trauma experienced in the battlefield.

As she put it, “Our soldiers are sent into combatant zones physically prepared to fight. It would also be helpful to add components within deployment readiness training programs that build mental strength as well.” Major Money MD, MPH, ABHM, trained in Preventive Medicine with an emphasis in clinical epidemiology and international health has an integrative medicine practice on the side. She’s also boarded by the American Board of Holistic Medicine, certified by UCLA’s Physician’s Medical Acupuncture Program, accomplished in “neurorobics”, and trained in mind-body medicine modalities and yoga nidra (Integrative Restoration - iRest) to help alleviate emotional distress secondary to trauma.

Nisha Money is a different kind of healer, working out of cement government offices, not in hushed, softly lit, treatment rooms more often associated with the movement of subtle energies. On Sunday, June 28th, Major Money will be presenting at the annual conference for International Society for the Studies of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine (ISSSEEM) to be held from June 26 - July 1, 2009 at the Westin hotel in Westminster, Colorado.

Additionally, side by side with Deepak Chopra and Rustum Roy, Nisha will co-host a dinner and town hall meeting examining the divergence and confluence of consciousness in the community.

For more information on the conference, please go to http://www.issseem.org

Article originally posted by Ode to Sustainlane on June 15, 2009

Create your own antiaging program in 6 steps

The June edition of More magazine features a special section called "Age proof your health." The article emphasizes two interesting points: 1. that health is primarily do-it-yourself, and 2. using a holistic* approach to health, you can create your own anti-aging program.

Here are six steps for creating your own anti-aging program based on More:

1. Set a time frame.

Pick a set time (they suggest 30 days) to focus on making lifestyle changes. Being specific focuses on your intention and creates a benchmark against which to measure progress.

2. Partner with a doctor.

To find an integrative medicine specialist to work with, More suggests the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. However, you can also alternative healthcare workers through the American College of Healthcare Sciences Practitioner Directory and on industry-specific sites like the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy.

3. Get tested.

Standard tests will show areas of concern, including diabetes and heart disease.

4. Evaluate your diet.

You may want to work with a nutrition consultant, who can help you to develop healthy eating plans. *Incorporating organic herbs into your daily diet will impart additional vitamins and nutrients (and flavor!). For more information about cooking with herbs, download the free lecture Antioxidants and Herbs from the ACHS Apothecary Shoppe.

5. Develop and exercise routine.

Do something active every day. There is no single definition for what "active" means, which provides a great opportunity to make exercise work for you. That can mean taking a walk at lunch, joining a jogging group, or working with a personal training at the gym, to name a few.

6. Reduce stress.

Yoga and breathing exercises both help to reduce stress. For how-to techniques visit the American Institute of Stress website and download this free lecture about aromatherapy.

* What does holistic mean? Holistic is a whole person approach to health care, which emphasizes prevention, and optimal health through a balanced approach to mind, body, and spirit.